Coonoor

Coonoor sits at the head of the ghat that connects the hills to the plains, and became the heart of the Nilgiri tea industry after the British began planting at altitude in the 1830s. Tea still defines its living landscape — the hand-plucked carpet of green is the signature view from Dolphin's Nose, Lamb's Rock and Sim's Park alike.

Nilgiri tea, which carries a Geographical Indication, grows between roughly 1,000 and 2,500 m. The cool air slows the leaf and concentrates aroma, giving a brisk, bright, fragrant cup. Most output is everyday CTC, but a revival of orthodox whole-leaf and winter 'frost' teas rewards the curious — book a factory tour and tasting at an estate such as Highfield.

Just uphill, Wellington has been a garrison town since the 1850s and is home to the Madras Regimental Centre and the tri-service Defence Services Staff College. Upper Coonoor keeps the club-and-bungalow texture of the Raj, much of it now converted to boutique stays.

Coonoor is also the operational heart of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway: it sits at the top of the steep rack section, beside the locomotive workshops where the heritage steam engines are serviced.

Coonoor is about 19 km below Ooty and roughly 60–70 km from Coimbatore airport. The toy train and the road both connect it to Ooty, while the dramatic steam climb runs up from Mettupalayam.

October–March brings the clearest skies and the winter 'frost-tea' season; the Sim's Park fruit & vegetable show is the highlight of May. Roads are winding ghats, so allow time.