EXPLORE COONOOR
Nestled in the Nilgiris, almost 2000 meters above sea level, Coonoor is a quaint, quiet hill station town known for its sprawling tea plantations and fragrant forests of pine and eucalyptus.
Founded as a summer retreat for British officers wanting to escape the sweltering South Indian heat, Coonoor still retains its beautiful colonial cottages, winding cobblestone streets, and old churches and is reminiscent of the English countryside with colorful daisies, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and nasturtiums growing wild on the hillsides.
Coonoor is also a culinary delight – well known for its chocolate and fudge, its incredible produce of berries, persimmons, and plums, its several farm-to-table cafes, and a budding cottage industry of artisanal cheesemakers. You can buy many of these at the iconic Moddy’s – just a 5-minute walk from Milford – and while you’re there, don’t forget to try their famous Hot Cocoa – heaven in a cup.
We recommend taking long walks, often interrupted by stops at the local cafes and small restaurants. The Birdhouse Café is the perfect spot for a cup of coffee and a slice of lemon tart, Open Kitchen is a cute rooftop restaurant with fantastic pizzas and burgers, and Hopscotch is our version of the local pub – a great spot for an evening drink and dinner over live music.
If you feel like venturing further out, we are happy to organize a taxi to visit The Culinarium – a restaurant with a great view serving continental cuisine and some of the most delicious ice cream in town. Another beautiful spot perched high on the hillside is Café Diem. This quaint, quirky café is located in an award-winning garden and is an ideal lunch spot, but be sure to reserve in advance.
ESTATE WALKS
An unmissable activity while you stay with us is to visit our estates of Sutton and Katary for a guided trek (20 mins by car).
One of our assistant managers will walk you through a part of the estate selected especially for you based on difficulty level and length as they tell you about the tea growing and picking process. Enjoy the crisp sunshine and the clean air as you walk amidst the tea shrubs, with views of the Nilgiris and the Shola forests, encountering groups of tea pickers and herds of wild bison working in peaceful, companionable silence.
The treks can be anywhere from an hour to half a day, and the old hands at the estates can find an appropriate route whether your group is made up of experienced hikers, children, or older family members. The perfect end to a plantation walk is a tour of the tea factory and a tasting experience.
TEA TASTING & TOUR
Learn all about what happens to a tea leaf from the moment it’s picked off the bush until it ends up in your cup by walking through our tea factory. After taking you through every step, you can enjoy a tea-tasting experience. Our factory manager – a trained tea sommelier – shows you the correct technique of tasting and the qualities of each grade of tea, such as Silver Tips, Pekoe, and Dust. The tea factory and tasting experience is wonderful and eye-opening and takes you behind the scenes of the quintessential Indian habit – chai.
TRAIN
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway – fondly known as the Toy Train – runs 26 kilometers from Mettupalyam to Ooty every day. Built in 1908, it is the country’s only rack rail – designed for steep slopes – and still operates with a fleet of well-maintained, beautifully painted steam locomotives.
One of the stops on its route is Coonoor Railway Station and a fun activity for children and grown-ups alike is to take the train from here to Ooty. Though it is a much longer journey than by car, the two hours go by quickly as you pass by bubbling streams, waterfalls, misty mountains, and dense shola forest. It makes for an enjoyable one-way trip into Ooty for a day, and you can always take a 45-minute taxi ride back to Milford. You can book your Toy Train tickets on the Indian Railways Website, or we can organize the same from the Coonoor Railway Station (based on availability).
