Nilgiris

The Nilgiris, often called the Blue Mountains, form a rolling highland in Tamil Nadu’s Western Ghats that has enchanted travelers for generations, making it a highlight of Nilgiris tourism. Once a summer retreat for the British escaping the heat of Madras, this region today features prominently in every well-curated Nilgiris travel guide. Anchored by Ooty (Udhagamandalam), Coonoor, and Kotagiri, the region is a patchwork of tea estates, eucalyptus forests, shola grasslands, and colonial bungalows set between peaks that rise above 2,500 meters. A defining experience among the many things to do in Nilgiris is riding the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage toy train that winds through 46 kilometers of jungle, bridges, and tunnels on its journey to Ooty. Along the way, travelers discover some of the best places to visit in Nilgiris, including cascading waterfalls like Catherine Falls and Law's Falls, as well as serene high-altitude lakes reflecting the ever-changing sky. Cool year-round, fragrant with wattle and wild flowers, and dotted with homestays tucked into tea gardens, the Nilgiris are South India's most atmospheric hill country; the kind of place where fog rolls in with breakfast and you reach for a blanket in June.