4 Days/3 Nights
Easy
6400 ft./1950 m
12 Participants
October-March
Tamil Nadu

Kotagiri Culture Trip – Where Nature Comes First

Have you been anticipating a getaway while the enclosed cubicles and constant screen time consume you? You are longing for a pause; to discover inspiration, to instil a share of positivity, and moreover, to discover yourself?

Come join us for a three-day-long sojourn, away from the chaos of notifications for you to indulge in self-exploration, seek inspiration, and practice mindfulness.

OWLS is initiating a pilot project ‘Kotagiri Cultural Trip’ in the remote village of Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu. We invite a community longing to chase happiness whilst in a tryst with nature.

Who is it for?

When our team visited Kotagiri, we realised the need for a place where people can holiday as well as coexist in harmony with nature.

Kotagiri is among the 4 biodiversity hotspots in India, so it was our responsibility to curate a cultural trip that keeps the Outdoors and its impact at the utmost priority. With a relaxing stay in a heritage bungalow of Kotagiri, you will experience Tea-trail walks, Visit nearby Tribal villages, help in the organic farming practices and experience a zero-waste sustainable lifestyle.

Nestled amidst the verdant tea gardens of Kotagiri in the resplendent Blue Mountains of the Nilgiris, Kotagiri Cultural Trip unplugs nature at its best to soothe your souls. Wake up to the symphony of the birds, breathe in the crisp & unpolluted air to revitalise your lungs and simply enjoy wholesome home-cooked vegetarian cuisine and curl up with your favourite book.

Kotagiri Cultural Trip brochure

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Inclusions

Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinners (Day 1 Lunch to Day 4 Breakfast)
Accommodation
- Heritage Bungalow and Nature home
- Cloakroom Charges
Highly Experienced Leaders and Guides
- Trained and Qualified Guides
- Certified Outdoor Leaders
Permits
- National Parks and Sanctuaries
- Forest Permits and Entry fees
Technical Equipment
- Wilderness Medical Kit
- Oxygen Cylinder
- BP Meter
- Oximeter, Thermometer etc.

Exclusions

Cab charges to and from Kotagiri
Meals during transit to and from Kotagiri
Personal expenses
Cost incurred due to change in the itinerary
Additional services (including assistance, health-related support etc.)
Anything not mentioned in the Inclusions list.

Kotagiri Cultural Trip Itinerary

Day 1 : Touch Down in Kotagiri and Visit tea gardens of Nilgiri

It is a great way to experience the gorgeous tea gardens up close and a great opportunity to meet and interact with the people who work on the estates. Post lunch, we will also visit a tea factory and see how the harvested tea leaves are processed to give you a refreshing cup of tea at your home. It is a complete productive process to see the whole cycle.

Day 2 : Biodiversity Walk

The Biodiversity walk is for those who are prepared to walk the extra mile. An adventurous early morning walk, starting at 6.30 am in the morning which will take you through small streams & other ecosystems around the heritage bungalow. The exciting part about this walk is that you will be walking for about 30 mins through a dense Shola Jungle where our naturalist will be explaining about the importance of Native Sholas and Grasslands of the Western Ghats. Once we walk past the Sholas, we will be entering a small labour settlement which is an excellent opportunity to meet and interact with the estate workers and their children.

The exciting part is not over yet! We will be carrying packed breakfast, fruits and some hot garden-fresh masala chai with us on the walk. Once we cross the labour settlement, we will climb up a small hill and reach a cliff where we will have our breakfast with a splendid view of the sholas tucked in the valley below us. The walk then continues through eucalyptus & wattle plantations all the way back to our homestay.

Day 3 : Tribal Village Experience

“A Once In A Lifetime Experience”

A guided day tour to experience the culture & daily life of one of the oldest tribes in the Nilgiris, “The Todas’ ‘. The drive from our homestay will start by 8.30 am after breakfast. You will be driving through the scenic countryside of Kotagiri where you will be seeing beautiful BadagaHattis and vegetable farms which form the ever-green landscapes all along your way. Once you reach Ebbanad town (the last stop before the mund), the journey to the Toda Mund begins.

A 4 X 4 pick up jeep will take you on a 20 min off-road journey through an ancient Shola Jungle which leads to this beautiful tribal settlement. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by a Toda Family. We will have some refreshments in their house and go on a walk through lush green sholas to visit their ancient temple.

Once we are back from the temple visit, we will have a traditional Toda lunch in their house while listening to Toda tales & adventures of the early days. A Toda embroidery demo will be shown by the women and you can also try your hands on the traditional artwork. In the evening, wear their traditional attire for a photo-op, have some refreshments and get back to Ebbanad town from where we will drive back to our homestay.. On our way back, if time permits you can also stop by Kotagiri town for some local shopping.

Day 4 : Try Your Hands at Gardening

“Gardening adds years to your life, and life to your years”

At the homestay, the owners maintain an organic vegetable and flower garden. Some of the vegetables & herbs used in their kitchen are sourced straight from the garden to your plates.

On the cultural experience, you will get to experience gardening hands-on and learn some tips for effective gardening.

The first hours of the day, immerse in the daily garden work along with the gardener at the heritage home. This will help you get closer to Nature and connect with Mother Earth, by getting your hands soiled. Who knows, it might even inspire you to grow your own organic garden.

Post breakfast, you will say goodbye to your host at this amazing nature homestay, wanting to come back

How to reach Kotagiri for your Kotagiri Cultural Trip?

✈️Nearest Airport – Kempegowda Airport, Bangalore.

🚉 Nearest Railway Station – Yesvantpur Railway station

The pick-up point of Coorg Immersive trip will be from Bangalore Airport/ Bangalore city (Indiranagar) or Bangalore Railway station

The pickup will be arranged at 6 am from the source destination.

The journey from the source station to our homestay is a drive of 6-7 hours.

[Note: Fare for a 5-7 seater cab will be Rs. 7000-8000 per vehicle. The 12-seater Tempo Traveller costs Rs. 13,000. This amount will be split by the participants and paid to the driver.]

How to plan your return flight/train to your source city

Your Kotagiri Cultural Trip is a 3 days, including travel to and from Bangalore City.The team will be back in Bangalore on Day 4. You reach Bangalore in the afternoon between 4 to 5 pm.

While returning you can fly directly out of Bangalore to your city. The second option is to travel by train to bus or train to your city.

If you go with the first option, you can book a direct flight from Bangalore to your city on Day 5 after 8 pm.

The second option requires you to travel to Bangalore Railway station or Bangalore bus stand. Once you reach Bangalore in the afternoon you can head to Bangalore bus stand and book an AC Volvo bus to Hyderabad/ Mumbai and travel comfortably. The other option to reach Bangalore Railway Station for your return train.