The summer is getting harsher year on year and my family is always waiting for an opportunity for a weekend getaway. It was mid of April last year and the summer was at its peak. We couldn’t wait to get off to a higher altitude to beat the heat. I stay in Chennai and we were looking for a good hill station destination which is not too far away from our city. We zeroed in on Ooty. We have been to Ooty quite a number of times, yet it always seems like the best bet to beat the summer. However, one thought kept troubling me… CROWD and TRAFFIC!!! Ooty has become too commercial and the traffic during the holiday season is a nightmare.
I still loved the blue hills, the Nilgiris…. I looked at other options in the Nilgiris and ‘Thank God’, I spotted Kotagiri. After a good research and talks with my friends, I heard that Kotagiri is a serene place and yet to be explored location. And… apparently I heard it has the second best climate in the world. I did not get into details and research whether it is true or not. I confirmed our holiday to Kotagiri!
Amazing Resort In Kotagiri
I quickly got online to check for the hill station resort that is going to rejuvenate my family. I was keen on getting a place that is off the buzz of the city. All we needed was a peaceful place that was cool and nature centric. I looked into travel sites like Trip advisor, Make My Trip etc. It was not too difficult in locating our place of stay in Kotagiri. Green nest resort had good reviews and ranking in all the travel sites I checked. And, of course it matched all my expectations of a weekend getaway to beat the summer. And, finally we drove down to Kotagiri – Green nest resorts. I just cannot resist sharing my experience in one of the best resorts in Kotagiri.
The Adventurous Nature Drive
It took us 4 hours to reach Kotagiri. It was a long journey and kids were really restless. We started feeling better as we got to the hills and started enjoying the chillness and the drive up the hills. We were not too sure about the roads in Kotagiri. Thanks to the Google Maps, We started navigating to Green nest resorts. We drove past the town and into the Ooty main road and took the diversion to the resort. As we drove up the hill, the journey to the resort started to thrill us. By now, kids were fully wake and our holiday experience had already started. We took a steep curve and drove into a narrow road amidst eucalyptus plantation. We were the only car and hoped that no other car came opposite to ours. The air was fresh with a strong smell of eucalyptus. The trickiest drive was to go past a huge eucalyptus tree which was on the middle of the road. It was really adventurous. We were eager to reach the destination. With higher heartbeats we reached the destination. A home amidst lush green nature.
Early Morning Walk and Fresh Filter Coffee
Waking up in the resort was an heavenly experience. The room was luxurious with 5 start standards and large glass windows overlooking the mountains and the tea plantation. Giving our kids the luxury of holiday sleep, me and my husband decided to go for a morning walk into the plantations. To compliment our stay at the resort, the weather was dramatic. The scenic surrounding and the weather took us to a completely new world. There were direction boards, directing us into safe zones, bison trails, mountain paths etc. We decided to be little adventurous and took the bison trail. The bisons took these trails and certain times during the day and night. So, knowing the timing we took the route. After a solid 45 mins of pure nature walk, we started heading back to our room. We were greeted by their staff and we ordered coffee. Within minutes, we got our steaming hot filter coffee. What more can one expect early in the morning…. A Long nature walk with my loved one and a steaming hot filter coffee!!!
Fun Games (Indoor & Outdoor)
We decided to stay in the resort and enjoy the landscape with good food. The kids were excited running around the place collecting lovely flowers and spotting colourful birds. A friendly staff offered the kids scooters and shuttle rackets. Overjoyed, kids started scooting happily around in the skating/ scooting lane. We met other tourists in the outdoor play area and joined them to play a volley ball match. In the conversation with the other tourists, we heard that there was a bike for hire and they could go around the town with the hired bike.
Late in the evening, as it was getting colder we settled indoors. There was a common sitting area, with cozy couches. Kids started playing foosball and they were fully occupied with other indoor games like carom, cards etc. While the kids were busy with the indoor games, we were busy watching the bisons taking their trail.
Hiking On the Granite Hill
We were awed to see the huge granite hill inside the property. There were direction boards guiding us in the safe route to the hill. We made up our mind to go visit the small temple at the peak of the mountain. They said it is frequented by the tribes living in that area. While the kids were busy with the indoor and outdoor activities, we went up hiking along with the other tourists. We reached the peak in half an hour and had a wonderful view of the town from the peak. We saw the temple and started getting back.
Chai Kadai
At the foothill they had a lovely hut setup like a chai shop. The guy was making fresh filter coffee, tea, hot chocolate, boost etc. They were making fresh fried snacks like chilli bajji, onion pakodas etc. After a tiring walk it was a boon to relax on the stone and wood benches sipping hot coffee and munching on chilli bajji.
Bison Watch
Talking to the staff at Green nest, we know when the bisons crossed the resort. Along with the kids, we sat at the room balcony and started looking out for the bisons. We did see them at a long distance. It was a large heard and it was guided by a huge alpha bison.
BBQ Night
We ordered for BBQ in the night along with campfire. We joined a couple of tourists at the gazebo, where the campfire was lit. There was music and lot of fun. The BBQ was made on the spot and I couldn’t resist getting my hands on the juicy cubes of BBQ chicken. I did not get deceived by looks, the chicken just melted in my mouth… It was soo juicy and tender!!!
Candlelit Dinner
Though I did not experience the candlelit dinner, I witnessed the setting for a honey moon couple. A table was set under a manmade rock cave in the property. The table was set with luxurious crockery, crystal candle stand on the table and candles all around the cave. It had sashes at the entrance of the cave…. It sure brought in the magic!
Picnic To Sholurmattam
The manager suggested we go on a picnic to a location near Kotagiri. The following day, we packed for our picnic. We were accompanied by the other family at the resort. The kids made new friends playing games at the resort. The staff packed the lunch for us and took us to a spot in a village near Kotagiri. We arrived at the destination after 1 hr drive from the resort. This was even more secluded and this location was coffee plantation. We walked for 10 minutes and arrived at a beautiful waterfalls. The kids were too excited and dipped their legs into the water. It did not stop with that… they completely got drenched. The water was very clear and we actually drank the pure spring water. Green nest provided a tasty packed meal, comprising of Chappathi, Chicken gravy, Eggs and Fried Rice. It was heart warming to have such a meal amidst wild nature.
Place For Yoga
The property is vast and we understood that few tourists came there to practice yoga and meditation. We saw a couple meditate in a spot in the hills. It is surely a place full of divinity and positivity flowing around.
Places To Visit From Green nest
Ooty is 30 minutes drive from the resort. We visited the kodanad estate, a beautiful and a well maintained tea plantation. We also visited Wellington, a cantonment town in Nilgiris. It is the regimental centre for the Madras Regiment of the Indian Army.
The experience in Green nest completely rejuvenated us. Though we were happy to get back home, we wished we could take the nature along!