Kotagiri – Where the Blue Mountains turn green

About Kotagiri Tourism   Kotagiri, located at an elevation of 1793 metres above sea level in the state of Tamil Nadu, is an old hill station well known for its green spaces and a number of trekking opportunities. History of Kotagiri The name Kotagiri literally means ‘the home of the Kota’ and refers to the Kota tribe who lived here in the past.  Today, the Kota tribe has been reduced to a few thousand and is on the brink of extinction. There is no written record of the ancient history of Kotagiri. All that is present is the history of Kotagiri from the British era to the present. This hill station was the preferred location for the British who looked to escape the heat and the humidity of the plains. In fact, Kotagiri was the summer home of the British in Southern India. Kotagiri is not as well known as some of the other hill stations in South India like Ooty, but it is still a significant one. This small hill station in the Nilgiri Hills was the first one to be discovered by the British. However, when an alternate path was built to Ooty, other than the Horse Trail which passed through Kotagiri, the popularity of Kotagiri started waning until it fell into obscurity. However, of late, tourism has picked up due to various awareness drives undertaken by the government. Kotagiri was originally a coffee plantation. The first coffee plantation was planted in 1843 here which was followed by many more plantations. However, following the first tea plantation in the late 19th century by the daughter of MD Cockburn, tea slowly started taking over coffee until it completely spanned the city. Today, the tea plantations in Kotagiri cover a total area of 30,000 acres. Things to do in Kotagiri The trekking trails in this region go through picturesque tea-estates and lush greenery, meadows and rivers. The most popular trail of the region is the Kotagiri-Kodanad Trail. Kotagiri has many places of tourist interest apart from its trekking and mountaineering opportunities. Some of the tourist attractions here are the Kodanad View Point, Catherine Falls and Longwood Shola. Food & Shopping in Kotagiri Famous for its tea gardens, tourists visiting Kotagiri must try some freshly brewed tea here. It is available in a range of flavours right from ginger to chocolate. Food in Kotagiri is limited to regular snacks and Indian food, which is served at the restaurants in the town. Travelling to Kotagiri Tourists can reach Kotagiri by air as the nearest airport to the destination is in Coimbatore at a distance of about 105 km. Kotagiri is well connected to major cities in Tamil Nadu by road with regular bus plying from Mettupalayam, Coimbatore, Trichy, Thirupur and Erode. The nearest railhead to Kotagiri is Coonoor at 21 km.