Page 610 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

608  SOUTH INDIA

u Mudumalai
Wildlife Sanctuary
Nilgiris district. 64 km (40 miles) W of
Udhagamandalam. @ Theppakadu,
the main entry point. n Tourist
Office, Theppakadu, (0423) 244 3977.
For bookings contact Wildlife Warden’s
Office, Ooty, (0423) 244 5971.
Open daily (may be closed during
Feb–Mar). & 8 Jeeps available. 
Mudumalai, or “Ancient Hill
Range”, situated at the base
Yerikadu Lake, from which Yercaud derives its name of the Nilgiri Hills, is separated
from Karnataka’s Bandipur
y Yercaud entirely covered with National Park (see p524) by
plantations of coffee, tea, the Moyar river.
Salem district. 32 km (20 miles) NE
of Salem. £ Salem, then bus. @ jackfruit and plantains. This sanctuary is an
n Hotel Tamil Nadu, Yercaud Ghat The man-made Yerikadu important constituent of the
Rd, (04281) 223 334. _ Shevaroyan Lake and the Killiyur Falls are 5,500-sq km (2,124-sq mile)
Temple Festival (May). two of the area’s most scenic Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve of
spots, while Lady’s Seat, near the Western Ghats. Along
This attractive hill station, the lake, offers delightful views with adjacent Bandipur and
situated in the Shevaroy Hills, of the surrounding countryside. Nagarhole, it provides one of
was established in the early The town and its environs the most important refuges
1800s by the British, who have several apiaries that for the elephant and the Indian
introduced the coffee plant produce delicious honey. gaur in India. The park covers
here. Today, this is one of the The Horticultural Research 322 sq km (124 sq miles) of
state’s most productive areas, Station has an interesting undulating terrain, and rises
and its surrounding slopes are collection of rare plants. to 1,250 m (4,101 ft) at Moyar
i Tour of the Nilgiris 6 Pykara
Dams, fenced sholas,
The picturesque nila giri, or “Blue green meadows and
conical-shaped
Mountains”, at the junction of the Toda houses can
Eastern and Western Ghats, are so named be seen here.
because the shrub kurunji (Strobilanthes
kunthianus) turns the hills blue with its
blossoms every 12 years. Covered with
high-altitude grasslands and sholas Madhumalai
(montane evergreen forests), they
are of special interest to botanists
and entomologists. This tour offers
enchanting glimpses of lush green Jacaranda in full bloom in
valleys, hill stations and hamlets the Nilgiris Pykara
inhabited by tribal people. Reservoir
5 Avalanche
Tips for Drivers This natural paradise has dense
forests and a beautiful lake.
Length: 90 km (56 miles).
Getting around: Avalanche and
Pykara can only be reached from 0 km 3 Makurti
Ooty, as there are no road links Lake
from Coonoor. The route is well 0 miles 3
covered by public and private
buses. An exciting alternative is
the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Key
which runs from Mettupalayam Tour route
to Ooty, via Coonoor (see p753).
Other roads

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp702–703 and pp717–18

608-609_EW_India.indd 608 26/04/17 11:49 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm