Still relatively untouched by the unbridled commercialism that has somewhat reduced the charm of more popular hill stations like Ooty and Kodaikanal, Coonoor warrants its fair share of attention from tourists, offering stunning scenery, cascading waterfalls, and lush green forests high up in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu. Coonoor is on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway route between Mettupalayam and Ooty and is a beautiful small town surrounded by tea plantations and exudes all the charm of a colonial era hill station.

History of Coonoor

Coonoor was first explored by Europeans in the early 19th century and quickly became a holiday destination for British officers during the hot summer months. The climate and soil of the region was found to be suitable for planting tea, and plantations rapidly cropped up. Tea and tourism remain the dominant industries in Coonoor, and in fact much of the Nilgiris. Coonoor can be reached through the Nilgiri Mountain Railway or the Nilgiri Ghat Roads that run across the hills.

Coonoor is located at an altitude of 1839 m and is about 17 km from Ooty. The natural beauty of Coonoor has been much the subject of many books and movies. The majestic hills around Coonoor was used as the backdrop for the 1984 David Lean movie ‘A Passage to India,’ which itself was based on E.M. Forster’s book of the same name. Local movie studios also often shoot in the Coonoor area of southern India.

Exploring Coonoor

The centre of Coonoor town is a bustling hive of activity, with cars, autos, buses and bullock carts all sharing the narrow, steep lanes. Taxis are the best way to get around the place, while autos are an option for those with a more adventurous disposition. There are a number of tourist attractions in and around Coonoor that helps one get a feel for the splendor of the hills.

The Sim’s Park botanical garden has a highly regarded collection of trees and plants native to the region. The park itself was designed along the undulating contours of the land more than a century ago, and has various shrubs, creepers, flowering plants as well as one of the largest repository of temperate plants in India. Ornamental trees have also been introduced to the park from different regions of the world and add to the diversity of the flora in the park. The annual ‘Fruit Show’ is also held at the park in the summer.

Located in the Tiger Hills about 12 km from Coonoor is a unique rock formation known as Dolphin’s Nose that juts out of the face of a hill. Offering spectacular views of the Nilgiri Hills and its lush forests, Dolphin’s Nose also allows visitors to see the magnificent 250 foot high St Catherine Falls. Lamb’s Rock, located on the way to Dolphin’s Nose is another is another viewing spot and commands an excellent sight of the Coimbatore plains. Also worth exploring is the 180 feet high Laws Falls.


Hiking and trekking opportunities abound in Coonoor, with the pleasant temperature and stunning scenery making them worthwhile excursions. Tribal villages and the numerous tea plantations are attractive hiking destinations. Also popular in Coonoor is bird-watching, given the numerous species of birds that inhabit the region, including cormorants, pipits, thrushes, parakeets, skylarks and the Nilgiri verditer.

The idyllic hill station of Coonoor is an excellent setting to experience the splendor of the Nilgiri Hills in all its glory. A quaint little town with little more than tourists and tea plantations to support itself, Coonoor is the perfect place to escape from the drudgery of daily life and refresh the spirit.

An engineering marvel when it was first opened more than a century ago, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway that links Mettupalayam to the renowned hill station of Ooty, remains a treasure in India’s extensive railway system. Recently accorded World Heritage Site status by UNESCO as part of India’s mountain railways, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) line was first proposed in 1854 but only completed in 1908 due to a variety of technical difficulties given the mountainous terrain. The 46 km long meter-gauge single-track railway scales up the Nilgiri hills to an elevation of 2203 m (7228 ft) in Ooty.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is the only rack railway in India, which facilitates the climb up the steep ramp into the hills. One of only about 30 or so such vintage cog railways in the world, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway has an extra rail running in the middle of the track that prevents the train from slipping or sliding back. This mechanism, also known as the Alternate Biting Teeth (Abt) system, is used on many mountain railways around the globe and has been utilized effectively in the Nilgiri Mountain Railway since its inception.


The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is the steepest mountain railway in Asia, with an average gradient of 4.6 degrees. Typical railway gradients are usually less than a third of a degree while most mountain railways operate on gradients of only 1.5 degrees. The steep gradients make the use of the rack and pinion system crucial for safe operation. Despite the enormous challenges posed by the terrain, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, essentially unchanged from the original system put in place at the end of the 19th century, has only suffered one accident in more than a hundred years of continuous operation.

Changing the Nilgiri Landscape

The case for the Nilgiri Mountain Railway was first made by the British colonial masters of India in the mid 1800’s and after overcoming severe financial and technological obstacles, became a reality at the turn of the century. Before the railway, access to the Nilgiri hills was mainly through grueling journeys on horses or bullock carts. The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, by facilitating the movement of people and goods into the hills, helped change the socio-economic conditions of the region and turn it into one of the most popular tourist destinations in south India.


The train itself is made up of charming blue and yellow wooden coaches with large windows, and is affectionately known as the Nilgiri Toy Train. Some of the last steam locomotives in active duty anywhere in the world are used for the strenuous uphill journey from Mettupalayam to Coonoor. The Swiss-made steam rack locomotives on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway are between 50 and 80 years old. From Coonoor to Ooty, where the gradient is gentler, a diesel locomotive is used.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway Journey

The train runs at a leisurely average speed of about 10.4 km per hour, taking almost five hours to complete the 46 km journey going uphill. The slow pace allows riders to take in the mesmerizing beauty of the Nilgiri hills along the route to Ooty. Majestic eucalyptus groves and panoramic views of tea plantations are interspersed with colonial-era way stations and quaint tribal villages. The eternal charm exuded by the lofty peaks of the Nilgiris make the train journey an enchanting experience.


The first part of the journey from Mettupalayam to Kallar is surrounded by rice fields stretching into the mountains. The next portion is the steep climb up the Nilgiri Hills into Coonoor, the small hill station known for its tea plantations. Coonoor is the only major stop in the Nilgiri Mountain Railway before Ooty. There are smaller way stations along the way, with their main purpose being to replenish the locomotives with much needed water. The rail goes uphill after Coonoor at a gentler slope before going downhill into Ooty at the end of the line. A breathtaking journey with no less than 208 curves, 250 bridges and 16 tunnels, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway is both a marvel of engineering and a magnificent treat for the eyes.