Getting here, and when to come
Ooty sits at about 2,240 metres in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu. It was a British hill station once, and it is now better known for tea estates and for the toy train that climbs up from the plains. Villa Verde is on Elk Hill, three kilometres from the centre of town.
Getting here
Most guests drive up, either themselves or by taxi, which we can arrange on prior request. Coimbatore has the nearest airport and is roughly three hours away, up the ghat road with its thirty-six hairpin bends. Guests driving from Bangalore, Mysore and the nearby Kerala towns usually come in via Masinagudi or Gudalur. The slower option is the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage toy train from Mettupalayam that is worth doing once for its own sake. Confirm pickup arrangements with us on WhatsApp before you travel.
Whatever your mode of transport, it helps to have a vehicle at the property itself. The hills make for easy, quick commutes into town and around, and a car of your own means you're not waiting on one.
Where Elk Hill puts you
Three kilometres from town is the useful part. You are close enough that Charing Cross, the bus stand, a chemist or a restaurant is a short drive rather than a plan. Families visiting children at Lawrence School, Good Shepherd and the other schools around Ooty find this especially workable, since a visit doesn't have to be built around a long commute each way. Lawrence School itself is about five minutes away by car, close enough that you can spot its main mast from the property.
Weather, month by month
This is a hill station, so it is cool all year and cold for part of it.
- December to February: the coldest stretch, with frost possible early in the morning. Pack properly.
- March to May: sunny days, cool nights, and the window most people aim for.
- June to September: the south-west monsoon, which means regular rain and thick mist, and also the greenest the hills ever look.
- October to November: clearer skies and better visibility, with fewer people about.
Best time to visit
Ooty is a popular destination round the year, so there's rarely a wrong time to come, just a different version of the hills each time. April to June is peak season, so book well ahead. September to November is the quieter alternative and often the better one, with clearer views of the hills. If rain doesn't bother you, the monsoon months are underrated and the tea gardens are at their most vivid.
Beyond the property
The usual stops in central Ooty are the Government Botanical Garden, boating on Ooty Lake, Doddabetta Peak at the top of the Nilgiris, and the Shooting Point viewpoint. Riding the toy train itself is worth doing even beyond the trip up from Mettupalayam: hop on for the short, scenic stretch from Ooty to Coonoor and back. All are an easy drive from Elk Hill and all get crowded in season. For a quieter day, the Coonoor road via Kolli Malai runs past working farms and carrot-sorting yards, or you can turn back earlier at Katteri Waterfalls near the small Katteri Dam, with a tea shack on the way for a snack.
Plenty of the best hours here don't involve leaving the garden at all. The list below is the one we hand guests at the house.
A few ways to spend your time at Villa Verde
The same list we hand guests in the printed welcome book. Plenty of the best hours here don't involve leaving the garden.
Watch the clouds move over the mountains
Watch the interplay of clouds and the blue mountains, one overshadowing the other over the green expanses.
Spot the tea workers at dawn
Spot the colours within the tea gardens as the tea workers arrive in their colourful attire for a day of hard work.
Play spot-the-bison
Give your eyes some exercise. Play a game of how many bison you can spot in the tea gardens while sipping on your tea (or coffee).
Take the toy train ride
Ride the Nilgiri Mountain Railway the full stretch from Ooty to Coonoor, or just a few hops if that's plenty. Not up for the ride? Drive to the nearby Lovedale station instead (hardly a few minutes away) and admire the engineering of the British era.
Do the classic Ooty sights
If you fancy tourist spots and don't mind the crowds, visit the Botanical Garden, boat across Ooty Lake, and stand at Doddabetta Peak and the Shooting Point.
Take the scenic road to Coonoor
Take the scenic road to Coonoor via Kolli Malai. Watch the farms roll past, stop at the carrot-sorting facilities or the pretty little landmarks along the way. If Coonoor is too far, drive up to Katteri Waterfalls via the quaint Katteri Dam, and stop at a tea shack for snacks while admiring the falls.
Walk to Hobart Enclave
If you're the adventurous sort, try the walk up and down to the entrance gate of Hobart Enclave. About 900 metres round trip with roughly 100 metres of elevation gain. Do it once. Or twice. Then reward yourself.
Indulge at Modern Stores (Moddys)
Indulge in the sinful chocolate drinks at nearby Modern Stores (Moddys) and pack some tasty delights for when you miss it back home.
Walk barefoot on the grass
Catch up with your step count by strolling on the grass barefoot. It's therapeutic.
Use the outdoor gym
A kid or not, exercise a little on the outdoor gym (weather permitting).
Slow down indoors
Read a book, play board games, or bring alive your competitive spirit with a game of foosball.
Sleep early, wake for the sunrise
If everything else fails, just go to bed early to watch the sunrise and birdsong. But please, just please, don't Netflix. You came all this way, and the mountains have a much better programme running outside.
Found something we should add? Tell us on WhatsApp or write to villaverdeooty@gmail.com.