Beautiful Nilgiris

A view of the Nilgiri Hills

A Tea Plantation in the Nilgiris

Rolling Blue Mountains of the Nilgiris

The Nilgiris is a picture postcard district situated in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India and is often referred to as the queen of hill stations. This region with its rolling mountains, lakes and grasslands definitely lives up to its reputation. The Nilgiris is also known as the Blue Mountains and gets its name from the words of the local dialect Nila (blue) and Giri (mountain).

The Nilgiris forms a part of the Western Ghats and is one of only a handful of destinations that has been chosen as a United Nations Hotspots due to its wide variety of flora and fauna such as the shola forests and the Nilgiri Thar an endangered mountain goat that are endemic to the region.

The Nilgiris is home to an array of bird life and is definitely a bird watchers paradise. Other places of interest include the magnificent gardens such as Sims Park and Botanical Gardens. The Rose garden in Ooty is only one of a handful of gardens worldwide that has been selected as a garden of excellence. The steam train that runs between Mettupalayam and Coonoor is also a designated UNESCO world heritage site.

The mainstay of the economy of the region revolves around tea plantations and tourism. The teas that are made in the Nilgiris are amongst the worlds finest with its balanced flavour and briskness.