Ooty, Mysore & Coorg

Days 1–3
Bangalore, Ooty

Up into the Nilgiris

We flew into Bangalore in the morning, picked up a car and drove the long road up to Ooty, about seven and a half hours.

Two full days there covered the classics: the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, the Government Rose Garden and Upper Bhavani lake on the first, and Avalanche and Emerald lakes, Doddabetta peak, the Tea Museum, the Honey and Bee Museum and an old-fashioned browse at Higginbothams on the second.

Day 4
Bandipur, Mysore

Through the tiger reserve to a palace

The road from Ooty to Mysore runs through Bandipur Tiger Reserve, with safaris in the early morning and late afternoon.

Mysore itself is about the palace, best seen lit up during the evening light and sound show, plus Brindavan Gardens and the climb to Chamundeshwari temple. We spent the night at the Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel.

Days 5–6
Coorg

Coffee country

The drive to Coorg goes through Hunsur, Kushalnagar and Somwarpet on roads where Google Maps needs a little help: set Somwarpet first, then the estate.

We had planned two nights at a heritage estate with meals, spa and pool included and nothing else on the agenda, and that was exactly the point.

Days 7–8
Bangalore

Back to the city

The last drive was six hours back to Bangalore for a night before the afternoon flight home.