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Nilgiris Cycling Tour

Starting from USD 410.39

The Nilgiris is a mountain range part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest protected forest in India. It is one of the richest regions in the world in terms of flora and fauna. It is also home to plantations of tea, coffee, cardamom, and many of the exotic spices for which India is known.

  • Duration
    5 days
  • Group Size
    6 to 12
  • Difficulty
    Moderate
  • Season
    January - December
Nilgiris Cycling Tour

The Nilgiris is a mountain range part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest protected forest in India. It is one of the richest regions in the world in terms of flora and fauna. It is also home to plantations of tea, coffee, cardamom, and many of the exotic spices for which India is known. A combination of high altitudes of around 2000m above sea level and equatorial latitudes that ensure heavy rainfall make the Nilgiris geographically unique. The result is a landscape of misty mountains, verdant forests, and a luxurious outpouring of the most diverse forms of life on earth.  The Nilgiris cycling tour takes you on a journey through this breathtaking landscape in which we ride through tea and coffee plantations, hike through forests and grasslands, and get a chance to spot some rare flora and fauna.

  • Cycle through verdant tea, coffee, and cardamom plantations.
  • Trek through the mesmerizing Shola forests unique to the region and crystal clear lakes around Red Hills.
  • Get a chance to spot endangered fauna such as the Nilgiri Tahr and the Gaur.
  • Ride through the famous hill station of Ooty and observe the process of tea plantation and processing at close quarters.
  • Enjoy the traditional cuisine of the Badaga tribal community that inhabits the Nilgiris.

GROUP KITTY

  • A group kitty is an amount of money collected at the start of the trip from each client, which is used to buy refreshments and sometimes meals for guests and crew.
  • Trip Leaders will offer to administer the tipping kitty, but will always ask first to see if any member would like to do it on behalf of the group.
  • A group kitty will be fully accounted for. All amounts will be written down and be available to be viewed by the group at any point.
  • Leaders may suggest to the group to use the group kitty for additional purposes such as purchasing snacks and tea and tipping.
  • Duration

    5 days / 4 nights

  • Start

    Coimbatore

  • Finish

    Coimbatore | 13:00hrs

  • Hotels

    Country Inns

  • Riding Style

    Moderate

  • Average Distance Cycled

    50km or 30mi

  • Total Distance Cycled

    ~ 120km

  • Bicycle Hire

    INR 800 per day

  • Support Vehicle

    Included

  • Group Size

    Min 6, Max 12

The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
Whats included in this tour Items that are covered in the cost of tour price.
  • Small boutique hotels/home-stays, as mentioned in the tour details (subject to availability)
    • True to their heritage and character, small luxury and boutique hotels that reflect local ethos. They hold within them, an unassuming charm and regional character that is an extension of the destination itself. Most of them fall under 3 star category with a possible mix of homestay and 4 star.
  • Meals as per itinerary
    • On each trip, guests are given the opportunity to dine on their own so that they discover a location independently. Your guides are happy to make recommendations should you so desire.
  • A Van support that follows throughout the trip and carries all belongings. If at any point riding seems a little hard, the van takes you for as long or as little as you wish it to. It also provides you refreshments along the way and sometimes a chilled beer.
  • Expert Trip Leader(s) who look after your every need
Whats not included in this tour Items that are covered in the cost of tour price.
  • Bring your own bicycle or hire from us.
  • Refreshments & mineral water while cycling
  • Transportation to and from the trip including train
  • Personal items purchased during the trip
  • Some meals are not included (check your itinerary)
  • Beverages
  • Gratuities for your Trip Leader(s) are not included in your trip price. Industry-standard is 5-7.5% of your trip price for the guide team. Please tip your guides at your discretion, based on their level of professionalism, guest care, and service.
  1. Day 1: Coimbatore to Coonoor

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    We begin our journey with a drive from the Coimbatore airport to Coonoor that takes approximately 2 hours. Coonoor is located at an altitude of 1850m above sea level, and latitude of 11.35°N. This combination of high elevation and low latitude is typical of the Nilgiris, giving them their unique equatorial highland climate. The British found the Nilgiris climate so salubrious that they introduced the cultivation of their favorite drink, tea, to this region. Coonoor is thus a town that is surrounded by lush green forests and tea estates that spread out over its mountain slopes like exotic oriental rugs of green velvet. In the evening we meet for a bike fit and a tour briefing. We end the day with a cup of the finest Nilgiri tea, a befitting toast to the commencement of an unforgettable journey.

    Meals: D

  2. Day 2: Red Hills

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    We begin the day’s cycling by heading due west. The terrain consists of undulating hills covered by Shola forests – a tropical montane forest-grassland complex endemic to the Nilgiris. The Shola forests consist of stunted forests and grasslands that occur together covering entire mountains whose monotony is broken only by numerous crystal clear lakes gleaming under a mellow sun, giving the appearance of a patchwork quilt of multiple hues. We ride through villages where forests have been cleared to plant cash crops such as tea, coffee, wattle, blue gum, and exotic spices such as cardamom.

    Meals: B, D

    Distance Cycled: 50km

  3. Day 3: Red Hills

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    Today we exchange our cycling gear for hiking boots as we go hiking into the Nilgiri forests. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot and a world heritage site by UNESCO on account of the extremely rich flora and fauna it supports, much of which is not found anywhere else in the world. Some of the rare animals found in this region are the Nilgiri Tahr, a critically endangered mountain goat of which a little over 3000 individuals are left in the wild today, and the Gaur or Indian bison. In the distance, we can spot the Doddabetta peak, the highest mountain in the Nilgiris standing tall at 2637m above sea level. We hike for 3-4 hours through the picture-postcard landscape of the Nilgiris. The rest of the day is free for relaxing and enjoying the fabulous views from your window. We recommended trying some traditional Badaga cuisine today that is prepared by the Badaga tribal community of the region using locally available ingredients and traditional techniques such as cooking in wood-fired ovens.

    Meals: B, L, D

    Hiking: 3-4hrs

  4. Day 4: Kotagiri

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    We get back on our bikes today and cycle towards the hill station of Kotagiri, a quaint town surrounded by tea estates and drenched in an old-world, colonial charm. On the way, we ride through the famous hill station of Ooty. The twin towns of Ooty and Kotagiri, once ruled by Toda tribals, were discovered for the modern world by the British civil servant John Sullivan who wrote that they “resembled Switzerland more than any country of Europe, the hills beautifully wooded and fine, strong springs with running water in every valley”. It is a description that still holds true, the only difference being that the beautifully wooded hills and strong springs have been added the charm of verdant tea gardens and quaint colonial bungalows. As we ride past garden upon a garden of lush green tea leaves glistening under a soft highland sun, kissed ever so lightly by the cool mountain breeze so that the very air is diffused with their pleasing aroma, we know we are in a region that produces one of the finest teas in the world.

    Meals: B, D

    Distance Cycled: 50km

  5. Day 5: Coimbatore

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    We begin cycling from Kotagiri and return to the town of Coonoor from where we had begun the trip thus completing a loop. We then transfer to a shuttle and drive to Coimbatore from where we proceed according to our onwards travel plans.

    Meals: B

    Distance Cycled: 20km

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Accomodation

Medical Kit Required

Refund

Life is unpredictable and we understand that sometimes you have to cancel or change your trip dates and it is our endeavor to make it as easy as possible for you. However, please understand that we plan everything including guide fees, permits, accommodation, and ration in advance. Therefore, any cancellation means inconvenience and certain losses to the people involved in various stages of the program. Keeping that in mind, our cancellation charges are as below,

  • Cancellations prior to 30 days from the start of the event: Full refund as cash.
  • Cancellations between 30 days and 15 days to the start of the event: 50 % refund as cash.
  • Cancellations less than 15 days to the start of the event: No refund.
  • Cancellations will be accepted only by email.

Note: We reserve the right to cancel a program before departure in the event of logistical problems arising due to natural calamities, strikes, wars or any other circumstances that make the event inadvisable. In this case, we will refund 50% of the event fees.

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