Gudalur is ideally located for visiting popular tourist attractions.
The drive to these locations are unique and varied and is probably more interesting
than the attractions themselves.
The 2 hour drive to Ooty is through scenic ghat roads lined by the pine and shola flora
of the higher elevation. You pass through large well- manicured tea plantations.
There are several places of interest along the way.
The one and half hour drive to Wayanad, on the other hand, is through coffee plantations
with trees that are much taller giving a more densely forested look.
Mysore is two hours away with the road traversing through the tiger reserves with possible
sightings of several wild animals like elephants, gaur, deer, peacocks and the like.
Once you pass the forest you are blown away by an array of colours with paddy,
sunflower and ornamental flower fields. With the backdrop of the blue mountains,
this is a sight to see.
Gudalur town is surrounded by tea gardens and coffee estates.
A walk around the bustling town is a must. Enjoy the local bakes from the numerous
bakeries and check out the food in the many restaurants.
Fresh tea, coffee, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom are for sale in the shops.
The visit to Gudalur would be incomplete without purchasing a few small
bottles of eucalyptus oil, lemon grass oil, or citronella oils (great gifts!).
A must-visit is the Needle Rock View Point and the dense eucalyptus plantation on
the Gudalur Ooty road; about 6-7 km from the town. Walk along the path on the top
of the mountain for the gorgeous view of the valley, and enjoy the rock formations
and the bonsai trees on the rocks. Watch the clouds sailing past and in the monsoon,
walk through the mist-filled tall eucalyptus trees. Higher up on the road is the
Frog Hill viewpoint; also, with amazing views of the valley.
Genepool Eco Park in Nadugani (11 kms from the town), offers a wonderful
experience with its gardens, aquarium, and museum. The park also features a
thrilling 550m long zip line which glides above the serene landscape.
They arrange great treks through the mountains and valleys.
Sandanamalai temple (18 km from town) perched atop a mount is undiscovered
gem in this area. Travel on the O Valley Road through coffee, tea and cardamom
plantations passing several streams and waterfalls to reach this unique temple with
breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys covered in floating layers of clouds.
You may also be able to step into the cool waters of the Choondi river on the way.
The safari in the Mudumalai sanctuary is not to be missed. The starting point is from
Theppakkad, within the sanctuary, about 17 kms from Gudalur town. Tickets have to be
booked online. During holidays, it’s good to book in advance. There are safaris in the
morning and evening. After the safari you must watch the tame elephants during their
feeding process. The ambience of the forest with this giant, but timid animals in the
peaceful evening setting with an odd wild boar, peacock or deer hanging around for
titbits is a sight to be witnessed!
The Pykara Lake and waterfalls is an exquisite 25 km drive from Gudalur. You can go
boating on the lake or trek down to the waterfalls.
Masinagudi on the rain shadow area of the mountains offers scrub vegetation and
grasslands and a totally different view of the mountains. It is possible to trek up to
Vibhuthimalai to a small temple atop the mountain. Driving upto Ooty on this route
with its 36 hairpin bends gives you a splendid view of the waterfalls.
Nilambur in Kerala is an hour and a half drive.
The teak museum and Canoli plot are great places to visit.
