Once the home ground of the Toda tribespeople of Tamil Nadu, the city of Ooty (Udhagamandalam) was transformed—like so many of India’s urban centres—by the fortunes of the British East India Company throughout the 19^th century. It subsequently rose to great prominence as the summertime capital of the Madras Presidency, famed for its breezy and temperate position amidst the rolling highlands of the south.

Today, Ooty continues to draw crowds; and while its bustling town centre may seem too busy for those who come in search for the mysterious stillness of a hill station, head further to step out to its verdant domain in the district of Nilgiris. The rewards are exquisite post-colonial mansions, endless grounds of cultivated English gardens, more than a smattering of mysterious Hindu temples, and breath-taking surroundings of pine-clad mountain peaks, aromatic tea gardens and blooming thickets of Indian teak trees.

Back to the old town, its pretty hillside lanes are accessed by Ooty’s iconic miniature steam train and encompassed by the neat hedgerows and colourful flowerbeds of the Government Botanical Gardens. Ooty tour guides also recommend exploring the scintillating waters of the region’s various lakes, before sitting back to sample a brew of the local tea along with a snack of pakodas at one its many scenic points.