5-Day Avalanche Lake and Nilgiri Nature Trip

Yes — it is a UNESCO World Heritage line and the only rack railway in India, climbing 1,700 m from Mettupalayam to Ooty behind a steam engine. It is also slow and sells out weeks ahead. We book the Coonoor–Ooty leg where the itinerary names it; the full Mettupalayam run needs a month's notice.

April to June is the classic summer season and also the busiest — the town is full and rooms cost double. September to November is quieter, greener and just as pleasant. December and January are cold and clear. Avoid July and August; the south-west monsoon closes the views.

Coonoor if you want quiet — smaller, greener, better tea estates and half the traffic. Ooty if you have children who want the lake, the toy train and the gardens. The itineraries here mostly use both, because they are 40 minutes apart.

Yes. The sightseeing is short drives and flat gardens, and there is no altitude to speak of. Doddabetta has a short climb from the car park; the Botanical Garden and the lake are both easy. Tell us and we book ground-floor rooms.

Mudumalai is an hour and a half down the Gudalur road and Bandipur just beyond it — elephant, gaur and spotted deer are common, tiger is luck. Safaris run at dawn and late afternoon. The Wayanad and Mysore itineraries here include them.