Usually, the more planning a trip gets, the more likely it is to be delayed forever! So when seven women with a shared love for chocolates, birds, flowers, and nature walks suddenly decided to go to Kotagiri, we just went for it. Vinod has been telling me for ages to organize a women-only nature trip, but I was always hesitant. This time, with an enthusiastic group and a toddler in tow, we somehow managed to put together a short trip in no time. Everyone picked up a few responsibilities, so the coordination was surprisingly smooth and stress-free.
My expectations for the trip were simple: good eateries, unlimited chocolates, a bit of birdwatching whenever my toddler allowed me to look away for more than five minutes, and very little flora excitement because, honestly, much of the Kotagiri landscape is now dominated by invasive plants..
The journey uphill welcomed us with a light drizzle, which instantly set the mood. We were lucky enough to spot an Indian Gaur, stopped for a refreshing lemon tea, and admired Club beak , Common banded peacock butterflies.
After reaching our stay and quickly freshening up, we headed to a famous restaurant nearby. Being a weekend, the place was packed with people. Thankfully, a busy little Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher with a nest hidden among the Ivies beside the pathway kept us entertained while we waited. The restaurant also had plenty of colorful fish, which kept the little one completely fascinated.
The original plan was to visit Catherine Falls, but after hearing about the slippery trail, we decided that staying upright was a better option and drove along the Kodanad road instead. We stopped at a forest patch and saw Square-tailed bulbuls. The roadsides were bursting with purple Jacaranda blooms, and we stopped at one meadow to see the Malabar Lark. The Malabar Lark pair, however, took short flights on seeing the approaching birders and promptly disappeared. Typical bird behavior! We found Strobocalyx arborea covered in flowers and enjoyed a side road with no traffic.
While everyone wandered around the dry meadow, I got distracted by a beautiful Euphorbia rothiana. Its unusual leaf shape and flower structure were fascinating. We lingered there for some time, enjoying the scenery before heading toward Kodanad View Point. Naturally, we stopped for some outrageously expensive roadside noodles, which somehow tasted perfect while overlooking the view.
No trip to Kotagiri is complete without chocolate, so on the way back we made a mandatory stop at a famous chocolate shop. Hot chocolate, cold chocolate, chocolate snacks, chocolate everything. Back at the stay, while I settled down with a few friends, chatting and trying to convince the little one that sleep was a good idea, few headed out in search of a Nightjar. They returned much more excited than expected—not with a Nightjar story, but with news of a Leopard sighting!
The next morning, everyone was all set for an early bird walk. My original plan was to stay back with the little one, take it easy, and save my energy for the much-awaited visit to Longwood Shola. But toddlers have plans of their own! She was super excited to join the morning walk, so off we went, even though I was pretty sure she would eventually choose the worst possible time to nap—inside Longwood Shola.
The morning walk wasn’t overflowing with sightings, but nature always gives you something. We spotted a single bloom on a Nilgiri Rhododendron, which somehow felt special, and managed a quick sighting of an Indian Blackbird before it disappeared.
After a speedy breakfast at the stay, we headed towards Longwood Shola. The excitement level was definitely higher for this part of the trip. Once we met our naturalist from Trek tamilnadu , we stepped into the forest and the atmosphere changed instantly. The air felt cooler, the surroundings greener, and suddenly I was surrounded by native flora instead of endless invasives. My happiness levels shot up immediately!
The birds seemed determined to welcome us. Black-and-Orange Flycatcher, Crested Goshawk, Nilgiri Laughingthrush, Nilgiri Flycatcher, and the adorable Nilgiri Sholakili (Nilgiri Blue Robin) all appeared one after another. The Nilgiri Thrush stayed true to its reputation and gave us only a distant view, while a Malabar Giant Squirrel generously posed much closer.
I was busy admiring the towering trees and trying to identify every native plant I could see. There is something about a shola forest that instantly calms people down. The forest was peaceful, cool, and incredibly soothing. Unfortunately, it had the same effect on the little one. As predicted, she decided it was the perfect place for a nap, which meant I spent a good part of the walk carrying a sleeping toddler through the forest.
Even though it was a simple walk, I absolutely loved it. What amazed me most was how alive the forest felt even around noon. The canopy was constantly buzzing with bird calls. Indian White-eyes and Brown Fulvettas seemed to be engaged in endless gossip sessions high above us, chattering nonstop.
By the time we finished the walk, we were all properly hungry. We headed to another restaurant that had a wonderfully calm atmosphere. Good food tastes even better after a forest walk, and we happily enjoyed a delicious meal followed by the most important course—chocolate fudge with ice cream!
After lunch, we spent some time wandering around the property, spotting a mongoose, taking countless photos, and generally refusing to leave such a peaceful place. Eventually, reality caught up with us, and we started our journey back. Of course, no nature trip ends without one last stop, so we paused at Kunjapanai before continuing home, squeezing in a few more views and memories before the adventure officially came to an end.
At Kunjapanai, it felt like the forest decided to give us one final birding bonus. We spotted several of the usual forest favourites, including Orange Minivets, Yellow-browed Bulbuls, and Asian Fairy Bluebirds. But surprisingly, what excited me the most wasn’t the birds—it was a massive hopper emergence!
They were absolutely everywhere. On the vehicle, on our pants, on leaves, and practically every surface we looked at. It felt like the entire forest had suddenly come alive. The reason behind all the bird activity also became very obvious—an endless buffet of easy meals was available. No wonder the birds were happily darting around in every direction.
As the day was getting late and we had a long journey ahead, we reluctantly climbed back into the vehicle. Just when I thought the trip was over, I spotted a Zeuxine longilabris (Long-lipped Zeuxine) orchid beside the tea estate. What a perfect farewell gift from the hills! It felt like Kotagiri’s way of saying goodbye.
The winding roads down the hills, as always, tempted us into making “just one more stop” several times for photographs. During one of these stops, I managed to spot a Blue-capped Rock Thrush, adding yet another pleasant surprise to an already wonderful trip.
All in all, it was one of those wonderfully relaxed trips filled with laughter, good food, chocolates, birds, flowers, unexpected wildlife, and the company of some amazing women. Exactly the kind of trip that happens when you stop overplanning and simply go.