Devashola Homestay

At Devashola Homestay, the hosts have created an opportunity for each guest to experience  the unspoiled beauty of the private estates, forests and riversides. The service is caring yet unobtrusive and  the holistic and balanced approach to mind and body finds expression in the renowned healthy, well planned cuisine both local and gourmet and vegetarian, with largely home grown produce.

All this and more make holidays at Devashola Homestay hard to forget...

Devashola is exclusive and ultra private. Accommodations are provided in four colonial estate bungalows located in scenic and different points of the valley. The Bungalows are circa early 1900 style; lots of wood and natural warmth. The setup conveys a nostalgic sense and feeling of the status and comfort enjoyed by a successful colonial Planter.

Bungalows
Bison Valley Row rooms
Bison Valley subscribes to providing a squeaky-clean environment with world class standards of hygiene and sanitation. It also embraces a green policy of utilizing safe and biodegradable detergents and cleaning agents. Fabrics are typically natural yarn, handwoven and ornamented with vegetable dyes.

Pallaniappa bungalow
The cottage has 2-3 bedrooms with attached baths, running hot water, ample lounging areas and comfortable large and airy bedrooms. The furnishing and fittings are traditional to the British era.

Sultana Bungalow
The Sultana cottage has larger space with three bedrooms, a huge drawing room, kitchen and stores, besides a wooden balcony. Sultana bungalow sits pretty on a rock overlooking the valley of a mountainous range, which also welcomes like-minded visitors. Trekkers have found this cottage a great attraction for stays, bonfires, discussions, buffet and rest.

Mango Tree Bungalow
The Mango Tree cottage has two spacious well appointed bedrooms, kitchen, store rooms and a pretty sitting room. An ayurvedic rejuvenation facility is also available at Mango Tree cottage.

The various Adventurous activities conducted at the Homestay include

• Trekking
• Endurance trek
• High Rope Courses
• Basic Rock Climbing
• Rappelling
• Stream Challenge
• Number game
• Bricks
• Group tasks
• Jeep Safari
• Camp Fire
• Birding
• Tea factory visit
• Rock climbing
• Tribal dance

Tranquility of the mountains
Devashola exists for leisure and relaxation. Life telescopes into slow motion. The trappings and tensions of one's life take a back seat to the splendor and tranquility of the mountains. The contours of the carefully tended gardens merging with the rising mists amidst the love calls of a thousand birds have a way of rendering almost any preoccupation into insignificance. Devashola is a perfect destination for honeymooners or couples at any stage of their relationship. Families have a wonderful time of interaction and bonding minus the distractions of shops, amusement rides, computers, TV, traffic, telephone or movies. Meditate, rise spontaneously, watch a magical sunrise.. watch time stand still.

Bison Encounters
The Gaur or Indian Bison (Bos gaurus) is the largest and most magnificent of all the world's bovines, measuring up to 6 feet 4 inches at the shoulder and weighing over 2,000 pounds. Generally the gaur lives in mixed herds of an average 5-15 animals, whilst the old bulls tend to become solitary except during mating. Within the herds the rank order of the bulls seems to be determined chiefly by size. Gaurs typically feed in grassy meadows.

A Gardener's Delight
Bison Valley's carefully tended gardens received the Chief Minister's Award - the rolling Gold cup for 1997 (102nd Flower show) held at the Botanical Gardens, Ooty. The cottage gardens are consistently graded as amongst the best in the Nilgiris, known for their imaginative combinations of colour, size, bloom and presentation. Its stunning flower beds are replete with showers of Petunia, Marigold,Phlox, Anterhiums, Poppies, Pansies and a host of other annuals while enchanting Dahlias and Spider Lilies present a breathtaking look. Bison Valley is a repository for rare and delicately tinted varieties of Anthurium.

Plantation crops on the estate include five varieties of high grade Tea, Coffee (Arabica) and Pepper. The organically produced vegetables are in high demand in the nearby markets of Coonoor & Ooty and include coloured Capsicum and all seasonal vegetables.

By Air
Nearest Airport is Coimbatore which is serviced by most domestic carriers and connected to Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai . Book 21 days in advance with your airline of choice to avail of super discounted apex air fares. It will then take you 2½ hours by road to reach Pallaniappa tea estate 120 km away.

By Rail
To get to "Pallaniappa tea estate", take a train that either goes to Coimbatore or Mettupalayam. A direct train from Chennai to Mettupalayam is the Blue Mountain Express. Most of the regular trains either terminate or transit at Coimbatore. You would then need to catch a shuttle to Mettupalayam Junction or take a vehicle of your choice to complete the journey by road. A unique and exqusite "toy" train called the Nilgiri Express, shuttles between Mettupalayam Junction and Ooty (Ootacamund). The ride on The Niligiri Express will prove to be a memorable one. It is a cog railway and the train passes through stations with esoteric names like Lovedale and Wellington. Coonoor is the station before Ootacamund and it is 24 kms away by road to Pallaniappa tea estate.

By Road
Travel time by motor vehicle from Coonoor to Pallaniappa tea estate is 45 minutes. It's a one and one half hour ride from Ooty, 39 km away. Kotagiri is 45 km. State government buses from Coonoor operate daily scheduled services to and from Pallaniappa tea estate. Taxis and minivans are readily available.
The easiest way to get would be simply to avail of their transfer service which could be confirmed at the time of reservation.
Nilgiris is well connected to Coimbatore, Mysore, Kerala & Bangalore via state & National highways.

From Coonoor
Coonoor - Katteri - Salas - Kollacombay - Musapuri - Palaniappa Tea estate

From Ooty
Ooty - Love Dale - Devashola Bazar - Kaikatty - Manjacomby - Kollacombay - Musapuri - Palaniappa Tea estate