--- title: "Ooty & Coonoor Weekend Trip from Bangalore" description: "A Nilgiris weekend from Bangalore: tea and chocolate tastings, Dolphin's Nose, the Toy Train, Ooty Lake, pine forests and Pykara Lake." url: "https://www.goweekender.in/escapes/ooty-coonoor-weekend-trip-from-bangalore" --- # Ooty & Coonoor Weekend Trip from Bangalore A Nilgiris weekend from Bangalore: tea and chocolate tastings, Dolphin's Nose, the Toy Train, Ooty Lake, pine forests and Pykara Lake. - Destination: Ooty, Tamil Nadu - Departs from: Bangalore - Duration: 2D/1N (2 days, 1 night) - Price: from ₹5,999 - Categories: Mountains, Heights, Nature, Culture - Booking: in the GoWeekender app (iOS and Android), run by a verified host ## Upcoming departures - 30–31 Oct 2026: ₹5,999 - 6–7 Nov 2026: ₹5,999 - 13–14 Nov 2026: ₹5,999 - 20–21 Nov 2026: ₹5,999 - 27–28 Nov 2026: ₹5,999 - 4–5 Dec 2026: ₹5,999 - 11–12 Dec 2026: ₹5,999 - 18–19 Dec 2026: ₹5,999 ## About this trip Ooty and Coonoor sit high in the Nilgiri Hills, where the air turns cool, eucalyptus and pine line the roads and tea gardens roll down every slope. Ooty, the old Queen of Hill Stations, still carries its colonial charm; Coonoor below it is quieter, greener and built around tea. This weekend is less about ticking off sights and more about misty mornings, long views and slowing down. We leave Bangalore on Friday night and drive through the night into the hills, reaching our Ooty homestay early on Saturday. After freshening up and breakfast, we taste fresh Nilgiri tea and local dark chocolate at a tea and chocolate factory, then stand at the cliff edge of Dolphin's Nose in Coonoor, looking over deep valleys towards Catherine Falls. After lunch comes the Nilgiri Toy Train, winding through tunnels, over bridges and around hairpin bends. The evening is spent at Ooty Lake, with boating, cycling, horse riding or a quiet walk at sunset, before a campfire night at the stay with music and long conversations. Sunday starts with breakfast and check-out, then a walk through the towering Pine Forest with the Nilgiri hills behind it. After lunch we visit the Shooting Spot, a hilltop meadow loved by Hindi and Tamil film crews, and end the day by Pykara Lake, with an optional boat ride. We start the drive home in the evening and reach Bangalore early on Monday morning. The stay is a cosy homestay on triple or quad sharing, and breakfast is included on both days. Lunches, dinners, the Toy Train ticket and activities such as boating are paid on the spot. A trip leader stays with the group throughout, and the trip is alcohol- and smoke-free. ## Itinerary ### Day 1: DAY 1: Overnight Drive, Tea Trails, Dolphin's Nose & Toy Train We leave Bangalore on Friday night, with pickups at HSR Layout at 9:00 PM and Marathahalli at 9:30 PM, so please have dinner before boarding. After an overnight drive in a non-AC tempo traveller or mini bus with push-back seats, we reach the Ooty homestay early on Saturday. The day takes in a tea and chocolate factory, Dolphin's Nose in Coonoor, the Nilgiri Toy Train and an evening at Ooty Lake, ending with a campfire at the stay. - 7:00 AM Arrive at the Ooty homestay: Freshen up using the washrooms at the stay. Room check-in at Ooty stays is only after 11 AM on weekends. - 8:00 AM Breakfast at the stay: Breakfast at the homestay. Included in the package. - 9:00 AM Tea & Chocolate Factory: Taste freshly brewed Nilgiri tea and locally made dark chocolate, and see how both are made. - 11:00 AM Dolphin's Nose Viewpoint, Coonoor: Stand at the edge of a dramatic cliff with views over deep valleys and rocky gorges, with Catherine Falls in the distance (seen from the viewpoint). - 1:00 PM Lunch at a local restaurant: Lunch at a local restaurant. Self-sponsored. - 2:30 PM Nilgiri Toy Train ride: Ride the famous Toy Train through tunnels, over bridges and around hairpin bends. Tickets are subject to availability and paid separately. - 5:00 PM Evening at Ooty Lake: Go boating, cycle around the lake, try horse riding (all paid on the spot) or simply walk by the water as the sun sets behind the hills. - 7:30 PM Campfire night at the stay: Music, food and long conversations around the campfire (weather permitting). Dinner is self-sponsored. Overnight at the homestay. ### Day 2: DAY 2: Pine Forest, Shooting Spot & Pykara Lake Wake up to a cool mountain morning, have breakfast and check out. We walk through the Pine Forest, stop for lunch, visit the Shooting Spot and end the day at Pykara Lake. In the evening we start the drive back, reaching Bangalore early on Monday morning. - 8:00 AM Breakfast & check-out: Breakfast at the stay (included), then pack up and check out. - 9:30 AM Pine Forest walk: Walk among towering pine trees set against the Nilgiri hills, one of the most photographed spots around Ooty. - 12:30 PM Lunch at a local restaurant: Lunch at a local eatery on the way. Options are limited here, so we eat wherever is available. Self-sponsored. - 2:00 PM The Shooting Spot: A hilltop meadow made famous by Hindi and Tamil film shoots, with open views of the mountains all around. - 3:30 PM Pykara Lake: Relax by the scenic Pykara Lake or take an optional boat ride (paid on the spot). - 6:00 PM Drive back to Bangalore: Start the overnight drive home with rest stops, reaching Bangalore early on Monday morning. ## What's included - Breakfast on Day 1 and Day 2 - Driver allowance, interstate taxes, tolls and parking charges - Round-trip transport from Bangalore by non-AC tempo traveller or mini bus with push-back seats (based on group size) - Trip leader throughout the trip - One night in a cosy homestay, on triple or quad sharing ## Not included - Costs from situations beyond our control, such as bad weather, landslides or public protests - Anything not listed in the inclusions - Personal expenses of any kind - Lunches, dinners and any meals not listed in the inclusions - GST @ 5% - Travel, accidental and medical insurance, and medical expenses - Toy Train tickets, boating, cycling, horse riding and any entry fees ## FAQs ### What should I carry? A soft copy of your Aadhaar, a backpack plus a small day pack, comfortable clothes, one warm layer (fleece or sweatshirt), a rain jacket or poncho, a cap and sunglasses, shoes with good grip, flip-flops for the stay, toiletries, sunscreen, any personal medication, snacks, a reusable water bottle, a power bank, polybags for wet clothes, and cash for meals and activities that are not included. ### What is the stay like, and when can we check in? One night in a cosy homestay on triple or quad sharing. We reach Ooty early on Saturday, but weekend check-in at Ooty stays is only after 11 AM, so we freshen up in the stay's washrooms, have breakfast and head out. Meals provided are basic and vegetarian. ### What costs extra on the trip? Breakfast on both days is included. Lunches, dinners, the Toy Train ticket (subject to availability), boating, cycling and horse riding at Ooty Lake, the optional Pykara boat ride, any entry fees and personal shopping are paid on the spot. ### Is it safe to travel with strangers? Yes. A trip leader stays with the group from pickup to drop, pickups are at busy public points, and most groups are a mix of solo travellers, friends and first-timers. Women travelling solo join these trips regularly. ### Are there any rules on the trip? No alcohol, intoxicants or smoking at any point during the journey or the stay. Please have dinner before boarding, carry back your litter and keep your valuables with you. The campfire depends on the weather, and timings can shift with traffic or vehicle delays.