All good things are wild and free!! My mind whispered, in between a busy task!! Yes it's time for a vacation to the wild. And it's none other than to the PRINCESS OF HILLS (Kodaikanal) - Tamilnadu. This time we wanted a place of eternal peace for staying. It was our choice of ELEPHANT VALLEY ECO FARM in Kodaikanal. Definitely you will encounter a whole new experience out here.
This resort is strictly NO NO for those who look out for amenities like TV, reliable WIFI, uninterrupted signal and a private POOL. Its a valley of wild and lush which is naturally gifted.
Come lets get lost in the wood's!!
The resort is remotely located in Ganesha Puram which is nearly 20+ KM away from the Kodai. It is wide spread across nearly 90+ acres. The resort is placed on the elephant migration route and hence the name. The route to the valley would be a bit troublesome during rainy season. Never mind we are to the woods :-) The ambiance and silence of the valley is priceless. Apart from kodai you have more things to explore here. And we stayed here for 3 nights.
They have their own organic farm and grow their vegetable's. And the food is made with that. The breakfast would be a fusion of Indian and American. The food is tasty and delicious. You should try their homemade JAM's which I liked the most!! The highlight part is their coffee and pepper plantation. They give the tour of the coffee growing and making process.
The views from all the angles of the valley are amazing. The wake up call for the day would be through the humming of the various birds which would just make you feel refreshed. This is definitely the heaven for bird watchers. You can even record the birds humming's for later relaxation.
Near by the valley there is a stream which is a natural pool. The dip just purifies the soul. The flow of the stream and the sound is insanely beautiful. This place is magical which makes you feel the inner peace.
There is also a nearby falls which can be reached by trekking. The falls can be seen from the top. On the way to the falls we spotted hanging rope bridge...a tree house. At certain point of timing's we can spot Bison, Elephant, Peacock and Deer. None-the-less I should say about the flowers and trees in the valley. The flowers and trees are of various types which are of pleasant treat to the eyes.
They have different types of rooms. Peninsula - a adventurous type of cottage is located some distance away from the main part of the resort. We have to walk and cross the stream and bridge to reach here. I bet, if you stay here you will be totally experiencing the real forest. Once you are in the cottage after sunset you can only be out after the sunrise or you should have help of the staff to move around. It would be totally dark except the room lights. We stayed here one night.
We can even choose to stay in their tree house which has all the amenities. Tectona - this cottage is located near by the stream.
Next type of cottage is a kerala type house which is nearby the main resort. This gives you the feel of staying in a traditional house with no modern amenities. The rooms are very neat and lives up to our expectations. There are also play area's for kids and they own SWANS which are treat to the kids. Next to the restaurant there is a recreational area which has books,in-door games, traditional art works and handicrafts.
Totally all the cottages are designed in vintage style. Their concept works like we wont have access to any one staying in the different rooms unless we meet them for the breakfast. You can totally enjoy your privacy. You can even try different types of cottages for each day unless it is not crowded.
I would highly recommend this place for nature lovers, bird watchers and trekkers. The woods are lovely, dark and deep go feel alive with the nature :-)