Avalanche is an important tourism destination in the Nilgiris District, 28kms away from Ooty town. This is a place that is called paradise of the Nilgiris due to its wonderful lake and the amazing sholas around it. The mist and fog that roll over in the early morning and the beauty of the lake during the day does attract tourists towards this place. This area is surrounded by a rolling landscape with blooming flowers like magnolias, orchids and rhododendrons.
9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. all days of the week.
Rs.200/- per head in Mazdas.
Rs 100/- per head for students in Mazdas.
Rs 2,000/- on the whole per ride in Jeeps.
To protect the pristine habitat tourism, regulation measures taken are as follows.
No private vehicles, No plastic permitted, Do not litter .
Over 2,700 species of flowering plants, 160 species of ferns, countless types of flowerless plants, mosses, fungi, algae and lichens are found in the sholas of the Nilgiris. Many herbivores and carnivores also can be seen here. Avifauna is so rich here that some ornithologists visit this place for bird watching and their research.
Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broad leaf forest found in valleys amidst rolling grassland in the higher montane regions. The shola and grassland together form the shola-grassland complex or shola-grassland mosaic. The shola trees form a canopy through which the suns rays penetrate and the temperature is thus warm.
This area is thus very rich in vegetation and other life. In terms of this broader definition, shola forests are found all along the upper reaches of the Western Ghats where the elevation goes beyond 2,500 meters above sea level. This area lies in Kundha Reserved Forests comprising two Forest Ranges namely Udhagai South and Korakundah Ranges. A trek from avalanche to Kolaribetta is an exciting one, which will be a memorable one to those who go on a trek.
On vehicle one can travel through Avalanche to Lakkdi, then leading on to Bhavani Amman Koil. The waterfalls here adjacent to the temple sets a feast to the eyes of the tourists who come here. The scenic landscapes, grasslands and the sholas are all gifts of nature to one and all who visit here.
This place is best visited after the rains, so that the water levels are high enough and the waterfalls has enough water. Upper Bhavani is a drive throug the verdant green woods and serves as one of the gateways to the Mukurthi National par 25 km from Avalanche.
The final destination on this exciting route is the Upper Bhavani water falls, which is again a pleasure to visit. Some visitors have the excitement of even sighting of a carnivore on the vehicle ride.
Avalanche and its surrounding areas get around 5,000 mm of rainfall annually. Thus this area appears green and beautiful through the year.
There are some popular peaks in this region. Koloribetta is the highest peak in this part with a height of 2,625 meters (Third highest peak in South India) where Doddabetta Peak, 4 km away from Udhagamandalam with a height of 2,637 meters (Second highest peak in South India).
This path is just off the road between Avalanche and Lokkidi Lake. A slightly shorter cross country route leads from the Bhavani Amman temple midway. A typical Nilgiri Red Rhododendron can be seen in the foreground.
Avalanche is a natural habitat of endemic species like Hypericum mysorense, Osbeckia leschenaultii, Rhodomyrtus tomentosa, Hedyotis verticilluris, Helichrysum wighti and medicinal plantlike Goultheria frograntissima.
Avalanche is a eco-tourism center that is most visited due to its scenic beauty and mesmerizing looks in and around the area. Tourists earn a lot of knowledge regarding biodiversity, the trees and the water sources in this place. This helps in developing the attitude of conservation of forests.
Eco tourism is run by ETMC under Forest department established in 2012 with a dual purpose. It has emerged as the centre of environment education, wildlife conservation and ecological awareness.
This eco tourism provides livelihood to the Toda primitive tribal groups-supports their culture, skill development, education of children, women empowerment and also works for the holistic development of the tribes.
Vehicles are sponsored, under TBGP and ETMC funds of Tamil Nadu Forest Deportment.
The existing rides begins at Avalanche and ends in Lakkadi lasting for 2 hours. Along the path tourists experience the beauty of evergreen frorests Cauliflower sholo forest is just 3 km from Avalanche and the tourists can enjoy experience the cool nature and appreciate the mosaic of shola species. Next the ride moves on to the Bhavani temple at the rock cliff. There is a beautiful stream that crosses the temple. Final Destination is the Lakkadi Lake formed by the backwaters of Upper Bhavani dam. It is surrounded by grasslands intermixed by Sholas.
Wild life sighting depends on the luck and the timing of the ride. The wild animals often sighted are the leopard, the Tiger, the Nilgiri Thar, Gaur, Sambar deer, sloth bear, Barking deer and jackals. Elephants also visit this landscape at particular times of the year.
Thus eco-tourism is one which is beneficial at all ends and has proved its purpose.
District Forest Office
Nilgiris Forest Division
Udhagamandalam - 1
Ph: 0423-2444083
