Farm Stay at Avalanche, Ooty

Open your eyes early morning to the dew drops on the window. Grab a hot coffee. Feel the chillness under your bare feet. Step outside to embrace the cool breeze and fall in love again and again with the lovely blue hills and lush green valley. That’s how I would remember my holiday at the Destiny Farm Stay at Avalanche, a place 30kms from Ooty.

Let me tell you, all the good adjectives multiplied by 10 would still not be enough to express the scenic beauty of this place. This trip was special for me for two reasons. One it was the venue for our anniversary celebration and secondly for the first time my husband found a place and planned a trip. I must confess that after all the destinations we went with my planning, he overtook me in choosing the best place ever.

We started from Bangalore around 4.30am and took the State Highway 17 route via Mysore->Bandipur->Masinagudi->Ooty->Avalanche. We were lucky enough to get a glimpse of one or two elephants, deers, and peacocks while passing through Bandipur Forest Reserve.

We reached Ooty around 10 am. From Ooty railway station, our vacation spot was 30kms away and the resort had provided us with the route map. Just follow the road signs directing to Avalanche and then to Emerald Dam. Reaching the dam, the tarred road turns into a mud road and we can’t complain much as we were passing through forest area.

After a bumpy ride, we reached the parking lot of the Farm from where the resort’s transport is the only way to go beyond. The car park is secure and has a small cabin for refreshing and refreshments while waiting for the vehicle. You may be taken aback by the appearance of the van as it’s a four wheel military van completely enclosed and the next 15 minutes inside the van can be shaky and fun. Hold on tight!

Once you reach the resort, you have the hospitality that is worth the money paid. We were welcomed with a mocktail but we had no time to enjoy the drink as we were already flabbergasted with the view from the restaurant. I didn’t even realize when we completed the formalities of checking in and we were already inside our room hurrying to start our adventure. Each room is named after an explorer. Ours was Captain James Cook. No matter which room you occupy, you get a fabulous view.

By then it started drizzling but that brought in a different kind of attractiveness to the place which was even more stunning. From the balcony, we could see the ducks leisurely in the pond enjoying the rain. The cows were grazing in another hill. We thought of utilizing this moment for the orientation from the resort on farm and activities followed by a quiet lunch sitting next to a window watching the splendid sight. I could see once in a while the chef running down and plucking vegetables from the farm below. Hot Thai soup, steaming rice, yummy chicken gravy, butter melting on naan…Truly delightful!

The rain stopped and we went for a walk in the farm. We were told the farm was about 120 acres and surrounded by dense forests and hence there were electric fences to keep the wild animals away.

I laughed at one of the activities which were milking the cow but when I went to the cow shed I was actually excited to see the mechanical way of doing it. Then it was the tour to the horse stable and saw a cute little foal and the mighty horses. We kept the horse riding to the next day as it was still showery.

The spa is well positioned to face the lake. That was a good way of relaxing but I didn’t get a chance to enjoy the Swedish massage as we were running out of time. So it won’t be justice to readers talking about it without experiencing it.

I don’t know how much I walked. The distance didn’t matter as my focus was on capturing spectacular landscapes in my mind and camera.

There is no TV in the room but they screen important programmes at a common space. We went there to check the IPL cricket scores and took rest for some time.

By twilight, the farm attenders were busy preparing the barbecue and bonfire. The TV room was now converted to a small discothèque with flashing lights and a DJ. Cheering the small kids dancing to the tunes of Chamak Chalo, we headed back to the open lawn. Sitting on one of the benches enjoying the warmth, we relished the barbecue dishes.

The next day morning a short walk was arranged as part of the activities but we chose to stay back. The truth was we woke up late. While the other guests were busy trekking, we hurried to the riding ground and had a jolly good time taking a stroll around on the horsebacks.

Then it was breakfast time. The buffet breakfast had a good combination of English and Indian menu.  We then went to the pond and grabbed a fishing rod and started fishing. Be it an adult or a kid, when a fish is caught, the glee is same for all. I caught a fish too after a long wait. A small one but size didn't really matter.

This place has decent outdoor activities well planned for kids and adults. We couldn’t take up much of them as I had a fractured finger. The kids will love this place. Indoor activities include children movie screening in the afternoon, a library filled with comic books and board games and a play area. The list of outdoor activities is never ending. Complimentary ones include horse riding, dairy farm visit, fishing, short distance trek and agri tour. A team of activity coordinators will assist you with artificial rock climbing, rappelling, zipline, jumaring et al that are charged extra. The farm stay invites lots of school picnics and corporate outings.

I could hear only the words “beautiful, awesome, wonderful” in the conversations of the guests.  On a closing note, I would like to quote one of the school children’s autograph in a painting gifted to the farm that I came across which I felt is very apt for this heavenly place. "We never felt so alive and free…"





Points to remember

• Remember to fill fuel from Ooty as there are no fuel stations beyond
• The last few minutes to the resort is a bumpy ride. Don’t get discouraged by it
• Remember to contact resort as soon as you reach Ooty so that the transport will be ready by the time you reach parking lot
• Tipping policy at the resort requests you not to tip any staffs for their services other than driver, bell boys and security
• Wear casual clothes and trekking shoes
• Avoid monsoon if you prefer outdoor activities unless you intent to relax choosing mostly indoor activities
• No availability of liquor at resort so manage your very own hot drinks
• Smoking & drinking at public places is prohibited
• The whole perimeter is electric fenced. So be careful while promenading 
• Early reservation is a must as there are only 25 rooms and it’s always running full and a minimum of 2 days required to enjoy all facilities of the farm stay
• I would recommend stop overs at Avalanche & Emerald Lake while returning from resort for maximum utilization of time at farm
• The resort is isolated so have your entire first aid kits and the necessities brought along

-Chalked by Rashmi