100 Year Old Puthuthottam Annexe: A Wild Holiday Hideout in Anaimalai Tiger Reserve, Valparai
Puthuthottam estate, a 3000 acre estate comprising of tea gardens, coffee plantations and native trees, is the hidden gem of Anaimalai Tiger Reserve. It is one of the best places in the entire country to spot the lion tailed macaque, a primate species endemic to the southern part of the Western Ghats. Located just a few kilometres before Valparai, the unsung hill station of India, it is surrounded by the forests and mountains of the Anaimalai tiger reserve on all sides and it itself falls in the buffer zone of Anaimalai tiger reserve.
This entire estate, forest and wildlife can be yours if you stay at Puthuthottam Annexe, a 100 year old building that used to be the tea manager’s bungalow in its hey days. Today, it is the only place to stay at Puthuthottam estate for tourists. Run and managed by the woodbriar group, it is home to 2 bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a balcony. And it is located right in the middle of tea estates, coffee estates and tropical forests. If you book both these rooms, your group might be the only humans (apart from the hotel staff and naturalist) living in these 3000 acres of surreal nature.
If you are a nature enthusiast, a wildlife photographer or adventure seeker, Puthuthottam Annexe’s secluded location and rich wildlife sightings will most certainly appeal to you. And when all of this experience is only for your group, it makes it truly special. This property review is based on my recent experience of staying 3 days and 3 nights with family, friends and kids.
Remote, Raw and Wild
The location of Puthuthottam Annexe is remote. It is the only property where tourists can stay at in this 3000 acre estate. As it is part of a migration corridor with the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve, it shares its space with a lot of wildlife, especially Great Hornbills, Lion Tailed Macaques, Gaurs, Elephants and more. And you can spot all of these wildlife either right from your balcony or a short walk through the different trails of the estate. Thus, making it a truly raw experience as it is not every day that you stand 50 feet away on foot staring a large herd of wild gaur grazing and moving about the property.
Immersive Nature
Right from the time you wake up to the call of the Malabar whistling thrush, spot gaurs on post breakfast and post tea walks to seeing lion tailed macaques joyfully play around at close quarters, everything about the experience here is rich and just for you. You can immerse yourself totally into nature here. The only thing to worry is that there will be no one to get you out of the trance.
Starry Skies
If you like star gazing, Puthuthottam Annexe is a perfect place. Whether you are staring from its balcony or whether you are walking around its periphery, you are bound to enjoy the view of the star studded sky here along with the sounds of the jungle like a owl hooting, a cicada chirping, a wild animal growling or the leaves rustling.
Excellent Food
Like most of Woobriar’s properties, the team at Puthuthottam Annexe cooks delicious Indian food along with some lovely desserts. You can also request for some specific dishes depending on your dietary requirements. Food is served both at the woodhouse mansion and at your room. I feel it is better to have food at the 184 year old woodhouse mansion as it allows you to explore the forest on the way in and out from the rooms. This allows you to spot some interesting flora and fauna. The lion tailed macaques are also frequently spotted after breakfast at the woodhouse mansion.
Great Naturalist and Fantastic Trails
Puthuthottam Annexe has in-house naturalists who are nature lovers and are extremely knowledgeable. They know all the different plantation trails where you can spot the most birds and animals. Each morning and evening and even during the day in case the weather is pleasant, the naturalist will take you to the forest zones where you can spot sambar deer, gaurs, hornbills, lion tailed macaques, nilgiri langurs, woodpeckers, eagles and many more bird and animal species. During the post monsoon season, you are bound to spot large herds of elephants here as this estate falls under the migratory corridor of the elephants.
The Silent Thrill
Even though you know that the puthuthottam annexe property is protected by a barbed wire fence, your mind races in the calm of the night and plots all kind of wildlife attack scenarios as a reaction to the stories that you heard over dinner or the sounds that reverberate through the forest in the night.
Puthuthottam Annexe is for you…
1) If you love large open spaces where you, your friends and family can move around without worrying about traffic or other humans
2) If raw, wild and remote nature is your thing, you will definitely fall in love with Puthuthottam Annexe
3) Whether you are a birdwatcher, a wildlife photographer and a nature lover, you are bound to be mesmerized with the forest and tea estates here
4) If you like to sleep and wake up to the sounds of nature, this place is for you
5) If you like yummy meals after long walks, then this place is for you
If you are one or two families that is either well versed with wildlife an nature or you are easing into it, Valparai’s Puthuthottam Annexe is going be your next wildlife holiday destination where all 3000 acres of it would belong to you during your stay. I have been twice to this property and have always enjoyed my time here. For bookings, look up the tea bungalows website. You can call or email them and book your rooms.
Another property run by the Woodbriar group in Valparai that also offers great birdwatching and wildlife opportunities is the Monica garden bungalow. I have stayed here on two of my previous trips to Valparai.
Key things to remember while you are visiting Puthuthottam Annexe:
1) Wear sturdy shoes as you will be required to walk long distances.
2) Carry sunglasses and a cap/hat to protect you from the mountain sun.
3) Carry rain wear or an umbrella with you in case you are visiting during the wet season.
4) Leeches are quite common during the wet season. So be prepared for them accordingly.
5) Most of the time, it is safe to be with children on these trails. However, do exercise caution for self and others, if there happens to be wild gaurs or elephants in the vicinity.
6) Try to stay quiet to get best sightings in wild habitat. If you make a lot of sound, the animals might go to some other place or at worst case, they can chase you.
7) Carry some trail mix, energy bars and water with you when going on these trails.
8) Carry a flashlight with you if you like early morning or late evening walks.
Attractions in and around Puthuthottam Annexe:
1) Tea Estates: The main attraction of Puthuthottam is its sprawling tea gardens, its plantation walks and its many panoramic view points.
2) Coffee Estates: In addition to tea garden, Puthuthottam is also home to coffee estates, though it is on a much smaller scale when compared to the tea gardens .
3) Forest Stretches: In between its tea and coffee estates, Puthuthottam has many stretches of native forest that attract the wild visitors.
4) Birdwatching: Great hornbill, grey hornbill, black rumped flameback woodpecker, crested serpent eagle, malabar whistling thrush, scarlet minivet, jungle babbler, hill myna, bulbul, barbet and many other species of birds can be spotted here.
5) Wildlife: Lion tailed macaques, elephants, gaurs, Malabar giant squirrels, sambar deer, barking deer, Nilgiri langurs, Bonnet macaques and many other wildlife can be seen here.
6) 184 year old Woodhouse Mansion: One of the earliest bungalows in Valparai, time stands still at Woodhouse Mansion. Lion Tailed Macaques also drop in here every day.
How to reach there:
The nearest airport would be Coimbatore international airport. It is located about 111 kms from Puthuthottam Annexe and it should take you close to 3 and a half hours to reach here by your car.
The nearest railway station would be Pollachi junction. It is located about 63 kms or 2 hours away.
The nearest bus station would be Valparai. If your bus happens to be coming from Pollachi or Coimbatore, you can get down at Puthuthottam Estate located just before Valparai. If you are traveling from Kerala, you can get down at Valparai and take a cab or bus to reach Puthuthottam, about 5 kms away.
Best season to visit:
Puthuthottam Annexe is open all year round and each season will allow you to see the forest and its wildlife in a new light.
October to December is excellent for spotting wild elephants and for great hornbills.
Other nearby tourist attractions:
1) Valparai: The unsung hill station of India
2) Valparai to Athirapally: One of the top tropical motorcycle routes in India
3) Rolling Injipara Tea Estates of Valparai: Stunning location for a morning walk
4) Nallamudi Poonjolai: A fabulous view point tucked within the Valparai hills and inside the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve
5) Sholayar Dam: Asia’s 2nd deepest dam nestled in the pristine Anaimalai hills of Tamil Nadu
6) Trekking inside Parambikulam Tiger Reserve: A thrilling adventure
7) Veetikunnu Island Nest: Living on an island inside a tiger reserve
8) Parambikulam Tiger Reserve: On the jumbo trail
9) Anaimalai Tiger Reserve: Of elephants, gaurs, tigers and hornbills
10) Pristine Vazhachal Rainforest Highway: A special road trip hot spot
11) Hike to Nadumalai River: A pristine picnic spot surrounded by tea estates and nature
12) Athirapally Falls: The Niagara falls of Kerala
13) Vazhachal Falls: A tropical forest waterfall located near Athirapally Falls
14) Vazhachal Forest: A fresh lease of oxygen in Kerala
15) Tea Estates of Valparai: For a rich tea estate and factory experience along with surreal views
16) Poringalkuthu Reservoir: A remote water body nestled in the tropical rainforests of Vazhachal, Kerala
17) Aliyar Dam: A large dam just before the climb to Valparai begins from Pollachi
18) Monkey Falls: A beautiful waterfall located on the ghat road from Pollachi to Valparai
19) Valparai Hills: Perfect place to explore on a motorcycle
20) Valparai’s Lion Tailed Macaque Bridge: Shows how we should co-exist with nature
