Munnar is a town in the Western Ghats mountain range in India’s Kerala state. A hill station and former resort for the British Raj elite, it's surrounded by rolling hills dotted with tea plantations established in the late 19th century.
Ooty (short for Udhagamandalam) is a resort town in the Western Ghats mountains, in southern India's Tamil Nadu state. Founded as a British Raj summer resort, it retains a working steam railway line. Other reminders of its colonial past include Stone House, a 19th-century residence, and the circa-1829 St. Stephen’s Church.
Chikmagalur is a hill station in Karnataka, a state in southwest India. To the north is Baba Budangiri, a mountain range in the Western Ghats, with 3 large caves said to be holy. Trails through forests and grasslands lead up to Mullayanagiri Peak. The cascading Hebbe Falls lie in an area of coffee plantations.
Wayanad is a rural district in Kerala state, southwest India. In the east, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is a lush, forested region with areas of high altitude, home to animals including Asiatic elephants, tigers, leopards and egrets. In the Ambukuthi Hills to the south, Edakkal Caves contain ancient petroglyphs, some dating back to the Neolithic age.
Shimoga (Shivamogga) is a city in Karnataka state, southwest India. The Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary shelters elephants, tigers and panthers. Northwest of Shimoga are the powerful, towering Jog Falls. Nearby is the huge, modern Sacred Heart Cathedral. Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary is home to species such as egrets and cormorants.