Gene Pool

பாதை

About this trail

Out and back: 4 km each way

When to go: Best from October to May. The south-west monsoon (June to September) brings heavy rain, leeches and occasional closures, and winter mornings on the high grasslands can be close to freezing.

காடு

Forest and wildlife

Forest type: Grassland and shola forest

Wildlife you may see

• Sambar deer
• Asian elephant
• Wild dog (dhole)

Sightings are never guaranteed — that is the forest's charm.

Also nearby

• Frog Hill viewpoint
• Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
• Santhana Malai Murugan temple
• Moyar valley
• Gene Pool eco-tourism centre

தயாரிப்பு

What to pack

Tick these off in the Payanam app: your checklist is saved on your phone.

• At least 2 litres of water in a refillable bottle
• Broken-in trail shoes with good grip
• A light warm layer for windy ridges and early starts
• Rain shell or poncho, and a dry bag for your phone
• Original photo ID (checked at the reception point)
• Energy snacks in reusable boxes, not wrappers
• Your own medicines and a small first-aid pouch
• Cap or hat, sunscreen and sunglasses
• Insect repellent; leech socks in the wet months
• A small bag to carry every scrap of waste back out
• Clothes in muted earth or forest colours

விதிகள்

Rules and safety

1. Trek only with a booking made on Trek Tamil Nadu; entering forest areas without a permit is not allowed.
2. Reach the reception point a little early with the ID you booked with.
3. Walk with the Forest Department guide, keep to the path and stay with the group; no short cuts.
4. Give animals space: never approach, follow or feed them, and step back quietly if one blocks the path.
5. Keep voices low and phones silent; no music or drones. Skip strong perfume.
6. No single-use plastic. Whatever you carry in, you carry out.
7. No smoking, fires, alcohol or other intoxicants anywhere in the forest.
8. Leave flowers, seeds, rocks and feathers where they are.
9. Admire streams and falls from the bank; do not wade, swim or bathe.
10. Treks can be cancelled at short notice for heavy rain, fire risk or animal movement; follow the guide's call.

திட்டமிடுங்கள்

Plan around it

Payanam stays and experiences near the trailhead, for the nights before and after.

Stays nearby

Kotagiri Eco-Cottage in the Nilgiris

Kotagiri

49 km away · ₹3,500 / night

Experiences nearby

Ooty Lake Boat Ride

Ooty

31.3 km away · ₹120 / person

Ooty Tea Estate Walk, Factory Tour & Tasting

Ooty

31.4 km away · ₹2,800 / person

Coonoor Heritage Tea Bungalow High Tea

Coonoor

43.9 km away · ₹3,200 / person

Kotagiri Organic Tea & Kurumba Tribal Art

Kotagiri

49.6 km away · ₹2,200 / person

Heritage nearby

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

நீலகிரி மலை ரயில்

31.5 km away