Coimbatore's hinterland is excellent. The Nilgiri hills begin within an hour to the north, and the Anamalai Tiger Reserve spreads through the Western Ghats some 50 km to the south, with elephants, the rare Nilgiri tahr, and a chance of tigers. The classic outing is up to Ooty, the old Nilgiri hill station — and the way to arrive is the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, one of only two rack railways in India and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which departs from Mettupalayam 40 km north and makes the climb without a car. Kodaikanal is a longer half-day journey by bus.
