Destiny Farm: An appointment with Destiny
“When you open your eyes and see a landscape which looks like a painting- too beautiful to be true, when you are blissfully caressed by the warm rays of the sun playing peek-a-boo with the sailing clouds, when the thick mid noon fog lifts up to present you a breathtaking vista of hills covered with vegetation and the dew kissed grass blades tickle your feet as you take a stroll- you know you are at Destiny Farm !!!”
After about 45 mins of a pleasant drive out of Ooty through a scenic terrain of green meadows and tea estates, we arrived at the parking lot of the Destiny farm resort. That was the farthest we could take our car to reach Destiny. We then had to wait for the pickup vehicle to ferry us to the farm that was a 20 mins ride through the forest. The parking attendant got a call from the driver that there was a fallen tree on the way and it would take about an hour for the pickup to arrive after clearing the fallen tree.
Not wanting to sit in the waiting room for 1 hour, we took a stroll in the meadows behind the parking. We endlessly clicked pictures of the beautiful rolling hills and the grazing cattle. We had already fallen in love with the pristine hills in the locality and hardly noticed that the hour had passed. In no time we were in a 4x Jeep off-roading on the so-called road through the forest. The rain during the previous weeks had taken a toll on the road and it felt like forever to reach Destiny.
The view from our cottage at Destiny Farm
As the jeep approached the farm, we saw the restaurant staff picking fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden behind the restaurant. We were welcome by the lobby ambassadors at the reception with a hot cup of lemon tea. The reception had a warm look with beautiful artifacts and good furniture. We were briefed about the activities at Destiny and later shown to our room. The room was cozy with wooden flooring and wall panels, a large bathroom and a seating area.
We had booked a standard room in the block close to the reception and restaurant. Each room in the block was named after a great explorer and ours was named Magellan. The room had a panoramic view of the hills, lake, and the farm. The wooden benches provided in the common sit-out was the best place to sit and enjoy the view while we sipped hot tea. The room also had an electric kettle and a few snacks. There was no TV, mobile network or wifi available in any of the rooms forcing the guests to get completely unplugged from the outside world. However, wifi was available in the reception and restaurant. We loved every bit of our stay at the farm and recommend it to everyone who would love to experience the rugged life of a farm and at the same time get pampered in luxury. Below are more details of the Destiny farm.
Reception block of Destiny Farm
About the farm:
Located far away from the madness of tourist crowd in Ooty, right in the lap of the pristine and untouched valleys of Avalanche and Emerald lakes, Destiny offered a unique experience with a perfect amalgamation of the rusticity of a farm stay and the luxury of a modern hotel. The Destiny scored over all other resorts and hotels in Ooty by its location. It had many hills, ponds, and valleys within its boundaries. Most of the hill slopes are used for cultivation and the ones not cultivated are covered with lush green grass. It would not be an exaggeration to state that this area looked like Scotland.
Destiny has a self-sufficient farm that employs state of the art eco-friendly methods of cultivation. The huge farmland harvests a bounty of vegetables, dairy products, and fruits. Apart from the fresh vegetables that are provided to all the concept hotels under the Littlearth group, the farm also produces exotic herbs. The clean and well-maintained dairy produces a plenty of milk. The Farm also has a stable that houses about 15 well-groomed horses which are used for recreation and rides for the guests. I was told that a few of the horses were used for the racing earlier.
Cottages at Destiny Farm
Activities:
The farm offers many fun activities like fishing in the gill pond, farm tour, short treks, horse riding in the track, karaoke, indoor and outdoor games and bonfire as complementary. The adventurous souls can try rock climbing, rappelling, jumaring, rock climbing, horse riding in the countryside and some long treks at an extra charge. They also have an activity room for kids where they can learn arts and crafts from a trainer. If one does not want to do anything but just relax and read a book, the reception has a library with good collection of books.
Horse Riding at Destiny Farm
The Farm also has the unwind Spa set close to the lake which offers a scenic view while one enjoys massages, body wraps, ayurvedic treatments and beauty therapies, all with the quality of professional services.
Food:
The Wish bone restaurant located above the reception area offers both Indian and continental food. The interiors of the restaurant are very beautifully made with huge windows opening to a beautiful view of the lake. The backside of the restaurant has a Toda hut (Huts of the Toda tribes made with the locally sourced material). Most of the vegetables and herbs used in the kitchen are produced within the farm. Since the farm is located quite far from the town, there is no other option for dining except the restaurant. The breakfast was complimentary and included in the package, we had to pay for lunch and dinner. The food was good but I felt it was overpriced.
Price:
The Destiny farm has different types of rooms spread across 4 different blocks. Please check their website for more details about the rooms and their pricing.
How to reach Destiny Farm:
The best way to reach destiny is to take your own vehicle. Driving distance from various cities close to Destiny Farm:
25km from Ooty
285km from Bangalore
145km from Mysore
115km from Coimbatore
- Since the farm is located far away from Ooty, carry all the required medication.
- The best season to visit Destiny farm is from September to March when the Avalanche and Emerald lakes are full and there is a lot of greenery.
- Since nights can get pretty cold, carry adequate layers of warm clothes. Wearing thermals underneath your regular clothes is a good idea because they are light and keep you warm enough.
- Since there is a lot of walking involved, leave your fancy sandals behind and wear comfortable flats or shoes.
- The road leading to the farm from the parking area is in very bad condition. Be prepared for the roller-coaster ride.
- Sometimes, the booking site shows all the rooms are full. It is always good to directly mail the reservation desk. You might just get lucky and get a room.
- Destiny Farm Resort is a photographers paradise. Do not forget to take a good camera with adequate memory.
- If you wish to stay in Ooty, the little earth group has two other heritage properties namely The Sherlock and The King’s Cliff which you should try.
Check more pictures of the Destiny Farm here.
If you are more adventurous and love to road trip across the Nilgiris, read our ultimate itinerary for a weeklong budget trip to Ooty and Coonoor.
This is not a sponsored post! We paid for every service we enjoyed during our stay at Destiny Farm. As always, the views and opinions presented here are completely ours!
Related Posts
Tea Nest, Coonoor
Experience a stay in a regal British Mansion in a tea estate in Coonoor
Kurumba Nature Resort
Experience a stay in the lap of nature in the spice plantations in Nilgiris
Road trip to Nilgiris
A guide for road trip across Ooty and Coonoor
good post…. and images…. keep posting……
This place looks absolutely adorable. The fresh green views are such a treat for the eyes. They even have a horse!!
It sure is adorable Punita. They have not one but a plenty of horses. In fact, many of the horses they have actually race horses which are so well groomed.
The images are totally breathtaking! I loved Ooty earlier but now i love it even more, thanks to you!
Your photography skills are truly amazing!
Oh My God!!! I want to be there so bad! To be able to wake up to this greenery in the morning is such a blessing!!! Esp in places like this its good to not have TV, mobile networks or wifi. Self sufficine in terms of vegetables and diary? Wow! That’s too good.
This looks like a beautiful place to stay! I think I’d be doing the recreational activities just to get out in that pretty landscape! You’ve got me curious about jumaring though… what is that?
Gorgeous photos. This seems like the perfect place to relax and be close to nature. It does seem pretty sleety/cold based on your pictures though.
I am in love with your blogpost and the amazing pictures. I absolutely have to visit Destiny Farm now. The rolling hills, hovering clouds and the beautiful ambience will make for lovely memories.
As someone who just loves the beauty of mother nature, this place looks like paradise to me. It is so totally worth it to stay in a lovely place like this to be among this fabulous environment. Just love your photos and review.
It really looks like a great place for a retreat, away from all the hustle and bustle of big cities. And seems it is great for a family outing with children, too. 🙂
WOW!! Destiny Farm definitely delivered! The place looks so inviting! The meadows, the rolling hills. I can see it for a family getaway or a retreat.
WoW! Such a lovely place the Destiny Farm! And gorgeous green landscape all around! Reading now, in hot July, while working and trying to survive, dreaming a place like that to relax..;)
I love the views from the terrace and even if it’s a farm stay, the building looks very modern and inviting. I can imagine how perfect this is for a gateaway where you just want to be surrounded by nature and its sounds.
Nature was at its best! I love your content and photos. Truly, Destiny Farm is a photographer’s paradise! I would probably fill my camera with photos of the landscapes!
I like it when travellers explore unexplored places this place looks so fresh and peaceful.It reminds me of Valparai in Tamil Nadu.The greenery is so lush and nice.
OMG! This place is simply beautiful and beyond words. I loved your pictures and detailed review. After reading about destiny farm stay I have already started missing mountains. Amazing, I need to check this property for sure once around.
I love the way you narrate your travel posts. There’s a lot of feelings and emotion with it and the pictures are really stunning I would want to stay in this place. It is peaceful, perfect for a having a good break from our stressful lives in the office. 🙂
Ooty is an enchanting place. But over time it has been getting overcrowded. Last time we were there, it was a weekend and the place was literally swamped with tourists. To really enjoy the place one needs to get away from the main areas and head out. Destiny farm looks like an idyllic getaway. Loved the views.
Destiny Farm looks so adorable! Those views are to die for, I love waking up and looking out on a lush green scene. What a fantastic place to visit and stay!
I can only imagine how gorgeous your mornings over there must have been like. This farm house is a perfect escape for you to connect with nature. I am definitely going to plan a visit.
Wow! Everything looks so lush and green. I would love to visit, especially for the horses!
Such a beautiful place. So much greenery all around. In fact the resort also looks stunning and seems to have some good amenities as well.
This place so fresh and untouched. Love exploring places like this.