Nestled on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu interstate border, Gene Pool invites you to explore and appreciate its pristine nature trail and biodiversity, a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Embark on a delightful hike through this thriving tropical forest ecosystem, notably a repository of endemism. If you're lucky enough, sighting a wild animal or a herd might add an unexpected thrill to your adventure. Experience the unique microclimate and connect with the wild!
Maximum Elevation: 940 MSL(Approx.) Meters
Forest Type: Grassland & Shola Forest
Nearby Medical Facility: Gudalur Government Hospital - 14 km
Nearby Bus Stand: Gudalur - 12 km
Nearby Airport: Mysore - 118 km
Nearby Railway Station: Nilambur - 40 km
Parking Facilities: Yes
Visited this place recently — there are plenty of activities to do, including the Gene Pool Trek, zip line, jungle safari, museum, and cottages. We did the Gene Pool Trek, which is around 8 km (give or take). The trail takes you through lush forest areas where the guide explains about medicinal plants and how the local tribes once lived. We were very fortunate to have Mr. Manikandan as our guide — he’s highly knowledgeable — and Mr. Ajith assisting us. During the trek, we spotted tiger and leopard footprints and even saw an elephant from a distance. The trek ends downhill near a waterfall (note: bathing isn’t allowed due to strong currents). A few tips: ask for Mr. Manikandan as your guide, start your trek early in the morning, and be careful with leeches — carry some sanitizer. We were lucky to visit on their first anniversary, which made it even more special. Overall, a wonderful and memorable experience — highly recommend visiting!
What an unforgettable trekking experience with Trek Tamilnadu! The journey was filled with excitement and learning — we explored a wide variety of medicinal trees and plants, witnessed tiger footprints, and enjoyed the peaceful sounds of birds along the way. The view of the beautiful Moyar River was absolutely breathtaking and made the whole trip even more memorable. 🏞️✨ It was truly an amazing and refreshing adventure that brought us closer to nature and its wonders. A heartfelt thank you to Trek Tamilnadu for organizing such a wonderful trip, and special thanks to Manikandan Sir and Sundhar Sir for their excellent guidance, support, and motivation throughout the journey! 🙏💚
Gene pool trekking is one of the trail suited for the beginners and a family with kids. Gene pool, created for the conservation of trees and plants which are highly endangered. One can see the efforts made by the government and staff there to protect endangered yet medically beneficial trees. I wass accompanied by Mr Mani, Mr Prem and Mr Vasu who were experts of the subject and explained the flora and fauna round. I never seen fish conservation anywhere but I saw it here. The trek trail will take 4 hours up and down and the destination is to reach the beautiful falls. If luck permits, you can spot elephants during trek. I have spotted Elephants, Sambar Deer and various bird species. The scenic and breath taking views will make you fall in love with nature and will ease your trekking tiredness. Highly recommended for the beginners and kids.
This was our 2nd trek for me & my wife with Trek Tamilnadu and we had a good day! Guna, Sundar (botanist), Mani and Venu (Forest guard) from Trek Tamilnadu team made our experience memorable with their cheerful attitude, knowledge of the terrain, flora & fauna and their focus on safety of both us and the environment & wild animals. The trek is definitely suitable for beginners. You'll need trekking shoes, long socks /gaiters for protection against leeches (rainy season) or sanitizers/salts. We were happy to spot a herd of elephants, samba deer, vine snake, malabar squirrel, orange minivet on our hike. Weather co-operated nicely with no rain during our 4 hr trek.
My overall experience as a solo trekker was very good. The guides were very good and experienced. I would like to thank Mr.Ajith, Mr.Surya and Mr.Prem. They accompanied me and kept me entertained throughout the trek. They were very educated on the flora and fauna present in this trek and kept explaining to me about everything. I would strongly recommend this for anyone willing to go on a short term trek near Ooty, be it either solo or with group.