Stay At This Bollywood Director's Farm In Coonoor And Learn To Make Gourmet Cheese

All the travelling cheese-makers looking to escape Mumbai this summer, head to Acres Wild Farmstay in Coonoor in the Nilgiri Hills and learn how to make Gourmet Cheese. Sounds cheesy and dreamy? But it surely is and that too amidst the hilly backdrop.

The easiest way to getting to Coonoor from Mumbai is via a flight. In an hour and 15 minutes, you’ll be in Tamil Naidu. From the airport, hail a cab towards the Coonoor Municipal Bus Stand with the clock tower on your left, and head towards the main market in lower Coonoor. From there, just keep going towards a pitch fork in the road, and take a turn towards the wooden signage with ‘Acres Wildfarm’ written on it.

Acres Wild Farmstay in Coonoor is set against the backdrop of Nilgiri hills and is spread across the valleys with guesthouses on different levels of the hilly valley. However, the most unique part about it is that it’s an organic cheese making farm. Yes, you too can sign up for a two-day workshop to learn how to make cheese.

Remember Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak? Well, let us tell you that this gorgeous farmstay is set up by none other than the director of the movie, Mansoor Khan, who is also Aamir Khan’s cousin, and Imran Khan’s uncle {quite a family, eh?}. Mansoor and his wife, Tina who moved to Coonor in 2004, leaving behind the mad hustle of the city, set up the Acres Wild Farmstay and it has come a long way since then. Apart from being an organic farm, they also create organic cheese like Feta, Brie, Cheddar, Ricotta, Blue Cheese and more. The cheese is created in small batches, and is homemade on the farm in an organic way.

The farmstay is in all its glory and offers visitors the peaceful life missing in big cities. From chirping birds, to farm animals, to making cheese and everything organic, Acre Wilds is an oasis of greenery and is the perfect escape.

To experience the gourmet world of homemade cheese making hidden away in the lush valleys of Nilgiris. The French and the Dutch may have all the lovely cheese at their helm, Acres Wild Farmstay does not stray behind. In fact, it is one of the few farmstays in India experimenting with cheese culture and growing it organically as a family. As thy say, the family that makes cheese together…

People can come and stay at the farm, and have been doing so from around the world. The entire farmstay is divided in levels, so expect a bit of walking. They have three cottages at offer, Haloumi House with two rooms, Cheddar House with two rooms and Colby Cottage with one room.

The prices vary per cottages. During on-season, Colby cottage comes down to INR 4,000 per night and off season its’s INR 3,000 per night.

The cheese making workshop is for at least two days and is for INR 8,000 per person barring Sundays. You will learn the theory and basics of cheese making, along with a practical approach at making cheese yourself. Do mention it at the time of booking your rooms. You will be making gouda, parmesan, feta, romano, mozzarella and more. All in all, it’s a cheesy getaway. Quite literally.

To book, go here.

They have adorable doggos at the farm as well for cuddles.