Ooty

This lovely hill station was discoverd in 1819 by John Sullivan, the then Collector of Coimbatore and lies amidst the four hills namely Doddabetta, Snowdon, Elk Hill and Club Hill in the Nilgiri mountain range in Tamil Nadu. It is also called Ootacamund or Udagamandalam and is known for its verdant vegatation, silvery streams and numerous tea gardens. A small little toy train is the main attration of Ooty and chugs daily to Ooty from Mettupalayam. In its four hour climb this train puffs through tea plantations, thick forests and pretty little stations making it a marvelous experience for the tourists. Some of the place like Doddabetta, Mukurthi, Pykara, Avalanche, Naduvattam, Madhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary are worth visit here.

Getting There

By Air : The closest airport is at Coimbatore and is 88 kms away from Ooty.

By Rail : The Ooty railway station is the nearest rail head. Mettupalayam(46 kms) rail head is also used to reach Ooty. One who like to enjoy the scenic beauty of the hill station can opt for toy train that connects Ooty with Mettupalayam and Coonoor.

By Road : Ooty is connected by regular bus service to Coimbatore, Bangalore, kanyakumari and Tirupati.

Related Accommodations

Their are numerous hotels in Ooty offering a wide choice to the visitors ranging from heritage hotels to economy hotels.

Ask for Hotel

Did You Know?

• The official name of Ooty is Udhagmandalam.
• Doddabetta is the highest peak in the Nilgiris.
• Situated in the premises of Government Art College, the Stone House is the first 'Pukka' house in Ooty, built by John Sullivan.
• The Ooty Station is a World Heritage Site.

Attractions

Botanical Garden

The garden was laid out in 1847 and is presently maintained by the Horticulture department of the government of Tamil Nadu. Covering the vast landscape of 22 hectares it is home to more than 650 species of plants and trees. 20 million year old fossilized tree, an Italian-style garden, a fern house with diverse range of ferns and orchids are the major attractions of this garden. The summer festival is organised here annually in May followed by flower shows and various cultural programmes.

Ooty Lake

This artificial lake was constructed in 1825 by John Sullivan, the then Collector of Coimbatore. It is the favourite sight for boating and fishing. Every year during summer festival in May, boat races are conducted at Ooty lake. The lake garden and deer park are the other attractions of this place.

Government Musuem

It was set up in 1989, with a view to provide educational benefits to the residing and visiting populaton of Nilgiris. The musuem has on display the tribal objects, district's ecological deatils and sculptural arts and crafts of Tamil Nadu.

Pykara

It is situated 21 kms away from Ooty on the Ooty-Mysore road. The place is known for the Toda settlements, unspoilt meadows and varied fauna. The Pykara Dam and the reservoir are worth visiting here.

Location

105 kms away from Coimbatore lies the popular hillstation of Ooty. This beautiful hillstation is located in the Nilgiri hills at 7,349 ft above sea level and serves as the capital of Nilgiri district.

Best Time to Visit

Although the best time to visit Ooty is between April and June or September and November, it can be visited throughout the year.