Ooty: Queen of Hill Stations
Ooty is one of the most popular hill stations in India. Better known as the Queen of Hill stations, Ooty’s mesmerising meadows, soothing environment, cool weather and a wide array of sightseeing places are said to offer "pleasure of paradise" to a visitor. The tourists fall in love with Ooty’s picturesque mountain ranges, lakes, and tea plantations. Ooty is home to Nilgiri Mountains that stand tall with never-ending verdant meadows and the emerald colour lake that soothes the senses.
Ooty, also known as Udagamandalam, is located at the tri-junction of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. It is located 86 km north of Coimbatore and 128 km south of Mysore and is the capital of the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu. Nilgiris is also called as Blue Mountain because of its misty blue clouds with peaceful ranges.
Here’re some of the most attractive places to visit in Ooty:
1. Avalanche Lake: Located 28 km away from Ooty, Avalanche Lake is a must visit. Beautifully lying amid the lush greenery of mountains and landscapes, Ooty was created due to a massive landslide somewhere around the 1800s. It is popular for trout fishing and the required equipment for it can be taken from Trout hatchery.
2. Ooty Lake: It is an artificial lake that was built for fishing purposes. This lake is popular for boating. Tourists can be seen enjoying a refreshing ride on its serene waters.
3. Emerald Lake: Located near the Emerald Village in the Nilgiri District, Emerald Lake lies in a place called Silent Valley. It is situated around 25 km away from Ooty. A beautiful lake offering an ideal place for a picnic, where you can relax and spend some quality time with your loved ones.
4. Ooty Rose Garden: The Rose Garden is spread across 4 hectares of land and proudly presents more than 20 thousand varieties of roses. A well-maintained garden, it also boasts of winning Garden of Excellence Award for South Asia from the World Federation of Rose Societies.
5. Ooty Toy Train: A part of Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Ooty Toy Train runs from Mettupalayam to Ooty via Coonoor. It passes through lush green landscapes and breathtaking Nilgiri Mountains and the train runs on a track of 46 km.
6. Ooty Botanical Gardens: Botanical Gardens of Ooty is one of the most popular places to see in Ooty. Spread over 55 acres of land, this garden is divided into five different sections such as Fern House, Lower Garden, Italian Garden, Conservatory and Nurseries.
7. Deer Park: Located at a distance of 2 km from Ooty Lake, Deer Park is well known for its rich fauna along with varieties of deer such as Sambhar and the Chithal, Deer park makes up for an interesting visit, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. Equally rich is the variety of flora in this park. Spread across an area of 22 acres, this park was established in the year of 1986.
8. Doddabetta Peak: Doddabetta Peak is the highest peak in the Nilgiris. At the junction of Western and Eastern Ghats, it is around 10 km away from Ooty. Covered by dense sholas, this peak is trekkers’ favourite point.
9. Kalhatty Waterfalls: One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Ooty, Kalhatty Waterfalls is can be reached via a trek of 2 miles from Kalahatti village. It is believed that great Hindu saint Agastya had once lived here. With its rich avian fauna, it is often visited by bird watchers as well.
10. Kamraj Sagar Dam: A popular place for picnics and film shooting, this dam is situated around 10 km from Ooty bus stand. Also known with the name of Sandynallah Reservoir, this dam offers a peaceful environment with beautiful surrounding where tourists can spend some time at ease.
11. Mudumalai National Park: Connecting the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats, on the Ooty Mysore route, Mudumalai National Park boasts of many wild animals and rich avian fauna along with equally rich flora. It has also been declared as a tiger reserve as it is home to approximately 50 tigers.
Best time to visit Ooty: The best time to visit Ooty is the summer season, from March to June. This season is ideal for travelling and sightseeing in this part as the weather remains very pleasant and the temperature varies from 15 °C to 20 °C.
How to reach Ooty:
By Air: Approximately 85 km away, Coimbatore Airport is the closest aerodrome to Ooty.
By Train: Mettupalayam, 40 km from Ooty, is the nearest railhead serving this hill station.
By Road: Ooty is well connected by a surface network with major cities like Bangalore, Chennai and Mysore.