Ooty

Ooty, the popular name for Ootacamund, which in turn is the Anglicized version of Udhagamangalam, is located 2242 meters above sea level in the Western Ghats hill ranges of Tamil Nadu, India. Located in the beautiful Nilgiri Hill districts, named by virtue of the blue tinged hills of the Western Ghats, Ooty is one of southern India's most popular hill stations. With maximum temperatures ranging from 21-25° C, and moderate rainfall, it is not hard to see why Ooty has been called the Queen of Hill Stations among the hill stations of South India. Built as a British summer station in the 1800s, Ooty has many bungalows and buildings dating back to the British era. Ooty is famous for its tea gardens and coniferous forests.

Tourist Attractions at Ooty

If you are a lover of old buildings and heritage sites, then Ooty gives you many opportunities to indulge in you past-time. The Sullivan House, built by John Sullivan in 1822, is one of the oldest buildings in the area. It presently houses the Government Art College. The Club, Library and St. Stephens Church are some of the other colonial style buildings in the area; apart from the many English style cottages and bungalows. The Botanical Gradens at Ooty are a major tourist draw owing to the remnants of a 20 million old tree. The Summer Festival of the Botanical Gradens, held during the month of May, includes a flower show where large roses and multi hued chrysanthemums are displayed. The Festival also includes cultural events like the traditional Bharatnatyam dance. The Dodabetta Point is the highest peak in Ooty, and commands a panoramic view of the district. Wenlock Downs, with its golf courses and clubhouses, is one of the premier addresses of Ooty. Lake Ooty, the artificial lake built in 1824, offers boating facilities. The lakeside garden and toy train is a hit with tourists of all ages. Snowden Peak, on the road to Kotagiri, offers a magnificent view of Mysore city.

Nearby Attractions

Coonoor town, 15 kilometers away, is an equally picturesque hill station with a botanical garden, and the vantage points of Lady Canning's Seat and Dolphin's Nose. Kotagiri, 30 kilometers away, rises more than 6000 feet above sea level. It is famous for its tea plantations. Pyakala, site of the Pyakala reservoir, has well preserved settlements of the Toda tribe, the original inhabitants of Ooty.

How to Reach Ooty

Coimbatore Airport is 100 kilometers away. Regular flights operate from Delhi, Bangalore, Thiruvanthapuram, Chennai and Mumbai to Coimbatore.

Trains from Chennai and Coimbatore halt at Mettupalayam. From Mettupalayam, you can either take the narrow guage train to Coimbatore or travel by road.

well connected to Chennai, 500 kilometers away, Coimbatore (100 kilometers), Bangalore (300 kilometers), Mysore and Mettupalayam.

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