Ooty, is the most famous hill station in India. It is the capital of the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu. ‘Ootacamund and Nilgris are the other names of this hill station. The most favourable weather, high mountains, wonderful lakes, green lushes make it call as the ‘Queen of the Hills’.
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| Ooty, Botanical Garden |
With the pride of being a beautiful hill station, it is also one of the most populous municipalities in Tamil Nadu. A total of one lakh people live here. Number of wards are 36.
It is located at an altitude of 7,347 feet above sea level. Do you know? It is slightly higher than the other popular hill stations in north India. Yes, Shimla and Darjeeling lie little bit lower than Ooty.
With the great altitude, cold weather prevails here throughout the year. The maximum temperature in summer is 25 degrees Celsius during the day and 20 degrees Celsius at night. However, the temperature here is much lower during the southwest and northeast monsoon seasons. Tourist arrivals are likely to decline during the monsoon season due to frequent rains, floods in rivers and severe cold.
During the months of November to February, the day and night temperatures in Ooty are very low. During the colder months, the night temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius, causing frostbite. Due to this weather condition, the daily life of the residents will become bit difficult during the winters.
But, many foreigners who are accustomed to living in extreme winters enjoy the cool winter of Ooty. However, April and May are the best months to visit Ooty. Many people from various parts of India visit here during the pre-winter months of September and October.
Places to Visit in And around Ooty
Ooty, a beautiful hill station, and it boasts many mind blowing places to enjoy. Let us see them one by one here.
Avalanche Lake
This is a beautiful lake which is about 28 km away from Ooty. Tourists visiting this place can enjoy the tranquil environment, the majestic beauty of the mountain peaks, the fresh air and the clear water.
Avalanche Lake is a part of the catchment area of the dam built for the Kunda Hydroelectric Project. Avalanche means the biggest landslide in English. The largest landslide occurred around 1809 made it call by this name.
There are tents around the lake which provide a pleasant stay for tourists. You can set up a tent, then cook and eat your favorite trout from the lake. You can also enjoy rafting across which will give a nice memorable experience.
Ooty Lake
This is a huge lake located in the heart of the city. Covering an area of about 65 acres, the lake was created in 1824 by John Sullivan.
The lake was set up indeed to collect rainwater and for local fishermen to fish. However, the water level has exceeded the level of the lake and the excess water has been discharged 3 times so far.
Tourists can also enjoy here a boat ride. Boats are available for hiring at the boat dock on the lake. The boat race that takes place during the summer festival is popular here. Children can enjoy playing at the children’s park lies nearby the lake
Emerald Lake
It is about 25 km away from Ooty. The lake is in the remote village of Emerald. If you are a person who likes peaceful atmosphere, then this is the right place for you!
You can enjoy here crystal clear water, many types of fish. The lake is also famous for its green tea gardens, mountain forests, chill wind, and a variety of birds.
Tourists can enjoy a paddle boat ride on the lake. The jungle is an ideal destination for trekkers. A park on the lake is additional attraction here.
Ooty Botanical Garden
The century old Ooty Botanical Garden is the highlight of Ooty. The visitors can see rare plants and flowers of the world here which is in the Italian tradition.
The story behind this park would really be interesting. It was the Italian prisoners who caused the garden to form. The British government held Italian soldiers who had fought against Britain during World War II hostage. The detainees were deported to India. The park was designed by the inmates of the Ooty Jail.
Created in 1845, the park has more than 3,000 species of plants. This includes 350 varieties of roses and 60 varieties of dally flowers.
Colorful flowers will be adorned throughout the park at the flower show organized by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department during the annual summer festival. Then, the sculptures of plants and flowers attract a lot of tourists. Entry fee to visit the park is Rs 50 for adults and Rs 30 for minors.
Doddabetta Peak
This beautiful location is about 10 km away from Ooty. Doddabetta Peak is one of the must visit attractions of the hill station. It is 2,623 meters above sea level.
Doddabetta is a ‘Kannada’ word. This means big mountain. This is of course the highest peak in the Nilgiris district. Snow Town Hill and Club Hill, are the other highest peaks in this district.
The serene atmosphere, cool breeze and natural beauty of Doddabetta Peak will attract many tourists.
Kalhatti Falls
Kalhatti Falls is a marvel of nature which is about 15 km from the central part of the hill station. The public can visit daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rare plants and colorful flowers in the waterfall area are a treat to our eyes. It is a belief among the Hindus that Agathiyar saint lived here during the Purana period. Rare birds in the area attract a lot of tourists.
Kamaraj Sagar Dam
It is about 10 km away from Ooty. The dam is also known as the Sunday Nalla Reservoir. The natural beauty and serene environment of the place attracts people. Visitors will get involved in things like fishing tracks. The water stored in the dam is used for power generation.
Unforgettable Mountain Train journey
The most memorable thing about a trip to Ooty is the mountain train journey. This train runs daily from Mettupalayam to Ooty. If you want to enjoy the natural beauty of the Nilgiris on the way to Ooty, you can take this mountain train.
The total length of the route is 46 km so the journey time is approximately 4 hours.
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| Ooty Train |
You can travel with first class and second class tickets. If you are a person who wants a little peace and quiet, you can take first class tickets and travel. So, during the trip you can quietly explore the mountains and valleys.
The train will leave Mettupalayam at 07:10 am and reach Ooty at 12:00 noon, leaving Ooty at 2 pm and arriving at Mettupalayam at around 5:35 pm.
Accommodation
Ooty has hundreds of budget and luxury hotels. In budget hotels, double bed rooms are available for a daily rent of Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500. Budget hotels include Venus Holiday Home, Zostel Ooty, Green Apple Residence, The Venus Residency, Ooty Residency. Apart from this there are many luxury hotels including Tamil Nadu Hotel.
How to Reach Ooty?
There are frequent bus services from Coimbatore to Ooty. Apart from this, there are many direct buses to Ooty from major cities in Tamil Nadu. The daily mountain train from Mettupalayam is so popular among tourists. Coimbatore Airport is the nearest one to Ooty.
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