Rang7 Guides
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Ooty
[ Edit ] Overview
Ooty or Udhagamandalam was aptly called the "Queen of Hill Stations" by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This beautiful hill station sprawls over an area of 36 sq km and is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. Its year long pleasant weather makes it a very popular holiday destination.
The name ‘Udhagamandalam’ is derived from the Tamil word ‘Ottakkalmandu’, meaning ’a village of a single stone’, perhaps referring to the sacred stone revered by the local tribe, Todas.
[ Edit ] History
Ooty was first brought to the public eye by John Sullivan in 1819 after he started developing the hill station into a quiet retreat. Later tea plantations started here and are continued to this day.
Quick Facts
[ Edit ] State
Tamil Nadu, India
[ Edit ] Location
In the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu.
[ Edit ] Best Time To Visit
April to June and September to November.
[ Edit ] Tourist Offices
[ Edit ] STD Code
0423
Sightseeing
[ Edit ] Avalanche
Avalanche is a peaceful lake situated at a distance of 25 km from Ooty. The lake is ideal for fishing, however prior permission needs to be obtained. It is also a popular place for bird lovers.
[ Edit ] Botanical Garden
This garden, one of the most popular spots in Ooty was laid out in 1847 by the Marquis of Tweedale. The garden is spread over 55 acres and is lush green with well maintained lawns, rare tree species, a 20 million year old fossilized tree and an Italian-style garden bordering a clear pool. There are a variety of flowering bushes and plants in different hues, fern house with lot of ferns and orchids. Every year, in the month of May, a flower show is held along with an exhibition of rare plant species. The garden is maintained by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
[ Edit ] Coonoor
Surrounded by tea plantations, Coonoor is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri mountains after Ooty, and is characterized by lush green slopes, ravines, valleys and waterfalls. Coonoor became a popular hill station in the 19th century courtesy the British. And while the British have left, the touches of the old grandeur Raj as still evident in the architecture, the landscaping and the names of lanes like Bedford, Elk Hill etc.
Coonoor is one of the hill stations on the toy train line that runs between Mettupalayam and Ooty. It is a part of the Nilgiri Mountain Railways, one of India’s oldest mountain railways, and declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. more
[ Edit ] Doddabetta
10km from Ooty is Doddabetta, the highest peak in the region measuring 2623m. Doddabetta literally means big mountain. Doddabetta offers great views of the surrounding forests and the valley. On a clear day it is also possible to see Mysore from here.
[ Edit ] Fernhill Palace
Fernhill Palace was the summer residence of the Maharaja of Mysore. The palace resembles a Swiss Chalet and has carved wooden bargeboards and ornamental cast iron. This gives the palace a special appearance. The Fernhill Palace has now been converted into a luxury heritage hotel.
[ Edit ] Ooty Lake
This lake was artificially formed by John Sullivan in 1823-25. At the far end of the lake lies the Boat House. Here different kinds of boats are available for hire from 8am to 6pm. During summer, boat races and boat pageantry are held for two days. This is a major tourist attraction in Ooty. The lake and the boat house have become an entertainment hub for people who come to Ooty. There is a children's park with a toy train at the boat house. There is a deer park and a mini-garden which has a well laid footpath that circles the entire lake.
[ Edit ] Pykara
20 kms from Ooty is the Pykara River, the largest river in the district. The local tribe, Toda worships this river. The river originates from the Mukurthi peak. Flowing north, the river turns west to reach the edge of the plateau. Pykara River runs down the plateau in a series of cascading waterfalls, of which the last two falls are called the Pykara waterfalls.
Kalhatty Waterfalls
13 kms from Ooty, on the way from Ooty to Mysore via the Kalhatty Ghats is the Kalhatty waterfalls. The water fall is 40 m high and is a great place for trekking.
[ Edit ] Rose Garden
Situated in the heart of Ooty, this garden has been laid out beautifully in terraces with rose tunnels, pergolas and bowers with rose creepers. This garden was set up in 1995 to commemorate the 100th flower show of the Botanical garden. Today, this garden has the largest collection of roses in the country. There are hybrid Tea Roses, miniature roses, Floribunda, Ramblers, roses of unusual colours like black and green.
[ Edit ] St. Stevens Church
Founded in the 1820’s, St. Stephen’s Church is one of Ooty’s first colonial structures. The church has a Gothic style structure. The church is said to have been built on the site of a Toda temple. The wood used in the church is said to have been procured from Tipu Sultans palace at Srirangapatnam. There is a cemetery attached to the church and is home to the grave of John Sullivan.
[ Edit ] Things To Do
You can stroll around the Ooty Lake, take a ride in the boat and watch the lovely Nilgiris covered in greenery. Go horse riding.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
[ Edit ] Air
The nearest airport is in Coimbatore, 100 km away.
[ Edit ] Rail
Nearest railway station is Mettupalayam at 46 km.
[ Edit ] Road
By Car
Ooty is well connected by good roads to South India.
By Bus
There is a regular bus service from Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, Calicut, Kanyakumari, Thanjavur, Tirupathi and Cochin.
Driving distances to Ooty from:
- Bangalore: 297 kms
- Chennai: 570 kms
- Coimbatore: 105 kms
- Coonoor: 19 kms
- Kochi: 281 kms
- Madurai: 325 kms
- Trivandrum: 498 kms
[ Edit ] Getting Around
To get around Ooty there is a choice of taxis, rickshaws and local buses.
[ Edit ] Other Information
You can stroll around the Ooty Lake, take a ride in the boat and watch the lovely Nilgiris covered in greenery. Go horse riding.
[ Edit ] Shopping
You can also buy handmade chocolates, pick up aromatic oils and spices while shopping in Ooty. There is also a variety of handicrafts like painting, pottery, and stone crafts. There are government run shops and hotels which sell these artefacts.
[ Edit ] Food
Ooty has several restaurants serving South Indian and North Indian cuisine.
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Rose Garden was a waste of time
I found the Rose Garden to be a bit of a joke. Perhaps it was the wrong season...but the flowers weren't particularly impressive and the caretakers were a bit rude.
- On: 13 Jun 2009
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