Ooty || Coonoor || Budget Trip

Ooty also known as udagamandalam is located in Nilgiri Mountain range (Blue Hills)at a distance of 81kms from coimbatore which usually takes 4-5 hrs in a bus from coimbatore. Best time to visit is from October to March and peak season with heavy crowd is March to June. Most of the people consider this as best summer vacation and it justifies.

We are 2 reached coimbatore in a train at 6am to explore Ooty & Coonoor with no plan actually. After coming out from railway station a cab driver told, there are no buses often to Ooty & he charge just 3000INR for dropping. We never bargained, just said no & had a nice coffee in one of shops located quite opposite to Railway station. Coimbatore localities do have good Civic sense, speaking to them, they guided us to bus station where bus are available to Ooty with no information in timings. We reached bus station by paying 100INR to autorickshaw. After few mins a bus has arrived to Ooty VIA Mettupalayam.

We could take TOY train from Mettupalayam to Udagamandalam if we planned early which is one of must do things in Ooty.

Bus charge is approx 200 for 2 persons, started at 8am. BTW there is a girl sitting behind to us, she sung a beautiful local song, I don't remember what it was but I can remember her voice. She is singing only 2 lines of that but I pulled off earphones and started listening to her.

On the way, we have seen beautiful landscapes, nice weather, temperature is not exceeding 18°c, in many villages localities are selling some nice fruits, chocolates, roads are narrow but many hair pin bends. By looking at each landscape and weather, I felt this is Ooty, in few mins we have to get down. Suddenly we realized that we didn't have booking to check-in. I took my mobile out to book but there was no network. Waited for network coverage for a long time, I booked in one of cheapest hotel Signature INN which is just 1.5km from centre and 1500INR for 2 persons for 2 days. It is a great deal for us and booked. We haven't checked hotel name also until we get down in Ooty after 4 hrs of time in bus.

We walked to hotel, it is a hill area and it took all our energy to reach because of slopes. Receptionist helped us checking in a nice room with a good balcony viewing Tea estates. We never know that, in Ooty you can't find Fan in hotel room. We are badly hungry, I checked if there is anything available outside to eat but we have to walk until centre to eat proper food and can't in this situation. There was other hotel beside, I went to him ask for local bike rental, he told me there were no bike rental available in Ooty from a very long time. I m just shocked and reconfirming from him again. He said there were some issues happened with tourists hence bike rental has stopped by government and can get from coimbatore only. I checked if there are personal bike available for rent by paying some extra high, he said he will come back in 30mins and had lunch in same hotel.

On other hand, we are trying in other ways like online, hotel, near by shops etc nothing is helping us. We need only bike b'coz, local transportation is bit costly for 2 persons. If you are in a group, then it works and public transportation is not available to all places.

After many unsuccessful attempts, I was checked randomly in online for bike rentals and found something. Immediately I called him, he said bikes are available but it is in coimbatore. I looked at Sukumar, he is completely okay collecting bike in coimbatore without exploring today. We started at 5 pm in Ooty, reached coimbatore at 10pm.

After collecting 2000 security fee and 1600 for two days rental we got a FZ bike. I believe it is in good condition and headed to Ooty after filling petrol for 1000. I ride for 20mins, bike headlight are not good, no pickup, bike couldn't carry us and I called owner. He asked to come back to exchange with dominor but what about petrol which is filled? So, adjusted and trying much better to ride better. I couldn't take edges, curves, can't ride fast. Sukumar was my Pillion rider, teasing me and took over. I handover, become Pillion rider, kept quiet by just watching. After few mins he said I m correct and bike can't go further I chuckled.

We both ride for some time each, after this great experience, no vehicles are behind us or in front of us. we drove till 3 am and reached room by this room. After coming to room, "we considered ourselves as greatest riders ever". I said to sukumar, we are leaving to pykara waterfalls at 6am. We slept.

I woke up on time at 5am, though 2 of sleep is not enough. Sukumar is 2 hrs delay bcoz of hot water and I too slept for those 2 hrs. He quickly got freshened later and started from room at 8:00. We had a nice dosa and idly in some local hotel, it was so nice and I told him that we gonna come night for dinner. Temperature is just 14°c, just amazing, roads has no traffic by that time, Hurraaaaayyyyyy there are beautiful horses with nice hair & tails. We took some photographs with them, riding slowly. this time we are fighting like children to ride that greatest bike, Pine trees are so tall, directions are so clear, roads are clean, not wide, no disturbance, no traffic. We stopped at PINE FOREST and ALSO A SHOOTING SPOT. Pine Forest had no entry deep inside, everyone is busy in taking selfies, photographs, stills, new couple, I m busy in eating a bad bread omlet in such a nice weather. Sukumar is lucky to skip. He had Tea which is even bad in that shop and this time I m lucky.

Wenlock Downs 9th Mile is a famous shooting point on the way to pykara falls, with beautiful landscapes, greenery, grass, you can go for a horse ride here. Some are healthy, some aren't. Sky is Clear but still cold, I just relaxed on ground for a while because I m bad at photographs and just want to enjoy weather, surroundings.

After 30 mins of slow drive, we reached pykara waterfalls, it is named because pykara is a village and river starts there hence they are pykara waterfalls, you have to trek for a while to reach waterfalls. Actually it is not trekking, you have to walk for 15min, yes, they are beautiful. It is a scenic beauty u can't swim or enter into water although. I forget to mention, Chocolates here are WOWWWWW. I tasted Rum chocolates, they are super duper good. Highly recommended to try.

No proper lunch and we reached Rose Garden. This is huge. In a proper middle of the town in such a big area entry ticket is 20/- with parking for vehicles available. You will see thousands of varieties of Roses. After mansoon, Season has just started and they are maintained well. Earlier my sister has visited and had a bad experience then, now it is good and improved in my view. I believe summar is not time to visit Rose garden. This garden actually got some awards also.

Doddapetta peak is the highest peak in Nilgiri Mountain range & any vehicle will take you there easily. We are here after visiting coffee museum on the way. There is a telescophic observation desk here. They have a very nice garden, I enjoyed weather & fog. One person cannot see other person.

After this, we has a panipuri in some busy streets near railway station. We are there to check for availability of Toy train tickets to Mettupalayam from Ooty. We spoke to some railway officials, based on their information, we understand that we aren't getting these tickets this time. You have to book much earlier or you have to wait in a very big queue for a long long long hours. We reached room by 7:30pm. After some casual talk, we are in same place where we breakfast this morning.

We had a lot of fun throughout the day, spend more time with nature, and don't want to escape from Nature

I woke up early to enjoy view, we started by 9 am after breakfast. Plan is to reach coimbatore at 9pm by covering tourists spots in Coonoor and to drive via Catherine falls route. Driving all the way was so fun. We are stopping at where ever we like, looking at every small waterfalls on roadside, enjoying weather, there is no network in this route. We are taking route guide from fellow Travellers or localities.

Stopped at a valley view point while heading to Wellington Regiment & lake. It is one the oldest infantry Regiment of Indian army originating in the 1750s. It is in active since 1758 with war cry Veera mardrasi & Sari kollu. Had fun in lake with pedel boat was so good, lake is not so big but we'll maintained - nowhere compared with Ooty lake. we did here as we missed in Ooty lake. But we enjoyed spectacular view at Ooty lake. It was expensive side.

Lambs Rock is just 10km from Wellington lake. Ooty & Coonoor is all about view point. It is famous for Sunset, we reached here at 2pm. No sun at all. Dolphins nose is 7 km from Lambs rock. It resembles Dolphin's nose , it is also a view point. Then headed to Catherine falls.

To reach Catherine falls, road is super good, all along, there are many tea estates, had a nice chocolates, purchased on the way in a Chocolate factory with a nice Chocolate Tea as well. We used Tea estates as a short cut to reach Catherine falls. I can hear falls sound, yeah, atlast I am here. Looked at falls, There they are, Falls - I m just upset, they are so far & reaching there to take is different & view is different. Waterfalls is thin. It is a bit upset after long excited day. Time is 5pm & we don't want to trek as we don't have. Then we reached coimbatore from here.

Ooty has Avalanche village, we want to visit but couldn't make it this time, Thank you Ooty for great Rum Chocolates, Nice Tea, Chill Weather, challenging drive, so on. I will come here again soon.

Bye Bye for now