Ooty is too Pretty to handle!!!!

Ooty, A hill station I always wanted to visit but I majorly blame Bollywood for every travel fantasy of mine. They way they showcase hill stations in the movies, it urges you to travel and chose to act like the main character of the movie. Ooty has always been one such destination. Here is my experience.

Why choose Ooty?

From mountains to waterfalls to lakes, Ooty has immense diversity and for a traveler like me who likes to explore rather than spend time in a resort, this place was perfect. One really fascinating thing/activity is the Toy train, also known as Nilgiri Mountain Railway. Very few places operate Toy trains, Ooty is one of them.

How many days for Ooty?

Ooty needs only two days and a night. But I would give you a tip here. After Ooty, keep one day to explore Coonoor. How and why, let me explain.

Best and worst season for Ooty

Best season is Monsoon, beginning from June. Rains give you the best of waterfalls and weather. The worst season is March to May. Summers in a hill station is not really bad, but there is no water in waterfalls, the sky is mostly clear giving little scope for mist in the mountains.

Best way to Travel?

Reach Bangalore by flight and then take a train to Mysore. Mysore to Ooty is about 4 hours of travel by road. Pick a cab from Mysore or travel in inter-state bus, choice is yours depending on the budget. There is check post at the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border and people are only allowed to travel up to 6Pm. Make sure to cross the border either way before 6pm.

Cost of 2 Days, 1 Night-

Approx- 8,000 person. a Budget with 3 star hotel and self food exploring options.

Places to visit in Ooty-

What one should not miss ?

One things you should not miss is the Toy Train travel from Ooty to Coonoor. It takes 1.5 hours to reach Coonoor, train starts at 9.15 am. Tickets can be booked online in advance or offline on the sport, counters open at 8am. Offline is based on availability of tickets and extra charges are levied on the base fare. Trains also run from Coonoor back to ooty everyday and last train is at 5.15 pm.

Pro-tip - If you do not have time to travel all the way to Coonoor and still want to experience the Toy train, just buy tickets of its immediate next station Lovedale. It takes 15 mins, but it is enough to give you the experience.