About
Ooty is one of the famous tourist destinations for honeymooners, the shooting spot for so many movies and the highest peak in Tamil Nadu. It’s located in western Ghats covered in eucalyptus, Pine trees, Coffee and Tea plantations. Quaint bungalows and heritage buildings reflect Ooty’s colonial past and makes it an ever-growing and popular holiday destination in southern India. After a good research on hill stations finally I planned to visit Ooty in the month of Nov 2019.
Routes:
There are two main routes to Ooty from Bangalore.
1)Bangalore --> Ramnagara --> Mandya --> SriRangapattna --> Mysore --> Nanjangud --> Gundlupet --> Bandipur --> Masinagudi --> Ooty ( Approx 265 Kms)
2)Bangalore --> Ramnagara --> Mandya --> SriRangapattna --> Mysore --> Nanjangud --> Gundlupet --> Bandipur --> Mudumalai --> Gudalur --> Ooty ( Approx 296 Kms)
Route 2 is less steep and takes you through the Tamil Nadu version of the Bandipur forest (Mudumalai Forest). So, your chances of encountering wild animals are more.
Both the route however, goes through Bandipur Forest, where elephants, deer’s, boars etc are common sight.
Best time to Visit Ooty:
The months from April to June and September to November are good for sightseeing. The region sees heavy rainfall between July to September that might disrupt plans of travelling around.
Duration of the trip:
One can't define the number of days to completely see this heaven but 2-3 days should be enough to cover the major attractions.
Major Attractions in Ooty:
There are lots and lots of tourist places to see around Ooty. It's best to list all the places that you'd like to visit before you start your travel in order to make the most out of your trip. Popular tourist destinations that i covered in Ooty are:
1. Doddabetta Peak
2. Ooty Lake
4. Toy Train
5. Shooting Point
6. Ooty Tea Factory
Doddabetta Peak:
Doddabetta Peak is the highest point in the hill station at a height of 2623m above the sea level. This peak offers a scenic view of the valley around it. The place also offers hot pakoras, bread Omelets, Maggi among other things to enjoy with the tea. Do not forget to click some memorable photographs here. On a clear day, the views are even more mesmerizing. There is also a Telescope house (with 2 telescopes) at the Peak, managed by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation so that the tourists can get a better view from the top.
Ooty Lake:
Placed near the Railway station, right behind the Central Bus Stand of Ooty, the very popular Ooty Lake is an L-shaped lake with a length of 2.75 km. You can take a Boat ride from 8 AM - 6 PM which offers the spectacular view of the lakeside misty forests. From the middle of the lake, the views of the surrounding forests capture one’s imagination.
Botanical Garden:
Maintained by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu, Botanical Gardens offers the wide range flowering plants. This is one of the best maintained Botanical gardens I have visited so far. The garden area is huge and is set on hills at different levels. Coming to the entire garden, it has various sub-sections such as the Japanese garden, glasshouse where you would find plants with colorful flowers such as hydrangeas, Italian Garden which itself is huge, Foliage garden again a garden having a variety of colorful flowers and plants.
Toy Train:
Built by the British in the year 1908, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway in Ooty is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also called the ‘Toy Train’ of Ooty, this railway still runs on steam locomotives and is a major attraction. The Toy train during its journey covers a distance of 46 kms in around 4.5 hours. This route also consists of the steepest track in Asia.
Note: Please book your tickets online well in advance to take a Toy Train ride they get filled so quickly.
Shooting Point:
Wenlock Downs 9th Mile Shooting Point is one of the famous places in and around Ooty. We went there on our way to Ooty from Pykara.
There are entry tickets for the view point. Just buy yours and start walking towards the hill top. It is not very high, but the way to the top is quite sloppy. You have to climb a hillock to enjoy the nature to the fullest. You will get a 360-degree view from the top.
Ooty Tea Factory:
Ooty Tea factory is Located on the way to Doddabetta around 4 kms from the city center. It has a museum where you can get to know about the origin of several types of tea leaves, which are used all around the world. The museum also offers information about the history of tea in India. Visit the processing unit where you can learn the complete processing method, from cutting to twisting to curling and finally packaging. If you love tea, do not miss this place.
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