10 Things to do in Ooty!! Ooty travel guide.

Ooty is one of the three Nilgiri hill stations – Ooty, Kotagiri and Coonoor It is a scenic hill town in southern India. It is surrounded by the Nilgiri Hills and is popularly known as the Queen of Hills.Ooty is located in the Indian state of tamilnadu and is quite popular.

What is the best season to visit ooty??

The weather is quite pleasant at a around 15-20°C around the year, dropping to as lows of 0°C during winter. Its a all season destination.ooty has its own charm in all the seasons Ooty's Summer (March – June) Ooty's Monsoon (July – October). Ooty's Winter (November – February)

How to reach Ooty??

Ooty is well connected by road from Coimbatore(85km) ,Mysore(125km)Kozhikode(183km) Bangalore(273km) .

-Buses are available from Coimbatore,Mysore,Bangalore https://www.travel2ooty.com/ooty-bus-details.aspx

-taxies or self drive car can be hired

-Nearest Airport- Coimbatore International Airport (88 km)

-Nearest Railway station-Udagamandalam Railway Station

Getting around Ooty??

-Renting a scooter 1) A A Ooty Tours & Travels(+919842631631) 2) Usmania TWO Wheeler Rental ON HIRE (+919152734331)

note- be sure to check the bike properly before you rent it.

-cycle rental electric and normal -Shimayam Eco Tour (084890 89868)

-walking around the town

-Auto Rickshaw or taxi

TEN THINGS TO DO IN OOTY

1)A ride on the Ooty toy train

Ooty train also called as The Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR) built in late 19th century still running under the gradient of 1 in 12 and has 208 curves with 13 tunnel

Both first class and second class seating are offered on the toy train The main difference between the two is that the first class has cushions and fewer seats. If you're concerned about comfort, it's worth buying a first class ticket to have a more peaceful and less cramped journey away from the crowds

you can book tickets on Indian Railways website www.irctc.co.in or purchasing them directly at the station( tickets get sold out soon )

Train timings from Ooty to Coonoor 9.15am,12.15pm 2.00pm(goes till Mettupalayam reaches at 5.35pm), 6.00pm these trains take around 1.15min to reach.

Train timings from Coonoor to Ooty 7.45am,10.40am(starts from Mettupalayam at 7.10am ),12.35pm,4.00pm these trains take around 1.20min to reach

Cost of ticket

Ooty to Coonoor First Class Rs 320 Second Class Rs 140

Ooty to Mettupalayam First Class Rs 545 Second Class Rs 270

Mettupalayam to Coonoor First ClassRs 445 Second Class Rs 190

2)Toda village

Toda Village is approximately 3 km from Upper Bazaar. The best way to experience it is to walk through the roads and you will come across deep pine forests and vast open valleys. These valleys once had originally belonged to the Toda tribe for their buffaloes. As you keep walking, you will reach a small hamlet which is now mostly filled with pukka houses. Ask them and they will guide you up to the valley of sacred Toda Temples

These so-called temples were once homes to their people but are now just sacred places. The temples are huts which have a beehive shape and are made out of Nilgiris shrubs. The most interesting part? The huts are placed a little below the ground and the area around it is dug!

3)Botanical Gardens

Spread over an area of 55 acres the Government Botanical Gardens are undoubtedly one of the most sort after tourist attractions in Ooty. No tourist will leave Ooty without a visit to the well organized, well maintained botanical gardens. garden is divided into few parts

Lower Garden-which has the fern house which harbors 127 species of ferns, rose garden, a lot of natural floral carpets and natural ponds

Italian Garden-laid down by Italian Prisoners of War from the First World War,

Conservatory -which has lots of groups of flowering plants and the Nurseries, which contains a series of glass houses which contains innumerable varieties of exotic plants.

The Flower show held as a part of the Summer Festival in Ooty is a must see if you happen to visit Ooty during that time.

4)The Tea Factory and the Tea Museum

Spread over an area of nearly1 acre of land, the Ooty Tea Factory is situated amid the blue hills of Nilgiris. Located at a distance of around 4 km from the city-centre, it is a must visit place for all tea lovers. It houses the Tea Museum as well where visitors can learn about the origin of different kinds of tea leaves that are used across the globe along with the history of tea in India and its evolution in the Nilgiris. While inside the factory, one can learn and appreciate the method of tea processing by CTC (Cut, Twist and Curl) machines. Sip a hot cup of tea as you admire the beautiful surroundings of the place

5)Doddabetta

9 km from Ooty,Nestled amidst the Blue Mountains the quintessential town of Ooty allures visitors in abundance to witness its postcard picture perfect beauty. Nilgiris are more popular as Blue Mountains as it is believed to be cloaked with the blue haze of the rare Kurinji blue flowers that blooms once in 12 years.Visitors get a bird’s eye view of Ooty from the peak. They can enjoy the best views peeping through the telescopes in the Telescope House.

6)Boating in Ooty lake

What started as a fishing zone has now turned into an arena for socialising and enjoying a day out with their loved ones. And following is the list of activities available at Ooty Lake –

1. Boating on the lake – The Ooty Lake Boat House run by Tamil Nadu Tourism offers various boat rides to savour the views around. When it isn’t crowded, you can enjoy a serene 30 minutes of ride among the greens, trees and the view of distant hills. Pedal boats, row boats and large motor boats are available for you to hire. cost of boat is as follows

240rs for 2 seater pedal boat for 30 minutes

260rs for 4 seater pedal boat for 30 minutes

250rs for 4 seater row boat for 30 minutes

(Prices might have changed)

2. Cycling around the lake – At Ooty Lake, you can even pedal away an exhausting day. Deposit the rent, pick a cycle and hop on to check the area surrounding the Ooty Lake and the hustle around the food stalls. Those tuck shops have a variety of food to offer and some counters also sell eucalyptus oils, homemade chocolates and other local products.

3. Horse Riding along the shores – Like many other tourist attractions in Ooty, the lake also has arrangements for the adventurer in you to get a horse

4.Hopping on the mini train ride – The mini train in the premises runs along the shores. It is exclusively for the kids to hop on and enjoy a tour of the lake. Adults can take it too but you sure will wish to be a kid again.

7)Trekking,Camping and Adventure activity

If you want to explore or try something new then trekking ,camping, and other adventure activities can be tried.link of the tours are below

https://www.thrillophilia.com/tours/day-tour-to-avalanche-ooty

https://www.thrillophilia.com/tours/adventure-camping-in-ooty

https://www.thrillophilia.com/tours/jungle-camping-and-adventures-in-ooty

https://www.thrillophilia.com/tours/adventure-camp-in-ooty

https://www.thrillophilia.com/tours/camping-by-tea-gardens-ooty

https://www.thrillophilia.com/tours/hilltop-camping-trekking-and-activities-ooty

8)Elk Hill Murugan Temple

Most of the tourist think that ooty is famous only for botanical garden, boat house, pykara etc.., The Elkhill is a Murugan temple and it is on the elk hill.There is a big standing statue of the Murugan in that place . The hill is surrounded by the dense forests. The scenic beauty and calm atmosphere adds an extra attraction to the devotees inflicting that place. one can view whole Ooty city from this temple it gives such a beautiful view of the Ooty city.

9)Shopping

Ooty is famous for Handmade chocolates,Fruits and Honey,Aromatic Oils,Toda shawls, tea,Antiques, Jewellery, and Handicrafts

You may also like to read: ooty toy train

ooty shopping streets- Commercial Road,Lower Bazaar Road ,Upper Bazaar Road Charring Cross,. Ooty Municipal Market,Tibetan Market,Main Bazaar, Ooty Lake Market

10)chilling in a cafe

What’s better than enjoying a steaming hot cuppa coffee with Ooty's cool wind blowing in your face amidst all the picturesque surroundings! We bring to you some of the best cafes in Ooty where you can relax and spend some quality time while indulging in scrumptious food!

1. Earl’s Secret

A glass restaurant/cafe in the King’s Cliff Hotel, Earl’s Secret is one of the most charming restaurants in Ooty. Just like the hotel, the restaurant, too, has an old world charm to it. One can sit inside, where the Earls sat, or outside in the lawns overlooking the hilltop. Their White Brownie paired with Hot Chocolate is a heavenly combo! Also, don’t forget to make reservations before you head out to this place!

2. Place To Bee

This place is not only a restaurant but also a social enterprise promoting the principle of Slow Food, a concept founded in Italy, which gives importance to locally produced “good, clean and fair” food, safeguarding agricultural biodiversity at risk of extinction. Plus they also have a b&b arrangement within the Bee Museum for backpackers and travellers *nice* and they have the best Banoffee Pie ever!

3. Nahar’s Sidewalk Cafe

You can sit back and enjoy the scrumptious firewood pizza & pasta with lips-smacking shakes on the side

4. Cocoapods

pizzas, sandwiches& homemade chocolates are available Make sure you try their rich Hot Chocolate and some good ol’ German Cake which makes for a perfect meal

5. Willy’s Coffee Pub

Do try their Banana Cake or Mud Pie while sipping some filtered coffee

Other places which you could visit