Ooty: The South Indian irony

Doddabetta peak is the Highest Peak in South India. One can have views of three South Indian State plains of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. There is a Telescope mounted on the top of the peak and you can have an aerial view of the plains and the hilly ranges for a nominal charge. It is merely 10kms from Ooty so you can simply grab your camera and head straight to the peak, and click amazing pictures of the valley below. On a clear day, which is honestly not that often, one can see far off areas, even the plains of Coimbatore and the flat highlands of Mysore.

The fare being on the higher side, Ooty makes sure that your every penny spent at Pykara is worth it. The river caries a very countryside feel with herds of cows and sheep grazing on the verdant landscape surrounding it. The water-body is quite silent and rather deceptive of the gushing waterfalls it hides within it. Do try fresh cherries sold by local vendors there. The Pykara dam and boathouse are located near the falls and are popular hot spots for boating and picnicking. There is a forest resthouse too for accommodation if you wish to stay overnight.

Along with Karnataka's Bandipur and Nagarhole and Kerala's Wayanad, Mudumalai forms part of an unbroken chain of protected areas comprising an important wildlife refuge. Overall the reserve is the best place for spotting wildlife in Tamil Nadu. The creatures you're most likely to see include deer, peacocks, wild boar, langurs and Malabar giant squirrels. There's also a significant chance of sighting wild elephants (the park has several hundred) and gaur (Indian bison).

Why? Since it is a natural formation of rock that resembles to the nose of Dolphin. Reaching atop this rock might at once appear to be cumbersome, but once atop, it would be of great worth. Deep ravines can be sighted on the both the sides of this rock. While in one ravine you can effortlessly catch the sight of the picturesque Catherine Falls, on the other side, can be spotted the confluence of twin streams viz. Coonoor stream and Kotagiri stream.