16 Best Places To Visit in Ooty – The Queen of Hill Stations

Here is the bucket list of the popular places to visit in Ooty. Ooty is nothing less than a fairyland and one of the best hill stations in India. Millions of visitors come to visit this fairyland every year from different part of the world. It is also known as Udhagamandalam and the “Queen of Hill Stations”.

Ooty is the capital of Nilgiri which is famous for beautiful Blue Mountains, lakes, gardens, valleys, waterfalls and picnic spots.

It offers a pleasant weather throughout the year and there are a number of best places to visit in Ooty like Botanical Garden, rose garden, Emerald Lake Etc. It was declared as the world heritage site by UNESCO and should be visited once in a lifetime.

Best Places To Visit in Ooty

Table of Contents

Ooty lake and Boat Club

Ooty lake is a 200 years old tourist attraction gathering thousands of visitors around the world over the years. It spans across the total area of 54 acres with railway line surrounding one of its banks.

Boating in Ooty Lake is famous and is conducted mostly during the summer time. So if you are willing to enjoy boat race and boat pageantry visit this place in summer.

Boating is the main attraction of Ooty Lake and it comes under the supervision of the Government Boathouse. Most common boating rides are Paddle boats, row boats, and motor boats.

It also encourages the tourists for cycling and many people love to go for it. It definitely ensures a memorable trip for all the visitors. It’s definitely one of the best places to visit in Ooty.

Pykara Falls

Pykara Falls with its natural beauty leaves the visitors spellbound. It is located at a distance of 2 km from Pykara Lake and 23 km from Ooty. It is one of the most popular tourist attraction in Ooty.

The waterfall is created from Pykara River which flows in the downstream of the Pykara Dam. The waterfall flows through various rock layers which gives more intensity to the flow and gives a gorgeous look. It falls down into two divisions one from an altitude of 55m and another from 61m.

The best time to visit this beauty is during the monsoon when the waterfall is at its best. Tourists can get a view of this waterfall standing near the barricades. July is the best season to visit this waterfall.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

It was built by the British in the year 1908 which has been declared as the world heritage site. It provides the dreamiest journey not by any simple train but by toy train.

It’s the most enjoyable 46 km journey which starts from Mettupalayam going through curves, bridges, tunnels giving a beautiful scenic view. It reaches Ooty in a duration of 5 hours.

It offers an amazing ride all the way from 300 ft to straight 7200 ft. If you want to feel the scenic view perfectly then side seats of toy train are the best option.

The ride starts every day from Mettupalayam around 7 a.m. and ends around 3 p.m.in Ooty. It’s a lifetime journey to cherish and is chosen by thousands of visitors.

Also read 8 Popular Places To Visit in Ooty in Summers

Ooty Botanical Gardens

The Botanical Garden in Ooty was built in 1847. It lies in Udhagamandalam in Ooty. It has a total area of 22 hectares. It is maintained and managed by Tamil Nadu Horticultural department.

The garden is similar to a terrace in layout, divided into multiple sections. The garden is a home to a number of exotic rare plant species and colorful birds from Nilgiri found here and there in the trees and bushes.

A 20 million-year-old tree fossilized tree trunk is situated in the center of the garden which attracts millions of visitors to come and see it.

The garden has different sections of flowering plants, ponds, and lilies built in the Italian style. It has a moderate climate and an average rainfall of 140 cm. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Ooty for all nature lovers.

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Ooty Rose Garden

It is a beautiful tourist attraction in Ooty and one of the largest rose garden in India. It was built in 1995 and maintained by the Tamil Nadu horticulture department. The garden spans around an area of 10 acres.

If you ever get fascinated by the variety of roses available, you have visited the right place. It has an extremely unique collection of different roses of a variety of different colors.

Most famous among them are miniature roses, hybrid tea roses, floribunda, ramblers, black roses, green roses and many more. If you are interested in horticulture this can be your inspiration.

It is definitely a must visit in Ooty because such beauty is hard to find. It opens in the morning around 8.30 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m.

Thread Garden

It has the unique collection of artificial flowers and plants built by the talented art and craft experts by using only thread. This is also a popular tourist spot for the excellent craft work.

The great mind behind this beautiful creation is Antony Joseph. He along with his 50 skilled workers took 12 years to complete the thread art. Neither these flowers nor plants are stitched with anything to complete the structure.

For flowers, stiff cardboards have been used and for stems, copper wires have been used with a number of colorful threads.

There are more than 150 different varieties of flowers and plants completely fresh and beautiful. If any visitor wants to carry these wonderful craftworks to their home they are allowed to do so. It is one of the most unique places to visit in Ooty.

Also read 9 Beautiful Beaches Near Ooty with Scenic Views

Doddabeta Peak

Doddabeta Peak is the highest among all the ranges in Nilgiri. Doddabeta is the other name of a big mountain. Summit of Doddabeta gives the mesmerizing view of the forest of Bandipur national park and highlands of Mysore to the visitors.

It also gives a wonderful view of the countryside and opportunities for excellent photography.

The summit of Doddabeta Hill has a flat surface which helps the visitors to relax and enjoy nature’s beauty. Many visitors climb the summit to reach the peak for enjoying sunrise and sunset.

It offers a marvelous view of both from the peak. Doddabeta ranges are covered with shola thickets, broad-leaved forests with montane grasslands. It is also has a number of medical plants and vegetation of rhododendrons covering its ranges.

Also read 8 Famous Temples in Ooty That You Must Visit

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

The first forest range to be declared as a national park is the Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary. It can be visited from both Ooty and Mysore. It is famous for its tiger population of around 50 tigers and also the major tiger reserve.

It contains more than 500 different species of birds, animals, and reptiles like the cobra, rock python, Pit Viper, and insects. It has Bandipur national park and Nagarhole national park to the north, Waand wildlife to the south and between them resides the different species of animals.

The Sanctuary has the best wildlife attraction and is one of the best places to visit in Ooty for someone who admires nature.

The best time to visit this area is after the monsoon or the beginning of summer. The national park serves the best comfort to its wildlife with its tropical Wet climate.

Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake is located 22 kms away from Ooty in Emerald village. It provides the perfect natural serene beauty away from the mass crowd.

Not many visitors come to this place but if you are looking for some leisure time and enjoy a peaceful atmosphere, this is the right place to escape from the regular life. It has the green Nilgiri slopes surrounding it making it a paradise.

It is an amazing picnic spot with friends and family with the blue Lake water and the woods growing a number of flora and fauna. If you are a bird lover you will get to see the different types of domestic birds here.

It is also the best place to have some alone time maybe with a book or simply sitting and appreciating the nature.

Mukurthi National Park

Also known as Nilgiri Tahr National Park, Mukurthi national park is located in the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu state. It covers a total area of 78.46 sq.km.

It is a beautiful destination covered with montane grasslands, shrubs, and shoals in the higher altitudes where there is heavy rain-falls, chilling temperatures, and high-velocity winds. This park is located in between Madumalai National Park and Silent Valley National Park.

The main attraction of this park is the Nilgiri Thar which is found widely in this area along with wildlife varieties like Sambar, barking deer, Nilgiri marten, otter, jungle cat etc.

There are also few varieties of birds found here like laughing and whistling thrushes, woodcock, wild pigeon etc including species of butterflies like the red admiral, cabbage whites etc.

Kalhatti Falls

It is the most favorite destination of the Ooty tourists. Its beauty is mesmerizing which makes it a breathtaking site. If you want to see the waterfall in full fledge with heavy force, monsoon is the best season to visit it.

It’s kind of roaring in monsoon due to its heavy flow from higher altitudes all the way down which will thrill your heart. It is one of the best places to visit in Ooty for all photography lovers.

It flows with the same thundering speed throughout the day entertaining the tourists. It also has an exotic species of plants and flower surrounding it which is more than exciting giving it a wonderful view.

The surrounding region is also perfect for trekking addicts. It has some wildlife species also; it’s no less than an imaginary wonderland of dreams.

Kotagiri

Kotagiri is a popular hill station in the Nilgiri along with Ooty and Coonoor. It is situated at a height of 5,882 ft. Kotagiri is the perfect place for trekking and rock climbing adventures.

It has tea estates surrounding it with beautiful landscapes. You can enjoy the tea estates wandering through it taking beautiful pictures and see the tea workers plucking tea leaves and soaking them.

The famous trekking spots in Kotagiri are Kodanad, Catherine Falls, and Longwood Shola. Other Major tourist spots in Kotagiri are Catherine falls, Doddabeta range, Rang swami Pillar.

October is the best month to visit Kotagiri with a pleasant and comfortable weather. There are a number of accommodations for the tourists to stay and enjoy in Kotagiri starting from lodges, villas, resorts, and cottages.

Wenlock Downs

Wenlock Downs is the perfect shooting destination near Ooty town where numerous Indian film shoots are done over the years. It is popularly known as the “Shooting Point”. This place is full of meadows and valleys. Best time to enjoy this beautiful place is in a clear weather.

The view of Nilgiri mountain peaks from here is awesome like a man’s nose. You will enjoy moving down the valleys loitering around.

This is also a perfect picnic spot where you can spend a day having fun, playing and roaming around the valleys. It is definitely one of the best places to visit in Ooty with your family and friends.

In the spring season after the monsoons, different flowers bloom through the grass valleys which will give you a feeling of fairyland. This is an excellent destination in Ooty where you can spend hours having fun.

Pykara Dam and Reservoir

It is located at a distance of 22 kms from Ooty. Pykara Lake and Dam is a must visit in Ooty due to its scenic beauty and the boat ride it offers through the beautiful Pykara river.

Pykara Lake is the largest lake in the Nilgiris. Pykara dam has also a power station located near the Ooty-Gudaular road. It is the oldest power station of southern Indian and produces about 60 megawatts of electricity.

It has led to the establishment of many hydroelectric power stations in south India. Pykara reservoir’s main attraction is the boathouse, from where the tourists can hire speed or motorboat to have a fun ride in Pykara River. It has also a restaurant and a place of relaxation for the tourists.

Kamaraj Sagar / Sandynalla Reservoir & Pine Forest

Kamraj Sagar dam also known as Sandynalla reservoir is a favorite spot for the tourists. It is an ideal place for a family picnic to relax and have fun. You can enjoy the different species of birds here who visit the reservoir for their food.

Different types of fishes are also available in the reservoir and the most popular of them is the trout. The best time to visit this place is during the winter season.

Ooty pine forests are another beautiful destination spanning over a downhill and arranged symmetrically is a perfect view. It consists of the evergreen collection of trees between 3 to 80m in height.

Most popular among them are the pine trees. The smallest ones are Siberian Dwarf pine and the larger ones are Potosi Pinyon.

Avalanche lake/Sanctuary

Avalanche Lake is another family destination which is adventurous and famous for a night stay in tents. Yes, you heard it right. This lake offers the provision of spending a night here in a tent and admire the thrilling atmosphere.

The lake has a variety of flowering plants like magnolias, and Rhododendrons surrounding it.

For a night stay all you need to do is carry tents with you, pitch it and relax. If you love fishing this place is perfect. You can hire the fishing rods and other required stuff from the hatchery and enjoy fishing in the lake.

You can also go trekking in the mountains with deep forests surrounding the lake. It is a perfect place to spend the entire day and night with fun and adventurous activities.

Best time to visit Ooty

Ooty can be visited any time of the year but the best season to visit Ooty and enjoy there is between April to June and September to November. During the months of March to June Ooty has summer season with a pleasant weather for the sightseeing during the daytime.

Months of July to September are the best one as it has the monsoon season with heavy rainfall and perfect for the nature lovers. October to February has the winter season with chilled climate and perfect for traveling.

Depending on the choice of climatic conditions Ooty planning should be done by tourists.

How to reach Ooty:

Visiting Ooty By Air

The nearest domestic airport from Ooty is Coimbatore at a distance of 88 km from Ooty. Ooty is connected well to almost all Indian Cities. Connecting flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai are available to Coimbatore.

Visiting Ooty By Train

Mettupalayam is the nearest railway station to Ooty at a distance of 40 km. Trains are available from Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore, and Bangalore to Mettupalayam.

Visiting Ooty By Bus

Government and luxury tourist buses are available from Chennai, Mysore, and Bangalore to Ooty. Special Government bus is available from Calicut leaving at 5 and 7 p.m. taking 6 hours to reach Ooty.

Visiting Ooty By Road

The road trip is best to enjoy the stunning scenery. By road, it has 2 routes available one via Mysore and another via Chamarajanagar.

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