21 Places To Visit In Ooty

Places To Visit In Ooty
Ooty is carpeted by lush greenery and fairly untouched landscapes.Ooty is often referred to as the Queen of Hillstations. Ooty draws a large number of tourists every year.






(1) The Lake
The Ooty lake was built in 1825, is 3 kms longand a lovely spot for outdoor lovers. Boating, angling, strolling around the perimeter are popular activities here.This is the best option for families who wish to spend some time with all the family members. Prior permission is required for fishing activity here to include it in the Ooty package tour.

(2). Lamb’s Rock
The vantage point Lamb’s Rock is shared by Coonoor and Ooty in terms of distance. This is a great and attractive business spot which has large areas of plains and tea states. Lamb’s Rock serves as a lovely picnic destination and offers splendid vistas of the plains of Coimbatore.

(3) Kodanadu
Kodanadu resides 16 kms away from the Kotagiri. The place is located on the eastern edge of the Nilgiri hills.The eyes can be treated by watching Moyar River and endless view of the tea estates from this landmark place. The Rangasamy peak is visible from the watchtower here.

(4) Feast of Nature
Visit the Government Botanical gardens, which were laid out by Marquis of Tweedale, the then governor of Madras, in 1847. People who are interested in horticulture will surely find the 22 hectares greenery of Ooty as a real feast. This botanical garden was opened in the year 1847. This Garden has a total of more than 650 species of trees and plants. There is also a fossil of a tree which is more than 20 million years old.
If you are in Ooty in the month of May, then you can also be a part of the summer festival, which is held here annually. The festival holds flower shows and various cultural programs showcasing the talent of the locals and the renowned artists.

(5) Dodabetta Peak
At a height of 2623 meters above sea level, the Dodabetta is the highest peak of Nilgiris hills and it is the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats. It is located at a distance of 13 Kms from Ooty. One can have a panoramic view of the landscape through the TTDC telescope. TTDC restaurant is functioning here to cater the needs of tourists.
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.

(6) TheToy Train
Ride the famous Toy Train - A great way to reach Coonoor. This charming train started operating over a century ago and considering the terrain of the region it is rightfully considered an engineering marvel. The blue-cream train oozes old world charm with delightful wooden coaches and large windows that provide enchanting views.
It’s called a toy train because it’s so slow that you can high-five the children outside. It stops every hour and so you can easily hop in and out for a short photo session.

(7) The Guiness Record village
Nature has given an eminent place in its record book for ooty. Besides the natural beauty and pride a village near ooty called Kurthukulli has fetched guiness world record title to ooty. An event of Planting 42,184 saplings in an area of 72 acres at a time spell of 24 hours, is that record attempt which overtook the prior record of planting 34,083 saplings in the same time ( That was done in Canada) This victory was achieved with the help of 300 volunteers from all around the village.

(8) Lake View
The splendid Lake View is an artificial lake with a charming and established looks, which was formed in 1824 by Mr. John Sullivan, the then Collector of Coimbatore. Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation provides a number of facilities to the tourists.






(9) Kalhatty Waterfalls
About 100 feet in height, and 13kms from the city, the beautiful Kalhatty waterfalls are located on the Kalhatty slopes. Anyone on a tour of Ooty can easily check out the falls and the beautiful area surrounding it. One can also explore the Kalhatty-Masinagudi slopes, that are home to many wild species, including panthers, sambhar, bison and wild buffaloes.

(10) Dolphin's Nose
Come down to this very Dolphin's nose and have a good time, enjoying games and an outdoor picnic. The Dolphin's nose is a great vantage point that offers a panoramic view of the surrounding areas. If it is clear day, you can even see the Catherine falls from here.

(11) Pykara
Pykara is situated about 21 kms from Ooty, on the Ooty-Mysore Road. The tourist attraction are well protected fenced sholas, toda settlements, undisturbed grassy meadows and also a good wildlife habitat. The Pykara Dam, Pykara falls and the reservoir attracts many tourists.There is a forest Rest House at Pykara. a boat House with Restaurant is available.

(12) Hindustan Photo Films
The HPF, one of the major industrial units ot the district, over a sprawling area of over 300 acres,near the Ooty golf-links on the Ooty- Mysore road  was inaugurated by Mrs. Indra Gandhi, Prime Minister, in January, 1967. This industrial unit is currently producing Indu roll films which are used for taking photographs; Indu X-ray films, the quality of which is acknowledged to be among the best in the world.

(13) Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
The Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, 67kms away from Ooty, is home to many endangered species. Though tigers and Leopards are only seen by the fortunate few, elephants, giant squirrels, sambhar, chital, barking deer and flying squirrels are a common sight.
The Sanctuary is also a great place to see many kinds of birds, including colorful parakeets, black woodpecker, Malabar trogon and crested hawk eagle. For children, you might like to visit the elephant camp within the sanctuary, Theppakkadu.

(14) Avalanche
Located at a distance of 25 km from ooty. A place that should not be missed. A dam called Canada dam is seen here. An exotic experience of mountain trekking could be realized in this place. It is a lake, which is ideal for fishing, though one has to obtain permission before hand. It is also the perfect place to enjoy bird watching and a quiet afternoon.

(15) Glenmorgan
The Glenmorgan place has the Haulage rope way is in operation to go to the Power station. The experience of going by this rope way was enchanting with the full greenery and scenic beauty.
The Incline near the Glermorgan point is very perpendicular and this distance of half a kilometer has difficult ascent and descent. The total haulage rope system is about 3 kms.

(16) The National Park
The Mukkurthi National Park is located on the Southern corner of the Nilgiris Plateau habitating a viable population of Nilgiri Thar. The Kollaribetta and Nilgiris Peak are other major peaks around. The Silent Valley in the Western Ghat is located on the Western side of these ranges. A fascinating feature of the Mukkurthi Sanctuary is its endemism and relationship with Himalayan Flora and fauna.






(17) Sim's park
Spread over an area of 12 hectares, the Sim's Park is situated in Upper Coonoor. The park it is believed has more than 1000 plant species, including many flowering plants, pines, ferns and shrubs. Go visit in May, as you can attend the fruit and vegetable show, which is a tradition and is held annually.

(18) The Race Course
Located in the central part of Udagamandalam, The Race Course usually conducts horse races in summer season, from April to June. The main reason behind the time of occurrence of this sport event is that, in summer due to vacation and to enjoy the cool climate people use to come large in numbers.

(19) Tiger Hill
The Tiger Hill is a beautiful paradise located to the east of Udagamandalam. It is closeby at the lower bend of Dodda-Betta peak. The weather and atmosphere is a favourite for touristers here.

(20) Ooty Flower Show
The First Flower Show in Ooty was started in the year 1896. The most awaiting Ooty Flower show dates are declared. This summer the three-day flower show, which begins on Friday 14th of May. The beautiful flower show presents a mesmerizing scene with flowers of numerous varieties and colors.
During the flower show more than 15000 flowers are to be exhibited. Varieties of flowers that are grown in the region and other imported varieties are to be displayed in the exhibition.

(21) Tea and tourism Festival
If you are in Ooty in the month of January, you cannot possibly miss the Tea and Tourism festival. At the festival, you can learn more about your favorite drink and possibly taste some of the best cups of tea.

- By Sunil R Yadav

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