Nestled beautifully in the Nilgiri Hills, Ooty short for “Ootacamund” or “Udhagamandalam” is located in Tamil Nadu at a height of 2240 meters above sea level. It is one of South India’s most popular hill stations and is also known as the “Queen of Hill Stations“. Perfect place to relax with your friends and family.
This was my first trip from Bangalore which I visited with my 6 friends whom I did not know much then . I was very hesitant to go at first but I desperately wanted to explore places hence had no other choice then to go with them. But I must say it was the best weekend trip with loads of fun.
BEST TIME TO VISIT– October to June.
MODE OF TRANSPORT – Bus/ Bike/ flight/Train.
Bus-Bangalore to Ooty bus stand and back- 6 hours night journey.
Train- Nearest railway station is Mettupalyam- 40 kms from Ooty.
Flight- Nearest airport is Coimbatore- 88 kms from Ooty.
Can hire a taxi or bikes to visit places inside Ooty.
Our Journey started from Bangalore at 11:00 pm, it’s a night journey if you wish to travel by bus. But I would suggest to go by your own transport (bike/Car) because we need to cross Bandipur forrest on the way and its amazing to go inbetween the forrest with greenery that surrounding you and also we can see a lot of wild animals.
The bus journey in the morning was breathtaking with the greenery, foggy roads, wild animals and tea gardens We reached in the morning at around 7 am at Ooty bus stand. As nothing was planned before hand, we had to hunt for a place to stay. So we hired autos and reached some hotel ( we can also find cottages, guest house etc…).
DAY1…
Hire a vehicle like a car or a bike to visit all the places so that you don’t waste the time.
FIRST POINT:- Dodabetta Park
It is considered to be the tallest point in the Nilgiri mountains, mainly forested with shoals and rhododendron trees which cover the entire peak. It offers a panoramic view from where we can witness beautiful plains and valleys of Coimbatore and the landscapes of Mysore – unfortunately it was too foggy(8 am) on that day so we could not see anything much, we spent some time in the park, clicked pictures and headed towards our next destination.
SECOND POINT:- Botanical Garden
Beautiful garden with so many age-long trees, fern house and Italian styled garden set in around 135 acres of land. Best place to chill out and click unlimited pictures. You find a lot of stalls with different types of manmade chocolates, clothes, handicrafts and many other items.
I am hardcore chocolate lover- so first thing I saw outside there were chocolates. My friends literally had to drag me away from those stalls.
THIRD POINT:- Wax Planet
A museum with wax statues of different characters from Films as well as our honorable martyrs. You can take a walk with Gandhiji through an ashram, sit in Presidential briefings with President Obama, Sing like a drunken sailor with Johnny Depp and many more characters. We can also find all history as well as the geography stuff there.
FOURTH POINT:- Tea estate view Point
The Nilgiri region is renowned for its tea and most of the areas in Ooty are surrounded with the tea plantation. The tea estate or plantation is one of the tourist attraction and the tourist enjoys to go for a walk in the tea estate. We can go to Tea Museum/Tea factory where different types of teas are put on display and we can also buy different varieties of Homemade chocolates, tea packets of different flavours, eucalyptus oil and many others things.
FIFTH POINT:- Thunder World
Its amusement park with a dinosaur attraction & an indoor snow room, plus a food court. One will never get bored of it since there is so much to see. The park is divided into- the Jurassic Jungle, the Vortex and the Haunted House. It also consists of a 5D theatre and a Camera Museum. One must visit this place if you have not seen any of this before.
DAY 2
Try to leave early if you want to cover most of the places.
FIRST POINT:- Emerald Lake
Being a part of the Silent Valley National Park, Emerald Lake is a serene lake located close to the Emerald village. It is surrounded by beautiful pine trees. You can spot a number of a rare variety of birds. The crystal blue waters of the lake offer the best sunrise and sunset views. You can try biking, fishing, bird watching and also click unlimited photos . We need to carefully find our way in between the pine trees to reach this place. This was one of my favorite place in this trip.
SECOND POINT:- Kamaraj Sagar Dam
This dam is in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. It is a picnic and a film shooting spot. It is also known as Sandynalla reservoir. It gives a beautiful view to your eyes. Kamraj Sagar Lake in Ooty also has its own unique charm. In fact, countless visitors inflict this place.
THIRD POINT:-Wenlock Downs
It is a beautiful grassy meadow which is located very close to Pykara. It is named after Beilby Lawly who was the sibling of Sir Arthur Lawley. It is a 20,000 acre-stretch of land and is very popular for its scenic beauty. Shola forests cover the entire expanse of the Downs. Many popular films are shot here. Previously Britishers and Europeans used to come here for hunting. You can go for hiking over the elegant valley.
FOURTH POINT:- Pykara Falls
It is one of the most popular tourist places in Ooty. It is located in the middle of a dense forest which makes it even more gorgeous. Nature lovers just love this Falls. It’s a treat for your eyes to watch this mesmerizing spot. Its an easy 20 minutes hike. The best to visit this falls in the month of July as the cascading waters provide a delightful sight.
FIFTH POINT:- Ooty Lake
Ooty boat house also called as Ooty lake which is at 1 km distance from Ooty bus stand with prime attraction of Boating at the lake. The boat house offers boating facilities with Paddle boats, Row boats, and Motor boats. It also features a garden, a mini train and an amusement park. Ooty lake is an artificial lake constructed by John Sullivan, in 1824.
SIXTH POINT:- Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
This sanctuary is located amid the foothills of the Nilgiri Hills, very close to the Bandipur National Park. It is one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries in South India. Here you can find a huge variety of animals and 50 species of fishes. Many endangered and vulnerable species of animals are also spotted here . Jeep Safari is the best way to explore this picturesque forest and to encounter different types of animals
That was the end of our 2 day trip. I remember carrying almost 2 kgs of home made sweets back home.. They were so delicious.
PLACES THAT CAN ALSO BE VISITED INCLUDE:
Kamaraj Sagar
Pykara dam
Rose Garden
Avalanche Sanctuary
Ketti Valley Viewpoint
Kandal Cross
Kalhatty Falls
Kotagiri
Catherine Falls
FAMOUS FOR THE FOLLOWING:
Food- Steamed dumplings, Avial
Homemade chocolates
Aaromatic essential oils such as camphor, eucalyptus and citronella.
COST:- Can be between 5000-6000/- . Again it depends on the hotel or the cottage whichever place you choose.
Weekend Runaways 