Ooty

Destination Theme
Yoga Retreats, Hill Stations,

Best Suited For
Honeymoon Couples, Families and Friends.

Recommended Duration
Two to Five days.

Quick Info

Ooty, the abbreviated form of Ootacamund is a scenic town in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu. Located in the Nilgiri Hills, Ooty is one of the most popular hill stations in India. The diverse topography of Ooty allows tourists to take part in several recreational activities and adventure sports. Pleasant weather and gorgeous locations make Ooty a perfect holiday destination. The nearest airport to Ooty is Coimbatore International Airport which is 96 kilometres away.

Rankings & Ratings

A paradise in South India that is certainly worth a visit.

Editor's Rankings

#16 in 33 Destinations in & around Kerala

Editor's Review

The extremely pleasant town of Ooty can quite rightly be called a paradise. This perfect honeymoon destination has a picturesque and diverse landscape that is simply wonderful. You must go there not just for the magical environment, but also for the sundry recreational activities.

PROS

The diverse and scenic landscape.
Plenty of recreational activities and places to visit.
The climate is always extremely pleasant.
Suitable for every type of tourist and traveller.

CONS

The boat rides are overpriced.
The auto and taxi drivers might misguide you to choose bad hotels or restaurants.
Some places get overcrowded during the summer season.

Itinerary Tips

The auto and taxi drivers might suggest hotels and restaurants. It is better not to take their advice since they are commissioned by overpriced hotels.
The Botanical gardens are a must-visit place in Ooty. The rose garden especially is the largest in India.
Doddabetta peak is the highest point in Ooty with a nice Tea Park.
Families with kids will enjoy the Fern Hill garden which has different flowers and floral arrangements shaped as animals.
Sims Park can be visited on a toy train. It has rare trees and organizes a fruit festival in summer.
Although overpriced, boating in Pykara River is a good experience. It is a little away from Ooty town having waterfalls and dams.
Try to travel in Nilgiri Mountain Railway for good views.
The golf course is set at an altitude of 7600 ft. You can watch a game there.
You can also ride horses around the lake or the countryside for an hour or more.
Home-made chocolates, pizzas, burgers, panneer fingers, samosas and bombay sandwiches are available at C-store. Home-made chocolate is very famous in Ooty.

Detailed Info

Ooty is definitely one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. The name 'Ooty' is the shorter form of 'Ootacamund'. The place has another name 'Udhagamandalam'. The natural beauty of the town attracts tourists all throughout the year and all the more so during the extremely pleasant summers. The hill station was formerly occupied by a tribe called 'Toda', and later it became a popular summer destination for the British Officials.

The economy of Ooty is mostly dependent on agriculture and tourism. The landscape of Ooty is not only scenic and beautiful, but also diverse allowing several recreational activities and adventure sports that include Horse Racing, Hang Gliding and Golf. Rose Garden, Deer Park and Ooty Botanical Gardens are famous gardens and parks in Ooty. The Ooty Lake covering an area of 65 acres has boating facilities for the tourists. Some historical buildings like Stone House also add beauty to the marvellous town of Ooty.

Altitude

The altitude of Ooty is 2240 metres(7350 ft) above sea level.

Weather

Ooty has cold winters, pleasant summers and experiences heavy rains between June and September.

Best Time to Visit?

Between the pleasant summer months of March and June.

How to Get There?

By Air

The nearest airport to Ooty is Coimbatore International Airport which is at a distance of 96 kilometres from the town. The airport is well-connected to major cities in India and some cities abroad too. From the airport, you can book a cab to reach Ooty.

By Train

Ooty has its own Railway Station called Ooty Railway Station. It is connected to the major cities of Tamil Nadu. The railway line is linked to cities like Bangalore, Coimbatore, Chennai, Kanyakumari, Kochi, Mysore, Lucknow, New Delhi, Puri, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

By Road

Luxury tourist buses are available to Ooty from cities like Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore and Pondicherry.

Local Cuisines

Bakery items like cakes, cookies, tarts, brownies and pies are popular in Ooty. Spicy dishes of Mutton, Chicken and Fish are served here. Most of the dishers are served with coconut chutney, sambar and a special Mulaga Podi. The fruit and nut chocolate of Ooty is quite famous.