10 Places to Visit in Ooty
With a lot of tourist places to travel in Ooty and nearby areas, you can travel a memorable journey on a tight budget. Known as one of the largest hill stations in India, OT stands as the most popular destination of them. However, planning a trip to cover all beautiful places can be heavy. But not fret! We have cuisted a list of places you need in Ooty for you.
Table of Contents
Best Places to Visit in Ooty
1. Toy Train
One of the highlights of Ooty tourism is the Nilgiri Mountain Railway Toy Train or Nilgiri Mountain Railway. This toy train was established in the year 1899 and it is also listed as one of the popular tourist places to visit in Ooty with beautiful sceneries of forest, tunnels, sloes, fog, and birds. One of the most visited tourist attractions in Ooty, it is one of the ‘must-experience‘ things when you visit Ooty.
The ride is a pleasure all year long but summer (Mar–June) is the best time to visit when the weather is nice and the scenery is verdant. A visit to the Government Botanical Gardens in Ooty will give you a taste of a diverse selection of plants and flowers.
2. Ooty Lake
If you are fan of jollity filled lake trips then Ooty is leather to your soul. Boasting of beautiful and shimmering lakes, Ooty is the heaven for water babies. The popular site is the Ooty Lake, an artificially constructed L-shaped water body. It was founded by the town’s founder, John Sullivan when he constructed a dam across the streams flowing from the hill station. Certainly a part of the best tourist places to visit in Ooty, this lake beckons visitors to Ooty.
3. Ooty Botanical Gardens
Run by the Horticultural Department of Tamil Nadu, the Botanical Gardens of Ooty is certainly one of the best places to visit in Ooty. Comprising 55-acres, it is made up of the following five sections: Fern House, Lower Garden, Italian Garden, Conservatory and Nurseries. The well-known Ooty Summer festival also organizes a spectacular flower show at this place.
Visitors, too, come to see the well-known Fossil Tree Trunk, believed to be more than 20 million years old. With an extensive variety of plants to explore, the gardens are definitely worth a trip. With the entrancing flower show that they bring, May (festival month) is the best time to visit for the Ooty Summer Festival.
4. Doddabetta Peak
Doddabetta Peak forms the highest point in the Niligiri hills at about 2623 metres.` It is situated 10 km from Ooty on the joining point of Western and Eastern Ghats. The summit is clothed in thick sholas and is a popular attraction for trekkers. Once on top, the view from the peak is simply stunning, at the summit of the peak there is telescope house with clear and broad telescope view of the valley around.
The Doddabetta Peak is also home to a wide array of wildlife and plants. Entry fee is usually small. For the latest details visit the official website and ask locally. Best months are matched in March through May and September through November for good weather and clear highland views.
5. Kamaraj Sagar Dam
This is another magnificent picnic spot in Ooty; Hence a popular tourist place. Along with being a popular picnic spot, the Dam reservoir is the home of aquatic life of various types, which is also a popular angling spot.
This area is included in dense mango and coconut trees. In addition, dams are a popular place for environmentalists and nature lovers who spend hours in doing research here. Enjoy a comfortable picnic with the family amidst a calm environment. Spot different bird species around the reservoir. Try fishing, especially for trout, in the reservoir.
6. Mukurthi National Park
In addition to its exciting beauty and rich nature, Mukurthi National Park is a part of Nilgiri Bio Reserve and promises a memorable experience for all. There are various streams and rivers that run through this national park, which overall its attraction. There are many watch towers located inside the national park, and it is surrounded by many animals and birds.
Explore unique montrine grasslands and sholas. Look for barking deer, Indian elephants, jungle cats, wild dogs, panthers and Indian leopards. Spot eagles, vultures, foreign parrots and migratory birds.
7. Rose Garden
Ooty is another popular attraction Rose Garden. The garden is maintained by the Tamil Nadu government and stands on four hectares of land. In addition to being a well -maintained garden, it has won the World Federation of Rose Society of Excellence Award for South Asia. Roses provide a visual treatment and create an ideal setting for a photo shoot.
Enjoy a leisurely walking through the garden, which features more than 20,000 varieties, which are arranged in captured designs. Explore rare and exotic roses including unique colors like black and green. The garden sunset scene and rose crowd create a romantic atmosphere. Capture the stunning photos of the varied rose collection.
8. Pykara Waterfalls
About 20 km from Ooty, this waterfall can be found on the ooty-mysore road. It was developed as a picnic spot and is ideal for resting the waterfall and the surrounding greenery. A boat house and restaurants are also near the waterfall, where you can enjoy snacks praising the ancient streams of water. Toda settlements are also prevalent in the surrounding area.
See two royal cascade of the Picker River – the first is 55 meters high, and the second reaches 61 meters. Enjoy a peaceful boat ride on the Picker lake, with the fare available in a nearby boat house. Relax in green environment, ideal for picnic and soaking in natural beauty. Explore nearby Toda settlements to experience the traditional lifestyle of the local community. Hold the stunning scenes of the waterfall and the surrounding landscape.
9. Needle Rock Viewpoint
You can end the trip with Needle Rock Viewpoint and admire breathtaking sunset. You can catch a view of the sunset spread a layer of golden colors over the rolling hills and deep valleys below. It provides breathtaking vistas of the rolling contour and deep valleys below. Take in 360-degree views of green valleys, misty hills and far-off villages. The moving clouds provide the landscape with a magical effect. Soak in the stunning views and the distinctive needle-shaped rock that the viewpoint is named after.
A quick, invigorating stroll (about a kilometer) through a jungle gives you a short hike to the viewpoint, with chance to see wildlife along the way. Get there early before the sunsets, and witness the golden hour — as the sun sets on the hills and valley, you will see the Orobanche flower soaking up the sun’s light. After dark, go stargazing beneath a clear sky free from the light pollution of the city for a special and unforgettable experience. Do Needle Rock Viewpoint during the day– morning or afternoon would be best. Try and avoid late evenings to reduce the risk of wildlife encounters.
10. Toda Huts Ooty
The most interesting and unique sightseeing in Ooty are Toda huts in places. In huts, Toda people live, one of the indigenous tribes of OT. These huts have semibreel shaped. The huts have no windows and very few doors, so someone has to stop to enter. Once you enter the hut, you will have enough space to stand up.
These close-sore Toda people mainly stay away from cattle herring and farming. Toda huts, traditional houses of Toda people, are located on the Nilgiri plateau in southern India, which is about 5.6 km from Ooty. These unique structures, also known as Toddus Hamlets, provide insight into the lifestyle and architecture of the ancient Toda community.
Conclusion
Therefore, there are wonderful places to travel in OT that meet diverse interests, from the scenic eucalyptus toy train to the Seren OT Lake and the succulent Botanical Garden. Whether you are asking for a glimpse in adventure, relaxation, or local culture, this attractive hill station near Coimbatore provides memorable experience throughout the year. With its cool climate and stunning landscape, Ooty is a destination that actually attracts every passenger.
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