Ooty is a city in Nilgiris district of the Indian state Tamil Nadu. The city is officially known as Udagamandalam/ Oocatamund/ Udhagai and is a popular hill station in the state located in the Nilgiri Hills with the elevation of 2240m. Ooty town was initially discovered by Toda Tribes, later captured by Tipu Sultan due to its scenic areas he made the ghost town as a hide-out from the enemies. Later East India Company developed the place into concentration camps to brace the sick soldiers because of the rawness of the city. Now also, Toda tribes contribute to the major part of the town’s population since the times of king Vishnuvardhana. Ooty lies in Nilgiri Mountains, and hence called as Blue Mountains because Kurunji flowers blossoms once in every 12 years. The economy of the town majorly depends on tourism, agriculture, chocolate, bollywood photographic films, production of medicines and the boat houses, large trekking areas make it more interesting to visit.
When to visit?
Ooty features mild climatic conditions throughout the year in contrast to other places in Tamil Nadu. Though the city is a popular summer destination but can be explored at any time of the year. The ideal time to visit is in between April – June & September – November and majority of the visitors avoids going in the Monsoons as they are really harsh there.
Tourist Attractions:
- Doddabetta Tea Factory
- Nilgiri Hills
- St. Thomas Church
- Stone House
- St. Stephen’s Church
- Government Rose Garden/ Centenary Rose Park
- Pykara Lake
- Doddabetta Forest/ Ooty Forest
- Ooty Botanical Garden
- MRC Golf Club
How to reach?
By Road:
Ooty lies on National Highway 181; therefore it is well connected to Kerala, Karnataka by Interstate buses. The Intrastate city buses connect the place with Coimbatore, Salem, Kallatti, Erode and more. The bus fair is decided by government and usually not fixed. A road trip to Ooty will be a great idea for weekends.
By Railways:
Mettupalyam is the nearest rail head situated at approx 40kms from Ooty. The station serves major cities of Tamil Nadu like Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore and Coimbatore. One of the most famous rail heads is Ooty Toy train or Nilgiri Toy Train and is one of the steepest rail routes in Asia and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The train launches Mettupalyam to Ooty via Coonoor and takes approximately 2-3 hrs to cover the distance of 46 kms but it is a lifetime experience. Once you get off the train, there are plenty of options available from city bus to pre-booked cabs to your destination. The minimum train ticket price is Rs. 270/-
By Airways:
The nearest domestic airport is Coimbatore airport distanced at about 95kms and is connected to Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad and more. The cheapest flight to Ooty costs Rs. 2810 and after from airport either you can take bus, cab or taxi to your desired destination.