OOTY

Often Referred to as 'The Queen of Hill Stations', Udhagamandalam, known as Ooty, is one of the most scenic and visited hill stations of India. Nestling at a height of 2240 m in Nilgiri's, Ooty is situated at a distance of nearly 105 Km from the famous city of Coimbatore. The scenery is surely the main attracting factor for tourists, but the other major reason for the huge inflow of the tourists is the salubrious climate that remains throughout the year.

Ooty first came into limelight when British found it in the year 1800. Although Ooty was inhabited way before, it was only in the nineteenth century that it became famous. Ooty was later chosen as the summer capital of the Chennai Presidency. The first railway track in Southern India also came up in Ooty. In fact, you can still take a ride in the one of the last few remaining steam trains in India that still operates here in Ooty. Apart from enjoying the splendors of Ooty leisurely, you can also indulge in some thrilling adventure sports like trekking, para gliding and hiking.

The attractions of the city !

Botanical Garden :

Botanical garden consists of numerous ornamental plants that adorn this garden. Botanical Garden is also the venue for the famous Flower Show held in May every year. The show itself attracts tourist from around the country and from foreign countries as well. The main attraction of the park is a fossil tree trunk which is proved to be more than 20 million years old.

Government Museum :

For all you history and culture buffs who wish to know more about the unique past and present of Tamil Nadu.the Government Museum is a must visit. Situated on Mysore road, the museum showcases items like tribal artefacts, district's ecological details and representative sculptural arts and crafts of this wonderful state.

The Mukurthi Peak & Mukurthi National Park :

Mukurthi Peak and the national park are situated about 40 Km from Ooty. The Mukurthi National Park is located on the South Eastern corner of the Nilgiri's Plateau. The area contains a noticeable population of Nilgiri Thar (Hamitragus hilocrius). The famous silent Valley is located on the Western side of these ranges.

St. Stephen's Church :

St. Stephen's Church is one of the oldest churches in entire South India. It is located on the Mysore road, near the Collectorate and dates back to the days of Rt. Hon'ble Stephen Rumbold Lushington, the then Governor of Madras. He laid the foundation for the church on April 23, 1829, to coincide with the birthday of King George IV. There are stained-glass painting on the Eastern side as well as behind the chancel. However the main attraction of the church is the glass paintings depicting Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On the Western wall, above the paneled doorways, is a large life-like painting of the Last Supper.

Pykara :

Situated about 21 Kms/13 Mile on the Ooty-Mysore Road, boasts of well protected fenced Sholas, Todas settlement, undisturbed grassy meadows and also a good wildlife habitat. The Pykara Dam and the reservoir attracts many tourists.



Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary :

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Nilgiri's District bordering Kerala as well as Karnataka State. The park is situated at an altitude of 1000 meters and covers an area of 321 sq. kms. The main fauna species found here are Elephant, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Mouse, Wild Boar, Parcupine etc.

Doddabetta :

Doddabetta is the highest peak (2623 meters) in the Nilgiri's and is only 10 km away from Ooty. Lying at the junction of Western & Eastern Ghats, it is a must visit attractions for all tourists. The lofty heights of Doddabetta offers beautiful vistas of the Nilgiri Hills ranges. There is also a telescope house run by TTDC.

What to shop :

Some of the most sought after items in Ooty are Eucalyptus oil, Honey, Cinchona products, coffee and Tea. Most of the shops are open from 9 am to till 8pm. Municipal Market, Co-operative Super Market and Upper and Lower Bazaar Roads are the main shopping destinations of Ooty.

Accessibility :

» By Air : Coimbatore at a distance of 100 Km is the nearest airport which is connected to Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore.

» By Road : Ooty is connected by good motor able road to Chennai and Coimbatore. There are regular bus services connecting Ooty to Coimbatore, Trichy and Bangalore

» By Rail : Ooty on the narrow gauge railway is connected to Mettupalayam which is directly connected to Coimbatore and Chennai.

» Close to the wheels :

Chennai - 539 k.m Bangalore - 290 k.m
Cochin - 281 k.m Coonoor - 13 k.m
Coimbatore - 98 k.m Koidaikanal - 236 k.m
Yercaud - 237 k.m

This information is gathered from a tourist web site.