Ooty(Udhagamandalam) Map

Introduction

Ooty also known as Udhagamandalam is the "Queen of hill stations" and the capital of Nilgiris district. It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. Nilgiris means "Blue Mountains". It is a land of picturesque picnic spots. Used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the Britishers during the colonial days. One can notice a marvellous change in vegetation, as one goes from Kallar to Coonoor. The establishment of numerous tea estates made Ooty famous. Lofty mountains, dense forest, sprawling grasslands and miles and miles of tea gardens greet the passengers on most routes. The annual Tea and Tourism Festival attracts crowds in huge numbers.


Area 36 sq km
Altitude 2,240 sea level
Temperature Summer-Min.-10.0C,Max.-26.0 C Winter,Min.-4.0C,Max.-21.0C
Language Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam and English
STD Code 0423
Rainfall 121 cms average yearly
Best Time to Visit Round the year

How to get there

  1. Air :- The nearest airport is in Coimbatore, 100 km away.
  2. Rail:-By Train Nearest broad gauge railway head is Mettupalayam (46 kms).Major broadgauge railway junction is Coimbatore. It is connected with all major cities.One can take a train up to Coimbatore and then the enchanting Nilgiri Mountain Railway, better known as the toy train. It is one of the few remaining diesel engine trains and although it spits up huge dark clouds of pollution, it is a major tourist attraction and a reminder of the Indian railways' glorious beginning.
  3. Road:-Ooty is well connected by good roads. It is 535 km from Chennai (via Salem), 89 km from Coimbatore, 18 km from Coonoor (via Gudalur), 155 km from Mysore, 187 km from Calicut, 290 km from Bangalore, 281 km from Kochi (via Coimbatore and Palakkad), 236 km from Kodaikanal (via Coimbatore and Palani).

Places to Visit


Botanical Garden Ooty Lake Doddabetta Rose Garden
Pykara Lake Ooty Lake Children's Park Kalhatti Water Falls Avalanche
Western Catchment Mudumalai    

Excursion


The Mukurthi Peak Mukurthi National Park Pykara Coonoor
Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary Kotagiri    

Shopping

There are pure wool shawls called raffal which have different counts of wool - 40, 60, 80 etc., and the shawl is progressively more expensive as the count increases. Shawls mixed with other fibers like cotton and cotton derivatives are far cheaper. On the other and, woolen shawls mixed with pashmina will be far more expensive. Then too, there are shawls that look and feel like pashmina and which are priced between wool and pashmina. Here too, the quality of papier mache differs markedly, depending on two factors. The first is the papier mache in its raw state. Unless it is smoothened adequately to be silky to the touch, it is not considered high grade. On the other hand, inexpensive papier mache, brightly painted and varnished, makes a variety of gifts and souvenirs that do not cost a fortune. Eggs, eggcups, candle and pen stands, kum kum boxes and cigarette boxes are just a few options at the low end. Items made from walnut wood come from three parts of the tree: the branches, the trunk and the root. The branches have the pales colour of wood, and the trunk the darkest Branches have no veins trunks have the strongest marked veins. Objects made out of the root will be the costliest because of the wood used.

Accommodation


Nalapad Residency Hotel Lakeview Blue Valley Resort Nahar Nilgiris Hotel
Hotel Kings Cliff Club Mahindra Danish Villa Nahar Residency Hotel Hotel Sinclairs
Hill Country Holiday Resort Savoy Hotel Sterling Days Inn Fern Hill