Ooty Sightseeing Places - Feel the essence of Nature

Headquarters for the Nilgiris district, Udagamandalam (Ooty in anglised form) is located in the Western Ghats hill range at a height of 7500 feet from the sea level. With the thorough exploration by J.C. Whish and N.W. Kindersley, this place became accessible by roads around the 19th century. Its abundant nature cover and pleasant climate, made the British to name it ‘The Queen of hill stations’. John Sullivan, the collector of Coimbatore, developed the town and encouraged the plantation of tea, cinchona, and teak trees. The largest of its type in the country, the Rose Garden is a sprawling area of 4 hectares, located at an altitude exceeding 2000 metres. It is managed by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department with more than 20000 varieties of roses signifying Ooty's unique climatic disposition.

The Botanical Gardens was laid out in 1847 under the supervision of George Hay, the then Governor of Madras. The purpose of the garden was to promote and study the various flora in and around Nilgiris, which is now open for the tourists also. Situated at an altitude of 2600 metres, Doddabetta peak is regarded as one of the highest peaks in South India. It lies at the junction of the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. The area gives the glimpse of the entire mountain range. Telescope house facility here enables the visitors to get a better view. Ooty lake is an artificial lake covering an area of around 65 acres was constructed in 1824. Tourists can do boating and walking through the lakeside surrounded by Eucalyptus trees.

The region is a natural habitat of numerous birds belonging to various species. Located in Upper Bazar road, St Stephen’s Church is one of the popular places to visit in Ooty and displays amazing architectural charm. This is one of the oldest churches of the region that features painted window glasses, wooden elephants procured from the palace of Tipu Sultan. The Toy Train, also known as Nilgiri Mountain Railway rail ride, is an important activity in the hill station. Inaugurated in the year 1899, it has continued to attract the visitors with equal zest winding its way through the best of the hill. The railway, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005, covers a distance of total 46 km from Mettupalayam to Ooty in a span of 5 hours and takes one through a truly spectacular journey filled with picturesque views on the way. It takes 2 full days to enjoy the hill station completely.