Drive In Ooty

Ooty, the Queen of Hill stations, welcome you with mesmerising meadows, soothing environment, cool weather and a wide array of sightseeing places to visit and admire. Each tourist attraction in Ooty promises a unique and lively experience that will leave you in awe for many days to come. However, if you are wondering what to do in Ooty and what to see in Ooty then have a look at the various sightseeing places that we have mentioned below. With these interesting places to see, you can be sure of having a memorable Ooty tour.

Ooty Botanical Gardens

Maintained by the Horticultural Department of Tamil Nadu, Botanical Gardens of Ooty is undeniably one of the most popular places to see in Ooty. Spread over 55 acres of land, this garden is divided into five different sections such as Fern House, Lower Garden, Italian Garden, Conservatory and Nurseries. The flower show conducted here as a part of Ooty Summer festival is a major attraction. Another popular attraction of Botanical Garden is the Fossil Tree Trunk that is said to be around 20 million years old. The wide variety of plants here are worth exploring.

Avalanche Lake

Located 28 km away from Ooty, Avalanche lake is a must visit when on Ooty Tour. This lake, beautifully lying amid the lush greenery of mountains and landscapes mesmerises every visitor. It was created due to a massive landslide somewhere around 1800s hence the name. It is popular for trout fishing and the required equipment for it can be taken from Trout hatchery. Along with exploring the surrounding areas and its rare flora and fauna, other activities that are popular here are camping, rafting and trekking to nearby hilly regions such as Upper Bhavani. It is also an ideal picnic spot.

Emerald Lake

Located near the Emerald Village in the Nilgiri District, Emerald Lake lies in a place called as SIlent Valley. It is situated around 25 km away from Ooty. A beautiful lake offering an ideal place for picnic where you can relax and spend some quality time with your loved one. Tea plantation surrounding add on to the overall beauty of the lake. The view of sunrise and sunset from here is breathtaking and not to be missed.

Deer Park

Located at a distance of 2 km from Ooty Lake, Deer Park is easily accessible by road. With its rich fauna along with varieties of deer such as Sambhar and the Chithal, Deer park makes up for an interesting visit, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. Equally rich is the variety of flora in this park. Spread across an area of 22 acres, this park was established in the year of 1986. It is one of the known wildlife sanctuaries of not only Tamil Nadu but of India presenting amazing opportunity to observe the wildlife and various animals from closer.

Doddabetta Peak

Located at an altitude of 2623 meters, Doddabetta Peak is the highest peak in the Nilgiris. At the junction of Western and Eastern Ghats, it is around 10 km away from Ooty. Covered by dense sholas, this peak is trekkers favourite point. The view fro the top of the peak is absolutely mesmerising, there is a telescope house at the peak with two telescopes presenting captivating view of the valley around. Rich flora and fauna here add on to the overall charm of Doddabetta Peak.

Mudumalai National Park

Connecting Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats, on the Ooty Mysore route, Mudumalai National Park is another place to visit by Nature lovers when on their tour to Ooty. This national park boasts of many wild animals and rich avian fauna along with equally rich flora. It has also been declared as a tiger reserve as it is home to approximately 50 tigers. If interested one can also find accommodation as many guest houses are offered by the Forest Department at different location of the park.

Ooty Rose Garden

Rose Garden is another popular place to visit in Ooty. Maintained by Government of Tamil Nadu, this garden is spread across 4 hectares of land and proudly presents more than 20 thousand variety of roses. A well maintained garden, it also boasts of winning Garden of Excellence Award for South Asia from the World Federation of Rose Societies. The unparalleled beauty of roses promises a visual treat and an ideal backdrop for photography.

Ooty Toy Train

A part of Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Ooty Toy Train is a an integral part of every Ooty Tour. It runs from Mettupalayam to Ooty via Coonoor. The ride in this historical toy Train is unmatched to any other train ride; passing through lush green landscapes and breathtaking nilgiri mountains, this train runs on a track of 46 km. There are first class and second class coaches to choose from.

Tribal Research Center

Situated around 10 km away from Ooty, Tribal Research Center presents a glimpse into the live of indigenous people. Along with researching into the lives of tribal tribes of SOuth India, it also houses a well stocked library. It also a museum displaying artefacts. Easily accessible by road, this place is an ideal place to understand the lives of local people.

Toda Huts

One of the most attractive and unique sightseeing places in Ooty are the Toda Huts. These are the residing place for the Toda people, one of the indigenous tribes of Ooty. The huts are made in the shape of a semi-barrel. These huts don’t have any windows and very low doors where one has to stoop and enter. While once you are inside the hut there is space to stand as well. This close-knit community of Toda people mostly depend on cattle herding and farming for living.