Ooty

Ooty is a popular hill station located in the Nilgiri Hills (Tamilnadu State). Udhagamandalam is the official Tamil name for the town.
Population: 93,921 (2001^[update])
Area          :2,286 metres (7,500 ft) 

Ooty stands at an approximate height of 7,500 feet (2, 286 m) above sea level; is teemed with numerous of beautiful natural spots enabling tourist to enjoy activities like angling, boating and other water sports, wildlife excursion at Mudumalai National Park and Bandipur National Park, nature walk in beautiful Botanical Garden and Golf.The origin of the name Ootacamund is obscure. In early times it was called OttekalMande: "mund" is the Badaga word for a Toda village, and it is probably a corruption of the Badaga name for the central region of the Nilgiri Plateau.Though much of the local economy is now dominated by tourism, Ooty is still a supply base and market town for the surrounding area which is still largely dependent on agriculture, notably the cultivation of "English Vegetables" and "English Fruits" grown locally. As a result of the local agricultural industry, certain research institutes are based in Ooty. These include a soil conservation center, livestock farm and a potato research farm. Efforts are being made to diversify the range of local crops with Floriculture and Sericulture being introduced in the local area, as well as the cultivation of mushrooms.Located in the Blue Mountains of the Western Ghats, Ooty draws a large number of tourists every year. Lofty mountains, great lakes, dense forests, sprawling grasslands, miles of tea gardens and eucalyptus trees greet the visitors en route to Ooty. The hill station itself is a land of picturesque picnic spots. It used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the British during the colonial days, later it was made into a summer administrative town.

  

                                     Eco places in Ooty                                                

Botanical garden : 

Very well maintained lawns of the Botanical Garden is prime attraction of the town. The natural beauty of numerous of species of flowers and plants cast spell on people enjoying the nature ride in the garden. The main attraction of the garden is fossilised tree trunk, which are approx 20 million years old.

Rose Garden : 

Spreading across 10 acres of beautiful land atop the hill, Rose Garden is one of the most enchanting spots of Ooty. For newly wedded couples on their honeymoon, the Rose Garden with its more than 1900 variety of rose is the best place to go cozy with one's beloved. Beautiful path of the garden full of scent of roses make newly wedded couple love-stricken.

Parsons Valley Reservoir: This is the primary water source for the town and is mainly in a reserved forest and is thus largely off-limits to visitors.

Dodda Betta : 

 It is the highest peak (2,623 m) in the Nilgiris, about 10 km from Ooty. It lies at the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats and offers beautiful vistas of the Nilgiri Hill ranges. It is surrounded by dense sholas. One can have a panoramic view of the landscape through the TTDC telescope. TTDC restaurant caters the needs of tourists. The tourism department organises trekking session every year here between March and May.

Ooty Lake : 

Ooty Lake

This artificial lake, built approx 200 years ago, is favourite picnic spot of the town. The beautiful lake garden, snack bar and toy train here attract mostly family and tourist in groups. Boating is the favourite excursion one can enjoy here.

Wenlock Downs : 

Covering the total area of 20,000 acres, Wenlock Downs is the most favourite picnic spot of Ooty. Zymkhana Golf Club, located at Wenlock Downs, has 18-hole golf course inviting golf lovers to try their hand.

Pykara Lake Boat House and Pykara Falls: This is the most accessible of all the nearby lakes. A boathouse and picnic area has been developed to provide access to this area. Most of the remainder of the lake is within a reserved forest and off-limits to visitors.

Reaching there

By Air    : Coimbatore is the nearest airport (88 km), from where Ooty is easily reached by two hours drive. Taxis are easily available at airports costing around Rs. 1200-1400.

By Rail   : Though Ooty has railway station on meter gauge, but reaching first Coiambatore is the best way to reach Ooty by train, as Ooty is very well connected to other part of the country.

By Road : Finding well road connection with prime locations like Coimbatore, Bangalore and Mysore, Ooty is reached very easily even by road. Buses are available from these cities for Ooty.