OOTY
Ooty-queen of hill stations
Bandipur National Park
Bandipur National Park, an 874-sq.-km forested reserve in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, is known for its small population of tigers. Once the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Mysore, the park also harbors Indian elephants, spotted deer, gaurs (bison), antelopes and numerous other native species. The 14th-century Himavad Gopalaswamy Temple offers views from the park's highest peak
Mudumalai National Park
The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary also a declared tiger reserve, lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills, in Nilgiri District, about 150 kilometres north-west of Coimbatore city in Tamil Nadu. It shares its boundaries with the states of Karnataka and Kerala.
Pykara
Pykara is the name of a village and river located 19 km from Ooty in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. A boat house on the Pykara reservoir is an added attraction for tourists. Pykara boats of well protected fenced shoals. There is a restaurant and motor boats(20 minutes ride) and speed boats(10 minutes ride) are available. Pykara waterfalls flows through Murkurti, Pykara and Glen Morgan dams. There is a forest rest house in Pykara and also the scenic beauty of this place is extraordinary.
9th Mile
9th Mile, also known as Shooting Medu, is just 9 miles away from the Ooty city. This place is popularly called the Shooting Medu, as many of the Tamil and other Indian movies are shot here. The lush green forests and large mountains add to the beauty of this place, making it an ideal picnic spot.
Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens in Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Tamil Nadu state, India was laid out in 1847. The Gardens, divided into several sections, cover an area of around 22 hectares, and lie on the lower slopes of Doddabetta peak. The garden has a terraced layout. It is maintained by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department. Its architect was William Graham McIvor. The Marquis of Tweedale prepared the initial layout during the late 1840s. During that time Ootacamund (Ooty) was under British control. The Gardens have around a thousand species, both exotic and indigenous, of plants, shrubs, ferns, trees, herbal and bonsai plants. In the centre of the Gardens lie a fossilized tree trunk estimated to be 20 million years old.
Rose Garden
Government Rose Garden is the largest rose garden in India. It is situated on the slopes of the Elk Hill in Vijayanagaram of Ootytown in Tamil Nadu, India at an altitude of 2200 meters. Today this garden has more than 20,000 varieties of roses of 2,800 cultivars. It is one of the largest collection of roses in India.
Doddabetta
The distance from Ooty bus stand is 10km. Try to go in early morning so you can visit other places in the afternoon, Awesome view. The highest in south India. You can enjoy some carrots, corn cob, some mangoes and some peanuts and chill fresh air Abounding 360 degrees of beauty. Ooty City on one side. Kotagiri on the other side (far away). You can spend an hour easily in the surroundings.
Boat House
Ooty boat house also called as Ooty lake, 1 km distance from Ooty busstand, opened by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation. Boating is the prime attraction at the lake. You can find otherBeautiful Lakes in Ooty The boat house offers boating facilities with Paddle boats, Row boats, and Motor boats. It also features a garden, a mini train and an amusement park. Ooty lake is an artificial lake constructed by John Sullivan, in 1824.
Thread Garden
The thread garden at Ooty is a popular tourist spot that exhibits some of the most magnificent and exquisite collection of artificial flowers and plants, all made by the expert hands of the skilful artists by using JUST thread.
Dolphin's Nose
This is a unique natural site where a protruding rock looks like a dolphin's nose! Climbing up to the spot might require some effort, but it is totally worth it! From this point, one can catch the breathtaking view of the Catherine falls hundreds of meters below and also of the Coonoor stream meeting the Kotogiri stream.
Kotagiri, Coonoor
A town Panchayat city and a picturesque hill station in the Nilgiris in the state of Tamil Nadu, Kotagiri is famous for its sprawling tea plantations. It is located at an altitude of 1,985 m above sea level and is the third largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills after Ooty and Coonoor. It is an ideal place for some trekking expeditions leading into the Nilgiris.
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.
Kamraj Sagar Dam
A popular place for picnics and film shooting, this dam is situated around 10 km from Ooty bus stand. Also known with the name of Sandynallah Reservoir, this dam offer peaceful environment with beautiful surrounding where tourists can spend some time at ease. Along with being a popular picnic spot, it is also visited by tourists for bird watching as well as for fishing. It is a popular site for researchers who come to study environment.