Ooty Hill Station

Ootacamund, the queen of the hill stations of South India, is situated in the Nilgiri's at an altitude of 2240 metres. Ooty is known for its extraordinary scenic beauty and salubrious climate amidst the "Nilgiri's" or "Blue Mountains".green Udhagamandalam better known as Ooty is the most popular hill station in the South. Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiri's district where the two ghats converge. Nature has been bounteous with this region which is indeed the most beautiful in the region. Apart from coffee and tea plantations, trees like conifers, eucalyptus, pine and wattle embrace the hillside in Udhagamandalam and its environs. Summer temperature is rarely higher than 25°c with a minimum of 10°c and winter is are distinctly cooler with a high of 21°c and a low 5°c.

Ooty, the Queen be seated in this heavenly abode remained undiscovered to the great southern dynasties and it took the British to explore it in the early 1800s. They were, however, not the first friends of this land as a tribe called Todas had been living there long before the British came, claiming that the Nilgiri's had been their home since time immemorial. The British constructed the first railway line in the area and made it the summer capital of the Chennai Presidency.

Places to see

Botanical Garden : A spectra of regionally exclusive and ornamental plants adorn this garden which is the venue for the Flower Show held in May every year. There is a fossil tree trunk 20 million years old in the midst of the garden.

St. Stephen's Church : The St. Stephen's Church, located on the Mysore road, near the Collectorate, is one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiris. It dates back to the days of Rt. Hon'ble Stephen Rumbold Lushington, the then Governor of Madras, who keenly felt the need for a cathedral exclusively for the British, in Ooty. He laid the foundation for the church on April 23, 1829, to coincide with the birthday of King George IV. The church has a fine pew with a raised chancel. There are stained-glass painting on the Eastern side as well as behind the chancel. The glass paintings depict Mary holding baby Jesus in her arms and the crucifixion of Christ among others. On the Western wall, above the paneled doorways, is a large life-like painting of the Last Supper.

Upper Bhavani : 10 Km/6 Mile from Korakundah and about 20 Kms/12 Mile from Avalanchi. Some of the best sholas like the Thar Shola lies enroute. The area is a rich and undisturbed wildlife habitat. From Bangithappal via Sispara one can trek to Silent Valley.

Doddabetta : It is the highest peak (2623 meters) in the Nilgiri's and is 10 kms/6.2 Mile from Ooty. It lies at the junction of Western & Eastern Ghats and offer beautiful vistas of the Nilgiri Hills ranges. There is a telescope house run by TTDC.

Elk Hills : A vast array and uninterrupted view of Ooty and the Lovedale Valley, from here overwhelms the beholder!

How to reach :

By Air : The nearest airport is Coimbatore(100 Km/62 mile) which is connected to Chennai, Mumbai and Bangalore.

By Rail : Ooty is connected by good motorable road to Chennai and Coimbatore. There are regular bus services connecting Ooty to Coimbatore, Trichy, Bangalore, Madurai, Kanniya Kumari, Mysore, Palghat, Calicut and Tirupati.

By Road : Ooty on the narrow gauge railway is connected to Mettupalayam which is directly connected to Coimbatore and Chennai.