Ooty Tourism
Nestled amidst Nilgiri hills, Ooty, also known as Udagamandalam, is a hill station in Tamil Nadu which serves as a top-rated tourist destination. Once regarded as the summer headquarters of the East India Company, the Queen of the hills is a picturesque getaway.
Dotted with tea gardens, serene waterfalls, winding country lanes, and charming colonial architecture, Ooty is the perfect respite everyone. Popular among couples and honeymooners, Ooty allures its visitors with the panoramic views of the Nilgiri mountains.
The Nilgiri mountain railway is the steepest track in all of Asia. Remember the hit song 'Chaiyya Chaiyya' where Shahrukh Khan and Malaika Arora matching steps on top of a train? Remember the breathtaking locales as the train chugged its way across lush greenery? Yes, that was the Nilgiri Mountain Railways, and the Nilgiri Mountains all along.
Ooty is a place which can be visited throughout the year. Each season in Ooty has something different to offer and none of the seasons is too harsh for its visitors. The Nilgiri mountain railway or the Ooty Toy Train is a marvel in itself. The views of the mountains with the touch of weather make the place more likeable. Various adventure sports like Mountain biking and Hand gliding keeps the adrenaline flowing inside you and makes you feel the thrill. There are various lakes and gardens in the town to keep you engaged. Apart from the natural sightseeing options, there are other interesting man-made places as well including the Wax World Museum, Tea Museum and the St. Stephen's Church.
Ooty is an integral part of the Western Ghats and is one of the most biodiverse regions of the world. To visit Ooty in the month of monsoon, you will find the forests laden with rare blooming flowers. The hill slopes covered with colourful species of plants not likely to be found anywhere else in India. A lot of pharmaceutical plants and herbs with medicinal qualities can also be found here. It also has never-ending tea gardens and grasslands. Another attraction of the hill station is its beautiful pine forests. This dense forest area is also the part where you can find a large number of exotic wild animals and reptiles, few of which are the elusive panther, the rock python, majestic cobra, and the big cats. Apart from these, a large variety of birds and insects are also found here including the flying squirrel. A quaint little toy town tucked away in the Nilgiris is a slice of a haven for a retreat in nature’s bliss. Ooty boasts of emerald hills, charming pathways, valleys blooming with flowers and the blue mountains at a distance. It also maintains its old world charm of serene grandeur and presents a picture-perfect canvas view.
Ooty is as much about mountain trails and lush green scenery as it is about lakes that stretch for miles and waterfalls that suddenly come into view as you take a hairpin bend. The city is abundant of crystal clear lakes surrounded by hills, creating the perfect ambience for the cool wind to hit your face and pull you into the exhilaration of being one with nature. Adventure seekers need not fret, as certain lakes offer speedboat rides as well if that's what you're looking for.
Since Ooty is mostly about nature, another beautifully scenic location that the city has to offer are the Ooty Botanical Gardens, located right in the heart of the city. Spread out over acres and acres of land, these gardens house hundreds of different varieties of plant and flower species, and it makes for a charmingly scenic delight for the senses.
If you're a foodie with a sweet tooth, Ooty's bakeries will make your mouth water like no other. Trying out traditional Ooty biscuits and homemade chocolates in dozens of flavours have now become synonymous with a trip to Ooty.
When you think of South India, you can't help thinking of temples that showcase the architectural dexterity of ancient India, and Ooty is no exception. The city houses quite a few temples situated on hilltops, and the views from the temple are no less ethereally beautiful than the temples themselves.
Ooty is one tourist destination that you cannot rush through just so you can move on to the next place on your itinerary. Lofty mountains, grasslands sprawling across miles, a miniature toy train, forest trails that abound in hues gathered from nature herself – it doesn't take much for Ooty to win a traveller's heart. Once you have visited Ooty, the only thing you'll want to think of is how soon you can go back there again – that's the magic of this quaint little hill station which, regardless of how many times you go back to, never gets old.
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