Who should visit Ooty?

For couples and people who wish to spend time with loved ones. Photography enthusiasts. Nature loving and adventure seeking people.

What is not so good about Ooty?

Not so easily accessible by rail or air. Ooty, being a very popular hill-station of the south, it also gets crowded in peak seasons.

What is famous about Ooty?

Beautiful Mountain ranges with enjoyable weather conditions throughout the year. Hand gliding, Trekking and mountain biking available for adventure enthusiasts.

Ooty Tourism (2025) - India > Udhagamandalam Top Things To Do, Tours

Ooty Travel Packages

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6 Days / 5 Nights

Holiday in Hills Coorg & Ooty Package from Bang...

Bangalore(0N) → Mysore(1N) → Coorg(2N) → Ooty(2N)

$219/person

4 Days / 3 Nights

Luxury Ooty Honeymoon Tour Package

Coimbatore (0N) → Ooty(3N)

$ 221

5% off

$208/person

4 Days / 3 Nights

Beautiful Mysore Ooty Tour Package

Bangalore(0N) → Mysore(1N) → Ooty(2N)

$167/person

8 Days / 7 Nights

Spring Special Package: Mysore, Coorg, Ooty Kod...

Mysore(1N) → Coorg(2N) → Ooty(2N) → Kodaikanal(2N)

$237/person

7 Days / 6 Nights

South India Tour Package for 7 Days

Bangalore(1N) → Mysore(1N) → Kodaikanal(2N) → Ooty(2N)

$401/person

5 Days / 4 Nights

4 Nights 5 Days Ooty and Kodaikanal Honeymoon P...

Ooty(2N) → Kodaikanal(2N)

$ 120

3% off

$116/person

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Ooty Travel Essentials

Ideal duration: 2-3 days

Best Time: Throughout the year Read More

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Also Refered As:

Udhagamandalam

"Tamil Nadu’s misty hill town with toy train and gardens"

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.

Nilgiri Mountain Railway

Ooty Lake

Dolphin's Nose, Ooty

Emerald Lake, Ooty

Pykara Lake

Ooty Botanical Gardens

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Top Hotels In Ooty

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What Makes Ooty An Amazing Tourist Destination

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.

More information about Ooty

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.

Flora and Fauna

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.

Restaurants and Local Food in Ooty

Ooty can be your trip through dream-like indulges of chocolate and all that's sweet. Lose yourself in the city's bakeries which serve temptations like white chocolate, strawberry chocolate, fudge, home made chocolates, buns and cakes. Equally popular here, are the tea plantations and hence a hot cup of local and exquisite varieties of tea. Another beverage to try here is the wine from the local vineyards.
Also relish North-Indian cuisines, Chinese cuisines, as well as sandwiches, pizzas and hot breads. one may also try the vegetarian South-Indian platter here with essentials like Idli, Dosa, Chutney, Vada, Sambhar, Rasam, Upma, Sweet Pongal, Payassam, Kesari.
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Suggested Itinerary for Ooty

Day 1: Reach Coimbatore early in the morning and get a bus or taxi to Ooty. There check into your hotel and gear up for the day. Head out straight to Avalanche lake, a natural reservoir surrounded by hills and a thin forest line, is a fun destination for trekking, camping and kayaking. It has amazing scenic beauty and natural touch. Head back to Doddabetta Peak, which presents most of the Ooty below with a marvellous sunset, which must be enjoyed with a cup of tea with your family and friends.
Day 2: Take a 2 hour govt. safari by the forest department to get to the amazing Upper Bhavani Lake, which is 20 km away from Ooty. Return to the city to visit the botanical garden, which is full of various species of plants and trees and a must visit for the nature lover and a photographer. Later visit the Wax World Museum and Dodabetta Tea Museum. Spend the evening at St. Stephen's church and the Ooty city market to know more of the culture.
Day 3: Visit the nearby Elk hill by a hired vehicle and enjoy the morning at the divine temple here. By noon be back in the city and reach the station. Cross check the Toy Train timings to Mettupalayam. If time is left, visit the nearby Murugan temple which is just at the walking distance from the station. Otherwise enjoy the 2 pm Toy Train to Mettupalayam. On the way, you would come across the most beautiful falls and bridges ever.

Best Time to Visit Ooty

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FAQs on Ooty

What are the places near Ooty?

The top places near to Ooty are Wayanad which is 73 km from Ooty, Coonoor which is located 12 km from Ooty, Bandipur national park which is located 29 km from Ooty, Munnar which is located 152 km from Ooty, Coorg which is located 153 km from Ooty

What are the things to do in Ooty?

The top things to do in Ooty are Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Ooty Lake, Emerald Lake, Ooty, Ooty Botanical Gardens, Ooty Rose Garden, Avalanche Lake. You can see all the places to visit in Ooty here

What are the top hotels in Ooty?

There are 313 in Ooty which can be booked through Holidify. The most popular hotels in Ooty are OYO 15479 Vista Suites Kalatty, Luxury 2BHK Dwell in Ooty Town, Rahamath Cottage, OYO 28586 Silver Oak Annexe, Pine forest view residency, Silver Mist by Vista Rooms. You can see all the hotels in Ooty here

How much does a package cost for Ooty?

The packages for Ooty start at INR 21458 which can be further customized based on number of people, days, hotel category, vehicle type and customizations. You can have a look at all packages here

What is the best way to reach Ooty?

The Coimbatore airport is the closest to the hills at 3-1/2 hours by road. There are flights into Coimbatore from Singapore, Sharjah, Colombo and most parts of India including Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore. The Mysore airport is about 4 hours away from Ooty by road and is serviced by a daily ATR service by Kingfisher Airlines and lies to the North of Ooty. The road trip is quite scenic from either airport.
The Nilgiri Express leaves from Chennai at night and reaches Mettupalayam (which Indian Rail spells Metupalaiyam), a small town at the foothills of the Nilgiris early the next morning. The train the Nilgiri Mountain Railway leaves Mettupalayam at 7.10 pushed by a small steam powered historic locomotive that is a remnant of Swiss engineered trains imported in the late 1800s. The train journey will be a very good experience, but only 30 tickets are issued on the spot.
The hills consequently can be reached from within Tamil Nadu by travelling up a heavily forested winding road, with many sharp hairpin beds. The road trip from any state is quite scenic, although the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Coonoor-Ooty road (i.e. the Tamil Nadu route) is the most travelled and well maintained. All roads to the Nilgiri hills are toll roads, although the tolls are quite nominal.
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What is the local food in Ooty?

What is the best time to visit Ooty?

The best time to visit Ooty is from October to June when the weather is pleasant and you can get involved in outdoor activities. However, it can be visited during monsoons (if you don't mind the rain) when the freshly washed surroundings give Ooty an ethereal charm. The annual Tea and Tourism Festival attracts crowds in huge numbers to visit the place and have a great time in this wonderful place.
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Ooty

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