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- Written by Anchal B Chaudhary
Ooty
Ooty is inarguably the most popular hill-station in South India. Located in Nilgiri hills, Ooty is popular as Queen of the Blue Mountains and is Headquarters of the Nilgiris district.
Originally known as ‘Udhagamandalam’, this beautiful hill-station was discovered and developed by British in early 19th century,though members of the tribe ‘Todas’ claim it to be their homeland since time immemorial.
The British established Ooty as the summer capital of the Madras Government and since they found it difficult to pronounce its original name ‘Udhagamandalam’, renamed it to ‘Ootacamund’ which further got shortened to ‘Ooty’. The place then soon gained fame as ‘Scotland of the East’ for its picturesque and green landscapes and was nick-named as ‘Snooty Ooty’.
Today Ooty is the most popular and most visited hill-stations in South India and teeming with tourists in peak season.
Located in Western Ghats, Ooty has lush green mountains, beautiful azure lakes, dense forests, delightful waterfalls and vast expanses of tea gardens.
One can visit a number of tourist attractions or go trekking exploring the vistas. One can also take a joyride in Ooty’s narrow gauge miniature Toy train, known as Niligiri Mountain Railway, which was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 2005.
Also, if visiting at the right time it is fun being part of the celebrations of various festivals held here. Besides the local religious festivals, Ooty hosts a Tea and Tourism Festival in January and Summer Festival at the town’s Botanical Garden in the month of May.
Fast Facts, Ooty
State – Tamil Nadu
Altitude of Ooty– 7440 Feet
Ooty STD Code – 0423
Distance To Ooty From Coimbatore – 85 Km
Distance To Ooty From Bangalore – 265 Km
Best Time To Visit Ooty
April to June, September to October
What To Pack For Ooty
Light woollens in summers, heavy woollens in winters
What to Buy in Ooty
Aromatic and Therapeutic oils
Organic Spices
Toda Tribal Jewellery
Locally made chocolates
Variety of Tea
Travel Tips
Bargain when you pay.
How To Reach Ooty
By Air: Nearest Airport is Coimbatore (88Km or 2Hrs)
By Rail: Nearest Railhead is Mettupalayam (51Km) on narrow gauge. Book ahead in tourist season.
By Road: Convenient, scenic drive over the hills from Bangalore or Coimbatore.
By Bus: Buses ply regularly from Bangalore, Chennai, Madurai, Mysore and Coimbatore.
How To Go Around Ooty
Cabs
Around Ooty
Coonoor (19 Km)
Kothagiri (31 Km)
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