Best Ooty Itinerary – Places to see and stay
Rolling hills, towering pines, misty mornings, chilly evenings, lush green woods, gorgeous lakes – No wonder Ooty is called the Queen of Hill Stations! An easy 6 hour drive from Bangalore and a 3 hour drive from Mysore – makes Ooty an easy choice to holiday amidst nature! Listing out some sightseeing places in Ooty to help create your ‘Best Ooty Itinerary’!
Ooty Places to Visit
First, I shall list out the points of interest in Ooty and then suggest a good 2, 3 and 4 day Itinerary. So, read on, find snippets about each sightseeing place and decide which suits you the best.
Botanical Garden
One place which comes to everyone’s mind when talking about Ooty is Botanical Garden! Sprawling for 22 acres, Ooty’s Botanical Garden houses some exotic species of plants which we usually do not get to see often. ‘Fern garden‘ in Ooty Botanical Garden is one place to look out for.
Though I have seen better days of Ooty Botanical Garden, I feel much can be done to keep this place as attractive as it used to be years ago for which people come with high expectations and end up going back disappointed.
Entry fee: 30 INR for adults, 15 INR for children
Doddabetta Peak
Doddabetta translating to ‘Big Mountain’, is one of the major attractions in Ooty. Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiris chain. A bird’s eye view of Ooty town can be seen from Doddabetta peak.
On the way to Doddabetta
Doddabetta is one place where you can catch oodles of mist and see clouds floating next to you. But, this obviously means that the iconic view of Ooty town will be missed. To avoid this, the best time to visit Doddabetta is from 10 AM – 12 PM, just after sun shines bright and just before the peak afternoon!
Tea Museum and Tea Factory
Located near Doddabetta peak, The Tea Factory is the best way to get an idea of what goes on inside a Tea Factory Unit. The fresh tea leaves are classified and put under the process of tea making right in front of our eyes. We can see various steps of Tea making and at the end of the tour, we can even buy freshly made tea from the shop at the corner. Grab some homemade chocolates too, they are really yumm!!
Rose Garden
As the name says, it’s a Garden of Roses. Set on a hilly side, with beautifully curated gardens, little munchkin trees shaped like an umbrella accentuates the view. Various species of roses are on display here and said to have over 20,000 varieties in this Rose garden!!
Every year a flower show is held here, mostly in the month of May and the roses are prepped for the same with uttermost love and care!
Entry fee: 30 INR for adults, 15 INR for children
Ooty Lake
Surrounded by Eucalyptus trees, this artificially constructed lake in Ooty was primarily built for breeding fishes. Later, this was converted to a tourist spot by introducing boating and other recreational facilities. Being the centre of attraction it is, it will certainly be crowded in peak hours, regardless of a weekday or a weekend.
Reach the place early to beat the crowds and have the whole place for yourself with mist filled mornings. A walk by this tranquil lake in the early hours, just before people arrive in swarms – is a special experience to cherish.
Avalanche Lake
Nestled in between mountains, Avalanche Lake is one of the beautiful spots in Ooty. Around 30 km from Ooty town – it may take 1 – 1.5 hours to reach the Check post by Forest department. Park your vehicles here and take the vehicles provided by Forest department to reach Avalanche.
If there are 7-8 members in your group, then opt for a SUV ride which would come around 1200 – 1500 for the whole car. A trip in bus would cost 150 per head. Either of which will take you to 3 viewpoints of which Avalanche being the last. Though it not allowed to go down near the lake, you will be dropped off at a scenic spot which gives the best views of Avalanche.
The bus/SUV trip might take 3-4 hours. The road after the check post is a dirt track amidst the forest. So, the suggestion is to leave early from Ooty and reach here by 9, so you can be back by afternoon and relax in the evening.
Emerald Lake
Emerald lake is en route to Avalanche before reaching the forest check point. A lovely view by the road, Emerald Lake is still beautiful in spite of low levels of water. Though Emerald Lake is not in its glory, it looks charming in monsoon with greens around.
Pykara Lake and waterfall
Of all the lakes in Ooty, Pykara is my favourite – maybe because it’s well-maintained compared to others. It’s huge and the boating experience is tranquil and lovely. The mossy green lake surrounded by tall trees and occasionally appearing islands in the middle of the lakes are welcomed with glee. Do not miss this when in Ooty. There is Pykara waterfalls nearby Pykara Lake. Pay it a visit too!
Toy train
After a good dose of lakes, it’s time to get some Vitamin Train! I missed Ooty Toy train on my first visit to Ooty, but this time around, I made sure to we did it this time and I’m so glad that happened!
A slow train chugging along the track, cutting through the forests, passing by cute little houses, lush terraced tea plantations making us go – Aww! Stopping by to let go another train, we see school kids wave us a goodbye from their seats. We carry on as the smell of Eucalyptus capture our attention. What a lovely ride it was! Certainly memorable!
Tip: If you don’t have time to do the Mettupalyam – Ooty route, then at least do the Ooty – Coonoor route, which is what we did! 😀
You might also like: Places to See in Wayanad
These are some of the main tourist attractions in Ooty. Whether you visit Ooty on one of the long weekends or extend your stay by a couple of days or more, you can choose from one of the itineraries from below or make your own by picking places from the above list.
2 Day Ooty Itinerary:
Day 1: Start at 8-9 Am after Breakfast. Visit Botanical Garden and Rose Garden. After lunch, proceed onto Doddabetta and Tea Park.
Day 2: Visit Ooty lake first thing in the morning, proceed onto Pykaara Lake, Pykaara waterfall and spend rest of the day shopping in MG Road in Ooty for some home-made chocolates and some warm winter wear.
3 Day Ooty Itinerary:
Day 1: Start at 8-9 Am after Breakfast. Visit Botanical Garden and Rose Garden. After lunch, proceed onto Doddabetta and Tea Park.
Day 2: Visit Ooty lake first thing in the morning, proceed onto Pykaara Lake, Pykaara waterfall and spend rest of the day shopping in MG Road in Ooty for some home-made chocolates and some warm winter wear.
Day 3: Catch the early morning ‘Nilgiri Toy Train’ from Ooty to Coonoor. Reach Coonoor, so some Coonoor sightseeing (Post coming soon) and catch the train back to Ooty in the early evening.
4 Day Ooty Itinerary:
Day 1: Start at 8-9 Am after Breakfast. Visit Botanical Garden and Rose Garden. After lunch, proceed onto Doddabetta and Tea Park.
Day 2: Visit Ooty lake first thing in the morning, proceed onto Pykaara Lake, Pykaara waterfall and spend rest of the day shopping in MG Road in Ooty for some home-made chocolates and some warm winter wear.
Day 3: Catch the early morning ‘Nilgiri Toy Train’ from Ooty to Coonoor. Reach Coonoor, so some Coonoor sightseeing (Post coming soon) and catch the train back to Ooty in the early evening.
Day 4: Start to Avalanche in the morning. Visit Emerald Lake on the way. After finishing Avalanche, retire for the day. Do some more shopping if you wish. Pack the luggage and get ready to leave back home.
If you are leaving to Bangalore/Mysore through Gudalur route then, also see the typical tourist places like the Shooting point and Kamaraj Saagar dam.
Where is Ooty?
Udagamandalam or Ootacamund or Ooty is located in the heart of Nilgiris and Often known as the ‘Queen of hill stations’ is a popular hill station in South India. It has been a hideout from scorching summer from the British days. Infact it was the summer capital of the British. After Independence, the popularity of Ooty grew and was transformed into a famous hill station.
Travel time:
Bangalore to Ooty – 280 km – Approx 6 hours.
Mysore to Ooty – 125 km – Approx 3 hours.
Ooty Resorts and Cottages
Find the best prices for amazing places to stay in Ooty in this link. Enjoy your stay!
Which areas are best to stay?
Do NOT stay in the city center! It might be enticing enough to stay in the city center for its proximity to sightseeing places – but the real taste of Ooty is relished when stayed far away from the crowds. Search for unique experiential stays and make the most of your little vacation time in Ooty. Some of my handpicked suggestions can be found here – Best places to stay in Ooty.
Have you been to Ooty? Loved it? Hated it? Let me know in the comment box below!
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Very nice and informative post. . thanks for sharing
The way you explained about the place is very nice. By reading this content i clearly understood about the place ooty.