Places To Visit In Ooty Sightseeing

Botanical Gardens is located at the slopes of the Doddabetta peak. The terraced garden is maintained by the Tamil nadu horticultural society and covers an area of 22 hectares. The best time to visit the place is anytime except the monsoons. Now this place will be the first thing the people would mention when you visit ooty, and well, in my opinion it is pretty awesome.

A visit to Doddabetta Peak was the reason I went to Ooty in the first place. I had heard a lot about the picturesque Nilgiris and the amazing views this place has to offer. The place stands at a height of around 8,650 feet and makes it the highest peaks in south India. This place offers amazing trek spots and plenty of quiet and picturesque locations to solitary wanderers like me.

Avalanche lake is certainly a wanderer’s haven. The surrounding landscape is simply mesmerizing. You can camp beside the lake in tents and enjoy trout fishing. There’s also a hatchery located nearby where you can get the fishing rod and other fishing equipment at. It’s an amazing trek location that made me stay here for 2 days at this place.

Pykara River flows through the plateau and form several cascades and waterfalls. The Pykara falls are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ooty and are famous for the shola trees, Toda settlements and wildlife.

Ooty Lake is a manmade lake formed in 1824 under the British. It features a boathouse which offers boating facilities to the visitors and is famous for hosting boat races during the summer month of May.

Mudumalai National Park is a home to several wildlife and bird species. The Bengal Tiger, Leopards, Indian Bison, Asiatic Elephants and several other rare species of birds and animals can be found here.

Although the lake is off limits for the visitors, the emerald lake is located in midst of a reserve forest. The lake can be viewed via a viewpoint on the dam located nearby.

The bungalow of the erstwhile British Governor John Sullivan, the Stone house was built in 1822. Today it serves as a residence of the principal of the Government Arts College in Ooty and is also considered to be the first bungalow in Ooty.

The last remaining bastions of the Todas, the huts are located by the Ooty Botanical Gardens. Although several Toda people have abandoned these huts in the recent years, these remain one of the most interesting specimens of Ethnic architecture of southern India.

Built in the early 19th century, St. Stephens Church is one of the oldest churches in the Nilgiris District in Tamil Nadu. The foundation of the church was laid in 1829 and shares the date with the birthday of King George IV.

The Wax museum is housed inside a 142 year old bungalow in Ooty. Although the sculptures are not as impressive as the ones found at Madame Tussauds, but display a brief insight on the people and culture of Ooty and surrounding areas.

A part of the Tribal Research Center Campus, the Museum is a must visit for people who like to know more about the culture and the inhabitants of Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. It houses some rare artifacts and houses that belonged to the various tribes in the Nilgiris.

Located by the Ooty Lake, the deer park is one of the few high altitude zoos in India. The visitors get to view a variety of different deer species along with other rare animals and birds.

Dedicated to Mariamman, the Hindu goddess of rain, the temple is located at an elevation of 2,240 meters above sea level and is built in a proto-Dravidian style of architecture. The various stucco figures and sculptures are a marvel to behold.

The Largest rose gardens in India, the Government Rose Gardens lie on the slopes of the Elk Hill at an elevation of 2200 meters above sea level. It also has one of the largest collections of roses with more than 20,000 different varieties.