Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

South India's “Queen of Hill Stations,” a British colonial summer retreat with the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, tea gardens and lakes, plus nearby Coonoor and Mudumalai.

Ooty (officially Udhagamandalam) lies in the Nilgiri Hills in northwestern Tamil Nadu at an altitude of about 2,240 m. In the 19th century it was the summer capital of the British Madras Presidency and became known as the “Queen of Hill Stations.” Nilgiri means “Blue Mountains”; the range borders Kerala and Karnataka and forms the core of India's first biosphere reserve. Sightseeing falls into several areas: in Ooty town, the Botanical Garden, Rose Garden, Ooty Lake and St. Stephen's Church; to the east, Doddabetta Peak and the Tea Museum; on the western route, the Pine Forest, Shooting Point, Pykara Falls and Lake, and Avalanche Lake; 19 km south, Coonoor with Sim's Park, Dolphin's Nose and tea factories; to the northeast, Kotagiri with Catherine Falls and Kodanad Viewpoint; and to the north, down the Kalhatti Ghat road, safaris in Mudumalai National Park. Getting there: the nearest airport is Coimbatore (about 90 km, 3 hours). Take a train to Mettupalayam and change to the UNESCO-listed mountain railway; services are few, so book early. Drivers can come up from Mysuru via Bandipur and Mudumalai. March–June is the peak summer-escape season, with the flower show in May, big crowds and high room rates; September–November is cool and fresh; June–August brings heavy southwest-monsoon rain. In winter, mornings and nights approach 0°C. Allow 3–4 days. Vehicles from outside the district need an e-pass to enter the Nilgiris; apply according to the latest rules before setting off.

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