Ooty, popularly known as the “Queen of Hills” is undoubtedly one of the best Hill stations of India. This beautiful town is gracefully seated on the lap of the Nilgiri Hills. This place is like a breath of fresh air because it is blessed with a pleasant climate and the setting which is rare to the Southern region of India. The tourists are highly attracted to the charm of Ooty. Certainly the landscape of the place is outstanding, with the unending stretches of the plantation estates; the lush green hills covered with tall trees and it embraces a wide variety of exotic flora and fauna. However, even though the beauty of the place grasps the ultimate attention, there are numerous places to visit in and around Ooty.
The Ooty Botanical Gardens, looks like paintings of beautiful and colorful flowers blossoming from the green sheet of paper. It is very well maintained and every year (may) they host a flower show along with the exhibition of rare plant species. The tourists can indulge in more flower affair by visiting, the Government Rose Garden. As the name suggests, the garden comprises of roses. It has one of the largest collections of roses in India, about 20,000 varieties. The Ooty Lake is yet another spot of interest, which offers the visitors with boating facilities. It is a pleasurable activity that takes you across the lake and makes you admire the surroundings. Further you can experience the ride on board of the Ooty Mountain Railway, which was built during the British time.
The Wax World, Ooty is a museum, consists of wax statues of famous Indian personalities. A visit to this museum is fun and educational too, especially for the kids. The town’s economy is mainly based on the tourism, so there are many things to do in Ooty. Some of the other sightseeing spots in Ooty are the Tribal museum, St. Stephan’s Church, Stone House, Toda hut and others, each having their own significance.
Being fairly close to the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Ooty serves as the base for the wildlife enthusiasts. There are equally interesting places to visit around Ooty, mostly being the national parks and Lakes. Mudumalai National Park, on the Northwest of the Nilgiri Hills is now a Tiger Reserve is one of the first sanctuaries in India. The park is home to many and different wild and endangered animals. The region is recognized by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site including the other National Park, Mukurthi National Park. Most common animals in this region are Bengal Tiger, Leopaeds and Nilgiri Thar.
The Lakes are placed close by which offers a picturesque view of the hills but many of them are off-limits to visitors. Some of the names of the lakes are Emerald Lake, Upper Bhavani, Avalanche Lake and others. The town of Ooty is at an elevation of 2,240 m, but even further that is an attraction point called the Doddabetta Peak. It is the highest peak (2,623m) in the Nilgiris and offers the view of a life time. There are many scattered tourist destinations and the Ooty tour packages that are easily available would be the best way to cover all the important parts of the region. Ooty awaits you with its luscious and green arms open.
