Ooty

Thread Garden

     You can see the sightseeing of Ooty similarly everywhere in the world.  “Thread Garden” a world miracle in art creation moving to Guinness Record, presenting for the first time in the world, a very natural looking artificial garden full of beautiful plants, flowers, creepers, grass etc.  Exclusively designed using embroidery threads measuring more than 60 million meter in length, with highly skillful, strainful and minute handcraft man ship of nearly 50 specially trained artists for long 12 years, without touching even a single needle or any other machinery, challenging a computer machine like perfection.  You will b quite surprised at these wonderful and beautiful art creations of highest and beautiful art creations of highest manual effort ever born in the world, as beyond human imagination. Located at Opp.  Boat house, North Lake Road, Ooty.

Avalanche

     Avalanche is 28 km from Ooty.  It is on the way to Upper-Bhavani from Ooty via Emerald Camp.  The gorgeous scenery at every turn is an experience of wonder and delight.  The rivers from the top of the hill at Avalanche give a magnificent sight of the Avalanche Valley and reservoir.

Botanical Garden

     The Botanical Garden maintained by the Horticulture Department is a unique place containing a wide range of plants that include different kinds of roses, important shrubs, rare flowering plants, eucalyptus trees, several old trees and even a fossilized tree trunk that has become a hard stone in about 20 million years. A beautiful Italian garden, green carpet of well maintained lawns attract the visitors inclined to relax.  The summer festival is held here annually in the month of May, surely an added attraction to tourists.  The annual flower show is the pride of this festival, besides, cultural programmes are also organized to bring to light traditional classical arts.  Adventurous sports like trekking also form part of the festival.  Mr.Mc. Ivor completed the layout of Govt.  Botanical Garden during the year 1857-1867.  It covers an area of 22 hectares, ascending the slopes on the hill at an elevation of 2400-2500 meters above MSL.  It is a treasure house of temperate flora, consisting of flowering trees, beautiful shrubs, colorful lilies, bulbous planets, enchanting orchids, curious cacti and succulents, pleasing pteridophytes, breathe taking glass house plans and charming annuals with bright color.

Cairn Hill

     It is about 3 km on the road to Avalanche and is one of the few surviving original walks.  The entrance road to the hill is flanked by dense cypress trees. It is a very good picnic spot.  The quietitude and silence of the cypress woods is broken by the chirping of birds in the shrubs an experience unforgettable.

Children’s Park

     A lovely children’s park is in the Eastern end of the lake.  The lawn and the budding flowers overlooking the lake water and grass filled ground will tempt every child to enjoy the atmosphere and make them play joyfully.  The View of St. Thomas Church, the moving mountain railway from the railway station, the boating and rowing, the rare horse race etc.  are the unique scenes in this garden.

Dodabetta peak

     Dodabetta peak is about 10 km from the main town.  The eminent range of heights which run North-South in the middle of the plateau, reaches its highest point at Doddabetta at about 8 km East-Southeast from Ooty. Its height is 2636 meters. Doddabetta is the highest peak of the Nilgiris District.  The Snow down hill (2530m), the Club hill (2448m) and the Elk hill (2466m) along with the Doddabatta, form among themselves the impressive Udhagamandalam Valley. If the day is clear, one can see as far as the plains of Coimbatore and the plateau of Mysore.

Glenmorgan

     Glenmorgan is about 17 km from Ooty bus stand and an ecologically rich forestry spot. From here, the Electricity Board winch carries staff from Glenmorgan Viewpoint to power house at Singara. All the 4 km of the winch track passes through undisturbed shoals and wildlife habitats.  Prior permission of the E.B. is necessary to enter the viewpoint zone.

The Government Museum

     The government museum is on the Mysore road.  On display are tribal objects, district’s ecological details and representative sculptural arts and crafts of Tamilnadu.

Horse Racing

     The Race Course is situated in the heart of the city. Running area about 2.4 km long and is one of the famous race courses in India.  It is a very popular sport during the summer months of April, May and June.

Kalhatty Water Falls

     It is about 13 km from Ooty on the Ooty-Mysore road via the kalhatty Ghats.  The height of the waterfalls is 100 ft. Kalhatty-Masinagudi slope is rich in wildlife such as panthers, bison’s, wild buffaloes, wild dogs, spotted deer, sambars and different varieties of hill birds. Best time to visit this falls is September to November.  The fall is about 4o m high.  This is among the Best places for Trekking.

Ketti Valley View

     It is located on the road to Coonoor, which is considered to be the second largest Valley in the World.  This is idyllic spot is a cluster of tiny villages that extend to the plains of Coimbatore and Mysore plateau.

Ooty Toy Train

     Planning a holiday in Ooty? Take a toy train up.  The beautiful journey by the Nilgiri mountain toy train promises to give you a really memorable experience.   Travelling at a maximum speed of 33 km per hour, the train passes through 16 tunnels, forest-clad hills and lush green tea-plantations, and rumbles across tall girder bridges.  The fresh clean air and the breathtaking views are not to be forgotten easily.  Also sometimes called the Queen of India Hill Stations, this little hill resort in Tamil Nadu nestles about 2,600m above sea level and has a pleasant climate all the year round.  The journey up begins at Mettupalayam and covers the distance of 46 km in 4 hours.  Mettupalayam is one of the railway mainlines to Chennai and Coimbatore, 90 km away, is a major railhead.

Ooty Lake Boat House

     Ooty Lake is an artificial lake created by Sullivans. The lake was constructed in 1823 – 1825. A wide range of Boats like Pedal Boat, Row Boat, Aqua Bike etc.  are available. Dancing Cars, Mini Train are added attractions here.  This Boat house is maintained by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation. 

Rose Garden

     Just ¾ km from the Railway Station is the Rose Garden.  It is about 10 acres of roses of 1419 varieties a real feast for the eyes.

Pykara

     Pykara is 21 km on the Ooty-Mysore road.  The Pykara is the largest river in the District.  It is considered very sacred by the Todas.  The Pykara River rises at Mukurthi peak.  It passes through hilly tract, generally keeping to North and turns to West after reaching the Plateau’s edge. It gets down majestically in a series of cascades and the last two falls of 55 meters and 61 meters are known as Pykara falls.  The Pykara dam, Pykara falls and Pykara reservoir attract many tourists. .  T.T.D.C. maintains a boat house and restaurant here.  The Pykara power station to which water is carried through pipelines along the slope is a fascinating sight.

Tiger Hill

     East of Ooty town on the lower lap of doddabetta peak lies the picturesque spot of Tiger Hill.  A trek of about 3 km leads to the spot where is also situated one of the drinking – water reservoirs in the town.  An almost closed cave in the vicinity is associated with religious legends.

Wenlock Downs

     It is heaven for nature lover, sprawling over 20,000 acres.  A Vast expanse of Understanding landscape offering Gymkhana Club, the Government Sheep Farm and Hindustan Photo Film Company besides pleasure of long stroll on quiet road.

Western Catchment

     Western Catchment is 28 km from Ooty.  It consists of Rolling Grassy down interspersed with temperature sholas occupying depression and valleys.  The landscape is extremely picturesque.