Ooty

Ooty, short for Ootacamund and officially Udhagamandalam, is a popular hill resort in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. The name Udhagamandalam is derived from the Toda word "othakal-mund" which means "house in mountains". Ooty stands at 2,240 m (7,347 feet) above sea level in the Nilgiri mountain range. It was founded in the 19th century by the British, and served as the summer headquarters of the Madras Presidency. Ooty is in the Niligiris District which was one of the first places in India to get rid of plastic carry bags, so if you are heading there, remember to carry your own reusable bags, not plastic.

Understand
In the Nilgiris ("Blue Mountains"), it draws swarms of tourists every year. The weather is quite pleasant at a mean of 15-20°C around the year, dropping to lows of 0°C during winter. The landscape is marked by rolling hills covered with dense vegetation, smaller hills and plateaus covered with tea gardens, and eucalyptus trees. Many portions of the hills are preserved as natural reserve forests, and special permits will be needed to camp in noncamp sites. Ooty is not the destination in itself, as much as it is the focal point of attraction. Auto touring the surrounding country side is certainly a must do. Unfortunately, the hill town suffers from overcrowding and erosion of natural resources. Tourism has placed an enormous strain on the natural resources resulting in pollution, water shortage and roads.

The hilly region also houses smaller towns like Coonoor and Kotagiri. These smaller towns are a better choice to visit and spend time in, since they are off the beaten path, yet less than an hour away from Ooty. They enjoy the same natural climes and prices are a lot cheaper.

By plane
The Coimbatore airport is the closest to the hills at 3½ hours by road. There are flights into Coimbatore from Singapore, Sharjah, Colombo, Mumbai (Air India and Indigo), Chennai (Spicejet, Air India and Indigo) and Bangalore. The Mysore airport is about four hours away from Ooty by road. The drive from either airport is scenic.

By train
The hills are connected to by a nightly train, the Nilgiri Express (Train No. 2671), which departs from Chennai at night and reaches Mettupalayam (which Indian Rail spells Metupalaiyam), a small town at the foothills of the Nilgiris early the next morning.

The 51 km from Mettupalayam to Ooty is covered by taxi or bus; the mountain railway is uncomfortable and slow and two thirds of the journey doesn't go through scenic hills. The beautiful hills start only after Ketty or Lovedale. The 51 km can be covered in two hours by road whereas the toy train takes about six hours.

The Mountain Railway
The train leaves Mettupalayam at 7:10AM, pushed by a small, steam-powered historic locomotive, one of the Swiss-engineered trains imported in the late 1800s. The steam train is much smaller, and can only accommodate a portion of the passengers that disembark at Mettupalayam. This journey requires a separate ticket, available at IRCTC.

The steam train's route is boring and there are constant stops and repair sessions en route. At some stations, the engine has to take on water. The train uses a rack and pinion system to ascend steep slopes, and also to prevent the train from sliding down when stopping. The train is pushed from behind. There are brakesmen at the rear of every carriage who apply and release each carriage's hand-powered brakes. The train often travels at 5-10 km/h, allowing adventurous passengers to disembark and walk alongside the train. This practice can be dangerous and the train may speed up, preventing reboarding.

Without a confirmed ticket, it is difficult to board the train, as only about 30 tickets are issued at Mettupalayam starting at 5AM, and at 1PM at Ooty for the entire journey from Mettupalayam to Ooty. Be near the ticket window before it opens, because there can be an unexpected crowd at opening. It is difficult to obtain a ticket at Mettuppalayam because of the morning crowd. Purchasing tickets is easier at the uphill Ketty and Lovedale stations, which are accessible by bus.



By bus
Buses and shared taxi vans can be boarded from elsewhere in India to Ooty. Alternative to the early train from Coimbatore, many buses also go to Ooty. The Coimbatore "new bus station" has frequent buses to Ooty via Mettupalayam, and it takes around 3½ hours to get there. However buses are uncomfortable and often crowded. The lack of air conditioning in the buses is problematic till they ascend the hills. Taxis leave from the same "new bus stand".

On the return journey in the morning, some buses make a 10-15-minute stop at Mettupalayam for breakfast. From the "new bus station" it takes about 25 minutes by (another) bus to reach the Coimbatore railway station. From Kozhikode, there are two government buses daily, leaving 5AM and 7AM, the journey lasts six hours. Mysore is served few times a day, too. From Kannur there is a daily KSRTC bus departs at 7:30AM and a daily Tamil Nadu bus departs at 10PM, reaching Ooty at 4PM and 7AM the next day, respectively.

By car
The Nilgiris are in Tamil Nadu, but near the borders Karnataka and Kerala. The hills consequently can be reached from within Tamil Nadu by travelling up a heavily forested winding road, with many hair-pin bends. The road trip from any state is scenic, although the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Coonoor-Ooty road (i.e. the Tamil Nadu route) is the most travelled and best-maintained. All roads to the Nilgiri hills have nominal tolls.

Taxis at the Coimbatore "new bus stand" charge ₹2500 (negotiable) when reserved and ₹600 each when shared, four people share an Omni (Maruti van). In case a hotel has been per-booked, they often provide taxis to and from Coimbatore for ₹2000.

Ooty is 284 km from Bangalore by road. The journey takes about eight hours, depending on the road's condition. There is a shorter route with a diversion at Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary, which passes the towns of Masinagudi and Kalhatti. This route curtails the distance to Ooty by about 50 km. This road is closed at night as it passes through the jungle, requiring a few hours spent at the check post which is closed at night. This road as it is narrow and steep. There are eateries and a fuel station in the town of Masinagudi. Resorts near Masinagudi town let cottages. These offer relaxing weekend getaways. There are restaurants between Bangalore and Mysore, and within Mysore, but from Mysore to Ooty there are few restaurants, so it is advisable to stock up on groceries in advance. Start early for a more leisurely drive through Bandipur and Mudumalai forest, taking in occasional animal sightings.

Distance from Ooty to various cities:


 * * Bangalore || (297 km)
 * * Kozhikode || (187 km)
 * * Coimbatore || (89 km)
 * * Coonoor || (17 km)
 * * Madikeri || (225 km)
 * * Kodaikanal || (236 km)
 * * Kotagiri || (28 km)
 * * Munnar || (282 km)
 * * Mysore || (126 km)
 * }
 * * Kodaikanal || (236 km)
 * * Kotagiri || (28 km)
 * * Munnar || (282 km)
 * * Mysore || (126 km)
 * }
 * * Mysore || (126 km)
 * }
 * }
 * }

Get around
Taxis, tourist cabs, auto rickshaws are available in plenty. There are no standard rates except for tourist cabs. Rickshaws charge a minimum of ₹30. Town buses are available to all important places. Conducted sight seeing tours are arranged by private operators and the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC). There are around 3-4 different day trip routes/packages available. Bus day-trip cost ₹125-150 and taxi day-trip cost ₹900-1100. Even if you arranged the taxi through the hotel (even TTDC), verify with the hotel and operator before the trip that there are no hidden costs. Taxi drivers will often demand high parking fees and lunch, which is already paid for. It is not uncommon for bus/taxi drivers to get commission from remote restaurants and shops. These places are overpriced, try avoiding such restaurants.

Bus and taxi will take tourists to remote, high-priced restaurants for lunch. Try not to eat in such places because the food is cold, the place is not clean beyond the façade, and it is always overpriced (you will end up paying for taxi driver's lunch, too).

Also avoid driver's recommendation for sleeping arrangements. They (few of them) will take you to the hotels for accommodation where they get 20% commission, which will be added in your room tariff without your knowledge.

See








Do
Most travel agents and hotels conduct guided tour packages that will bundle you into a bus, and tick off the most important and hence crowded "tourist" spots in the area. Some hotels also arrange for private cars like Indica, TATA Sumo.


 * Travel on the railway. The charming Nilgiri Mountain Railway (NMR), blue and cream with wooden coaches and large windows, is widely regarded as a marvel of engineering.
 * Go for long walks and hikes.
 * Visit a tea plantation and if possible a tea factory.
 * Travel the countryside in a 4x4.
 * Catch a round of golf at the Gymkhana Golf course (membership or introduction required)
 * Visit the local Army cantonment - the Madras Regimental Center and the DSSC (Defense Services Staff College).
 * Visit terrace farmed cabbage fields around Ooty.
 * Visit the Mudumalai forest sanctuary (1-2 days minimum).
 * Visit the Needle industries which is around 6km from maintown Ooty in Ketti.
 * Visit 9th mile and also the 6th mile where lot of movies are shot.
 * Visit the Municipal Market and shop for fresh local fruits.
 * Explore the nearby Avalanche and Emerald Lakes, for day picnics, treks, and walkthroughs of the surrounding villages. You can also hike through the nearby tribal hamlet of Mullimunth of the Toda people. The 3 km trek takes 5 hours and passes through wooded areas and streams along the settlements.
 * Explore the nearby Avalanche and Emerald Lakes, for day picnics, treks, and walkthroughs of the surrounding villages. You can also hike through the nearby tribal hamlet of Mullimunth of the Toda people. The 3 km trek takes 5 hours and passes through wooded areas and streams along the settlements.

Buy
Ooty and Nilgiris are well known for a variety of local products like tea, eucalyptus oil, chocolates, spices and gourmet cheese. There are a lot of shops that deal these products, though you have to be careful that you get an authentic product.

Eat
There are various restaurants in Ooty, mostly offering South Indian food, but some offer North Indian food.







Drink
The Nilgiris are famous for tea.



Sleep
There is no dearth of accommodations, with many hotels and inns that cater to every budget. Accommodations are no more expensive than most cities in India, and the popular Indian hotel chains have a presence here.



Go next

 * Bandipur National Park
 * Nagarhole National Park
 * Kodanad Viewpoint in Kotagiri
 * Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary