City Info
Ooty (Udhagamandalam) - How to get there:
By Airways:
Coimbatore, 105 km from Ooty, is the nearest airport from Ooty.
By Railways:
Ooty is on the narrow gauge railway, connected to Mettupalayam (47 km), which is directly connected to Coimbatore and Chennai. The famous toy train connects Ooty with Mettupalayam and Coonoor.
By Roadways:
A good network of roads and national highways connect Ooty with all major towns and cities.
By Other Means:
Taxis, tourist cabs, auto rickshaws are available in plenty. There are no standard rates except tourist cabs. Town buses are also available to all important places. Conducted sight seeing tours are arranged by the private operators and the Government Tourism Development Corporation.
History
Ooty is also known as Udhagamandalam, the capital of Nilgiri district. It is popularly known as the "Queen of hill stations" among the tourist circuits.
It is situated at a distance of 105 km away from Coimbatore. The height of the hills in the Nilgiri range varies between 2280 and 2290 metres, the highest peak being Doddabetta at a height of 2623 metres.
The history of Ooty goes back to about 800 years when it was ruled by the Hoysalas. Though much is not known of its early phase, there is mention of the place being ruled by Vishnu Vardhana, the Hoysala king, from AD 1104 to 1141. The local tribe called Todas was one of the earliest inhabitants of Ooty. Ooty also finds mention in the writing of Jacome Ferico, the first European to visit this place in the year 1603.
This Nilgiri territory came into possession of the East India Company as part of the ceded lands, held by Tipu Sultan, by the treaty of Srirangapatnam in 1799. Rev. Jacome Forico, a priest was the first European who visited Nilgiris in 1603 and released his notes about the place and people of Nilgiris.
Kalhatty Falls
The Kalhatty falls are located on the Kalhatty slopes at about 13-km from Udhagamandalam on the Udhagamandalam - Mysore Kalhatty ghat road. Also known as the "Kalahasti Falls", the water here cascades down a height of 122m.
Ooty Lake
It was constructed in the year 1825, through the initiatives of Mr. John Sullivan, the then Collector of Coimbatore. This lake was built in order to provide an irrigation tank to the people. Today the lake provides an opportunity for the visitors to have a boat ride across it’s length and breadth.
Botanical Garden
Botanical gardens are a major tourist attraction. The gardens lie on the lower slopes of Dodabetta peak, the highest point in Ooty. Clipped bushes in the form of elephants, with raised trunks, and other animals greet the visitors, all over the Gardens. The garden has more than a thousand different species of plants including thirty odd varieties of eucalyptus.
Mini Garden and Rose Garden
The Rose Garden is situated about 3 to 4-km away from Charring Cross. Mini garden is also situated on the way to the boathouse where the children amusement park is housed.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
Situated at a distance of 67 Km from Ooty, the Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary is located where the Nilgiri Hills, the offshoot of the Western Ghats meet the Eastern Ghats. The Mysore - Ooty highway runs through the sanctuary, following the course of the Mayyar River, which separates Mudumalai from Bandipur.
Kotagiri
It is 31 kms. from Udhagamandalam. The climate is very salubrious which is 6503 feet above sea level. Kotagiri is shielded by the Doddabetta ranges which receive much of its rain from north west monsoon.
Coonoor
It is located in an area of 13.2 sq on the way from Coimbatore to Udhagamandalam. It is second largest hill station in the Nigiris. It stands on a lower ridge of the plateau at an altitude of 1858 mts. ( 6100 ft.) Population is 48003.
MukurthiPeak and MukurthiNationalPark
Mukurthi Peak is about 40 km from Ooty. The Mukurthi National Park is located on the South Eastern corner of the Nilgiris. The area contains a viable population of Nilgiri Thar(Hamitragus hilocrius). The silent valley is located on the western side of these ranges. Fascinating feature of the Mukurthi Sanctuary is its variety and similarities to Himalayan Flora and Fauna.
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