Ooty City Guide

State : Tamil Nadu, India
Languages Spoken : Badaga, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, and English
Climate In Summer : 25 C (Max) - 10 C (Min)
In winter : 21 C (Max) - 5 C (Min)
Festivals : Thaipoosam, Makar Pongal, Bookkapuram Mariamman, Summer flower festival, Tea and tourism festival
Rainy Season : June - September
Average Rainfalls : 121 cm
STD Code : 0423
ISD Code : +91
Famous As : Hill Station
Time Zone : +5.30 GMTv Area : 36 sq km
Population : 87800 (2001 census)
Best time to visit : April to June and September to November

Geography & Climate
Ooty, a colloquial for Ootacamund is situated at an altitude of 2812 km above sea level in Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu and is the most famous hill station of South India. Officially known as Udhagamandalam in Tamil, it is landscaped with dense forests and boasts of the highest peak of South India viz. Doddabetta Peak, which is 2623 m above sea level. During peak season of April to June, Ooty tourism provides a welcome relief from the hot plains and it remains surprisingly cool during the colder months of October to March. Overnight temperature in Ooty may occasionally drop to 0°C.

By Air : Nearest airport to Ooty is Coimbatore, which is 100 km away. Flights depart from Chennai, Kozhikode, Bangalore and Mumbai to Coimbatore regularly.

By Train : Ooty Toy Train, accorded the World Heritage Status by UNESCO is best way to get into Ooty. This popular mountain railway of India provides breathtaking view of waterfalls, forests and tea plantations during the journey. The train departs daily for Ooty from Mettupalayam, which is 46 km away. Nilgiri Express and several other trains depart regularly from Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore, Kozhikode etc. for Ooty.

By Road : Government run and private buses connect Ooty with Theppakadu, Chennai, Kochi, Coimbatore, Mysore, Masinagudi, Kotagiri and Coonoor. Buses also run from Karnataka state to Ooty, one route is via Gudalur and other shorter one is via Masinagudi.

Ooty Places to Visit
Doddabetta Peak, Ooty Lake, Lamb‘s Rock, Thread Garden, Kodanadu’s View Poinit, Dolphin’s Nose, Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Botanical Gardens, Tribal Research Center Museum and St. Stephen’s Church are the main attractions of Ooty. Besides this, you can also enjoy horse riding, motor boating, horse racing and Madumalai day trip during your Ooty tour.

Curios to shop in Ooty
Toda shawls, handmade chocolates, tea, aromatic oils, jewelry and honey are some of the items that you may shop for in Ooty.

Delicacies to Enjoy in Ooty
Nilgiri cuisine, also locally known as varki is made with crispy dosas, spice-laden vadas and hot sambar. Chinese specialty Shinkows, masala chai and Nilgiri Tea are also very popular among the tourists.

Brief History
Toda tribe, a small pastoral community is the original inhabitants of Ooty and has been living here since centuries. East India Company got possession of Ooty City from Tipu Sulatan in 1799 by the treaty of Srirangapatnam. Ooty was the summer headquarters of then Madras Government during British rule in 19th century, and was memorably nicknamed as Snooty-Ooty by the British. The beautiful botanical paradise of Ooty was first brought to public eye in 1819 by John Sullivan, then Collector of Coimbatore district. It was part of Malabar district till 1830. Ooty City is now also known as “Queen of Hill Stations” in India.