Introduction
Ooty which is a part of Tamil Nadu, South India is by far one of the most sought after and beautiful hill stations of the south. It is no wonder why it is popularly also called as the 'queen of hill stations'. Known to very few, Ooty was originally called Udhagamadalam and sometimes even Ootacamund. Ooty is only a short form for Ootacamund. Ooty is placed at a height of about 8000 feet above sea level and is a part of the preponderant Nilgiri mountain ranges in south India. Just like many other hill stations in India, Ooty was also founded by the British in the starting of the 19th century. The place had served as a summer stepping back for the British in the old days. The weather is mostly pleasant all year round any way it could drop to as low as aero degree Celsius in the winters. The place attracts tourists all year round and has all the time been a favourite hot spot to many. The beautiful landscapes, tea gardens, little huts and cottages surrounding the huge regions and the ever rising mist among the greens make Ooty a little paradise of the south.
Weather Station
It was the preparation of the tea gardens and estates that popularized Ooty as a preponderant holiday destination. The dense forests and huge acres and hectares of beautiful evergreen tea gardens adorn the lengths and breadths of Ooty. It is very unfortunate to know that apart from the natural attractiveness of the place, the hill towns today suffer from overcrowding, pollution, water shortage, bad roads and erosion. However, the places surrounding the town are still untouched. The virgin land has much to survey with its protected forests, remarkable landscapes and picture exquisite views from the majestic hills above.
Getting there
Ooty is accessible to tourists by plane, rail and road. Whatever the means of voyage may be, once you get there the fresh smell of the zephyr and the cool air will freshen your senses as if the length you travelled was barely Whatever at all.
By Air: The closest airport to Ooty is at Coimbatore which is almost a 3 hour drive. There are frequent fLights to Coimbatore from almost every part of the country. Air India, Jet Airways, Go air, preponderant and Air Deccan are a few airlines that can be named. You also have the selection to fly to Bangalore and drive down to Ooty which is almost a 6 hour drive. The road trip from any of these places is quite scenic as the roads that take you to Ooty are mostly straight through dense forests and good roads.
By Train: Train amount 2671, the Nilgiri Express leaves to Mettupalayam which is a little town on the foothills of the Nilgiris from Chennai. Since this is only a night journey, most of the scenic adventures are lost. However, a good nap before you reach there is all the time a good idea. From Mettupalayam one can either pick to drive to Ooty are take other diesel Powered mini train which is over 200 years old and takes a longer time to reach its destination. During peak season cab drivers and other vehicle vendors payment tourists an exorbitant price to take them to Ooty. You also have the selection to go to Coimbatore by rail and then drive down to Ooty which is again a 3 hour drive.
By Road: Though Ooty is placed in Tamil Nadu, Ooty is very close to the Karnataka and Kerala border. From Bangalore Ooty is only about 280 kilometres away and the roads are very well maintained. The Bangalore-Mysore highway that was recently built is an exquisite road and gets you to Mysore pretty fast. From Mysore one can voyage straight through Bandipur which is protected forest before reaching Ooty. The winding roads and the scenic landscapes make this an exquisite experience. If you are lucky you may spot some of the animals that live nearby this region like the spotted dear, elephants, tigers and monkeys. There are many Dhabas and restaurants on the way, so you can all the time stop on the way to grab a quick bite or relax. You also have the selection to voyage by bus or hire a cab or a mini bus that have frequent shuttles to Ooty and back. voyage by road is most adored as the roads are good, the drive beautiful and the price affordable.
Ooty - Most Visited Hill station in South India
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