An Awesome Place To Be! Exploring Sensational Ooty Hill Station

Tamil Nadu has the mighty Nilgiri mountain ranges where Ooty stands, the “othkal-mund” house in the mountains. Be it extensive tea plantations or breathtaking viewpoints, this place is truly a heaven on earth for nature lovers. Located 89 km from Coimbatore, the Ooty Hill Station stands 2240m above sea level.

Journey from Bangalore to Ooty(280 Kms)

Day 1

We travelled by road in a self-driven car, starting at 8 AM from Bangalore and stopped at a highway eatery, Shivalli restaurant. They have an unforgettable South Indian breakfast. The “Bisibele Bath” here is a must-have dish. We took the Bangalore→Mysore→ Masinagudi→ Ooty route, the most commonly followed one. The way has hairpin bends, which requires one to have proper driving skills.

The highlight of this route was the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. 

The drive amidst the lush green dense forest is what you are looking for on the vacation. We spotted deer, monkeys, elephants and peacocks in the reserve, though we were hoping very much to see a Tiger 🙁. The sign boards clearly state not to stop the car, feed animals or get down for a selfie or picnic. The animal crossing areas are also marked.

We reached Ooty around 2:30 pm and checked in at “Treebo Trend Skydale Inn and Suites”. The resort is in the city’s heart, just 2 km from the Lake. The room was pretty decent, with a mountain view. We had Lunch at the famous A2B Restaurant in the city’s heart. We spent the evening exploring the Botanical Garden and the Rose Garden and decided to rest for the day.

Day 2

We had breakfast at the Hotel, which was complimentary with our stay and decided to visit the famous “Doddabetta Peak”. My partner was checking with the owner on how to reach the peak when we learned that the route was closed three days ago due to roadside construction. So we first decided to visit the tea and chocolate factories, one of Ooty’s main attractions. 

The Pride Of Ooty Hill Station: Tea And Chocolate Factories

There are two Tea Factories. I recommend visiting the older one as it has a zone for adventure activities and is just a few metres away from the new one. The entry ticket is just 10Rs. 

It was fascinating to read about the history of tea’s origin and watch the process of making tea from scratch. Ultimately, you get to taste the elaichi tea, which makes you feel homesick. Then next you get to visit the chocolate factory and what amazes you the most is the organising and handling of the whole business by all the Ladies Staff. You can purchase different kinds of teas and chocolates at decent rates produced in the factory. 

Adventure Sports

 After this, we went to the adventure zone. They had combo offers, but we decided to do just a few zipline activities. Tickets cost us a total of 1000 Rs. It was such a fun experience and undoubtedly a memory for a lifetime. 

The next stop was the famous Ooty Lake. You must pay around 30 Rs for an entry ticket to the boat house. We opted for a two-person pedal boat ride and bought tickets for about 600 Rs. You can claim a refund of 300 Rs if you return from boating within 30 mins. 

Be a kid again and enjoy leisure time during boating, which will remind you of your old school days.

Sightseeing Near Ooty: Coonoor Viewpoints

After finishing lunch here, we decided to explore the viewpoints in Coonoor. This whole place, which is engulfed in the luscious green tea plantations, is just 21 km away from Ooty.

Dolphin’s Nose View Point

We first started for the Dolphin’s Nose. Trust me, you will have the time of your life witnessing this route filled with lavish shades of emerald green. It took us around an hour to reach the destination.

After reaching, as usual, you must pay a minimum amount for an entry ticket.

The whole viewpoint was covered with a deep white mist when we reached it. Unable to view anything, we decided to wait for a while. Luckily for us, the view cleared in 10 minutes. The mountain at the nose holds “Catherine Falls”, seen with the naked eye. You feel tiny when you have majestic, mighty mountains standing before you. After enjoying the view, we moved to our next destination “Lamb’s Rock”.

The Lamb’s Rock

This comes on the way to Dolphin’s nose. It was already close to 5 p.m. when we reached Lamb’s Rock. This viewpoint closes at 5:30 p.m. To reach this viewpoint, trek for around 1 km(10 mins) through dense forest. We witnessed a breathtaking panoramic view of tea plantations, lush greenery with gigantic clouds on the top and plains of Coimbatore at the bottom, all under one roof. Oh!! What a treat for the eyes it was!!

Some experiences are hard to describe, and visiting Lamb’s Rock was one of them.

By the time we started trekking down, it started raining heavily. Luckily, an old lady offered us an umbrella to get the car from the parking zone. She advised us not to wait for the rain to stop and go back as it was a Jungle area and almost the time for wild animals to come out. The return drive was scary as it was raining heavily. The route was full of hairpin bends. The thick, dense trees covered the path, making the visibility low. We drove with utmost caution and reached back to Ooty around 7 PM.

What an adventurous day!!!!!

Day 3

We were ready to check out from the resort after making a handful of memories in Ooty. We decided to take the Ooty→Pykara→Gudalur→Madhumalai→Mysore→Bangalore route.
The intention to take this route was to cover two more tourist spots in Pykara on the way.
We started around 9:30 AM and headed towards the cascade of natural streams of water-“Pykara Falls”.

Glimpse Of Heaven: Pykara Falls

Visiting these famous falls, located around 23 Km from Ooty, is the perfect way to start your day. Once you reach the entrance, park your vehicle and walk around 1 Km.

You need to climb staircases to reach the exact spot.

This is a must-visit place to enjoy nature to the fullest. The breathtaking view of the dancing falls, and the sound of water against the steep rocks amidst the pine trees will leave you in awe. We spent half an hour here and headed towards our last destination, “Needle Rock View Point”.

Needle Rock View Point

This viewpoint falls on the way and is around 20 Km from the falls. By this time, one might feel exhausted from all the trekking at the falls. 

The entrance is just beside the main road. After walking for a few minutes, one can feel the wind gusting through the deep forest. The clouds and the peaks are in harmony, and if they separate, you can view dotted towns and villages in the vast emerald greenery.

The cool breeze on your face is the perfect way for nature to bid you goodbye.

Final thoughts

The whole trip was a fantastic experience. This itinerary is highly recommended if you have three days in your hand. Just take care of the below-mentioned points.

• Make sure to carry your umbrella as it can rain anytime.
• Wear proper sports shoes as you must trek before reaching the viewpoints.
• It is better to check with a local or at your hotel reception before you start for a viewpoint. Sometimes, roads tend to get closed because of construction.
• Since the route has many hairpin bends, the person driving should have prior experience operating in hills.
• You will find paid washroom facilities at all the viewpoints.
• Ensure you do not get down or stop your car for selfies or picnics once you enter the Bandipur reserve.
• The temperature might be slightly cold, so wear warm clothing if needed.

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