Ooty Diaries: Chasing Cool Breezes and Pinecones in the Queen of Hill Stations

To quote in the words of Dalai Lama - "Once a year, go someplace you've never been before". 

School had finally closed for the summer, and it felt like forever since we’d gone anywhere. I’ve always thought vacations lose their charm if you keep them waiting too long, and with the heat pressing down on us day after day, we were desperate for a change of scene. Being the kind of people who love spur-of-the-moment adventures, we just decided—why not? Let’s drive to Ooty! It’s one of the prettiest hill stations in India, and no wonder everyone calls it the “Queen of Hill Stations.”

From north to south, India is blessed with nature's most beautiful creations that turn the country into a heavenly abode for travellers. One such pristine resort nestled at a height on Nilgiri Hills in South India is Ooty (Ootacamund). This hill station has splendid green downs and lofty hills of extraordinary scenic beauty and is endowed with a salubrious climate.

Located in the Western Ghats at a height of 7,500ft. Ooty, also known as Blue Mountains, nestles in an amphitheatre created by four majestic hills-Doddabetta, Snowdon, Elk Hill and Club Hill. These hills are part of the Nilgiri ranges that are really the meeting point for the Western and the Eastern Ghats.
The highest point of these is the Doddabetta Peak (8,652 ft), followed by Snowdon (8,301 ft), Club Hill (8,031 ft) and Elk Hill (8,091 ft); and they are significant elevations in this range. Snowdon, Club Hill and Elk Hill with Doddabetta, form the impressive Udhagamandalam Valley.  

Apart from tea plantations, one can traverse across lush greenery dotted with trees like conifers and pine. While visiting you will also come across many eucalyptus trenches too. The fresh smell of eucalyptus trees in a trendy and clement breeze will make you psychedelic for sure. Lakes too play an integral role in Ooty tourism. There are a couple of beautiful lakes here that are snuggled amidst the hilly slopes & dense forests. 

In Ooty one can wake up to the constant whistling and singing of birds. It puts you in your happy place, setting the perfect mood for the day. There were many little birds that we sighted in our trip, they populate almost every tree, corner, plantation, forest and meadow of these hills. Our little man and Miss J loved watching the little sparrows and the Red whiskered Bulbuls.  

When you browse online there are a lot of popular attractions in and around Ooty like Avalanche Valley, Dolphin’s Nose, Botanical Gardens, Doddabetta Peak, Rose Gardens, Kalhatti Falls, Pykara and many many more that can turn a vacation into a heavenly experience blanketed with peace, beauty and serenity.
Several tea gardens and sparkling lakes like Kamraj Sagar Lake, Bellikal Lake and Ooty Lake are some famous sightseeing in Ooty that adds to the excitement of a vacation. 
We were here during the peak season and it was pretty crowded with alot of tourists. So we ventured out to less crowded places with exceptions to a few must see places in Ooty.

And one such place is the Pykara Lake. Pykara river is the largest river here and is located about 21 kms from the city on the Ooty-Mysore road in the Nilgiri district. The area around the lake is surrounded by sholas (local name for forest) that adds to its natural beauty. 
The river falls down from two different heights towards the end. These two falls are known as Pykara falls and are located at a distance of 1.5 kms away from the lake.
There is a boat house, rest house and a restaurant that is run by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation. This lake is less crowded than the Ooty Lake.
We rented a speedboat from the boathouse and set off for a quick 10‑minute spin around the lake. It turned out to be such an amazing experience—the breeze, the splash of water, and the thrill of the ride made it unforgettable. The kids had an absolute blast and couldn’t stop laughing the whole time.

Situated on the way to Pykara is the Kamraj Sagar Dam, also known as the Sandynalla Reservoir, is the pine forest which is a favourite picnic spot & shooting location in Ooty.
This is one of the favourite haunt for nature lovers. It was fun to walk down through the slopes of the pine trees to reach the banks of the reservoir. The kids had such a great time on their little nature walk. They were thrilled to spot pine cones scattered along the path and couldn’t resist collecting them, treating each one like a tiny treasure from the forest floor.

A Nilgiri hill station must see, the Ooty Botanical Gardens should be at the top of every tourist’s list. The garden has a terraced layout covering an extensive area of 55 acres and is home to some 650 species of plants and trees. For more than 160 years, foreign and local travellers have strolled the lush green lawns of the garden, admiring the stunning variety of flowers, ferns and orchids. Dahlias, pansies, poppies, balsams, marigolds, pink lilies are some names I can remember of the beautiful flowers we saw on display. 
The cacti were my favourites in the botanical gardens, especially the Golden Ball Cactus, Nipple Cactus, Echeveria and little terrariums.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway has always been at the top of my Ooty wishlist. Every time I thought of visiting, the idea of hopping onto this charming heritage train and soaking in the ride felt like a must‑do. 
The 46 kms long railway line was first opened in 1899 by the British to connect the hilly Ooty with Mettupalayam on the plains, stopping at hill stations like Coonoor, Wellington, Lovedale and Ketty. The exciting toy train journey takes visitors through several tunnels, bridges, forests, waterfalls, tea estates and forested hills. This steam engine train runs on a narrow gauge track. It has small blue wooden bogies with large windows and crosses almost 250 bridges and 15 tunnels. 
It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 2005.

It is one of a kind experience to travel in this train amongst the greenery of Nilgiri mountains. We had an ecstatic time to tour up into the mountains in this wonderful old train. This is a must do if you love beautiful scenery. 
We took the train till Coonoor...which just takes an hour to reach. But be prepared for long wait lines for purchasing ticket as well as to board the train. 
The iconic song “Chaiyya Chaiyya” from Shahrukh Khan’s movie Dil Se was famously filmed right on the rooftop of this toy train, making it a piece of cinematic history as well as a travel delight.

Apart from places to visit, there are other things without which a trip to Ooty is incomplete.
There is a long list of cafes, restaurants, bakeries, upscale and pocket friendly eateries in Ooty. One must not leave Ooty without buying some homemade chocolates, tea, aromatic oils and spices. There are various shops in the main market of Ooty which sell these items.

You do not have to worry about accommodation either. From home stays to resorts to guest houses to hotels, Ooty is packed with many options. There are hotels in Ooty according to your budget and preference. One can even choose to stay in hotels that are in close proximity to all major tourist places. 

Ooty always boasts of a pleasant climate. Cool wind blows throughout the year and brings a charming respite amongst tourists. Its tranquil nature takes us to a different world away from the bustling cities and towns. The weather in Ooty is the most popular reason people go there. It has such a natural exuberance about it, especially the intoxicating fresh air. Every breath makes you wish you actually lived there.
As soon as you wake up, you can hear the sweet chirping of little birds, by your bedroom window. A view of the mountains with a piping hot tea early in the morning, among the clouds, would send anyone into a state of ecstasy. The peace and quiet will do you a whole load of good. 
It’s the perfect stress buster.

A trip to Ooty isn’t just a getaway, it’s a memory waiting to be made—and everyone deserves to go there at least once.