Ooty – The Queen of Hill Stations

Known as the Blue Mountains, Ooty is the queen of all hill stations in India, huddled in the Nilgiris range. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Ooty is famous for its dense, heavily wooded forests, sprawling tea and coffee plantation and vast grasslands. This picture-perfect hill-station in Tamil Nadu is a huge draw among tourists who come here to relax in its cool environs, go on trekking expeditions, indulge in hand-gliding and angling activities.

To truly experience the charm of this hill station in the Nilgiri Mountains, take the little Blue Mountain train to Ooty from Mettupalayam. Once there, settle into a relaxed routine of picnics, pony rides and angling; spend a morning at the lovely Botanical Gardens, drop in at Ooty club with its Raj-era ambience. A delightful day trip is to Pykara where you can see rolling grassland and the unique conical huts of the Toda tribe.

Ooty's annual event on the calendar, the Tea and Tourism Festival draws tourists in huge numbers who come here to enjoy nature's splendour. The landscape is rich in fauna and flora. Conifers, pine and eucalyptus trees grow abundantly in this region and make the environment fresh, clean and pleasant. The funnel-shaped lavender- blue flowers bring in radiance to the sloping mountains.

Ooty is an ideal holidaying destination for honeymooners, adventure buffs and group holidays. There are many local attractions that will surely delight corporate group holidayers and families alike.

Some of the best months for visiting Ooty are May and June. During the summer, the temperature hovers between 12 and 28 degree Celsius.

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