Best Season to Visit ooty, ooty Travel Information, how to reach ooty

Called the 'Queen of Hill Stations' picturesque, green Udhagamandalam better known as Ooty is the most popular hill station in the South. Located in the Western ghats at a height of 2240m, Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiris district where the two ghats meet. Nature has been generous with this region which is by far the most beautiful in the state.

Blue skies and mountains, coffee and tea gardens, blossoming flowers in forests of sandalwoods, occasional footprints of elephants, the silence broken only by the leaves rustling in the fragrant winds blowing through the mystique Nilgiris. The natural beauty of forests and falls, enveloped in fluffy clouds for eternity, has made the Nilgiris the destinations of touring visitors from all over the World.

Amidst this ethereal beauty lies Ooty, the jewel in the crown.

Area	36 sq. km.
Language	Tamil, Malayalam, Kannadam and English.
Altitude	2240 m
Temperature	Summer : Max 25ºC, Min 10ºC. Winter : Max 21ºC, Min 5ºC.
Rainfall	121 cm

Settlement in Udhagamandalam began in 1822 with the construction of the Stone House by John Sullivan, the Collector of Coimbatore. The British Collector John Sullivan discovered this place and had developed it to a summer resort for the people of South India. This place was being ruled by Vishnu Vardhana, the Hoysala king, from AD 1104 to 1141. The local tribe called Todas were one of the earliest inhabitants of Ooty. This hilly region came under the rule of the British East India Company when they signed a treaty with Tipu Sultan at Srirangapatnam in the year 1799. A government house was built and a typical British lifestyle developed with the setting up of cottages and clubs, with facilities for tennis, golf, and horse riding.

Air : The nearest airport is at Coimbatore which is connected to Bangalore, Madras, Cochin and Trivandrum by Indian Airlines.

Road : There is a regular bus service from Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore, Calicut and Cochin.

Rail : The Nilgiri Express leaves Madras at night, reaching Coimbatore in the morning, and continues to the small town of Mettupalyam, at the foots of the mountains. From Mettupalyam, it connects to the Nilgiri Passenger which takes you to Ooty.

Ooty enjoys a pleasant climate throughout the year. The ideal time to visit Ooty is from February to May and September to November. Cotton clothing is appropriate for the summer months whereas woolens are required for the winters.