Diving into the Lush Green Mountains of South India

At a distance of 1 km from Ooty Bus Station & Railway Station, Ooty Lake is an artificial lake situated in the beautiful hill station of Ooty. It is one of the top attractions you must include in Ooty packages. Ooty Lake was built by John Sullivan in 1824 AD, the then Collector of Coimbatore. Covers an area of 65 acres with an average depth of 40 feet, the lake is fed by the mountain streams in the Ooty valley. The lake was originally intended to be used for fishing with ferries being used to travel across the lake. It gradually shrunk from its original size giving place to the current bus stand racecourse, and the lake park. It is one of the most visited tourist places in Ooty. The lake is surrounded by groves of Eucalyptus trees with a railway line running along one shore. Situated amidst beautiful valleys, Ooty Lake is a major landmark in the town and is the prime attraction in Ooty. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation on behalf of the Tourism Department took possession of the lake in 1973, for providing boating facilities as a tourist attraction. The lake also has a boathouse attached to it which makes boating one of the most popular things to do in Ooty. The Ooty Boat House offers various boating facilities include rowboats, pedal boats, motorboats, etc. In the month of May, boat races and other entertaining events are organized for two days as a part of the Summer Festival in Ooty. There is a Mini Garden with an amusement park for children with a toy train next to the Lake. There is a large parking area with several shops selling woolen clothes and toys. There is a flower garden near the exit that also sells a variety of flowers and seeds. Boat Club Timings: 8 AM to 5.30 PM. Entry Fee: Rs. 10 for Person, Rs. 560 for Foreigners, Rs. 30 for Camera, and Rs. 125 for Video Boating (30 Mins): Rs. 160 for 2 seater Pedal Boat, Rs. 200 for 4 seater Pedal Boat, Rs. 180 for 2 seater Row Boat, Rs. 450 for 8 seater Motor Boat

At a distance of 3 km from Ooty Bus Station & Railway Station and 4 km from Ooty Lake, Ooty Botanical Gardens is a beautiful garden situated on the foothills of Dodabetta Peak in Ooty. Maintained by Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department, Ooty Botanical Gardens is one of the top places to visit in Ooty and also one of the best botanical gardens in India. The Botanical Gardens in Udhagamandalam was laid out in 1847 AD. It was designed by the architect William Graham McIvor under the supervision of George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, the then Governor of Madras. The original purpose of the Botanical Gardens was to promote and study the various flora in and around Nilgiris. Now, it is open to the public as a park that can be enjoyed by visitors as part of Ooty Packages. The garden spreads over an area of 22 hectares with more than 650 species of flowers and trees. The garden has a terraced layout and is divided into several sections, namely Lower Garden, New Garden, Italian Garden, the Conservatory, and the Nursery. It houses a thousand species of plants, shrubs, ferns, herbal, bonsai plants, and trees. The Botanical Garden is home to several rare species of trees such as the cork tree, the monkey puzzle tree, and the paper bark tree. The cork tree is probably one of its kind in India. The highlight of the garden is a fossil tree that is believed to be 20 million years old. Another attraction here is the Toda tribe settlement towards the top of the garden, which gives the visitors an insight into the lives and culture of Todas. The Botanical Garden is also a heaven for bird watchers where a variety of birds, both seasonal and year-round residents, can be sighted. Every year in the month of May, a flower show is conducted at the Ooty Botanical Gardens for two days. Indian and Japanese flower arrangements, vegetable carving, flower rangoli, Bonsai, and floral decorations are the major attractions at the festival. Ideally, the month of May is the best time to visit the Botanical Garden, as there are several exhibitions and other programs organized, which draws many tourists to the venue. Timings: 8 AM to 6.30 PM Entry Fee: Rs.30 for Adults, Rs. 15 for Children, Rs. 50 for Camera & Rs. 100 for Video

At a distance of 9 km from Ooty, Doddabetta is a mountain peak situated on the Ooty - Kotagiri Road in the Nilgiris district of Tamilnadu. Literally means Big Mountain, Doddabetta is the highest point in Nilgiri Mountains and also one of the popular places to visit in Ooty. It is among prime place to visit on a Ooty trip. Situated at an altitude of 2623 m, Doddabetta is regarded as one of the highest peaks in South India, which lies at the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats. The area surrounding Doddabetta is mostly forested. Sholas cover the hollows of its slopes. Tall rhododendron trees, flowering sub-alpine shrubs and herbs are common, even very near the peak. One can have a magnificent panoramic view of the landscape, beautiful valley, plains of Coimbatore and the flat highlands of Mysore from the peak. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation manages a Telescope House in the Doddabetta Peak which enables the visitors to get a better view. This TTDC Telescope House gives a complete view of the surrounding landscape. There is also a TTDC restaurant, which caters to the taste of the visitors. The area around the peak is a reserved forest and is home to many endangered species of flora and fauna. Tourists can also indulge in trekking at the Doddabetta Peak. There is road access to the summit. There are frequent bus services to Doddabetta Peak from Ooty. Timings: 7 AM to 6 PM Entry Fee: Rs. 10 for Person