famous road
Nilgiri Mountain Railway
A UNESCO heritage rack railway climbing through tea plantations and eucalyptus forests from Mettupalayam to the hill station of Ooty.
11 km · about 20 min drive
AsiaIndiaTamil Nadu
Ooty
Tamil Nadu, India · Asia
About Ooty
Ooty is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Kērkandi, 11km from Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
Ooty is in Tamil Nadu, India, with about 230,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Kērkandi, about 7 km away.
Ooty is a town and seat of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located at an altitude of 2,240 m (7,350 ft), in the Nilgiri Mountains, which forms part of the Western Ghats, and is known by the epithet "Queen of hill stations".
The earliest reference to the Nilgiri Mountains is found in theRead more
Tamil Sangam literature. The region was originally occupied by several hill tribes such as Badagas, Todas, Kotas, Irulas and Kurumbas. Over the centuries, it was part of the various kingdoms that ruled over South India. It came under the rule of the East India Company in the 18th century. In the early 19th century, Ooty was developed as a sanatorium around an artificial lake. It was made a municipality in 1866, and later served as the summer capital of the Madras Presidency.
Post Indian independence, the town developed into a popular hill station and recreational area. The economy of the town is majorly based on tourism and agriculture. The town is connected to the plains by the Nilgiri ghat roads and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway. It also hosts the Ooty Radio Telescope at Muthorai, and the Defence Services Staff College of the Indian Army at nearby Wellingon.
Ooty forms part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, the largest protected forest area in India. The region is part of the South Western Ghats montane rain forests ecoregion and harbours thousands of plant species. The native vegetation consisted of meadows and grasslands on the hillsides with shola forets in the valleys. The Government Botanical Garden, laid out in 1842, has several species of indigenous and exotic plants. The region hosts several faunal species, including significant population of Bengal tiger and Indian elephant.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ooty?
Within an hour or so of Ooty: Nilgiri Mountain Railway (11 km), Bandipur National Park (29 km).
Are there any good drives near Ooty?
The nearest famous roads are Nilgiri Mountain Railway and Valparai Forty Hairpin Bends.
Where is Ooty?
Ooty is in Tamil Nadu, India, about 7 km from Kērkandi.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 233,426
- Continent
- Asia
- Country
- India
- Region
- Tamil Nadu
- Timezone
- Asia/Kolkata
- Coordinates
- 11.4134, 76.6952
Tags
Worth the detour from Ooty
2 notable places within an hour's drive.
national park
Bandipur National Park
A premier tiger reserve in the Nilgiri biosphere connecting Nagarhole, Mudumalai, and Wayanad forests in one of Asia's largest wildlife corridors.
29 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Ooty
- Right hereNilgiri Mountain RailwayA UNESCO heritage rack railway climbing through tea plantations and eucalyptus forests from Mettupalayam to the hill station of Ooty.
- 66 kmChembra PeakThe highest peak in Wayanad at 2,100 meters featuring a heart-shaped lake near its summit, accessible by a scenic trek through tea and coffee estates.
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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