Ooty - The Nilgiri Hills or the Blue Mountains, Ooty is worth a visit during the winters in India. Places to visit include Government Rose Garden, Ooty Botanical Gardens and the lake For More Updated Video - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3fkCuOUYb1kS6eQeKkUQ Udhagamandalam, sometimes abbreviated Udhagai and better known as Ooty, is a town, a municipality, and the district capital of the Nilgiris district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located 80 km north of Coimbatore. Called the Queen of Hill Stations picturesque, green Udhagamandalam better known, as Ooty is the most popular hill station in the South.ooty Located in the Western ghats at a height of 2240m, Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiris district where the two ghats ranges meet. Nature has been generous with this region, which is by far the most beautiful in the state. Apart from coffee and tea plantations, trees like confiers, eucalptus, pine and wattle dot the hillside in Udhagamandalam and its encirons. Summer temperature is rarely higher than 25°c with a minimum of 10°c and winter is are distinctly cooler with a high of 21°c and a low 5°c. Curiously enough, this slice of paradise remained unknown to the great southern dynasties and it took the British to discover it in the early 1800s. They were, however, not the first inhabitants of this land as a tribe called Todas had been living there long before the British came, claiming that the Nilgiris had been their home since time immemorial. But the credit for modernising Udhagamandalam and making it accessible goes to the British who constructed the first railway line in the area and made it the summer capital of the Madras Presidency. Ooty with smaller hill stations of Coonoor - 19 kms and Kothagiri 31 kms from Ooty are the other hill stations of this district. Nilgiri is India's first biosphere. It has been declared as one of the 14 'hotspots' of the world because of its unique bio-diversity. Nilgiri presents a truly breath taking kaleidoscope of visual treats and soul stirring experience. Subscribe for MORE Video - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3fkCuOUYb1kS6eQeKkUQ?sub_confirmation=1 Located in the Blue Mountains of the Western Ghats, Ooty draws a large number of tourists every year. Lofty mountains, great lakes, dense forests, sprawling grasslands, miles of tea gardens and eucalyptus trees greet the visitors en route to Ooty. The hill station itself is a land of picturesque picnic spots. It used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the British during the colonial days, later it was made into a summer administrative town. It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters (7,350 feet) above sea level. Ooty may be a bit hectic for some tastes, and the town centre is an ugly mess, but it doesn't take long to get up into the quieter, greener areas where tall pines rise above what could almost be English country lanes. Ooty, 'the Queen of Hill Stations', mixes up Indian bustle and Hindu temples with lovely parks and gardens and charming Raj-era bungalows, the latter providing its most atmospheric (and most expensive) places to stay. The town was established by the British in the early 19th century as the summer headquarters of the Madras government, and memorably nicknamed ‘Snooty Ooty’. Development ploughed through a few decades ago, but somehow old Ooty survives. You just have to walk a bit further out to find it. The journey up here on the celebrated miniature train is romantic and the scenery stunning. Even the road up from the plains is impressive. From April to June (the very busy 'season') Ooty is a welcome relief from the hot plains, and in the colder months (October to March) you’ll need warm clothing, which you can buy cheap here, as overnight temperatures occasionally drop to 0°C. Subscribe for MORE Update - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTd3fkCuOUYb1kS6eQeKkUQ?sub_confirmation=1 The train and bus stations are at the west end of Ooty's racecourse, in almost the lowest part of town. To their west is the lake, while the streets of the town snake upwards all around. From the bus station it’s a 20-minute walk to Ooty’s commercial centre, Charing Cross. Like Kodaikanal, Ooty has an international school whose students can be seen around town.

• published: 26 Apr 2015
• views: 36773