OOTY
Getting there ....
By plane
The Coimbatore airport is the closest to the hills at about 3 hours by road. There are flights into Coimbatore from most parts of India. The Mysore airport is about 5 hours away from Ooty by road, and lies to the North of Ooty. The road trip is quite scenic from either airport.
By train
Ooty is connected to Chennai (formally Madras) by a nightly train. The
Nilgiri Express leaves from Chennai at night, and reaches Mettupalayam,
a small town at the foothills of the Blue Mountains early the next morning.
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an experience
that is more than just a mode of transport as the journey through the
scenic valley and hills make it breathtaking. A through ticket from Madras
to Ooty will ensure a place on the smaller train, although many prefer
the faster route of taking a cab or a bus from Mettupalayam. There are
other trains from Chennai to Coimbatore.
By road
The Nilgiris (the collective hill range, also called the Blue Mountains), is in the state of Tamil Nadu, but it is quite near the borders of neighboring states Karnataka and Kerala. The hills consequently can be reached from within Tamil Nadu by travelling up a heavily forested winding road (also called a ghat road), with many sharp hair-pin beds. The road trip from any state is quite scenic, although the Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Coonoor-Ooty road (i.e. the Tamil Nadu route) is the most travelled and well maintained. The road from Mysore is arguably the most scenic with a long stretch that runs through the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, and if travelling in the early mornings or late evenings, you definitely will spot wildlife feeding along the road, even spot the odd carnivore. There are majestic stands of Eucalyptus amidst well tended tea estates as you near Gudalur, and then you drive past the Pykara Dam and waterfalls. All roads to the Nilgiri hills are toll roads, although the tolls are quite nominal.
There are buses and shared taxi vans that can be boarded from most parts of India to Ooty. The journey can be continued from Coimbatore by road, a 4 hour journey.
| Ooty | Coonoor | Kotagiri | Gudalur |
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