Ooty Sight Seeing - Help Needed

Actually I'm planning to visit Ooty in the next month with my family. My plan is something like this:


Day1: As I will be traveling by KSTC bus, I will reach Ooty at about 11pm. So check in hotel and relax for the night.

Day2: Visit Botanical Gardens, Ooty Lake, The Tea Factory, Doddabetta Peak, Gymkhana Golf Club, The Pine Forest, Shooting Locations (6th Mile, 9th Mile, etc), Pine Forest. Night Relax.

Day 3: Visit Pykara, Dam View, Pykara Boating, Pykara Falls, Wenlock Downs, Kamrajsagar Dam.

AVALANCHE, KALHATTY FALLS, Glenmorgan tea estate, Katteri Falls

Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary and National Park,Elephant Safari, Jungle ride

Night Relax.

Day4: Coonoor Visit BY TRAIN: Dolphin nose, Tea gardens, Sleeping beauty, Catherine Falls, Lamb’s rock, Sims Park, Ketti Valley, Connoor Golf Links. Come back to Ooty. Checkout hotel at night and then proceed to bangalore by bus.

I admit that the plan is jumbled. Please do help me in planning (sequential order too) this tour. You can even edit this plan (I mean additions or deletions).

Thanks in advance.

Can we club PYKARA, AVALANCHE and Mudumalai and make it on a single day? Is it advisable?

Please look at this Google Map
http://g.co/maps/7jqcd

It is not advisable!

You can do Pykara and Mudumalai in a day, taking care to reach Mudumalai NP in time for the safaris if that is what you want to do. If you start early, you can see the Wenlock Downs, 9th Mile etc enroute to or from Pykara as it comes on the way.

Keep Avalanche for a separate half day or full day visit depending on what else you would like to combine it with.

You can see all the Ooty and Coonoor popular sights in one day.

Have a look at the Sticky thread 'Is Ooty really worth a visit' in this forum.

Day1:

Ooty – Doddabetta – Tea factory - Ooty Botanical garden – Rosewood forest - Movie Shooting Spots - Pine Forest – Kamrajsagar Dam – Ooty Lake and boating.

The Fernhill Palace, Gymkhana Golf Club. Missed?


Day 2:

Ooty - Mudumalai (07.00 to 09.00 Elephant ride)– Masinagudi – KALHATTY FALLS - Ooty (Kalhatty route)

Ooty - Wenlock Downs - Pykara cascades and falls, Pykara lake (boating) - Frog Hill - Glenmorgan View Point - Ooty (12.00 to 17.00hrs) (Gudalur route)


Day 3:

(09.15 hrs-10.30 train) Coonoor – Lamb’s Rock – Catherine Falls - Lady Canning’s Seat – Connoor Golf Links - Sims Park - Dolphin's Nose (16.30 train back to ooty)



DAY4:

Ooty – Emerald – Avalanche – Emerald – Ooty (10.00 to 14.00 hrs)


Is this feasible? If any modifications please help me out.

Yes it is okay, however could be tiring. You could also consider the suggestions below and use the free time late evening or afternoons to relax and stroll around. I am assuming you will hire a cab for the trips.

Day 1
Dodabetta - [Tea factory] - Botanic Garden - Ooty Lake [dont go boating here] - Sandynallah [Kamaraj lake] & Pine forest [there is a steep walk through this forest to the shores of the Sandy nallah!] - Shooting points & Wenlock Downs - Pykara Falls [check if there is enough water otherwise you need not walk the 2 km to the cascades] - Pykara Lake [go boating here] - Naduvattam [Frog point]

See the map
http://g.co/maps/xx42a

Another day or half day:
Emeralde lake and Avalanche [you need permission to go beyond the forest check point at Avalanche]
You can go to Suruki Palayam near Emeralde to enjoy the lake shore and stunning views. Ask locals for directions at Emeralde village.
http://g.co/maps/cx2ww
If you want to really see Emeralde, Avalanche and U. Bhavani, you can contact Sagadevan taxi jeep driver who is a local from Emeralde and can show you some off the beaten path places in otherwise restricted areas. +91 94438 60913

Another day or half day:
Mudumalai
http://g.co/maps/5hses

Another day or half day:
Coonoor by train both ways or one way by very frequent public bus [45min]

Surely, I will consider all your suggestions:

Day1:

Dodabetta - [Tea factory] - Botanic Garden - Ooty Lake [dont go boating here] - Sandynallah [Kamaraj lake] & Pine forest [there is a steep walk through this forest to the shores of the Sandy nallah!] - Shooting points & Wenlock Downs - Pykara Falls [check if there is enough water otherwise you need not walk the 2 km to the cascades] - Pykara Lake [go boating here] - Naduvattam [Frog point] RELAX


Day2:

Part1: Emerald - Suruki Palayam - Avalanche - Parsons Valley - Porthimund - Kundah Power House (07.00 to 12.00 hrs) LUNCH

Part2: Mudumalai (15.00 to 17.00 Elephant ride)– Masinagudi – KALHATTY FALLS RELAX


Day3:

(09.15 hrs-10.30 train) Coonoor – Lamb’s Rock – Catherine Falls - Lady Canning’s Seat – Connoor Golf Links - Sims Park - Dolphin's Nose (16.30 train back to ooty) Both ways by train as I've already reserved the tickest. RELAX


Board KSTC VOLVO @ night.




Will this be feasible? Mainly concerned with Day 2 plan.

Hey! snonymous! Do you want me to spend another day at Ooty to enjoy the nature in a relaxed manner. By the way, could you please list out approximate cost of hiring the cab so as to prevent unnecessary bargaining.

Thanks in advance!

Actually, I don't want to make it in HURRY. Moreover, as i do have a 5 yr son (who tells me - dad we will stay here for some more time), so i should make the trip in a relaxed manner.

Therefore, I'm more concerned with it. 4 days stay would not be a problem. Should I split the day 2 into 2 more days? Help me accordingly. Thank you.

Mod: I'm sorry if I'd made any commercial things in my previous post.

I doubt it will be feasible, better to split it into two separate trips.

It would be Avalanche - Suruki Palayam [that is the bridge which divides the contiguous water body into Avalanche and Emerald lakes respectively]. From Suruki Palayam, to go to PH6 , Porthimund and PV, you need permission [Saga can manage this] and also the road is atrocious on that route so even though distance is not much, dont make any fixed time schedules.

This is entirely up to your negotiation skills and Im sorry I never comment on prices, though as you may expect in hill stations, taxis usually cost more than in urban cities, and if it is peak season it will be even more. From April onward is peak season in the Nilgiris. I found Matheen Taxis/Tours/Travels opposite the Ooty station to be quite reasonable but they will not be able to take you to restricted areas which Sagadevan can. So make some calls and bargain well.

Good luck, have a lovely trip and do please post your feedback.

Day1:

Dodabetta - [Tea factory] - Botanic Garden - Ooty Lake [dont go boating here] - Sandynallah [Kamaraj lake] & Pine forest [there is a steep walk through this forest to the shores of the Sandy nallah!] - Shooting points & Wenlock Downs - Pykara Falls [check if there is enough water otherwise you need not walk the 2 km to the cascades] - Pykara Lake [go boating here] - Naduvattam [Frog point] RELAX

Day2:

(09.15 hrs-10.30 train) Coonoor – Lamb’s Rock – Catherine Falls - Lady Canning’s Seat – Connoor Golf Links - Sims Park - Dolphin's Nose (16.30 train back to ooty) Both ways by train as I've already reserved the tickest. RELAX


Part3: Mudumalai (15.00 to 17.00 Elephant ride)– Masinagudi – KALHATTY FALLS RELAX

(If possible can I make it in the morning session?


Day4:

Avalanche - Suruki Palayam - PH6 , Porthimund - Parsons Valley


Will this be advisable?

After a few hours of research, I compiled a BIG list of sight seeing places and prepared this itinerary.

DAY1:

Dodabetta - [Tea factory] - Botanic Garden - Ooty Lake [No Boating Here] - Sandynallah [Kamaraj Sagar Dam Lake] & Pine forest [there is a steep walk through this forest to the shores of the Sandynallah Reservoir!] - Shooting points & Wenlock Downs (6th Mile, 9th Mile, etc) – Pine Forest - Pykara Falls [check if there is enough water otherwise you need not walk the 2 km to the cascades] - Pykara Lake [Boating Here] – Glenmorgan - Naduvattam [Frog view point] RELAX


DAY2:

(09.15 hrs-10.30 train) Coonoor – Lamb’s Rock – Catherine Falls - Lady Canning’s Seat – Connoor Golf Links - Sims Park - Dolphin's Nose (16.30 train back to ooty) RELAX


DAY3:

KALHATTY FALLS – Masinagudi - Mudumalai (15.00 to 17.00 Elephant ride) - OOTY RELAX


DAY4:

Fern Hill Palace - M.Palada (Tribal Museum) - Emerald Dam - Suruki Palayam – Avalanche Lake - Avalanche Dam - Parsons Valley - Porthimund Lake - Kundah Power House – Upper Bawani - Western Catchments I & II Regions - Ooty Night 2 Bangalore


I doubt the DAY1 looks to be very lengthy and tiring. Is that OK or should I remove Pykara visit from there and add it in the day 3 while going to Mudumalai?

Again on the day 4, should I avoid Upper Bawani and Western Catchments I & II Regions too as they seem to be very far from Avalanche and Parsons Valley?

Another query, I came through some Rich Tours India (Ooty local travels), where they have listed tariff too on their website listing package details involving Ooty, CONNOOR, PYKKARA, MUDUMALAI, Ooty&CONNOR, PYKKARA & MUDUMALAI. How are their services? Any feedback would also be appreciated.

hay friend..just a little bit of suggestion.Do try to arrange rented bikes, on ur trip to Coonoor for a Day.. Bikes are available in Ooty town for 400 rs per day..trust me..A ride to coonor city and visit to places near coonor on bike is an awesome feel that you cannot get from any other mod of transport. I have done this 5 times and it is still wonderfull

It depends what you are doing at Avalanche. I really wouldn't go to Destiny, it isn't a nice place and it is really playing havoc with the otherwise beautiful wilderness. I've been there lots of times. You can walk to the reservoir and dam very easily in about 1.5 hours from the main Destiny carpark, rather longer from the village. It's a great place to go for walks and a swim if you like.

The botanical gardens are really nice at the moment, and will get nicer now the monsoon has arrived (had the first big storm last night!). Most tourists don't explore them much but they are worth spending a bit of time in (I live in the botanical gardens).

What would you like to do at Glenmorgan? There are some nice walks around there but they aren't easy organise unless you know where you are going. From Pykara you can walk along the main road towards the tea estate there.

I think your timings are ambitious. Mudumalai is best visited very early in the morning when there are less tourists if you want to see the wildlife. You could visit Pykara on the way back, though, and go to Glenmorgan from there and do the elephant ride in the morning (recommended!).

Otherwise, looks like a packed but good itinary! You'll be tired but it'll be worth it!

IMers, I've almost decided to visit Ooty-Coonoor next month. It's my second stint in 6 months and the plan is to prioritize off the beaten track. I was told by a friend of mine that entry to Avalanche is restricted these days. Is that true? Any first hand information would be highly appreciated.

Yes, the major part of Avalanche is restricted now.
I've tried hard for the permission but didn't succeed.
Anyway, you can try the unrestricted zones.
As no cabwala is willing to enter into that zone so you can't have any flexibility except to accept their demand.

That's sad

I know a cabby and he too told it's tough to get there