Best Hilltop Homestays in Ooty

Mudumalai National Park and Bandipur National Park are like two sides of the same coin. Separated by the border, Bandipur Park lies in Karnataka while the neighbouring, Mudumalai lies in the Kongu Nadu region of Tamil Nadu. The area is rich with rare species that include 50 types of fish, 34 species of reptiles, 266 species of birds, and 55 types of mammals. Some of the rare wildlife you’ll find here are vultures, Bengal Tigers, Indian Leopards and golden jackals. The flora includes dense tropical forests, exotic climbers and creepers, bamboo trees, Indian rosewood and much more! If you’re a nature enthusiast, Mudumalai’s sense of serenity and extravagant beauty is sure to leave you spellbound!Location: NH 67, Gudalur NH 67, Gudalur, Devarshola, Tamil NaduBest Time to visit: The most ideal time to visit this park is from February to June.Entry fee: INR 15/ USD 0.23 per personTimings: The opening hours for visitors is from 7:00 am to 9:00 am in the morning and from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the evenings.Distance from Wayanad: The distance between the two places is approximately 90 kilometres.

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a meter-gauge railway line 1000 mm long that passes through the queenly hill station of Ooty in Tamil Nadu. The fleet of steam locomotives running on this line is aptly nicknamed ‘the Toy Train’ and is greatly popular among children. The train covers a total distance of 46 km over a span of 5 hours, meandering by the rolling hills, green meadows, and view of the forested slopes. Localities bob up from within the greens with their red-tiled roofs and the train stops every once in a while at quaint little hill stations. You will be waved through Mettupalayam, Kellar, Coonoor, Wellington, Lovedale, and Ootacamund on this ride, reaching the point of 4,363 ft at the maximum. There are a number of pitch-dark tunnels to cross through, sharp bends along the mountains, thickly forested stretches, and a wide panorama of verdant meadow highlands to enjoy from your window seat. It is not just the brilliant picturesque quality of this dream-like rail journey that makes it so special, but also the fact that the Nilgiri Mountain Railway is part of India’s heritage. The tracks were laid down by the British Indian administration in the year 1908.Also, the trains use locomotives from over 50 and 80 years back-- the specimens of the oldest x-class locomotives still in use. UNESCO declared the railway as a World Heritage Site in 2005, extending it to the greater heritage site of Mountain Railways of India.

Emerging from the Mukurthi Peak, the beautiful Pykara River transforms into gorgeous waterfalls, which ultimately forms a Pykara Lake. Guarded by a lush green cover of the Shola forests, Pykara Lake is believed to be an outcome of the dam constructed across the Mukurti River. The tranquillity of the green surroundings, a thick forest cover at the shores of the Pykara Lake and the tall pine trees in its backdrop gives rise to a pleasing atmosphere. In fact, you can say that the Pykara Lake is blessed with everything that you need to make your family outing an endearing one. Irrespective of whether you are a solo traveler or a couple in love, you probably shouldn’t miss on this tourist hotspot on your Ooty tour. If you feel like adding some adventurous flavor to your weekend celebrations, you can simply hop at the Pykara Lake Boat House. Here, you have various motorboats and speed boats to give you a perfect boating experience. As the captain is busy maneuvering your boat around, you can simply get candid moments of your fellow tour mates.  Besides boating adventure, you can also hike up to the rumbling Pykara Falls. As you proceed from the Lake to the Pykara Falls, be ready to treat yourself with the melodious bird sounds and a cool breeze of air blowing in here and there. There are paid battery car services for those who want to embrace the cascading illustration of the Pykara Falls without a hiking adventure