The Mudumalai national park happens to reside on the northwestern side of the great Nilgiri hills. It has been one of the most important wildlife corridors of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The national park is flourished with many other adjoining forests and wildlife reserves like the Mukurthi National Park, Silent Valley National Park, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary and Bandipur National Park. The Mudumalai National Park is also referred to as the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. There are more than 48 tigers in the park and they are allowed to roam freely inside the park without any restriction. The National Park is not only a house to the elephants and tigers, but it is also home to countless other endangered wildlife species like amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds. As per the reports, more than 13% of the total mammal species in India is present in the Mudumalai National Park and more than 8% of birds find their home in the National Park. The National park has got a perfect balanced ecosystem. The National Park also houses various medicinal as well as rare plant species like Pongamia glabra, Mangifera indica, Dalbergia latifoli, Terminalia arjuna, Syzygium cumini and the bamboo. Visit this amazing place in your next holiday vacation and spend some time in the serene atmosphere.

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.

Also known as the Ooty Boat House, Ooty Lake is one of the major attractions of Ooty, the queen of Nilgiris. Spread over a vast area of 65 acres, this lake was first constructed by John Sullivan way back in 1824. Made with the water flowing down from the mountain streams in Ooty, the lake was initially made solely for fishing. However, gradually it became more of a tourist attraction, and when it was taken over by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation in 1973, the lake was transformed into a tourist park and more attractions were built around it. Surrounded by groves of Eucalyptus and the Nilgiri ranges in the background, the Ooty Lake is one of the most serene and peaceful tourist attractions in Ooty. If you are lucky, you can also spot some rare birds near the lake. But it is not just the beauty of the lake that makes this place so popular - the fun activities for kids and adults alike are also a major crowd puller. Boating is a popular tourist activity at Ooty Lake. One can hire paddle boats, motorboats, and rowing boats from the boathouse in Ooty Lake and take a ride across the pretty lake. Kids can enjoy a joyful ride on the mini train and take a tour of the lake and the park. The amusement park that houses a haunted house, mirror house, and other fun activities like horse riding, is also loved by tourists that visit Ooty Lake.

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

Perched in the foot of the Doddabetta peak, this sprawling botanical garden in Ooty was established in 1848. The garden as designed by an English architect, William Graham McIvor and it took him ten years to complete the layout of the garden due to various reasons like funds, rarity of horticulturists at that time, and difficulty in procuring the sapling. Under the sheer commitment of William Graham McIvor, the mind-blowing landscape of Ooty Botanical Garden as successfully laid out. Today, the garden looks spectacular with verdant lawns, flowering plants of more than 50,000 varieties, man-made ponds with lilies and lotuses, an Italian style garden, rate orchids, exotic woods and, numerous medicinal herbs and plants. The biggest attraction of the garden is the fossil tree trunk that is put on display. The trunk dates back to a whopping 20 million years ago and was presented by the Geological Survey of India, from the National Fossil Park, Thiruvakkarai. The annual flower show at Ooty Botanical Garden is the biggest summer festival of Ooty that draws about 150,000 tourists each year from all parts of the world. The magnificent collection of flowering plants attracts photographers and nature enthusiasts and the Rose Garden includes almost all the rose varieties and sis undeniably a visual treat. Toda hill or Toda mund within the park which gives the visitors an insight into the lives and culture of Todas, the native tribe of the Nilgiris. Ooty Botanical Garden has a snack shop, a souvenir shop, and another shop selling products that indigenous to Ooty like Eucalyptus oil, and spices.

Spread in an enormous 4 acres of Land the transfixing Rose Garden is a delicately instrumented estate encapsulated with bewitching landscapes, lush green tropics, a spread of varied flowers and much more. Divided into 5 terrace structures, the garden homes one of the greatest collections of Rose species including miniature rose, hybrid tea rose, ramblers, and floribunda. The site of these roses are a delight to witness and can simply be counted as once in a lifetime experience. Visitors from across the county visit the Garden and it is said to be amongst the most popular tourist spots in all of Ooty. The Rose Garden is found at an incline on the hills of Elk which adds to the shimmering beauty of the place and helps visitors with an extravagant view. The tourists, as well as localites, enjoy a number of activities here in the garden. From a relaxing picnic with the family, photography in the alluring gardens, there is a lot to do at the Garden. What entices the travelers even more towards the garden is it’s well-maintained ambiance. Clean, loiter free and serene, the garden comes off as a breathe of fresh air away from the clustered city life. All in all, if you are looking for a new place to discover this weekend or you are a tourist visiting Ooty for the first time, visiting the enthric Rose Garden has to be on your bucket list. Don’t forget to charge your camera because you will be clicking tens of candids. 

The scenic beauty of Catherine Falls is the ideal summer getaway for tourists looking for a peaceful rejuvenation in nature’s lap. The fall, all engulfed by extensive and verdant tea plantations, is a sight-to-behold. With the lullaby of soothing mountain air at the background of the Nilgiris and seated within pure, unspoiled natural bounty, the picturesque Catherine Falls is definitely worth your visit. A hidden gem though not much reckoned is the perfect place to relax and unwind.  Catherine Falls bear a resemblance to a thin stream of water plummeting from an elevation of 250 feet. What makes the fall more breathtaking is due to its magnificent pool formation at the base.  The hiking trails in the middle of the Shola forest attract adventure-seekers and trekkers throughout the year. You can climb up to the Dolphin’s Nose, a vantage point to soak in the splendid view of the double-cascaded waterfall rushing down the undulating slope.You can visit this waterfall for a day’s outing, pack a picnic basket, and take delight in some old- fashioned fun. If you have a penchant for photography, Catherine Falls has awesome scenic views to take pictures and capture some of the spectacular views. Visit Catherine falls if you want to break the humdrum of daily life, want some fresh air, and love to hear the sound of gushing water hitting the ground.

Whether you are seeking an adventurous trip with friends or a leisure tour with family, the Doddabetta peak makes for a perfect holiday spot amidst majestic hills and misty clouds. The fourth highest peak of South India next to Anamudi, Mannamalai, and Meesapulimala, Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Hills at an astonishing height of 2,637 meters or 8652 feet. Located at a distance of 10 km from Ooty, Doddabetta translates to “Big Mountain” where Dodda means Big and Betta means mountain.A haven for hikers, it is one of the most visited places in Ooty with a magnificent view of the surrounding areas as you climb to the top. You can view the entire Nilgiri mountains from this picturesque peak because of its strategic location between Eastern and the Western Ghats. With access by both foot and vehicle to the summit, the viewpoint is covered with dense flora of colorful rhododendron trees and herbs.With a spectacular trail of approximately 3 km to Doddabetta Mountain, you can trek through rugged paths and grassy slopes that are covered with ferns and alpines with their rich fragrance filling the air. The exciting trek to the breathtaking mountains offers a bird’s eye view of the surroundings, thus making it a perfect vantage point for the Nilgiri Hills. On the top of the peak, there is a Telescope House from where you can observe the skyline of Ooty and panoramic forests of Bandipur National Park.