A Trip From Mysore To Ooty

By Author: Rashmiranjan Patil
Total Articles: 261
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Ooty, known as the 'queen of hill stations', is one of the most popular tourist destinations in south India. Located in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, Ooty is a popular summer and weekend getaway for all who want to escape from the sweltering summer heat. Ooty was a popular destination right from the colonial days, and it is still a favourite haunt for tourists across all ages.

Located at an altitude of 2240 meters above sea level, Ooty is also famous for its mountain railway line, called the 'Nilgiri Railway', to and from Mettupalayam and is listed as a ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’ in India.

The other tourist attractions in Ooty are the Ooty lake, Botanical gardens and Doddabetta peak. You could even visit the nearby destinations like Conoor, Kotagiri and Pykara lake.

The distance from Mysore to Ooty is 127 kilometres and can take about three hours. The route from Mysore to Ooty is one of the most scenic one which takes you through two wild life sanctuaries and winding hair pin bends with large mountains looming nearby.

If travelling from Mysore to Ooty by car you have to take NH 212, ...
... also known as the Bangalore-Calicut road, pass through towns like Nanjangud, Begur and Gundlupet till the Bandipur forest check post. From here you have to follow the NH 67 through Bandipur and Mudumalai forests till you reach Theppakadu. If lucky, you may even spot animals like deer, elephants, wild boars and bears. The speed limit within both the forests is 40 kilometres per hour.

From Theppakadu, take the SH 67 and climb the 36 hair pin bends through Kalhatty to reach Ooty.

A private taxi would charge anything between Rs 12 to 25 per kilometre, and some times higher due to the precarious mountain roads, depending on the kind of vehicle you hire.

Many youngsters prefer to take their bikes instead and it can be quite an adventure driving through the forests and the winding mountain roads.

The check posts at Bandipur and Mudumalai remain close from 9 pm to 6 am. This is to avoid night time driving which had been causing a lot of accidents to the animals. While planning a trip from Mysore to Ooty it is important to take note of the check post timings.

There are no trains or flights from Mysore to Ooty.

KSRTC and several private bus operators also ply buses on this route and offer a/c, non a/c and the more comfortable Volvo buses too. The buses prefer not to climb the hair pin bends and take the Gudallur route from Theppakadu, pass Pykara village and reach Ooty.

A visit to Ooty is incomplete without savouring the home made chocolates available here.