Stand at the zero stone at the foot of the central pillar of the twin metal arched gateways outside St. Stephen's Church and you are standing at the point from which every distance in Ooty is measured. The town spreads below you, its lake on one side and its gardens on the other, and the blue-tinged slopes that gave the Nilgiris their name rise behind it.
Ooty suits travellers who are happy to move slowly through cool air, mixing gardens, colonial-era buildings and viewpoints with walks and a ride on a mountain railway. It rewards those who plan around the weather, since both the south-west and north-east monsoons bring heavy rain, and around the fact that the most popular spots draw crowds.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, with practical notes on timing and tickets, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Ooty
1. Doddabetta Peak
Doddabetta, literally the big mountain, stands at 2,623 m and is the highest peak in the Nilgiris. On a clear day the view extends to the plains of Coimbatore and the flat highlands of Mysore, and boards around the site highlight what you are looking at. A tower-like structure known as the telescope house gives an elevated circular view of the surroundings.
Go early in the day for the clearest views, and note that the area is a wildlife zone: the peak can only be reached by car or auto, as trekking is prohibited. The site has eateries and makeshift shops. Tickets are ₹6, free for children below five, with ₹10 for a still camera and ₹50 for a video camera.
2. Ooty Botanical Gardens
The Government Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1847 and are maintained by the Horticulture department of the state. They hold well over 650 species of plants and trees, including a fossil of a tree believed to be more than 20 million years old, and are a good place to walk among rare ferns and shrubs.
If you are in Ooty in May, the annual summer festival is held here, with flower shows and cultural programmes. Tickets are ₹100 for adults, ₹50 for children aged 5 to 10, ₹50 for a still camera and ₹100 for a video camera.
3. Ooty Rose gardens
The Rose gardens cover a large area across several landscaped terraces, with a paved pathway winding through and decorative fountains along the way. They hold 27,000 rose plants of 400 varieties, and a shop sells rose seeds. The garden also offers a good view of the town.
The roses bloom from late April to early June, so a visit outside that window is less rewarding. Tickets are ₹75 for adults, ₹40 for children, ₹50 for a still camera and ₹100 for a video camera.
4. Boat House
The Boat House offers paddle and speed boat rides on the lake, along with rides such as a pirate ship, flying saucer and toy train, plus activities including haunted houses. Several eateries serve a wide range of food, making it an easy place to spend time with family and children.
Entry is ₹20, and rides and other activities are ticketed separately.
5. Nilgiri Mountain Railway
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway runs in blue and cream with wooden coaches and large windows, and is widely regarded as a marvel of engineering. Travelling on it is one of the defining Ooty experiences, and it also connects the town to the plains.
Combine the journey with a look at the countryside rather than treating it purely as transport.
6. St. Stephen's Church
St. Stephen's Church sits atop a hilltop and is the oldest church in Ooty and one of the oldest in the Nilgiri district. Its foundation stone was laid on 23 April 1829 to coincide with the birthday of King George IV, and it opened on Easter Sunday, 3 April 1831. The interiors have stained glass on the altar and side walls, and the walls carry several memorial plaques.
The entrance is through a porch on the southern side, and the compound behind the church holds a graveyard with several old graves. Enter through the twin metal arched gateways from the south; at the foot of the central pillar stands the zero stone and mile stone of Ooty, from which the town's distances are measured.
7. Government Museum (Stone House or Connemara Cottage or Kal Bungalow)
The museum is housed in the bungalow of John Sullivan, the then collector of Coimbatore, built in 1823 as the first stone house of Ooty. It came up in 1989 to conserve and promote the cultural legacy of the Nilgiri district, and its galleries cover the flora and fauna and the tribal communities of the Nilgiris, as well as archaeology and numismatics.
It is on the Ooty-Mysore Road and is open from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm, closed on Fridays, the second Saturday and national holidays. Tickets are ₹10 for adults, ₹5 for children, ₹100 for foreigners and ₹75 for foreign children, with ₹100 for a still camera and ₹200 for a video camera.
8. Sacred Heart Cathedral
The twin-towered cathedral dominates the skyline of Ooty and dates back to 1897. Since 1955 it has served as the cathedral for the Catholics of Ooty. During repairs in 1987 a large section of the roof collapsed, leading to major renovation, and the new church opened to the public on 7 July 1989.
A long flight of stairs leads up to the cathedral, and the interiors are laid with large painted glass windows and several statues, including the 14 stations of the cross.
9. Toda Temple
The Toda temple is approachable through the Botanical Garden and belongs to the Todas, the original inhabitants of the Ooty region and one of the tribes of the Nilgiris. It consists of an inverted U-shaped structure made of bamboo, standing at the centre of a circular enclosure below ground level, with a small low gateway that you would have to crawl through to reach the interior. Outsiders are not allowed inside the temple.
The entrance is marked with motifs representing the sun, moon, stars and buffaloes, and buffaloes are an integral part of Toda culture, so a group can often be seen roaming near the complex. The Toda dress is a shawl with bright red and black stripes, and several festivities are held at the temple complex; ask the locals for the festivity details.
10. Fern Hills Palace
This palace-turned-hotel of the Mysore Maharaja is open to guests, and the palace and its estate are worth seeing in their own right. Tea and snacks are quite affordable, while the buffet dinner is slightly more expensive.
Locals often call it Mysore Palace to avoid confusion with the Fern Hill Hotel, so use that name if you are asking for directions.
11. Adam's Fountain (Charring cross)
Adam's Fountain was built in 1886 in honour of the Governor of Ooty, with the cost of construction raised through public funding. The ornate fountain is now an important landmark of the hill station and sits at Charring cross.
It is a quick stop rather than a long visit, and works well as a marker while you are walking through town.
12. Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church stands opposite St. Stephen's Church. It initially served as a school on weekdays and a church on Sundays for the local Christians, and in 1858 it began functioning as a full-fledged church. The present structure has gone through several renovations, and the interior is free of ornamentation.
Its position opposite St. Stephen's Church makes the two easy to visit together.
13. Wax World (Wax Museum)
Wax World is a privately funded museum rather than a government-supported one, so it does not carry the production values of larger wax museums elsewhere. It is still worth a look while sightseeing, and the very old house in which the museum is set up is the more interesting part of the visit. Candles are available.
The museum suffers from a lack of funds for expansion and relies on visitor support, so it asks tourists to visit and help financially.
14. Echo Rock
Echo Rock is sometimes called Lamb's Rock, as it naturally took the shape of a lamb. Reaching it means going through a very small forest before you come to the rock.
Treat it as a short detour rather than a destination in itself.
15. Annamalai Temple
Annamalai Temple, about 20 km from Ooty, has grown into a well-known temple of Lord Muruga and is known as the 7th Hill house of the lord. The view from the temple is good, and there is an observatory at the top of the hill for the public to enjoy a panoramic view.
Allow time for the climb to the top if you want the observatory view.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Doddabetta Peak, which opens at 8am and gives the clearest views early, then continue to the Ooty Botanical Gardens, open from 7:00 am to 6:30 pm, and walk through to the Toda Temple, which is approached through the gardens.
Afternoon: Visit the Government Museum in the Stone House, open 10:30 am to 6:30 pm and closed on Fridays, the second Saturday and national holidays. Then take in St. Stephen's Church and Holy Trinity Church opposite it, pausing at the zero stone at the church gateway, before walking to Adam's Fountain at Charring cross.
Evening: Finish at the Ooty Rose gardens, open until 6:30 pm, for the terraces and the view over the town, then head to the Boat House for a boat ride on the lake and dinner at one of its eateries.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the roses in Ooty?
The roses at the Ooty Rose gardens bloom from late April to early June, so visiting outside that period is not very interesting. If you are in Ooty in May, you can also attend the summer festival at the Botanical Gardens, which includes flower shows and cultural programmes.
Can I trek to Doddabetta Peak?
No. The area is a wildlife zone and the peak can only be reached by car or auto, as trekking is prohibited. The site is open from 8am to 5pm.
Which days is the Government Museum closed?
The Government Museum is closed on Fridays, the second Saturday and national holidays. On other days it is open from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm.
Can I go inside the Toda Temple?
Outsiders are not allowed inside the temple. You can approach it through the Botanical Garden and see the inverted U-shaped bamboo structure at the centre of its circular enclosure, along with the motifs at the entrance, but the interior is closed to visitors.
Decide which of these you want most, check the timings and tickets above, and start planning your days in Ooty around them.