Ooty
Ooty or Udhagamandalam, the capital of Nilgiri district, is popularly known as the "Queen of hills" among the tourist attractions. It is situated at a distance of 105 km away from Coimbatore. Ooty is a lovely place with lofty mountains, dense forest, sprawling grasslands and miles of tea gardens. It is located at an altitude of 2,240 m above sea level. Ooty is a land of picturesque picnic spots. Ooty also has the Toy Train, which commences from Kallar, near Mettupalayam and wends its way through many hair raising curves and fearful tunnels and chugs along beside deep ravines full of verdant vegetation, gurgling streams and tea gardens. Ooty attracts a substantial number of travelers round the year. Dense jungles, huge picturesque lakes, towering mountains, lush green landscapes, and rambling tea gardens welcome the travelers on the way to Ooty. The place is a traveler's paradise and is a perfect destination for picnics. The town is linked to important places and cities in the country via railways and roadways.
Toy Train
Botanical Gardens
Deer Park
Thread Gardens
Toy Train or The Nilgiri Mountain Railway in Tamil Nadu, was built by the British in 1908, and was initially operated by the Madras Railways. The railway still relies on its fleet of steam locomotives. Nilgiri Mountain Railways comes under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Salem Division. In July 2005, UNESCO added the Nilgiri Mountain Railway as an extension to the World Heritage Site of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the site then became known as "Mountain Railways of India."
The Botanical Garden was established in 1848. It was designed by William Graham McIvor. The Gardens have around a thousand species, both exotic and indigenous, of plants, shrubs, ferns, trees, and herbal and bonsai plants. In the center of the Gardens lie a fossilized tree trunk estimated to be 20 million years old. It ascends the slopes of the hill at an elevation of 2250–2500 meters, above Mean Sea Level. The garden enjoys a temperate climate, with an average rainfall of 140 Centimeters. the most of which is received during south-west monsoon, with frosty nights from November to February. The maximum and minimum temperatures are 28 °C and 0 °C respectively.
The Deer Park houses the Sambar Deer species including other wildlife such as several Hares, Rabbits and water birds besides the Chital. This Deer Park in Ooty is situated at a distance of just a kilometer from Scenic Ooty Lake and is a frequented by thousands of tourists throughout the year. The Deer Park is well recognized as one of the few wildlife sanctuaries in India situated at an elevation of 2,240 meters above Sea level. Sprawled across a large expanse of greenery, the park is also a home to a good collection of aquatic life.
It is a marvel of creation, the Artificial Plant Kingdom. A magnificent display of flowers, plants and lawns fabricated entirely from thread, canvas and wire can be witnessed at the Thread Garden, Ooty. A stunning spectacle to behold, it is the end result of the untiring work of nearly 12 Years of Mr. Antony Joseph and an enthusiastic group of workers. Everything is done by hand and no machinery or needle is used at any stage.