Uzair Jan
Settled in the ‘Blue Mountains’ of the Nilgiris, Ooty is situated at more than 2,200 meters and has all the qualities of a magical hill station. With cool temperatures around the year, its intriguing amid verdant green hills have legitimately earned Ooty the moniker, ‘Queen of the Hills’. Quaint cottages and heritage structures mirror Ooty’s colonial past and make for Southern India’s steadily developing and well-known holiday destination.
My school friends planned a reunion trip to Ooty last year in the perfect weather of August, which gave us the much-needed respite from the heat of the plains. One of our friends suggested we book a cab from Bangalore to Ooty, so that’s what we did because nothing can be better than a road trip with your childhood friends.
So, finally, we reached Ooty, one of the most famous tourist places, the ideal shooting location for so many Bollywood movies, and the hill station with the highest peak in Tamil Nadu. We reached the hotel and decided to rest for a while, have lunch and then go sightseeing.
Doddabetta peak
After lunch, we left the hotel for Doddabetta peak, which was approximately 20 km away. It was raining very lightly, and the scenic view from the peak was just breathtaking. With hot tea and Maggi in our hands, gorgeous view and the best company one could ask for, we were having the time of our lives. The forests there gave me a glimpse of some rare birds like the Eurasian Blackbird and the Asian Paradise Flycatcher.
Next up: Tea factory
On our way back to the hotel, we visited the tea factory, where we got to see the cumbersome process of making tea leaves, which was quite fascinating. One can go through various flavours to purchase tea bundled in various appealing packages for day-by-day use or gifts. Home-made chocolates are one of the treats of this spot. I went through almost 7 and brought home nothing, only because I was so confused! That was it, for day one of our trips.
Ooty lake & Rose garden
Ooty lake is a famous tourist spot for boating. Like legit! We (specifically I) enjoyed a boat ride in the morning, during which we also spotted bill ducks and common coots. Boating in the drizzle of rain was very relaxing. After that, we took a walk in the Rose Garden, which had hundreds of varieties of roses. The walk around the nursery was a reviving experience, strolling through innumerable types of plants and blossoms.
Fernhill Palace
In the evening, we planned to go to Fernhill Palace. Built in 1844 with over 50 sprawling acres of lush gardens and eucalyptus forests, Fernhill Palace was once the residence of the Maharaja of Mysore. Now, it’s a restored heritage hotel that emanates the beauty of the royal palace that it once was. The looks of the palace were exquisite. It was appreciable how beautifully they had maintained it. And with this, it was the end of our weekend getaway.
Settled in the ‘Blue Mountains’ of the Nilgiris, Ooty is situated at more than 2,200 meters and has all the qualities of a magical hill station. With cool temperatures around the year, its intriguing amid verdant green hills have legitimately earned Ooty the moniker, ‘Queen of the Hills’. Quaint cottages and heritage structures mirror Ooty’s colonial past and make for Southern India’s steadily developing and well-known holiday destination.
My school friends planned a reunion trip to Ooty last year in the perfect weather of August, which gave us the much-needed respite from the heat of the plains. One of our friends suggested we book a cab from Bangalore to Ooty, so that’s what we did because nothing can be better than a road trip with your childhood friends.
So, finally, we reached Ooty, one of the most famous tourist places, the ideal shooting location for so many Bollywood movies, and the hill station with the highest peak in Tamil Nadu. We reached the hotel and decided to rest for a while, have lunch and then go sightseeing.
Doddabetta peak
After lunch, we left the hotel for Doddabetta peak, which was approximately 20 km away. It was raining very lightly, and the scenic view from the peak was just breathtaking. With hot tea and Maggi in our hands, gorgeous view and the best company one could ask for, we were having the time of our lives. The forests there gave me a glimpse of some rare birds like the Eurasian Blackbird and the Asian Paradise Flycatcher.
Next up: Tea factory
On our way back to the hotel, we visited the tea factory, where we got to see the cumbersome process of making tea leaves, which was quite fascinating. One can go through various flavours to purchase tea bundled in various appealing packages for day-by-day use or gifts. Home-made chocolates are one of the treats of this spot. I went through almost 7 and brought home nothing, only because I was so confused! That was it, for day one of our trips.
Ooty lake & Rose garden
Ooty lake is a famous tourist spot for boating. Like legit! We (specifically I) enjoyed a boat ride in the morning, during which we also spotted bill ducks and common coots. Boating in the drizzle of rain was very relaxing. After that, we took a walk in the Rose Garden, which had hundreds of varieties of roses. The walk around the nursery was a reviving experience, strolling through innumerable types of plants and blossoms.
Fernhill Palace
In the evening, we planned to go to Fernhill Palace. Built in 1844 with over 50 sprawling acres of lush gardens and eucalyptus forests, Fernhill Palace was once the residence of the Maharaja of Mysore. Now, it’s a restored heritage hotel that emanates the beauty of the royal palace that it once was. The looks of the palace were exquisite. It was appreciable how beautifully they had maintained it. And with this, it was the end of our weekend getaway.
When it comes to vacationing, Ooty is my go-to place to beat the heat in the lap of nature. It was the best decision to reunite this way by planning a mini trip to the mesmerizing hill stations, car rental from Bangalore being the most fun part because we know road trips are the best!
