Nilgiris district is famous for its nilgiri mountain range, located on the western part of tamilnadu state India. Nilgiris district covers an area of 2552 sq. km. beautiful hill stations and lovely climate which is home to many rare species of birds, plants and animals. ooty in nilgiris district is one of the most famous hill station in India. Botanical garden and Rose garden in ooty are very famous and attracts thousands of tourists every day. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in nilgiris district is also very popular among tourists for its biodiversity and Mountain Train in ooty is also world famous for its beautiful track which includes many bridges and tunnels. Nilgiris is also renowned for its eucalyptus oil and tea.
Nilgiri Mountain railway
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway is a railway network built by the British in 1908,In July 2005, UNESCO declared Nilgiri Mountain Railway World Heritage Site .The 'Nilagiri Passenger' train covers a distance of 26 km (16.2 mi),travels through 208 curves, 16 tunnels, and across 250 bridges. The uphill journey takes around 4.8 hours, and the downhill journey takes 3.6 hours. It has the steepest track in Asia with a maximum gradient of 8.33%.
Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens is one of the most picturesque venues in Ooty and is well maintained by the Horticulture department of Tamil Nadu. Established in 1848 by European residents in an area spreading to 22 hectares, ascending the slopes of the hill at an elevation of 2400 – 2500 meter above sea level. This botanical garden is home to over 650 species of trees, plants and a fossil of an ancient tree believed to be over 20 million years old. A Flower Show along with an exhibition of rare plant species is being held every year in the month of May at this Garden
Doddabetta Peak
Situated around 9 km from the city of ooty, Doddabetta Peak is the highest mountain in the nilgiri hills range, standing at 8650ft. The name Doddabetta traces its roots from the Baduga language translating into Big Mountain. The Observatory at doddabetta peak, better known as the ‘Telescope House’, is another significant attraction of the Dodabetta Peak. This Observatory is situated atop the Doddabetta Range and houses two telescopes that are available for general public use. It was opened on June 18, 1983 and is run by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC).
Avalanche Lake
The place derives its name from a landslide that occurred sometime in the early 1800’s.it is situated around 28 km from the city of ooty. You can camp beside the lake in tents and enjoy trout fishing. There’s also a hatchery located nearby where you can get the fishing rod and other fishing equipment. This is a highly dense forest area, abundant with a wide variety of plants and animals species. This place is certainly a nature’s paradise and wanderer’s haven.
Government Rose Garden
Lying at an altitude of 2200 meters, rose garden is located around 1 km from the city of ooty and covers an area of 4 hectares. The Rose Garden is situated on the lower slopes of the Elk Hill on the North-Western side, facing the town of ooty. It is the largest rose garden in india and has more than 20,000 varieties of roses of 2,800 varieties.!
Apart from this, you can also visit tea plantations and factories for which nilgiri is famous for. Nilgiri district is a heaven for sports enthusiasts. There are excellent opportunities for Trekking, Rock climbing, mountain biking and kayaking facilities. If you had a change visit it.
