Rose Garden

Maintained by the Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department, the Rose Garden was set up to commemorate the 100th Flower Festival of the Botanical Garden in 1995. Sprawled across 4 hectare, Rose Garden has over 2,500 varieties of roses, said to be the largest collection in India.

Take a leisurely stroll in the garden, and soak in the sights and the smells of beautiful roses across a five-terrace setup. Situated on the lower slopes of Elk Hill, the garden, decorated with rose creepers, boasts varieties like hybrid tea roses, miniature rose, florbunda and ramblers. There are even green and black roses here! To captivate the senses, there is a viewpoint in the garden called Nila Maadam, from where one can get a breathtaking view of the entire landscape.

Rose Garden

Wenlock Downs

Endless stretches of lush greenery, dotted with eucalyptus and shola trees, make up Wenlock Downs. Once famous for the Udhagamandalam Hunt, it is now home to the Ooty Gymkhana Club. One can enjoy a pleasant walk on the quiet roads here, you might even spot some grazing sheep! Wenlock Downs is a wonderful site for golfing enthusiasts. According to popular lore, the place has been named after Sir Arthur Lawley's sibling, Beilby Lawley, the third Baron Wenlock. Wenlock Downs has also been the shooting point for films like Sixth Mile and Ninth Mile. It lies on the way from Ooty to Pykara. Blessed with scenic beauty, it is also rich in vegetation also. Such is its surreal beauty that one is reminded of the exquisite landscape of the blockbuster series, Lord of the Rings. 

Wenlock Downs

Tea and Tourism Festival

The hill station of Ooty has been home to vast tea estates since the colonial era and is a hub of the tea-growing industry. Apart from gorgeous views and pleasant weather, another attraction is the Tea and Tourism Festival, which was launched in 1994 to promote tourism in the hill station. The grand celebration attracts tourists from all over the country. Giving recognition to Ootacamund's tea industry and its vast varieties, the festival sees tea gardens decorated beautifully, several cultural programmes like folk music and dance performances conducted by the locals, and varieties of tea available for tasting and buying. Promoted and organised by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and Ministry of Tourism, the festival is usually held in January. One can also participate in guided tours of the tea estates.

Tea and Tourism Festival

Shopping

There are plenty of things one can buy in Ootacamund. While soaking in the sights, breathe in the aroma of tea wafting through the entire town. You can shop for varieties of tea and products like incense sticks, eucalyptus oil, scented candles, flower-produced perfumes and more. At the junction of NH 67 is Charring Cross where you can indulge in shopping for woollen clothes while interacting with the locals.

The nearby Tibetan Market deserves a special mention for the handmade bead jewellery sold there. You can also shop for Toda embroidery handicrafts and antiques. Those with a green thumb can find a plethora of horticultural indulgences, from flower seeds to house plants and equipment. For home-made chocolates, head over to Pykara Road and you'll see shops lining the street that sell white, caramel and dark chocolate and plenty of dry fruit-filled delicacies. Like every town, Ootacamund too has a Commercial Street crowded by tourists who shop leather products. There are also cinchona products, Toda jewellery and shawls and variations of coffee and Nilgiri honey to be bought, just keep a lookout for shops selling these. If nothing else, you can always head to the nearby Poompuhara outlet (by Tamil Nadu State Government) to shop for Kairali fabric and Tamil handicrafts and antiques.

Shopping

Nilgiri Toy Train

The Nilgiri Rail Line was first started in 1899 from Mettupalayam to Coonoor and eventually expanded to Udhagamandalam (old name of Ootacamund) in 1908. The toy train on this line takes passengers from a height of 1,069 ft to 7,228 ft. This rail network is one of the steepest in Asia. The line covers a total distance of 48 km in five hours from Mettupalayam to Ootacamund, covering Kellar, Coonoor, Wellington and Lovedale on the way. The route is extremely scenic and breathtaking. The view is particularly picturesque owing to the surrounding rocky terrain, ravines and lush green hills that one passes by.

Nilgiri Toy Train

Deer Park

On the periphery of Ooty Lake, sprawled across 22 acre of lush greenery, is India's highest altitude animal park. The Deer Park was opened for public in 1986 and is maintained by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. A uniquely-situated site of wilderness and a rare opportunity to study deer in its natural habitat, this place is a must-visit. Apart from deer, the park is also home to a plethora of naturally-growing rare flora. Observe and educate yourself about the wildlife residing here with guided tours. Several species like sambar deer, chital deer, hare, rabbits and water birds are reared here.

Deer Park

Government Tribal Museum

Housed within the Tribal Research Centre in Ootacamund is a government-funded and protected museum. Located on the Ooty-Mysore Road, the museum was constructed in 1989. The exhibits were constituted with the hope of projecting the history and heritage of 18 tribes that made Ootacamund their home at various points in time, especially the Toda tribe. The museum houses displays of daily life tribal objects, ecological details of the district and miscellaneous sculptural works and arts and crafts of Tamil Nadu. Artefacts such as skulls of buffaloes sacrificed during Toda tribal funerals and model tribal huts have been set up with placards giving detailed descriptions in English for convenience.

Government Tribal Museum