3 Days Ooty Itinerary

3 Days Ooty itinerary – The Queen of Nilgiris

Ooty or Ooatcumund a small hill station with quaint surroundings located away from the city’s hustle-bustle in Tamil Nadu is flanked by Blue Nilgiri Mountains and vast expanses of forests. The queen of Nilgiris- Ooty bags the title of Queen of the hills, just like Mussorie in Uttarakhand. Its perfect weather throughout the year, green surroundings, colonial heritage, and great eateries make it an idyllic weekend getaway or holiday destination for people of South India esp. Bangalore and Chennai. We too did a 3-day weekend trip to Ooty and had an awesome time there. So, here is a complete guide on the Ooty Itinerary we followed.

3 Days Ooty Itinerary

3 Days Ooty Itinerary

Day 1: (Bangalore to Ooty)

Reach Ooty by 12 pm, so you have the rest of the day to explore queen of hills.

Route from BangaloreBangalore – Mandya- Mysore – Gundlupet – Bandipur – Theppakadu – Masinagudi – Ooty

Note: While coming from Bandipur side, keep in mind, that the gates of Bandipur National Park are closed during the night from 6:00pm -4:00 am.

While driving to Ooty, several tourist attractions fall on the way itself. So, opt to cover them on the way itself as we did.

Pykara Lake & Pykara Waterfalls

Pykara Lake is the largest lake in the Nilgiri district. It lies 22 km from the center of Ooty in the Pykara Village on the Ooty- Mysore road. The lake is considered sacred by the Todas community and it also forms the part an important part of the hydroelectric project i.e. Pykara dam. During Monsoons, i.e. in months of July and August, when the gates of the dam are opened, the silent lake becomes gushy. It flows amidst the pine trees and is considered as the best place for nature and photography lovers.

Pykara falls -Ooty Itinerary
Pykara falls – 3 Days Ooty Itinerary (Source)

Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) also runs houseboats, motorboats or speed boat in the Pykara lake. So opt to sit and enjoy a scrumptious meal in the boathouse. It is an amazing place to relax and enjoy the comforts of nature. The timing of the boat ride is from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

The Pykra River flows over a series of waterfalls and the 55 and 61 meter high falls together are known as Pykara falls. So, it is the best place to enjoy the scenic beauty of nature among cloud and mountains. 

Also read: Mahabalipuram Travel Guide

Pine forest shooting point

4 Kilometers ahead the Pykara Dam lies the Pine forest shooting point, where many movie scenes have been shots. A little hike from the bottom to the hilltop gives the best view of the valley. Horse riding takes place at this place here and the place is a delight for every photographer. So, if you have ample time do spend some time here enjoying the views and clicking pictures.

Pine Forest Shooting Point
Pine Forest Shooting Point

M, and N Chocolate Museum

Chocolate Museum lies around 9 km from the Pykara falls. It is the best place to learn the process of making healthy chocolates without using vegetable oil. They also treat you with free chocolates to enjoy on your way. The entry fee to the museum is Rs 20 and the timing are from 9 am to 6 pm.

After enjoying the Pykara falls, beautiful views and homemade chocolates we suggest to head over to your hotel to take some rest. In the evening, you can check the local market and the Thunder World

Thunder World

If you are traveling with children, then Thunder World should definitely be on your list. It is an amusement park which consists of a Dinosaur theme park, 5D theatre, Camera Museum, Vortex, Haunted House, etc. The entry fees vary for each section of the park. We suggest to choose a combo pack as it is much cost-effective.

Thunder world - 3 days ooty itinerary
Thunder world – 3 days Ooty Itinerary

The entry fee is around Rs 150/- for children and Rs 210/- for adults and the timings for visit are from 9 am to 7 pm. The Dinosaur theme park has all kinds of dinosaurs and it will take you to Jurassic ages. The haunted house is really scary. Kids will also enjoy the replicas of Taj Mahal, Golden temple and India gate.

Day 2 (At Ooty)

Start your day early, around 9 am as there is lot to explore in a day.

Botanical Garden, Ooty

Botanical Garden is one of the most visited tourist places in Ooty.  The garden is huge and is filled with beautiful green lawns, flowers, and ferns. The Toda hill within the park gives an insight into the tribe of Toda people. Also, check 20 million years fossilized tree here.

Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden Ooty (Source)

The Botanical Garden opens around 7 am and closes at 6 pm. The entry fee for adult is Rs 30/- and Rs 15/- for children. Camera charges are additional Rs 50/- to Rs 100/-.

Rose Garden, Ooty

Rose Garden is located in the center of the Ooty city and is spread over four hectares of land. The best time to visit it is during the flowering season (i.e. from March to June) when there are large varieties of roses here. One can also purchase saplings or bouquets from the garden.

The entry fee is Rs 30/- for adult and Rs 15/- for kids. The garden is open from7.30 am to 6.30 pm. Camera charges are additional Rs 50/- to Rs 100/-.

Also read: Chariot Beach Resort Mahabalipuram 

Ooty Lake

Ooty Lake, an artificial lake built in 1824, lies 2 km from the city center. It spreads over 65 km and is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees and greenery all around. One can enjoy boating here after choosing from pedal boats, motorboats and rowboats available here.

Ooty Lake
Ooty Lake

The Lake is accessible to tourists from 10 am to 6 pm. The entry fee is Rs 10. In the month of May, boat races too, are conducted here.

Wax Museum

1 km away from Ooty, lies wax museum. The museum is located inside a 130 years old colonial house and it houses wax statues of many famous personalities. It opens from 9 am to 6 pm and the entry fee is 30/- for adults and Rs 20/- for children.

Tea Factory and Museum

The tea factory and museum falls on the way to the Doddabetta peak. Do visit it to learn the entire tea making process right from drying tea leaves to manufacturing. It opens from 9 am to 6 pm and the entry fee is Rs 10/-.

Tea Estates near ooty- 3 days Ooty itinerary
Tea Estates – 3 days Ooty itinerary

Also, purchase fresh tea packets from the museum. The tea made is completely pure and good. Read our detailed tea estate experience at Handunugoda virgin white tea estate in Sri Lanka.

Doddabetta Peak

Doddabetta Peak is the highest point of the Nilgiris. Is a perfect spot to get a look at the Karnataka and Kerala borders from Tamil Nadu. There is a telescope house at the viewpoint and the two telescopes are installed for public use. The place is always swarming with the crowd, but we liked spending some time here because of the mesmerizing views.

Tea plantation near doddabetta Tamilnadu
Ooty tea plantation near doddabetta Tamilnadu

Day 3 (Local Sightseeing and Back)

Nilgiri Mountain Railways

Just like the Himalayan toy trains of Darjeeling and Himachal, this too is a main attraction of Ooty. The blue toy train when passes amidst the green scenery it makes the perfect fairy tale ride.

Ooty Himalayan Railway
Ooty Himalayan Railway – 3 Days Ooty Itinerary

We suggest booking the tickets via IRCTC itself at least a month before, from Udayamangalam station to Connor to avoid the onspot hassles. Train fares are Rs 250/- for first-class and Rs 30/- for second class. The train timings from Ooty to Connor are 9.15 am, 12.15 pm, 14.00 pm, and 18.00 pm and the return timings are 7.45 am, 10.40 am, 12.35 pm and 16.30 pm.

Lamb’s Rock

The Lamb’s rock lies 8 km from Ooty, on the way to Dolphin nose point. One gets the entire Connor hills view from here.

Dolphin Nose Point

It lies 10 km from the Connor city center. The peak visible from here is in the shape of dolphin nose. The rolling hills, cloudy sky, and the greenery is a treat to the eyes.

How to reach Ooty?

Ooty lies 272 kilometers from Bangalore, 555 Kilometers from Chennai, and 125 kilometers from Mysore. The nearest airport is Coimbatore, i.e. around 86 km away and the nearest railway station is Mettupalayam, around 40 km from Ooty. From here one can take a bus or taxi to reach further. Bangalore, Mysore, and Chennai are well connected to Ooty by road and one can even opt for overnight buses.

3 Days Ooty Itinerary

Best time to visit Ooty

The weather in Ooty is pleasant throughout the year. April to June i.e. summers is the peak tourist time. People rush to this quaint hill station to escape from the harsh weather, For monsoon and rain lovers, July to September is best and during this time the earth wears a green blanket. Winters lasts from and the weather is pleasant and enjoyable.

This post has been curated by Shalini Garnaik, from Eager2travel – a curious girl bit by wanderlust. She loves documenting and sharing her travel stories, travel hacks, tips. She has been traveling with a full-time job from the past two years.