OOTY, also known as Udhagamandalam, is a hill station in the state of Tamil Nadu, in southern India. Surrounded by trees, central Ooty Lake is a huge artificial expanse of water with pleasure boats.
On the slopes of nearby Elk Hill, the Rose Garden is home to over 2,000 varieties of roses. The Government Botanical Garden, created in the 19th century, features ferns, orchids and a prehistoric, fossilized tree.
The town was a popular summer retreat during British colonial rule, and the Stone House, in the east, is a Raj-era bungalow that now forms part of the Government Arts College. Close by is St. Stephen’s Church, known for its stained-glass windows. The single-track Nilgiri Mountain Railway, completed in 1908, travels over bridges and through tunnels to Mettupalayam, in the southeast. In the eastern outskirts of Ooty, towering Doddabetta Peak offers sweeping views of the town and the Nilgiri Hills. To the southwest, Avalanche Lake is framed by thick forests inhabited by birds.
NILGIRI MOUNTAIN RAILWAY, OOTY OVERVIEW
The Toy Train, also known as Nilgiri Mountain Railway Toy Train, is the key attraction of the popular hill station Ooty. Started in the year 1899, it has continued to charms its visitors with equal zest winding its way through the best of nature.
The Toy Train covers a distance of total 46 km in a span of 5 hours and takes one through a truly spectacular journey filled with picturesque views en route. It was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. Another fascinating feature of the train is that its youngest X class loco is over 50 years old and the oldest is 80 years old.
Weaving amidst the forests, dark snaking tunnels, sharp bends and amid the mist and fog, the Toy Train is a spectacular trip up and down the slopes with birds and trees dancing along. As the train passes through the stunning gorge, the dancing sunlight above and dream-like drizzling makes it the experience of a lifetime. Apart from offering a beautiful journey, the uniqueness of the trip lies in the fact that the rail system is the steepest in Asia and worth a visit.
The ride `starts from Mettupalayam; a small place on river Bhavani. The first 5 miles are plain, but in the next 12 miles engine pushes the coaches upwards to a height of 4363 feet. Covering Mettupalayam, Kellar, Coonoor, Wellington, Lovedale and Ootacamund on its way, this is the best means to discover the pristine treasures of the Nilgiris.
surrounded by tea plantations.
