These are the best places to travel this summer

Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

India Travel Guide

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Shop Book
x-default

©Naufal MQ/Getty Images

LONELY PLANET’S RECOMMENDED eSIM

Stay connected in Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

with

Saily is an affordable eSIM service that helps you stay connected and secure, anywhere in the world.

Get your eSIM

Overview

Ooty, 'Queen of Hill Stations', mixes Indian bustle and Hindu temples with beautiful gardens, an international school and charming Raj-era bungalows (which provide its most atmospheric accommodation). It may be a bit hectic, but it doesn't take long to escape into quieter, greener areas where tall pines rise above what could almost be English country lanes.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • x-default

    St Stephen’s Church

    Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

    Perched above Ooty's centre, immaculate pale-yellow St Stephen’s, built in 1829, is the Nilgiris' oldest church. It has lovely stained glass, huge wooden…

  • x-default

    Botanical Gardens

    Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

    Established in 1848, these pretty 22-hectare gardens are a living gallery of the Nilgiris' natural flora. Keep an eye out for a typical Toda mund (village…

  • Tribal Research Centre Museum

    Tribal Research Centre Museum

    Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

    If you're interested in the Nilgiris' tribal communities you'll love this slightly scruffy, erratically open museum, with its fascinating exhibits on…

  • Nilgiri Library

    Nilgiri Library

    Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

    This quaint little haven in a crumbling, earthy-red 1867 building houses more than 30,000 books, including rare titles on the Nilgiris and hill tribes,…

  • Doddabetta

    Doddabetta

    Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

    About 7km east of Ooty, Doddabetta is the highest point (2633m) in the Nilgiris. On clear days, it's one of the best viewpoints around; go early for a…

  • Rose Garden

    Rose Garden

    Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

    With terraced lawns and over 20,000 rose bushes of more than 2000 varieties – best between May and July – the Rose Garden is a sweet place for a stroll,…

  • St Thomas' Church

    St Thomas' Church

    Ooty (Udhagamandalam)

    Set between trees at the eastern end of Ooty Lake, simple St Thomas' dates back to 1870.

Plan with a local

Get a book. Get inspired. Get exploring.

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Ooty (Udhagamandalam)