Tamil Nadu, a southern state in the Indian peninsula, is bestowed with numerous beauties of nature. The state can proudly flaunt its natural beauty in dozens of places. Some of the locations are aptly described as ‘Paradise on Earth’ by visitors, who get the opportunity to see and discover the charm, a seamless blend of nature’s bounty and comfort of modern day life. Ooty Lake is a jewel by itself. Tourists all over the world flock this enchanting water body to experience the serenity. This lake is in the tourist town of Udhagamandalam, sometimes also called as Ootacamund. In popular parlance, this town is simply called as Ooty, is part of Nilgiris District. The lake is situated at the height of 2240 meters from mean sea level. A pleasant cool weather attracts tourists from all over the country and from overseas destinations too.

Location

The town of Ooty, where the famous lake is situated is 535 kms from the state capital, Chennai. Its distance from Coimbatore is 80 kms. The town is situated on the National Highway and hence ease of travel to the place is ensured. Ooty is the headquarters of Nilgiris District and has convenient railway connections for the benefit of tourists. The lake is situated adjacent to the town.

Hydrology

Ooty Lake is almost 200 years old. It was created during British rule, in the year of 1824. John Sullivan, who was collector of the area, built this artificial lake by erecting a dam to utilize water from numerous streams cascading from Nilgiri mountain range. The lake is spread over an area of 65 acres. The main source of water in the lake still remains the same. During rainy season, water flows from upper ranges of the mountain, in the Ooty valley, finally to merge into Ooty Lake.  The catchment area of the hilly terrain provides ample water to pour into the lake. Part of the lake area was shrunk to accommodate bus terminal, built for tourist traffic. The lake has L shaped contours. The length of the water body is about 2.75 kms and variable width, stretching from 100 to 140 meters. The Lake covers about 4 square kms of area.

Tourism

A deer park is situated on the periphery of Ooty Lake. This park is an added attraction for tourists, who can enjoy the bliss of being in the elements of nature. Boating facilities are also provided. The experience of boating in such a beautiful lake is worth enjoying. During summer, boat pageants and races are organized for entertaining the visitors. The lake is surrounded by thick stretches of Eucalyptus trees along the perimeter. A park with facility of toy train is a welcome destination for children.

Best Time to Visit

April to June and September to November are the prime seasons for tourists. Ooty has salubrious weather to welcome all tourists.

How to Reach

By Train

Nilgiri Mountain Railway connects Ooty to Mettupalayam, a railway junction. Mettupalayam is well connected to rest of cities in the Indian peninsula through an efficient railway network.

By Air

Ooty does not have civilian airstrip. Nearby airport which may be used for this purpose are Coimbatore (96 kms), Kozhikode (141 kms) or Bengaluru (309 kms)

By Road

Good motorable roads make hassle free traveling experience. Ooty is well connected to all major towns and cities. Buses and taxis ply regularly on these routes.