Ooty sightseeing by cab
Places to visit in Ooty, and the order to see them
Ooty's main sights fit in two days by cab: Doddabetta, the gardens and the lake in town on day one, and Coonoor's tea estates and viewpoints on day two. One day covers the town. A third half day adds the Pine Forest, the Shooting Spot and Pykara to the west.
15 placesroutes from road routing, timed against opening hours
How many days do you need?
Each plan is a real route by cab, timed against opening hours.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
1 day
Ooty town, Doddabetta and the lake
6 places · 24 km by cab
See the plan →© OpenStreetMap contributors
Most people
2 days
Ooty town, Doddabetta and the lake · Coonoor: tea country and the viewpoints
11 places · 94 km by cab
See the plan →© OpenStreetMap contributors
3 days
Ooty town, Doddabetta and the lake · Coonoor: tea country and the viewpoints · The pine forest, Shooting Spot and Pykara
15 places · 142 km by cab
See the plan →Cab for Ooty sightseeing
Call or message a local Ooty operator with this plan. Tell them your hotel and dates, and they send a price for the car and driver.
Full day, 8 h / 80 kmSedan, SUV or InnovaPrice from the operator
Opening times of Ooty's top sights
With the best time to go and how long to stay.
| Place | Open | Best time | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doddabetta Peak | About 08:00 to 17:30? | Early morning, before the mist comes in. | 45 min |
| Government Botanical Garden | About 08:30 to 18:30? | Morning, when the lawns are quiet. | 1 h 15 min |
| Tea Factory and Tea Museum | 10:00 to 18:00 | Late morning, after Doddabetta. | 45 min |
| Government Rose Garden | About 08:00 to 17:30? | Morning or early afternoon; roses are best from April to June. | 45 min |
| Thread Garden | About 09:00 to 18:00? | Any time; it is indoors. | 30 min |
| Ooty Lake boat ride | Boats about 09:00 to 18:00? | Late afternoon, in the softer light. | 1 h |
| Ketti Valley View | Daylight hours? | Morning, on the way to Coonoor. | 20 min |
| Sim's Park | About 09:00 to 18:00? | Morning or early afternoon. | 1 h |
| Highfield Tea Estate | About 09:00 to 17:30? | Late morning or after lunch. | 45 min |
| Lamb's Rock | About 09:00 to 17:30? | Afternoon, before the mist rises from the plains. | 40 min |
All 15 places to visit in Ooty
Doddabetta Peak
45 minAt 2,637 m the highest point in the Nilgiris, about 9 km from Ooty town. A telescope house at the top looks out over the hills and tea gardens, and on clear days down to the plains.
In the 1-day planGovernment Botanical Garden
1 h 15 minLaid out in 1848 on the slopes below Doddabetta, with terraced lawns, a glasshouse of ferns and orchids, and a fossilised tree trunk said to be 20 million years old. The summer flower show is held here every May.
In the 1-day planTea Factory and Tea Museum
45 minA working tea factory with a small museum on the Doddabetta road. You follow Nilgiri tea leaf through withering, rolling, drying and sorting, then taste the tea at the end.
In the 1-day planGovernment Rose Garden
45 minOne of the largest rose gardens in India, with thousands of varieties on terraces cut into Elk Hill, near Charing Cross.
In the 1-day planThread Garden
30 minA hall of plants and flowers made entirely of hand-wound thread, without needles or machines, across the road from the lake.
In the 1-day planOoty Lake boat ride
1 hAn artificial lake built in 1824 by John Sullivan, the founder of Ooty, edged with eucalyptus. Pedal, row and motor boats go out from the boat house.
In the 1-day planKetti Valley View
20 minA roadside viewpoint on the way to Coonoor, looking down a long valley of tea gardens, terraced farms and villages.
Day 2 of the 2-day planSim's Park
1 hA botanical garden in a ravine in Coonoor, opened in 1874 and named after J. D. Sim, with rare trees from around the world and a small lake. Coonoor's fruit show is held here every May.
Day 2 of the 2-day planHighfield Tea Estate
45 minOne of Coonoor's older tea factories, where a short walk through the works shows how the estate's leaf becomes tea, with cups to taste at the end.
Day 2 of the 2-day planLamb's Rock
40 minA cliff-edge viewpoint about 8 km out of Coonoor, named after Captain Lamb who cut the path to it. It looks straight down over tea estates to the Coimbatore plains.
Day 2 of the 2-day planDolphin's Nose
40 minA flat rock jutting out like a dolphin's snout about 10 km from Coonoor, with Catherine Falls across the valley and the Kotagiri hills beyond.
Day 2 of the 2-day planPine Forest
40 minA slope of tall, straight pines on the road towards Pykara, often used as a film location, with paths running down between the trunks.
Day 3 of the 3-day planShooting Spot
30 minOpen rolling grassland at the ninth mile on the road to Pykara, where many films have been shot. Pony rides and snack stalls line the edge.
Day 3 of the 3-day planPykara Lake boat ride
1 hA reservoir in the forest about 20 km from Ooty, with a boat house for speed and row boats out across still water between wooded hills.
Day 3 of the 3-day planPykara Falls
45 minA run of cascades on the Pykara river, falling over rock steps through the forest about 2 km from the lake.
Day 3 of the 3-day planQuestions people ask
How many days do you need for Ooty sightseeing?
Two days covers the main sights: one for Doddabetta, the gardens and the lake in Ooty town, one for Coonoor's tea gardens and viewpoints. A third half day adds the Pine Forest, the Shooting Spot and Pykara.
What should I see first in Ooty?
Doddabetta Peak, early in the morning. Mist often rolls in by late morning and hides the view.
Can I see Ooty in one day by cab?
Yes, the town sights: Doddabetta, the tea factory, the Botanical and Rose Gardens, the Thread Garden and a boat on Ooty Lake. Coonoor and Pykara each need their own day or half day.
Is Coonoor worth a day from Ooty?
Yes. It is about 18 km down the hill and quieter than Ooty, with Sim's Park, working tea estates, and the Lamb's Rock and Dolphin's Nose viewpoints.
Can I take the toy train to Coonoor instead of a cab?
The Nilgiri Mountain Railway runs between Ooty and Coonoor and is worth riding. The viewpoints around Coonoor are well away from the station, so most people still need a cab there.
Is a full-day cab enough for Ooty local sightseeing?
Yes for Ooty town and for Coonoor. Hill roads are slow, so a day of 70 km takes about the same time as a longer day in the plains. Check the hours and kilometre limit with the operator before you book.