Lying amidst the Nilgiri hills, Ooty is the lovely paradise that casts its magic as soon as you step into this romantic hill station. Dotted with stunning waterfalls, lakes, gardens, dams, terraced plantations, wildlife sanctuaries, viewpoints, and much more, the Queen of Nilgiris hypnotizes everyone with its pleasant ambiance and mesmerizing meadows.
The plus point about paying a visit to this place is the amazing weather that forces you to leave the comfort of your hotel/resort in Ooty and head for a picnic. Undoubtedly, you will find several places for a memorable time with your family. A few of the picnic spots in Ooty are as follows:
Government Botanical Garden
Be sure to take some time off from your busy schedule for the Government Botanical Garden whenever you’re looking for a perfect picnic spot in Ooty. It is considered as one of the first preferred places to create some unforgettable memories with your friends and families.
Perfect for fun seekers, sightseeing explorers, and photographers, the Government Botanical Garden promises you to offer the best of both the leisure and recreational world surrounded by verdant landscapes and astounding beauty at the backdrop.
Situated on the slope of the famous Doddabetta Peak and just 10-minutes away from Ooty Lake, this garden receives people from all walks of life and is indeed a great place to unwind far away from the maddening crowd of the hill station.
Take a short stroll in the park to discover a variety of exotic plants, flowers, and trees. Or pay a visit to the fern house to see approximately 127 fern species along with a plethora of orchids. Or witness the brightly colored Nilgiri birds flying around the Government Botanical Garden to provide a feast to your eyes. Or if you wish to do nothing, you can simply choose to grab your favorite book and lie down on the soft grassy lawns to enjoy some time in tranquility.
- Entry Fee: INR 30 per person for adults, INR 15 per person for children
- Timings: Open from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM on all days
- Distance: 2.5 km from Ooty
Sim’s Park
Another place that is frequently visited by tourists of all age groups for a fun-filled day out is Sim’s Park. Home to a variety of bright and colorful flowers, Sim’s Park is a well-maintained garden that invites people to relax, rejuvenate, and spend some quality time with their loved ones under one roof. It is an excellent spot for explorers and can also be visited by all those who wish to get one step closer to nature.
Sprawling over an area of 12 hectares of land, this park is divided into 4 different parts which are named as Rose Garden, a Boating Zone, a small Lily Pond area, and a Flowering Plants area. It is also bestowed with a rare exotic species of plants and trees along with an array of fauna that is worth observing.
Another point of interest that draws the attention of people from all over the world is the fruit and vegetable show that is organized here in the garden in May every year. It’s a 2-day affair that displays an array of flowers you have hardly seen anywhere else.
There is also a glasshouse to explore within the park. All-in-all, it won’t be wrong to say that Sim’s Park has numerous things to keep you occupied all day long so that you can make the most of your visit whenever you are at the location, whether for a few hours or a complete day. Please note that there are no eateries available inside the park. Hence, it is important to carry your own food especially when you are traveling with kids.
- Entry Fee: INR 30 per person for adults, INR 15 per person for children up to 12 years
- Timings: Open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on all days
- Distance: 20 km from Ooty
Emerald Lake
The next destination that has gained the attention of the locals, as well as tourists for enjoying a day of the picnic, is the Emerald Lake in Ooty. Nestled against the Nilgiri hills in a silent valley, the Emerald Lake allows people to tuck their souls free in a magical setting and offers a laid-back atmosphere you need to disconnect yourself from the 9 to 5 life for some time.
Widely known to please your senses, the Emerald Lake receives a huge influx of nature admirers every day and is also a go-to place for individuals, families with children, and a group of friends for a half-day excursion. It serves as an idyllic destination for all the couples looking to rekindle their romance on their Ooty tour and boasts a picture-perfect environment to make the overall visit worthwhile for you.
Head to Emerald Lake in the early morning to overlook the beautiful sunrise with your partner. And say goodbye to the stunning sunset in the evening to perfectly end your day with a view to die for. You can also try your hand at a variety of adventurous activities to add some adventure factor to your visit to this lake. A few of the adventurous activities available near the lake are trekking, fishing, mountain biking, and bird watching. One can also indulge in photography here since the location provides the best background for clicking amazing shots from the camera.
- Entry Fee: There is no entry fee to visit Emerald Lake in Ooty.
- Timings: Although it is open for its visitors throughout the time, the recommended time to explore its beauty would be from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM on all days.
- Distance: 20 km from Ooty
Dolphin’s Nose
If you’re ready to walk the extra mile to witness the delightful views of the mountains from the hilltop location, then you should look nowhere else than the Dolphin’s Nose. The 1550 high altitude makes it a perfect getaway for tourists to soak in the serenity and admire the panoramic views of the surrounding areas.
Situated at a distance of only 12 km from Coonoor and 30 km from Ooty Centre, the Dolphin’s Nose is a place where you can enjoy nature at its best. The lush green tea estates and spectacular landscapes are hard to miss here and the unobstructed view of the graceful Catherine Falls will make you fall in love with this place time and time again. Unlike other sightseeing places in Ooty, it remains less crowded and also maintains excellent climate conditions so that you can enjoy your visit to the fullest.
The excitement to visit the Dolphin’s Nose increases when you get a chance to explore its surroundings through a scenic drive that allows you to discover its hidden beauty as you ascend. Once you reach its top, you can also overlook the mesmerizing sunrise/sunset to treat your eyes with a view that is hard to get anywhere else. What else? This place is just a walk away from Lady Canning’s Seat and no less than a heaven for viewpoint lovers.
- Entry Fee: INR 15 per person. In case you have a still camera, you’ll need to pay another INR 20 for it.
- Timings: As such, there are no opening and closing timings of the Dolphin’s Nose, but the ideal time to visit it would be from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on all days.
- Distance: 30 km from Ooty
Ooty Lake
Your Ooty tour will remain incomplete if you don’t get time to visit the Ooty Lake. Also known as Ooty Boat House, the Ooty Lake, encompassed by Eucalyptus trees, dense forests, Nilgiri ranges, and blue waters all around, is a prime attraction of this hill station that lures tourists of all ages to enjoy leisure evenings with their beloved ones in a serene and peaceful atmosphere.
Boating is a must-to-do activity here as you get to experience its scenic beauty in its true sense. You can choose from Paddle Boats, Motor Boats, and Rowing Boats from the boathouse to enjoy boating at your own comfort. Other activities such as cycling (cycles on rent), photography, and horse riding are also available at the lake for your enjoyment.
There is also a garden, an amusement park, and a deer park for a family outing. Children can hop on a mini-train ride to take a tour of the complete lake while you keep yourself occupied with other things. You can pay a visit to the canteen as well to relish the taste of light bites complemented by a large assortment of beverages.
- Entry Fee: INR 10 per person for Indians, INR 560 per person for foreigners
- Timings: Open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on all days
- Distance: 2 km from Ooty
Pykara Lake
Treat yourself to an idyllic weekend retreat at Pykara Lake. A must-visit destination for a family outing, the Pykara Lake presents its visitors with a delightful experience that is beyond their imagination.
The tranquility of the surrounding areas, when combined with the backdrop of shola forests and tall pine trees, gives rise to a pleasant atmosphere where you can unwind and de-clutter your mind soulfully and the unmissable beauty of this place encourages you to click some of its pictures from different angles to bring some unforgettable memories in the form of photographs back home.
Here you can also enjoy boating and hiking to bring out the best of adventure in you. Thus, it won’t be wrong to say that Pykara Lake is blessed with everything one can ever ask to have the best time of their life on their Ooty tour. So, no matter what kind of traveler you are, it is one such place that shouldn’t be missed at any cost if you want to have a blast with your family on a picnic.
- Entry Fee: INR 10 per person
- Timings: One can visit the Pykara Lake at any time of the year, but the recommended timings would be from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM on all days.
- Distance: Approximately 20 km from Ooty
These are some of the popular picnic spots in Ooty that draw the attention of tourists from far and wide every year. If interested and have time, you can also plan to explore its other places to add overall value to your trip. A few of the famous sightseeing places to include in your itinerary list are Avalanche Lake, Kamraj Sagar Dam, Doddabetta Peak, Wenlock Downs 9th Mile Shooting Point, and Rose Garden.
Other places of tourist interest are Tata Tea Museum, Kalhatti Waterfalls, Needle Viewpoint, Ooty Toy Train, Toda Huts, Ooty Thread Garden, 6th Mile Ooty, Lamb’s Rock, Highfield Tea Factory, St. Stephen’s Church, Mudumalai National Park, Pine Tree Forests, Elk Hill Murugan Temple, Wax World Museum, and many more.
Book an all-inclusive Ooty tour package with us to plan your Ooty tour itinerary in the best possible way. We at Ooty Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA, carefully design a variety of tour packages that cater to everyone’s holiday style, budget, and other preferences.
Depending on your vacation duration, our team of travel experts also helps you customize the Ooty tour packages so that you can cover all the must-visit tourist attractions in Ooty. What else? We have also prepared a list of top car rental companies in Ooty from where you can book a taxi of your choice to commute within the hill station in a hassle-free manner.
When you travel with us, you can rest assured of making the most of your time as we promise to take care of everything in the backend. You just pack your bags and get ready to have a gala time. To know more about us, please fill in the Contact Us form.
