Ooty Lake And Boat House,History,Timing,Address,Contact Number,images,Best time to visit
Ooty Lake and Boat House :
Ooty Lake is one of the most refreshing and beautiful places to visit in Ooty It lies at a distance of approximately 2 km from Ooty city in the green hills of the Nilgiris district.
The Ooty Lake is the pride of the Blue Hills. It is the central and strategic attraction.
The Ooty lake is often referred to as Ooty boat house as boating is one of the prime attractions of the lake throughout the year.
The collector of Coimbatore Mr. John Sullivan formed this artificial lake laid its foundation in 1824, and as of today, Made with the water flowing down from the mountain streams in Ooty,
The stunning Ooty lake which spread over to an area of 65 acres, Ooty Lake is surrounded by Eucalyptus trees and greenery all around and is a great place to experience the beauty of this hill station.
One can also spot numerous streams coming out through the hills. This is a perfect place to capture people who are genuinely interested in photography.
The lake is filled with beautiful water birds with the exotic Nilgiri mountain ranges in the background.If you are lucky, you can also spot some rare birds near the lake.
But it is not just the beauty of the lake that makes this place so popular - the fun activities for kids and adults alike are also a major crowd puller.
Earlier the entire lake was used for fishing.
Boat House :
The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation on behalf of the Tourism Department took the possession of the lake for pleasure boating facilities in the year 1973.
Ooty Lake is pretty fun as well activity-filled place Boating is a popular tourist activity at Ooty Lake can hire a Boat take a quick tour of the lake.
paddle boats, motorboats, and rowing boats from the boathouse in Ooty Lake and take a ride across the pretty lake Boat races, as well as other events, are also organized here for two days in May.
Another added attraction of the Ooty lake is the Mini Train and an amusement park Kids can enjoy a joyful ride on the mini train and take a tour of the lake and the park.
The main attractions you find surrounding the lake are the boat races and boat pageantry organized as a part of the Summer Festival in Ooty.
The amusement park that houses a haunted house, mirror house, and other fun activities like horse riding, is also loved by tourists that visit Ooty Lake.
You also find a lot of shops selling local items like eucalyptus oils and shawls at competitive prices around the lake. Since there are a lot of visitors during weekends, it is advisable to visit the lake during weekdays.
Activities To Do Ooty Lake :
1. Boating on the lake – The Ooty Lake Boat House run by Tamil Nadu Tourism offers various boat rides to savour the views around.
When it isn’t crowded, you can enjoy a serene 30 minutes of ride among the greens, trees and the view of distant hills. Pedal boats, row boats and large motor boats are available for you to hire.
2. Photographing – The locality With the Nilgiris in the backdrop, Ooty Lake is a picture-perfect place for photography enthusiasts to reveal their artistic side.
From flowery gardens and evergreen foliage to energetic people to capture in the frame, Ooty Lake stands to have your photographic desires fulfilled.
3. Cycling the periphery – At Ooty Lake, you can even pedal away on an exhausting day. Deposit the rent, pick a cycle and hop on to check the area surrounding the Ooty Lake and the hustle around the food stalls.
Those tuck shops have a variety of food to offer and some counters also sell eucalyptus oils, homemade chocolates and other local products.
4. Horse Riding along the shores – Like many other tourist attractions in Ooty, the lake also has arrangements for the adventurer in you to get a horse to ride.
Bargain yourself a good deal and take your horse for a joyride or two around the lake.
5. Enjoying comfort food – Apart from the multiple sweets and snacks stalls on the shores of Ooty Lake, there also is a hygienic canteen at the Boat House.
From tea and coffee to evening snacks and delicacies from North and South India, the canteen has a range of options to choose from. Sit back with your masala tea or grab a bite to calm the hunger pangs.
6. Hopping on the mini train ride – The mini train in the premises runs along the shores.
It is exclusively for the kids to hop on and enjoy a tour of the lake. Adults can take it too but you sure will wish to be a kid again.
7. Having fun at the amusement park – At the amusement park by the Ooty Lake Boat House, you can enjoy various fun activities including break-dance rides, dashing car and the horror house.
Time Required to Explore Ooty Lake :
If you have kids who love adventure (most kids do), you will need 4-5 hours of spare time to enjoy and explore all the fun activities available at Ooty Lake. From boating to train ride and feasting on food, you have lots to cover.
But, in general, 2-3 hours in the evening would be comfortable enough to visit Ooty Lake, take a boat ride and also, enjoy a leisure time out of your busy schedule. The canteen is always there if you feel like having a few snacks and beverages.
Best Time To Visit :
The best time to visit Ooty Lake is during May. There are two reasons for it – One, the weather is pleasant, unlike most other parts of India. And two, you can watch boat races and boat pageantry at the Ooty Lake in May, which is an important part of the Summer Festival in May.
And last but not least,a beautiful flower show is held at the Ooty Botanical Garden in the third week of May when about 150 varieties of flowers are put on display. It is a festival that is one of a kind and must not be missed.
Ooty Lake Nearby Attractions :
Once you are satisfied with the time spent at the lake, here are the must-visit places to visit near Ooty Lake.
1. Thread Garden – Situated opposite the Ooty Lake, on the other side of the road, is the small Thread Garden. It is an artificial garden containing flowers, bushes and green lawns, made entirely with thread. Fifty workers, under the guidance of a professor, weaved those beauties in a span of over 12 years.
2. Nilgiri Mountain Railway – Only about 2 km from the lake is the Ooty Railway Station. There, you can book the famed toy train ride. It runs between Ooty and Mettupalayam and takes about 5 hours to complete one side journey of 46 km. The train takes you on a picturesque ride of Nilgiri Mountains and the valley below.
3. Deer Park – Deer Park is a well-maintained green area about 3 km from the lake. You will come across a variety of flora and fauna, and not only deer species. Along with Sambhar, Chital and colourful flowers, hares, rabbits and various birds live together in harmony in the park.
4. Rose Garden – The climate of Ooty provides roses with a long blooming season to flourish, and you will see many rare and exotic varieties of roses in Ooty Rose Garden. These roses, collected from all over the world, are available in a plethora of colours spread all around the area. Ooty Lake to Rose Garden distance is only about 5 km.
5. Botanical Garden – It’s a beautiful garden maintained by the state government, which is on the way from Ooty Lake to Doddabetta Peak, about 2 km from the Rose Garden. It is spread over an area of 55 acres and has lawns and gardens with different aromatic and flowerful bushes. The garden also has greenhouses which have exotic plants.
6. Wax World Museum – Further one kilometre from the Botanical Garden, lies the Wax World Museum. Apart from being a tourist spot, it can also serve as an educational visit for the kids. Lifelike lookalike wax statues of eminent Indian personalities adorn the hall of the building. And it also has a wax model presentation of day to day life activities.
7. Tea Estate View Point – Ooty is known for acres of flourishing tea bushes covering the mountain slopes. And the tea estate view point near Doddabetta is one of the spots which provides mesmerising views of the tea plantations around. Coupled with the Tea Factory and Tea Museum nearby, it is another must-visit place in Ooty. Tea Estate View Point is about 7 km away from Ooty Lake.
8. Doddabetta Peak – Doddabetta (meaning big mountain) is the highest peak in the Nilgiris and is situated about 11 km away from Ooty Lake. The observatory platform provides a breathtaking view of Ooty and the surrounding area, which makes it a favourite among the trekking and camping enthusiasts.
9. Halasana Waterfalls – Ooty is a nature’s paradise so one can find numerous lakes and waterfalls in the city. One of the prettiest and popular waterfalls is the Halasana Waterfalls. With a height of 150 feet, this waterfall makes for a spectacular view.
Ooty Lake Entry Fee :
The entry fee is INR 10 per person and INR 20 for still camera.
There is parking facility too as per the charges: INR 5 for bus, INR 3 for car, INR 2 for two-wheeler.
The mini-train present for the kids costs INR 10 per head.
7D cinema, horror house as well as mirror
house each costs INR 100 per head.
Dashing car, breakdance and Columbus rides cost INR 50 per head.
Timings :
The visiting hours for Ooty Lake are from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Boating charges :
2 seater rowboat for 30 minutes: INR 180
4 seater pedal boat for 30 minutes: INR 200
8 eater motorboat for 20 minutes: INR 450
2 seater pedal boat for 30 minutes: INR 160
Ooty Lake Address:
Ooty Lake, Ooty, The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, 643001, India
How to Reach Ooty Lake?
Ooty Lake and Boat House enjoys a prime location, near the city centre. It is conveniently accessible from the bus stop and the railway station, both of which are within 2 km from the lake. Taxis and auto rickshaws are available at both the places to give you a ride to the lake.
And you can always drive your car or book a private cab from top car rental companies in Ooty and visit all the tourist spots there, including Ooty Lake. Here are the other ways to reach Ooty.
By Road – NH67 provides convenient road access to Ooty from the neighbourhood towns and cities. As it’s a prominent tourist destination, regular buses and taxis from Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mysore and other towns are available at affordable prices.
By Rail – Major cities like Chennai and Coimbatore have trains that run daily for Mettupalayam railway station, about 40 km away. The above-mentioned heritage toy train then connects Mettupalayam to Ooty. It takes you through a scenic journey through the Nilgiris and it’s a joyous experience in itself.
By Air – Coimbatore, about 90 km away, has the nearest airport to Ooty. Flights from Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and other cities (including Bangalore) fly tourists to Coimbatore, daily. International tourists will find it convenient to get tickets to Bangalore. It’s 300 km away from Ooty, and has plenty of flight connections to other countries.
Travelers' Tip before visiting Ooty Lake :
Before you visit the ooty Lake, there are a few things that you must absolutely know about the place so that there are no interruptions in your enjoyment.
1. Wear comfortable clothes so that you can enjoy all the activities available at the Ooty lake Park like pony riding, boating, cycling, etc.
2. There are a lot of things that you can do at the park so it might take quite some time. Plan your itinerary accordingly.
3. Ooty Lake Park is usually crowded on the weekends. So, plan accordingly.
4. There is usually a long queue at the Boathouse. So be prepared to wait unless you arrive really early.
5. Eateries are available at the park. So, you need not carry food.
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