There are several places to see and visit near Ooty too. Excursions around Ooty prove to be an equally interesting experience. A visit to the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary gives you an idea of the regions fauna and fauna. The trip to hill stations of Kotagiri and Coonor complement the visit to Ooty. Kalhatty Waterfalls apart from giving breathtaking views also offers rich flora and fauna in its surrounding area. Sims Park has more than 1,000 plant species; some of them are very rare. Dolphins Nose is a famous viewpoint not far from the city of Ooty. Mukurthi gives breathtaking sites of the Mukurthi peak and abounds in flora and fauna. Avalanche with its dam is a nature lovers paradise.
madumalai
Mudumulai Wildlife Sanctuaries
The most prominent of the wildlife sanctuaries in the state of Tamil Nadu, as well as one of the most important in the southern region, thickly forested Mudumalai borders the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka and the Wyanad Sanctuary in Kerala. Apart from the wide range of animal and bird life, the rich fauna of this sanctuary has made Mudumalai very popular with wildlife enthusiasts.
Kotagiri
It is 31 kms. from Udhagamandalam. The climate is very salubrious which is 6503 feet above sea level. Kotagiri is shielded by the Doddabetta ranges which receive much of its rain from north west monsoon. One can enjoy a pleasure ride on road flanked by green tea beds on either side.
Coonoor
It is located in an area of 13.2 sq on the way from Coimbatore to Udhagamandalam. It is second largest hill station in the Nigiris. It stands on a lower ridge of the plateau at an altitude of 1858 mts. ( 6100 ft.) Population is 48003.
MukurthiPeak and MukurthiNationalPark
Mukurthi Peak is about 40 km from Ooty. The Mukurthi National Park is located on the South Eastern corner of the Nilgiris. The area contains a viable population of Nilgiri Thar(Hamitragus hilocrius). The silent valley is located on the western side of these ranges. Fascinating feature of the Mukurthi Sanctuary is its variety and similarities to Himalayan Flora and Fauna.
Avalanche
Located at a distance of 28kms from Ooty. A beautiful lake surrounded by a thick shola where even sunlight cannot penetrate and abundant with a wide variety of avifauna is a Nature Lovers Paradise.
Masinagudi
The road to Coonoor is the same till Mudumalai and Masinagudi. It is another 35 km to Udhagamandalam, better known as Ooty and 18 more to Coonor. The drive beyond Masinagudi entails 35 hairpin bends and though these are very enjoyable drives, the trouble is, everyone else seems to think so too. Watch out therefore for maniacs coming tearing down from the opposite side. Masinagudi used to be an elephant corridor. So dont be too surprised if you do see some wild tuskers on the road. Apart from the scenic beauty of the road, the drive through Masinagudi is charming in itself.
The road between Ooty and Coonor is quite forested with hills looming in the distance. Again, there are blind turns and you have to be very careful around the corners. Coonor town seems as crowded as Ooty but, a little distance away from the centre of the city peace descends again. Coonor is more charming as it has quaint houses, old churches and not too many visitors as compared to its more famous neighbouring city. Ooty and its rolling hills give way to snarling traffic in the centre of twon which is thankfully bypassed for a smooth drive on the way to Coonor.
