Lakes of Ooty

The heavenly hill station of Ooty dots some 12 lakes within its environment. Ooty Lake is the most popular one, registering thousands of footfalls every day. Although most of the lakes are natural but, a few are created artificially by the British during their reign. Listed below are the important lakes of Ooty for tourist visits.

Ooty Lake

Ooty Lake is another celebrated tourist location of Nilgiri hills. The Lake is close at hand from the main bus stand of Ooty. The hill town’s popular lake was constructed by John Sullivan in 1824. Also called as ‘The Boat House’, this lake was artificially created by damming six mountain streams of Ooty valley. The lake was initially created with the idea of fishing and providing an irrigation tank to the residents of the area. The possession of lake shifted to Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation in 1973 (TTDC). TTDC transformed this place into a tourist location.

The Lake is beautifully encircled with mighty Eucalyptus trees. An adjoining boat house facilitated by TTDC (Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation) offers boating in the lake. The boat rides in clear blue waters leaves a lasting memory in the minds of travelers .Various types of boats like shikara boats, paddle boats, row boats and motor boats are available for boat rides. One can also enjoy pony rides, snack bars and lake gardens in the vicinity of Boat House.

Boat Races in Ooty

The two day, annual Boat Race during summer festivals are much looked forward event at Ooty Lake. This acclaimed annual event organized by TTDC usually in the month of May aims at attracting huge crowds and making the visit memorable to the tourists.

Boating, rowing, a mini train, mini garden, deer park and an amusement park are prominent attractions around the lake.

Quick Facts

Fee: Entry Fee: Rs 5
Boating Fee: Ranges from Rs 60 to Rs 250
Timings: 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM All days of week
Visit Duration: 30 minutes
Location: Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu
Nearest Airport:  Coimbatore Airport
Nearest Railway Station: Udhagamandalam Railway Station
By Road: Ooty-Mysore Road at NH-67

Pykara Lake in Ooty

Pykara Falls lie at 19 kms from Ooty. The water flows through a continual series of cascading rocks, into a bowl shaped green valley. The roads leading to the falls are led through beautiful forests. Toda tribe considers the river sacred. Apart from the green meadows and wildlife habitat, the Boat House and a dam are also favorite spots for the visitors here.

Quick Facts

Entry Fee: Nil, but charges range from Rs 60 to 325 for boating
Timings: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, All days of week
Visit Duration: 2 hours
Location: The Nilgiris Tamil Nadu

Avalanche Lake Ooty

The lake is called Avalanche after the landslides of 1823 in this area. The lake is about 31 Kms from Ooty with mesmerizing Blue Mountains and breathtaking streams and lakes. The lake has breathtaking surroundings and wonderful flowers that make the place all the more enchanting. There are quite a few activities like trekking, rappelling, camping, fishing and horse riding one can undertake to engage oneself. You can visit Emerald Lake also while on a  visit to Avalanche, as it lies at just 6 Kms .

Quick Facts

Entry Fee: Nil
Timings: All Days of the week, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Visit Duration: 1 Hour
Location: The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu

Emerald Lake

This lake is in Emerald Village and is known for the fishes, birds, amazing sunrise and sunset sights amidst the tea plantations.  The village lies at the upper region of Nilgiris. One can enjoy specially flavored and fine varieties of tea here. The lake has lush green environments all around and exists on a beautiful silent valley. For tourists, trekking, fishing, bird-watching and boating are a few pleasure activities set here.

Quick Facts

Entry Fee: Nil
Timings: All Days of Week.8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Visit Duration: 1 Hour
Location: Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu