Frendz...i went to ooty 20st april 2011 with my family for two day visit and this is how we planned our travel..
Source : Trivandrum, Destination: ooty
We planned to go by bus....this plan will come handy for those who plan to go by bus...
There is a SETC bus from Trivandrum central to ooty everyday at 3pm which wll reach ooty next day 7.30am, this bus go via nagerkovil and costs 350r...
As we couldnt go at 3pm v planned to catch private tourist which do regular services to coimbatore at 9pm from tvm costing 300r each, we started on 20th nite and reached coimbatore by 6am, bus go till town bus stand of coimbatore, from there v can get buses every 5 min to new bus stand, coimbatore which costs 5rs per person.From new bus stand v catched ooty bus at 6.45am, there is another bus at 7.15 am also..the 6.45 bus reached ooty by 9.45am and costed 30rs each.
Before starting to ooty see that u reserve room at ooty, as u may get stranded otherwise.As april to june is season its difficult to get room, We searched a lot...and stayed at hotel maneck near bus stand and railway station.but the rooms are not good there so I suggest hotels like Sapphire garden, reflection guest house near bus stand...if u wish u can stay at ywca at rs 1462 per day or TTDC hotel for rs.1250 per day.but this two hotels are located away from busstand hence will be difficult without own vehicles.there are so many lodges near bus stand but with no standard for a family stay.
There are about 5 places to see in ooty but without a vehicle its difficult to access hence you can either opt for private ooty sight seeing package after reaching there..it costs 125rs per head and covers ooty and coonoor, but be vigil that the guide in the mini bus may try to collect money for this and that plese dont give any extra money other than 125rs.This trip starts at 9.30am every day. As I said earlier v reached ooty by 9.45am only, but the hotel mangement told that there is another trip starting at 11.20am v opted for that but to our surprise, it was a play ie..v wer joined to the trip that started earlier at 9.30 am and v were picked at 11.20am after covering one place for the group trip started at 9.30am.
The trip ended at 6.30pm.As v had no vehicle it was good to have such packages that takes us to diferent parts of ooty.But I recommend--if u stay in good hotel they will offer you their own private ooty package at lesser cost or you can catch circuit bus by govt covering 4 main places in ooty at 60rs per head.
Second day morning v went to ooty lake, v didnt dot into boat it costs 50r per head for 1hr, its better that u take a model train set in the sides of lake it cost only 10rs per head and covers almost same dist as covered by boat along the lake side.
The most dreamt journey in ooty is the toy train to mettupalayam, but its true that getting tickets is a heeding task.Reservation will be always full...the train starts at 2pm from ooty and reaches mettupalayam by 5.45pm, v didnt reserve but went to the station after vacating room at 12pm and waited there till 1.30pm wen tickets are issued, fortunately v wer the first in the queue and got four tickets at rs 8 each, pls note that only 4 tickets are issued to a person, I also recommend you to reserve tickets from home for rs 23 each for reserved coach, even if it is waiting list, most probably it will get confirmed other wise also u can travel in general coach, so that u can avoid queue.Pls note that only 60tickets are available in unreserved category.
V reached mettupalayam by 5.45pm in the steam engine train.Note that this engine always gets stuck up on the way, this engine is used in bet coocoor and mettupalayam, till coonor from ooty diesel engine is being used.so pls do travel till mettupalayam from ooty to experience the old loco.
From mettupalayam v got bus to coimbatore town stand and from ther we caught the private tourist bus to tvm at 9pm again at 300r per head and reached back tvm on 23rd morning 7am.
Hope this travel experience will help everyone who wish to go to ooty...
Ther is a TTDC office in the manjalikulam road, thampanoor, Trivandrum which can help give more information and facilitate room booking in TTDC hotel ooty.
Vishnu
Trivandrum