OOTY
Tamil Nadu
Once a convenient summer getaway for Britishers in colonial India, Ooty is a picturesque town nestled in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, at a height of 2,240 metres. Traditionally known as Udhagamandalam, it continues to be a part of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway route, the only rack railway in India, established in 1908. Botanical gardens, old churches, temples, museums, and a 163-yearold library (which hosts the Ooty Literary Festival every September) lend insight into the region’s glorious past. The scenic outskirts of the town, marked by rolling hills, misty tea estates, and pine trees, make for a great setting for a quiet summer getaway. tamilnadutourism.org