This is our second article in a series of articles on Exploring Ooty. To read our first article about Pykara Falls , CLICK HERE.

After the amazing experience at the Pykara Falls, we stayed overnight in Ooty. We decided to visit Coonoor the next day, a small hill-station town nearby Ooty famous for Nilgiri Tea. It is situated on a “toy-train” line between Mettupalayam(28 km) and Ooty .


Toy train from Mettupalayam to Ooty
Toy train from Mettupalayam to Ooty

This toy-train comes under Nilgiri Mountain Railway(NMR) and included as a world heritage train by UNESCO
Travelling in toy train is something which I had fantasized since childhood; thereby prompting me to book the tickets many days before the day of visit, resulting in me getting a window seat! And finally having got the opportunity to experience it , I was very excited.


In morning we reached the Ooty (also known as Udagamandalam) station. Ooty  railway station is very small but I think that is what one can expect from mountain railways. Located in the heart of city, it has a government owned canteen which serves meal on buffet basis just before the departure of any train. It reminded me of my days in hostel mess. The food does not offer many options as one has to make a choice among Idli, vada, sambhar or poha (or at max rice dal).


toy train tickets from ooty to conoor
Waiting for train departure
Udagamandalam Railway Station
Udagamandalam Railway Station

The very prospect of travelling in the toy train brought churns in my stomach out of excitement; this and it being my 23rd birthday only made the things better!  The train seats were just like bus seats in the movie “Bombay to Goa” ( the older one) .The sound of the bellowing engine was materializing the childhood memories of the poem “chuk chuk gaadi”!

View of Ketti Valley from toy train
View of Ketti Valley from toy train

There are in total of 16 tunnels on the route. Few of them were leaking water because of the rain that poured earlier the same morning. The major attraction apart from the ride was KETTI VALLEYthe second largest valley in the world ; the very sight of which flabbergasted me completely! Ketti is a small town in Nilgiris district and located en route to Coonoor.

Toy train entering one of the tunnels
Toy train entering one of the tunnels

Ketti station is the 3rd station and lies exactly midway between Ooty and Coonoor and the valley lies just ahead of the station. After the train left Ketti station , I was completely spell bounded by the view I was offered by this majestic valley. 
Gorgeous views of tea plantations; the small hills and lush green field added up to the beauty. Wish one could capture that moment and relive it again and again!


Ketti Valley - 2nd Largest valley in the world
Ketti Valley - 2nd Largest valley in the world
Lush green views of Ketti Valley
Lush green views of Ketti Valley

Ketti valley is a heaven for nature lovers and photographers. No surprise it is one of the most visited tourist site in Ooty; also known as “Switzerland of Nilgiris”.


Well, Martin Buber once said ,“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware ” and ,indeed, we were revealed with our “secret” destination after viewing the Ketti valley.

Lush green beauty of Ketti valley
Lush green beauty of Ketti valley

But then what Pykara and Ketti had offered me made me even more curious to see what lies ahead of me.

To book a customised tour to Ooty, feel free to get in touch with us.

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To read the next article, CLICK HERE.

GALLERY

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow

divya said...

Very good and descriptive write up .after reading this article I will look forward to visit this place (y)

Anonymous said...

Wow

Anonymous said...

After reading two of your blogs , I am desperately waiting for the third blog - Tea Plantation in Conoor !! Will visit your blog after 4 days :-)

Unknown said...

Awesome, almost like being there...

Anonymous said...

Awesomeness with simplicity...... Nyc blog...

Unknown said...

Thanks everyone! Keep visiting this blog for new destinations every week! :)

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Nice piece of article.....will be surely visiting this place to recall my childhood :)

Unknown said...

nice article.. gave me an urge to travel in the toy train :D

Richa said...

Excellently written,keen to visit there!!!
Expecting the same originality from your next article...

Unknown said...

beautiful journey in toy train via tunnels

Unknown said...

Looking forward to the next article! :D

Unknown said...

Thanks all for the comments and appreciations! Keep visitng the blog for more updates! We are sure we won't disappoint you with the articles/pictures. :)

Unknown said...

Most intrigued by the meadows and the train journey..thanks..lookung forward to more of your stuff

Disha Garg said...

Would love to visit this place! :D Awesome description (y)

Unknown said...

I remember how at last minute i got 2 tickets for this beautiful journey on this Toy Train. This is indeed a heritage train. Me and wife had the window seats- and to us their was an entirely different and magnificent world outside the window. Ketti valley , the second largest gorge around the globe, which is famous for its immense natural beauty completes the journey from Ooty to Conoor.
For me the best part of the journey was when the train passes through the tunnel, and the driver switches off the lights in the train!

Shubhopriyo Basu said...

I have been to Ooty but by road and after reading this article I am sure to have missed something beautiful. If ever I get a chance to visit again, I will definitely use the toy train. Moreover, it's always great to read your account for the place I have visited.

Unknown said...

Shubhopriyo- Yes bro you should definitely try the toy train this time! It's amazing!

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