Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
For the high season, try to book the train several weeks ahead; at other times a few days
ahead is advisable, though not always essential. The train departs Mettupalayam for Ooty
at 7.10am daily (1st/2nd class ?155/23, five hours). From Ooty to Mettupalayam the train
leaves at 2pm and takes 3½ hours. Departures and arrivals at Mettupalayam connect with
those of the Nilgiri Express to/from Chennai Central. There are also three daily passenger
trains each way just between Ooty and Coonoor (?18, 1¼ hours).
Note that Ooty is usually listed as Udagamandalam in train timetables.
Getting Around
There are plenty of autorickshaws and taxis: autorickshaw fare charts are posted outside
the bus station and botanical gardens and elsewhere. An autorickshaw from the train or
bus station to Charing Cross costs about ?60.
There are jeep taxi stands near the bus station and municipal market: expect to pay
about 1.5 times local taxi fares.
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Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
0423
In the foothills of the Nilgiris, this 321-sq-km reserve is like a classical Indian landscape
painting given life: thin, spindly trees and light-slotted leaves concealing spotted chital
deer and grunting wild boar. Also here are around 50 tigers, giving Mudumalai the highest
tiger population density in India - though you'll still be very lucky to see one. Overall the
reserve is the best place for spotting wildlife in Tamil Nadu. The creatures you're most
likely to see include deer, peacocks, wild boar, langurs and Malabar giant squirrels.
There's also a significant chance of sighting wild elephants (the park has several hundred)
and gaur (Indian bison).
Along with Karnataka's Bandipur and Nagarhole and Kerala's Wayanad, Mudumalai
forms part of an unbroken chain of protected areas comprising an important wildlife
refuge.
Mudumalai sometimes closes for fire risk in April, May or June. Rainy July and August
are the least favourable months for visiting.
