Udhagamandalam

Ooty is home to 5 tribal communities; Todas, Kurumbas, Paniyas, Irulas and Kotas. It was turned into a hill station in the 19th century by the British, and served as the summer headquarters of the Madras Presidency. In the Nilgiris (Blue Mountains), it draws swarms of tourists every year. The landscape is marked by rolling hills covered with dense vegetation, smaller hills and plateaus covered with tea gardens, and eucalyptus trees. Many portions of the hills are preserved as natural reserve forests, and special permits will be needed to camp in noncamp sites. Ooty is not the destination in itself, as much as it is the focal point of attraction. Auto touring the surrounding country side is certainly a must do. Unfortunately, the hill town suffers from overcrowding and erosion of natural resources. Tourism has placed an enormous strain on the natural resources resulting in pollution, water shortage and roads. The hilly region also houses smaller towns like Coonoor and Kotagiri.