Emerald Lake, Ooty, Nilgiris
Emerald Lake is located near Emerald village in
Ooty Taluk in the Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu. It is situated in the upper plateau
region of the Nilgiri hills. It is a part of the silent valley. Equally visited
for the flora and fauna around it, Emerald Lake is a favourite spot
for picnics. Tourists from Ooty often throng to the lake to soak in the natural
beauty that's splattered all around.
Surrounded by tea plantations and acres of Rolling
Meadows, Emerald Lake is a great place for the lovers of
photography. You might also come across Ornithologists here, for the lake
and the adjoining area teems with exotic species of birds. Needless to say, the
lake also boasts of a humongous variety of fish. You can also go bird watching,
trekking, biking or a simple stroll by the lake.
It is also notable for the scenic sun rise and sun set
views near the lake. The lake is surrounded by tea plantations where visitors
can buy tea products. Emerald Lake also has a small dam that caters to the area
around Emerald Lake. As it is a prohibited area you can't go near to the lake
but from the mountain, you can see the beautiful view of it. Beautiful view and
an excellent place for photography.
In the summer from March to May the temperature will be
between 25°C and 10°C and in winter the temperature maintains between 21°C and
5°C. Rains hit the Ooty hills between June and September. The best time to
visit Emerald Lake is any time during the year but ideally it is more fun
during April to June and September to November.
Connectivity
Emerald Lake is located at about 19 Kms from Ooty, 20
Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 21 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 37 Kms from Coonoor,
50 Kms from Kotagiri, 69 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 103 Kms from
Coimbatore and 115 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Visitors should note that as
the lake is situated in the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve, prior permission is
needed from the forest office in Ooty.
Private vehicles are not allowed into the Sanctuary and
visitors have to take Forest Department mini bus for a 2 hours ride into the
Sanctuary, covering Emerald Lake, Avalanche Lake, Upper Bhavani Dam, Bhavani
Temple and Hydro power plant. The bus starts from Forest Department Check Post.
The buses are run between 9 AM to 3 PM (2 hours ride) at specific intervals. It
is advised to take the 9 AM bus to have better chances of wildlife sighting.
Jeeps are also available for a group of 8 people.
Location
