VANAMCOVE 
Lake, dam and falls near Ooty
Why this weekend?
The day-by-day plan
Day 1 · The lake
- Boat ride
- Pykara falls
- Forest walk
- Picnic hour
- Return
Geography & terrain
Pykara lies in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu at about 2,134 m, 22 km from Ooty and 15 km from Naduvattam — the lake village of the region, its boat rides, the waterfalls and the forest set on the Pykara river.
History & culture
The lake's story runs with the 1930s dam era — the lake of the 1930s dam and the picnic life of the British Nilgiris, with the lake's modern role as the nature stop of the Ooty circuit and the home of the motorboat rides and the 4-tier Pykara falls and the 1998-era forest walks; the lake's history of the 1932 dam and the winding approach and the deer sightings, gives Pykara its lake character.
Where to stay
Budget
₹1,000–2,500/night
Mid-range
₹2,500–5,000/night
Comfort
₹5,000+/night
Things to do
- Lake waters
- Waterfall tiers
- Forest walks
- Picnic lawns
- Hill decks
Eat & drink
- Dosa with sambar
- Chettinad chicken
- Idiyappam with stew
- Banana leaf meals
Getting there
- Fly
- Chennai (MAA) / Coimbatore (CJB)
- Train
- Chennai Central & Madurai junctions
- Road from Chennai
- varies by district — 50–500 km
- Getting around
- Autos, local trains, city buses
Budget snapshot
- Total
- ₹3,000–8,000 (1 days)
- Per day · Stay
- ₹1,000–5,000/night
- Per day · Food
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Transport
- ₹600–1,000
- Per day · Activities
- ₹700–1,100
Month by month
- Jan · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
- Feb · Best
- 21–33°C · None rain
- Mar · Hot
- 23–35°C · None rain
- Apr · Hot
- 25–36°C · Moderate rain
- May · Pre-monsoon
- 26–35°C · Moderate rain
- Jun · Monsoon
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Jul · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Aug · Monsoon
- 23–31°C · Heavy rain
- Sep · Monsoon tail
- 24–32°C · Heavy rain
- Oct · Good
- 24–33°C · Moderate rain
- Nov · Best
- 22–32°C · Light rain
- Dec · Best
- 20–31°C · None rain
Practical info
- Language: Tamil (English understood in tourist spots)
- Best window: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Connectivity: good 4G in towns
- UPI/cards widely accepted; keep small cash for hill and market stops
Practical tips
- The season (Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov) holds the lake
- The boat rides run on the counters
- The walks ask the walking shoes
Frequently asked questions
What is Pykara?
The lake village of the Nilgiris.
What is there to do?
The boats, the falls and the walks.
How long is the visit?
A full day.
Lake, dam and falls near Ooty
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