Ooty in the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal in the Palani hills sit at roughly the same height — a little over 2,000 metres — and both are a cool escape from the plains. But their weather follows different monsoons, so the best month for one is not always the best for the other.
The short answer
- Best overall: March to June, and again September to November for Ooty.
- Peak crowds: April and May, when schools close.
- Coldest: December and January — crisp days, near-freezing nights in Ooty.
- Wettest: June to August in Ooty; October to December in Kodaikanal.
Ooty through the year
March to June — summer season
Clear, pleasant days and cool evenings. This is when the Government Botanical Garden holds its flower show (usually in May) and the town is at its busiest. Book hotels and the Nilgiri Mountain Railway early.
June to September — south-west monsoon
Heavy rain, mist and very green hills. Roads can be slow and some viewpoints clouded over, but hotel rates drop and the tea estates look their best.
October to November — after the rains
A quieter, fresh season — one of our favourite times for couples and elders.
December to February — winter
Sunny days and cold nights; frost on the grass at dawn is common. Pack proper warm layers.
Kodaikanal through the year
April to June — the high season
Kodaikanal’s summer festival and flower show at Bryant Park fall in this window, usually in May. Expect queues for boating on Kodaikanal Lake and at Pillar Rocks.
October to December — north-east monsoon
Kodaikanal gets much of its rain now. Mornings can be beautiful, afternoons misty and wet.
January to March — cool and clear
A lovely, uncrowded time, with cold nights in January.
Ooty or Kodaikanal?
Ooty has more to do — gardens, the toy train, Coonoor’s tea estates and Pykara — and pairs neatly with Mysore and Coorg on our Mysore Ooty tour from Chennai. Kodaikanal is quieter and more about walks, viewpoints and the lake, and combines well with Madurai and Palani on a temple-and-hills trip. Our Tamil Nadu packages include both.
How many days?
Two nights is the minimum for either. Three nights lets you add Coonoor from Ooty, or Berijam and the forest viewpoints from Kodaikanal at an easy pace.
Before you go
- In recent summers, vehicles entering the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal have needed an e-pass, with daily limits at peak times. Rules change, so check before you travel — we arrange it for our own vehicles.
- The ghat roads have many hairpin bends; carry something for motion sickness and avoid driving them at night.
- Even in summer, evenings need a light jacket.
