Pykara Lake, Ooty: How To Reach, Best Time & Tips

INR ₹

Pykara Lake Overview

Emerging from the Mukurthi Peak, the beautiful Pykara River transforms into gorgeous waterfalls, which ultimately forms a Pykara Lake. Guarded by a lush green cover of the Shola forests, Pykara Lake is believed to be an outcome of the dam constructed across the Mukurti River.

The tranquillity of the green surroundings, a thick forest cover at the shores of the Pykara Lake and the tall pine trees in its backdrop gives rise to a pleasing atmosphere. In fact, you can say that the

Pykara Lake is blessed with everything that you need to make your family outing an endearing one. Irrespective of whether you are a solo traveler or a couple in love, you probably shouldn’t miss on this tourist hotspot on your Ooty tour.

If you feel like adding some adventurous flavor to your weekend celebrations, you can simply hop at the Pykara Lake Boat House. Here, you have various motorboats and speed boats to give you a perfect boating experience.

As the captain is busy maneuvering your boat around, you can simply get candid moments of your fellow tour mates.

Besides boating adventure, you can also hike up to the rumbling Pykara Falls. As you proceed from the Lake to the Pykara Falls, be ready to treat yourself with the melodious bird sounds and a cool breeze of air blowing in here and there.

There are paid battery car services for those who want to embrace the cascading illustration of the Pykara Falls without a hiking adventure

How To Reach

Pykara Lake is located at a distance of 24.1 km from the city center of Ooty. You can quickly get there within an hour via the road transfer. You can either opt for a hired taxi or get into a state-run bus to get transferred to the Pykara Lake. As the roads are well-maintained, you can self-drive in your own car to reach the Pykara Lake from any location of Ooty.

Other Essential Information

Location – Pykara, Ooty, Tamil Nadu, 643237, India

Timings – You can visit the Pykara Lake anytime between 08:30 am to 05:00 pm. It hardly takes around 1 to 2 hours for you to explore the Pykara Lake entirely.

Entry Fee - The fees charged for visiting the Pykara Lake are as follows –

1. Van Tour through the surroundings of the Pykara Lake - 150 INR per head

2. Student Charges (On Permission) - 75 INR per head

3. Jeep Tour - 1200 INR per round

4. Still Camera - 20 INR per unit

5. Video Camera - 50 INR per unit

Distance from City Centre - Pykara Lake is located at a distance of 24.1 km from the city center of Ooty. It will just take 42 minutes for you to cover this distance via NH181.

Places to Eat in and near Pykara Lake –

1. Pykara Boat Club – If you do not want to walk for miles, there’s a small cafeteria adjacent to the Pykara Boat House. Here, you can buy some quick munchies or sip in your favorite cup of coffee.

Apart from this Boat Club, you can head in the direction of following restaurants to enjoy a nice sumptuous meal –

2. Cliff Top –  Treat yourself with some of the rich flavors of the soils of Ooty at the Cliff Top. Right from regional cuisines to delectable signature dishes to the authentic international cuisines, you have it all here at the Cliff Top.

Besides, they have an open-air rooftop barbecue where you can grab on some barbecue and grills.

Distance from Pykara Lake – 11.9 km

3. Ponmari Multicuisine Restaurant –  This restaurant is situated within the premises of the Ponmari Residency. Here, you have a chance to try various North and South Indian dishes amidst a luxurious ambiance.

Distance from Pykara Lake – 14.8 km

4. Earl’s Secret –  This restaurant is located at the King’s Cliff and is the best option to dine in the finest quality food. Earl’s Secret is the first thing to pop in mind when it comes to preferring dining within a lazy and luxurious ambiance.

Continental, Chinese, and Mughlai delicacies are their signature preparations.

Distance from Pykara Lake – 11.7 km Travellers'

Tip before visiting Pykara Lake -

Here are some essential tips to keep in mind while visiting the Pykara Lake –

1. A visit to Pykara Lake involves a lot of walking. Hence, it is advisable to put on some comfortable clothing and footwear while visiting here.

2. If you are travelling alone or as a couple, it is better to group up with others to reduce your overall boating expense.

3. Make sure to take sufficient care of your belongings and, if possible, lock all your expensive items well within your room itself.

4. If you are travelling to the lake spot in the afternoon, make sure that you lather your skin with a good amount of sunscreen lotion. This will ensure your protection from the wrath of the sweltering solar radiation.

5. Be extremely careful about the monkeys wandering here and there.

Pykara Lake FAQs

How do I get from Ooty to Doddabetta peak?

Doddabetta Peak is located at 9 km from the town of Ooty. You can make your way to the Doddabetta Peak by travelling in the direction of Kotagiri. Several state-run and private buses ply between Doddabetta Peak and Ooty at regular intervals. If you are travelling in a group or have large luggage with you, it is always better to hire a direct taxi.

How do I get to Ooty Emerald Lake?

Here’s the best way to travel to Ooty’s fame – Emerald Lake-

If you are booking air tickets, Coimbatore International Airport is the nearest one connecting this beautiful hill station to the rest of India. From there, you can either board a state-run or private bus to get to your final destination. Hired taxi rides is the best alternative to try if your luggage is quite heavy.

Train travelers can alight at Mettupalayam Railway Station and then follow the same local transport to get to your final destination.

Apart from these two modes, you can even travel to Ooty City Centre by boarding buses from other destinations across the nation. Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Tirupati, and other regions of Kerala provide regular bus services to Ooty City Centre.

For your further journey to the Emerald Lake, you may opt for local transport or a hired taxi ride.