History:
The Nilgiri Hills were part of the Chera Empire in ancient times. Later it fell into the hands of the Ganga dynasty and then the Hoysala empire under King Vishnuvardhana in the 12th century. Hoysala then became part of the Kingdom of Mysore of Tipu Sultan who later surrendered it to the British in the 18th century.
John Sullivan, the British governor of neighbouring Coimbatore province, liked the climate of this forested land, and occupied it by securing land from the native tribes (Kota/Kotas, Toda, Krumba and Badaga); often buying up many square kilometres in a day for the price of a few meals. Sullivan later worked to ensure land rights and cultural recognition for these tribes and was financially and socially punished for this by the British Government.
The hills were developed rapidly under the British Raj because they were almost entirely owned by private British citizens, unlike the rest of India. Ooty served as the summer capital of the Madras Presidency, and had winding hill roads and a complicated rack railway system built by influential and enterprising British citizens with venture capital from the Madras government. It was a popular summer and weekend resort for the British during the colonial days, and soldiers were also sent here and to nearby Wellington to recuperate. It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. Its stunning beauty and splendid green deep valleys made the British name it Queen of Hill Stations.

Geography:
Ooty or Udagamandalam (the Tamil version of the original name) rightly described as "Queen of Hill Stations" by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, now sprawls over an area of 36 sq km with a number of tall buildings cluttering its hill slopes. It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level. Covered with dense forests, tea bushes and scenic greens, Ooty is the perfect place to get away from the every day bustle of your city life.

Weather:
The weather of Ooty is generally pleasant throughout the year. Though each season brings in various changes in its mood but all are enough hospitable to the tourists. Ooty is among those few hill stations that can be easily visited at any time of the year.
Various seasons in Ooty brings out the different aspects of the beauty of this hill station. While the summers are charming and colorful, the winters in Ooty are thrilling. It is among the relatively cool places in South India.
Being located at quite a high altitude the climate of Ooty remains cool and temperate almost all through the year. During the summers temperature ranges from 10 degrees to 25 degrees. During the winter months temperature ranges between 5 degree and 21 degrees centigrade.
The spring season is the time when Ooty is most colorful. The surrounding hills bustles with the varied hues of different regional flowers.
The average yearly rainfall is 121 centimeters. During the rainy season the hill station blooms with lush greenery all around. During this time the trek routes are generally closed but the rainy season of Ooty offers a charm that no other season does.
Though the pleasing weather of Ooty has made it a place favorable for visiting at any time of the year, but the most suitable times to visit this hill station are the months of February and March and the time between October and November.
Ooty has grown to become an important travel destination mainly because of the refreshing quality of its weather.