Pykara Dam and Falls is located in the Nilgiris district of Ooty taluka in Tamil Nadu. It is exactly 19 km from Ooty along with the village of the same name called Pykara. The Pykara River is considered sacred by the Todas. Located in the 'Queen of the Hills', the Ooty, this river is one of the popular tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu due to its boating house. Which attracts hundreds of people every year there is a dam also here.
Pykara Lake and Falls
The Pykara River rises at the summit of Mukurti and flows northwards, then westwards along the edge of the plateau. Heading west, the river flows through the Murkurti, Pykara, and Glenmorgan dams. This is why the river got the name Pykara. The river flows over two waterfalls, 55 meters long and 61 meters long. It is the main source of water for those two waterfalls.
Pykara Dam and Hydropower Plant
Pykara Dam is located near the main road between Ooty and Cuddalore. In addition to this dam, a hydroelectric power station is also located to generate electricity. The first unit of this hydropower plant with a capacity of 6.65 MW was commissioned in 1932. It is one of the oldest hydroelectric stations in Tamil Nadu. It still generates 60 MW of electricity for Tamil Nadu. The project for this hydropower plant was carried out in 1920 during British rule under the leadership of Ramasamy Iyer who was the Diwan of Travancore.
The project was handed over to a team of engineers under the leadership of HG Howard Engineer. It rose to 3 units several years after it was installed. Each unit of this hydropower plant can generate about 50 MW of electricity. The ancient Pykara Hydroelectric Station was an inspiration for the establishment of several hydroelectric power stations in Tamil Nadu. And in 1997, Tamilnadu Govt declared the Pykara station as a heritage place.
Pykara Boat House
A restaurant with a boating facility is one of the popular tourist attractions of the Ooty Bikara River. You can go boating while the water flows in the Bikara River. This restaurant is maintained by the Tamilnadu Government. During the rainy season, the falls pour more water and the river floods. Thus it is better to stay away from the waterfall during the rainy season. Very low temperatures prevail at Ooty Pykara Lake. The average temperature in this place is 15 degrees Celsius which is very cold.
Entry Fees and Timings
| Day | Timings |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8:30 am to 5 pm |
| Tuesday | 8:30 am to 5 pm |
| Wednesday | 8:30 am to 5 pm |
| Thursday | 8:30 am to 5 pm |
| Friday | 8:30 am to 5 pm |
| Saturday | 8:30 am to 5 pm |
| Sunday | 8:30 am to 5 pm |
There is no entry fee for falls.
Ooty Pykara Lake Hotels
- Vinayaga Inn Poppys
- O'land Plantation Stay
- Sterling Anaikatti
- Accord Highland Hotel Ooty
- Vividearth Hotels
- Orchid Square A Boutique Hotel
There are several hotels near Bikara Falls. You will definitely need a hotel as it is very cold here. You can not stay outside. Also 20 km away there are several hotels in Ooty where you can go and stay too.
Ooty Pykara Lake Resorts
- Wild Planet Resort
- Garuda Park Resort
- Raindrops Resort
- Orchid Trails Resort
- Dream Nest Resort
- KMN Resort
Many resorts are located within a 30 km radius. These resorts are located in the hills of Ooty and within the garden.
Nearby Travel Places
- Avalanche Lake
- Ooty Lake
- Emerald Lake
- Deer Park
- Ooty Botanical Gardens
- Kalhatty Waterfalls
- Kamraj Sagar Dam
How to Get Pykara Falls
- To reach Pykara Dam you must first reach the Nilgiris district. Since there is no direct facility to Pykara Dam.
- The nearest railway station to Ooty Pykara lake(Falls) is the Ooty Railway Station.
- The nearest airport to Pykara Falls is Coimbatore airport. It is located more than 300 Km away from Pykara Falls.
- Ooty to Pykara Falls distance is 21 Km.
- Tirunelveli to Pykara Falls distance is 455 Km.
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