Trip to Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

Puducherry is a scenic destination towards the southern end of India. This city is worth visiting again and again for its numerous attractions. So, last year, when we got a chance, we visited this wonderful city to explore its natural beauty. Surely, it is loaded with the pristine beaches, museums, bustling markets, tranquil by lanes, et al. But still, there is something that was missing from our previous itinerary. It was the trip to Ousteri Wetland and National Park. So, we planned it this time.


This wetland of Ousteri Lake is situated around 10 km away from main city. Hence, we took a cab for the same.

About Ousteri Lake

This is a huge manmade lake that was constructed almost one century ago. Locally, it is also called as Osudu Lake. It is a significant wetland of Asia and also the largest fresh water catchment in entire Puducherry. This wetland covers almost 390 hectares of area spanning from Puducherry to Tamil Nadu. It feeds the entire city with its water throughout the year.

Attractions of Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

The diversity of this wetland is always ready to allure you. It has rich flora and fauna spread on its vast expanses. There are varied species of avifauna, plants, and aquatic life to explore at this destination.

Flora of Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

This area is comprised of deciduous evergreen vegetation. A large portion of this park is dedicated to the dense wetland vegetation. Even inside the park, there is ample greenery caused by different varieties of herbs and shrubs. These evergreen herbs and trees support and sustain the existence of fauna and avifauna in this region. They support the resident and migratory birds in both summer as well as winter season.

Bird Watching in Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

Ousteri Wetland is a paradise for the bird watchers. It attracts more than 190 varieties of migratory and local birds throughout the year. Here, we got a chance to spot the beautiful species like painted stork, open bill stork, golden oriole, tailor bird, white ibis, spotted owelets, egrets, bulbul, kingfisher, etc. The day was lucky enough for us as we could also watch the rare species like eagle hawks, Easter fowls, and cranes from the banks of Ousteri Lake.

Apart from this rich avifauna, the place also offers you an opportunity to watch crabs and mussels that are seen here in abundance. However, carrying binoculars along is strongly recommended else you may lose the chance to spot some rare bird species resting on the tall trees inside the park area.

Boating at Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

Boating is perhaps the most enjoyable and fulfilling thing to do in this wetland area. It offers you a mesmerizing boat ride while enjoying the picturesque vistas of nature. A small boat club is run here by Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation. It offers ride in a 20-seater boat that takes approx half an hour to complete one trip of the lake. We were a group of 10 people. So, it turned out to be quite fun.

Leisurely Walk at Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

Ousteri Wetland and National Park is sprawled over a large area but still, it is quite suitable to have some nature walks with your loved ones. We spent a lovely time there while admiring the beauty of this region and wandering on the walkways of the park.

All these attractions at Ousteri Wetland and National Park certainly attract the travellers again and again. If you still haven’t been at this place, you are surely going to get luckier with some major attractions coming up at this wetland in the near future to develop it like Vedanthagal Bird Sanctuary of Chennai.

Proposed plans for Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

The department of Forest in Puducherry has proposed putting up the sign boards with multi coloured paintings of the birds across this national park. This will induce the interests of tourists in knowing more about them.

A three-storey information and interpretation centre is also proposed here. It will comprise of a library and an AV room. A small park will also be developed here.

The department proposed installation of two telescopes at the top floor of this centre for bird watching.
Pedal boats will replace the motor boats in the lake and fishing will be completely banned here. The entire region will be declared as no plastic and no horn zone to attract more species of migratory birds to Ousteri Wetlands.

How to reach Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

This wetland is easily accessible from the city of Puducherry. It is situated on the famous Puducherry Villupuram Road. This is a short distance of 10 km that can be covered by cab as we did. If interested, you can also hire bike or bicycle to explore the entire stretch from the city to this wetland on your own.

Best Time to Visit Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

We visited Puducherry in January which is one of the best months to be there. Winter is the most immaculate time to visit this destination because most of the migratory birds can be spotted during these months only. Second best time to go there is September to November with sunny weather offering better vision of the birds.

Timings of Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

The wetland park area remains open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM throughout the year.
Entry Fees at Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry.

Entry to the park is free of cost. However, charges are levied for camera, boat rides, and food or beverages. The charges are quite minimal and they are necessary for the upkeep of this natural region.

Location of Ousteri Wetland and National Park in Puducherry

Ossudu Village, Vazhudavur Road, Puducherry
Tourist Information Centre:
Address: No. 40, Goubert Avenue, Beach Road,
Puducherry - 605001
Phone No.: 0413 - 2339497, 2226744