Ousteri Wetland & National Park Puducherry - History, Timings & Entry Fee

At a distance of 10 km from Pondicherry Bus Station, Ousteri Lake, also known as Ossudu Lake, is situated at Ossudu Village on Pondicherry-Villuppuram Road. It is one of the prominent Pondicherry places to visit.

Spread over 800 hectares, the Ousteri Lake is situated between Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. About 390 hectares of the area falls in Puducherry and the remaining is under Tamil Nadu state. This is an artificial lake built by the French as a source of drinking water for the residents. The lake is fed by local run-off and an intermittent river and has a bund on its western bank. It has an average depth of 1 m and dries up completely in summer.

Over the years, the lake has evolved into a wetland. In 2008, the Ousteri wetland in Puducherry was declared as a bird sanctuary, while the wetland in Tamil Nadu was declared in 2015. Ousteri Wetland is a paradise for bird watchers as it attracts more than 190 varieties of migratory and local birds throughout the year. Golden Oriole, Painted Storks, White Ibis, Open bill Storks, Tailor Bird, and Spotted Owlets are some of the unique bird species seen here. Apart from this rich avifauna, the place also offers you an opportunity to see crabs and mussels that are seen here in abundance.

The main attraction of the lake is the boating facility provided by the Puducherry Tourism Corporation to sail through the beautiful wetland and witness the chirping of multitudes of colorful birds hovering all over the place.

The best time to visit the beautiful Ousteri Lake is from October to March when the lake is filled with colorful migratory birds.

Timings: 9 AM - 5 PM.

Entry: Free

Boating: Rs. 100 for Motorboat (15 Min), RS. 100 for Pedal Boat, Rs. 100 for Rowing Boat, Rs. 90 for Kayak