The term Doddabetta means Big Mountain in Badaga language. It is a combination of two words Dodda meaning big and Betta which means mountain. It satiates the desire of an avid trekker yearning for the best place to trek with its awe-inspiring views.

Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Mountains at 2,637 metres (8,652 ft). There is a reserved forest area around the peak. It is 9 km from Ooty, on the Ooty-Kotagiri Road in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu, India. It is a popular tourist attraction with road access to the summit. It is the third highest peak in South India next to Anamudi and Meesapulimala.

The peaks Hecuba (2375 m), Kattadadu (2418 m) and Kulkudi (2439 m) are the three closely linked summits in the west of the Doddabetta range near to Udagamandalam.

There is an observatory at the top of Doddabetta with two telescopes available for the public. It was opened on 18 June 1983 and is run by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC). The average number of viewers in 2001-2002 was 3500 per day in the season and 700 per day in the off-season.