[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by kala

You could perhaps get a more recent update by sending a PM to someone who attended the Team-BHP meet at Rajakkad held last month (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/team-b...ch-2016-a.html)

Thanks a lot Kala. I got a update from the above thread, the road till Rajakkad is good.

[ajithbr]

Someone earlier mentioned about an alternate route from Malappuram/Palakkad districts to Ooty. It was a route from Mannarkad(on NH213) to Mettupalayalam via Anaikatti and Karamadai. Anyone travelled in this route recently?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Someone earlier mentioned about an alternate route from Malappuram/Palakkad districts to Ooty. It was a route from Mannarkad(on NH213) to Mettupalayalam via Anaikatti and Karamadai. Anyone travelled in this route recently?

Mannarkad to Coimbatore this is the route:
Mannarkad-Mukkali-Chemmannoor-Thavalam-Goolikkadavu-Agali-Kottathara-Anaikatty-Coimbatore. https://goo.gl/maps/c7CMC9aoXsp
Silent Valley is approx 25-30kms from Mukkali

From Kottathara on this route,for Ooty,you take a diversion and go via Elachivazhy and Ooty is approx 75-80kms(approx 3-3.5hrs and close to 60 hairpins on this route) via Kottathara-Mulli-Gedhai-Manjoor-Lovedale-Ooty.

Dont forget to stop at Chamaraj Tea Centre between Manjoor and Lovedale as per the certificate kept there-the highest tea estate in India.Havent travelled recently,there was an update in October from Rajeev who took this route.http://goo.gl/B0VJn4

Also pls bear in mind,hardly any mobile signals available on this entire stretch between Mulli till Manjoor.IMO the route is good to travel in a group with more than one car,solo travel with family,IMO is a bit iffy-not because of any security issues,but just in case something happens to the car,dont expect any help

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Mannarkad to Coimbatore this is the route:
Mannarkad-Mukkali-Chemmannoor-Thavalam-Goolikkadavu-Agali-Kottathara-Anaikatty-Coimbatore. https://goo.gl/maps/c7CMC9aoXsp
Silent Valley is approx 25-30kms from Mukkali

From Kottathara on this route,for Ooty,you take a diversion and go via Elachivazhy and Ooty is approx 75-80kms(approx 3-3.5hrs and close to 60 hairpins on this route) via Kottathara-Mulli-Gedhai-Manjoor-Lovedale-Ooty.

Great information.
I was trying to picturize a route to Bangalore via Dhimbam though from Mannarkad (means without going near Bathery or Nilambur or Coimbatore or Gudalur or Ooty), and hence was referring to Mettupalayam as I think there should be a good route to Sathy/Bannari from there.
Any idea on this? Or a close enough contours?

Please refer to Google maps for a route from Mannarkkad(NH213) to Bannari(NH209) for this, and see how straighter and shorter it is? Of course, it is an offbeat route with its own adventure, but worth an exploration on favorable conditions. Right?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Bangalore via Dhimbam though from Mannarkad (means without going near Bathery or Nilambur or Coimbatore or Gudalur or Ooty), and hence was referring to Mettupalayam as I think there should be a good route to Sathy/Bannari from there.

Mettupalayam to Sathy is a very good 2lane state highway via Sirumugai.On this SH look for the Bhavanisagar diversion and that will take you to bannari without touching Sathy,approx 50kms via a "Stater" Highway(narrower than a normal TN SH!)

Going to take more time for sure. Blr-Mettupalayam via this route can be done in about 6-7hrs.If you have loads of time and are on an exploration mood,blr mannarkad via this route and then onto the agali route from karamadai can be done,definitely not a time saver

https://goo.gl/maps/9boeX2iX1eE2

Overall route would be Mannarkad-Agali-Karamadai-Bannari-NH209-Bangalore.

[sachinpk]

Planning for a drive on NH7-NH47 to KL tomorrow morning. Any thing to watch out for? Understand that there is a bye-pass to avoid places like K.G Chavadi. But are there any boards indicating where to take diversions etc.?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Planning for a drive on NH7-NH47 to KL tomorrow morning. Any thing to watch out for? Understand that there is a bye-pass to avoid places like K.G Chavadi. But are there any boards indicating where to take diversions etc.?

No signboards whatsoever!very confusing as well.Just follow the new 4 lane and the flyover and the general traffic,thats what I did.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

Great information.
I was trying to picturize a route to Bangalore via Dhimbam though from Mannarkad (means without going near Bathery or Nilambur or Coimbatore or Gudalur or Ooty), and hence was referring to Mettupalayam as I think there should be a good route to Sathy/Bannari from there.
Any idea on this? Or a close enough contours?

Please refer to Google maps for a route from Mannarkkad(NH213) to Bannari(NH209) for this, and see how straighter and shorter it is? Of course, it is an offbeat route with its own adventure, but worth an exploration on favorable conditions. Right?

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Mettupalayam to Sathy is a very good 2lane state highway via Sirumugai.On this SH look for the Bhavanisagar diversion and that will take you to bannari without touching Sathy,approx 50kms via a "Stater" Highway(narrower than a normal TN SH!)

Going to take more time for sure. Blr-Mettupalayam via this route can be done in about 6-7hrs.If you have loads of time and are on an exploration mood,blr mannarkad via this route and then onto the agali route from karamadai can be done,definitely not a time saver

https://goo.gl/maps/9boeX2iX1eE2

Overall route would be Mannarkad-Agali-Karamadai-Bannari-NH209-Bangalore.

I had taken this route last November. Some tips based on my experiences :

Mannarkad-Anaikatti via Mukkali-Agali has OK roads, little narrow and rough in places - but not too uncomfortable. Took me 1 hour 35 minutes for the 52 kms. Scenic in the initial parts (probably till Mukkali and a little further) since it skirts the southern periphery of the Silent Valley National park. Rather dry from thereon - like typical Tamilnadu village roads.

About 100 meters after the Anaikatty forest checkpost, you need to take an acute left turn (almost like a U turn) to go towards Karamadai. The turn is easy to miss, so be on the lookout. The first 10 kms of this road is quite patchy and narrow. No signboards, and some confusing junctions where you wouldn't be sure which is the right way. Make sure you have GPS turned on and maps preloaded because it's hard to find someone to enquire about the way either.

The road improves somewhat after this - the last 10 kms to Karamadai has very good surface. Took me about 50 minutes to cover the 32 kms.

Karamadai-Sirumugai-Bhavanisagar is very good - there are a few turn-offs here also but generally well marked. Follow Google Maps or direction boards to Bannari/Bhavanisagar/Sathyamangalam. After about 31 kms from Karamadai (which took me 32 minutes), you reach a fork where the markings for Bannari/Sathyamangalam (as well as Google Maps) ask you the right fork (Coordinates - 11.432188, 77.137830). The straightish road goes by the side of the reservoir and looks excellent, so I ignored Google's directions and took this one assuming the views might be good. (This is the route that Ranjit has mapped also). But after the first 4 kms or so, the road was in very bad shape and very crowded for the next 1 or 2 kms till you hit the bridge. (Took me about 10 minutes to cover that 2 kms). Lots of fish shops in that area - looks like fishing is a big business there. May be following Google's suggestions of taking the right fork and a left turn a little bit later and crossing the river at Dhoddampalayam might have been the better option. (Google estimates 15 minutes through its suggested route, and 16 minutes through the route that I took. I took about 18 minutes to cover that stretch of 11 kms).

From that point to Bannari is again an excellent road - took me 7 minutes for the 8 kms.

So overall Karamadai to Bannari shouldn't take you more than an hour or so for the 50+ kms. That makes it about 3.5 hours or so from Mannarkad to Bannari - Not very different from the time you would take if you go via Palghat-Coimbatore-Karumathampatti. (Google Maps estimates it as 3 hrs 27 minutes on that route for 169 kms and 3 hrs 25 minutes for 133 kms via Anaikatti - almost exactly the time that I took)

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by kala

That makes it about 3.5 hours or so from Mannarkad to Bannari - Not very different from the time you would take if you go via Palghat-Coimbatore-Karumathampatti. (Google Maps estimates it as 3 hrs 27 minutes on that route for 169 kms and 3 hrs 25 minutes for 133 kms via Anaikatti - almost exactly the time that I took)

Based on all inputs, it seems that the route is best suited for some unique and different experiences, especially in a jeep or even an HD trip with a gang :-)
I came across this elsewhere when some college group were planning for a bike round-trip covering an exciting loop as: Nilambur->Gudalur->Gundlupet->Chamarajanagar->Bannari->(Fishing/Dam)->(Mettupalayam break for Black Thunder)->Silent Valley->Mannarkkad->Nilambur
Not sure, but guess, if it was the Law College folks of Kozhikode :-)

[ontheroad]

Friends, Can someone please suggest the best route from Trivandrum to Munnar?

[kala]

Originally Posted by ontheroad

Friends, Can someone please suggest the best route from Trivandrum to Munnar?

Though i haven't travelled on those roads for a while now, i would think the route through the eastern part of Kerala - i.e Pathanamthitta-Ranni-Kanjirappally-Erattupetta-Thodupuzha to join NH49 at Oonnukal may be the most hassle-free route, considering that MC Road as well as NH47 sees quite a bit of traffic.

To get to Pathanamthitta, I'm not sure if turning off MC road at Ayoor and going via Punalur-Pathanapuram or continuing on MC road till Adoor and going to Pathanamthitta from there is the better option. Both are more or less the same distance, so you'd need to decide based on road conditions.

Disclaimer - Since the last time I drove on those roads is probably 2 or 3 years back, not sure how current road conditions are.

[Jaguar]

Is the road between Gundlupet and Sultan Bathery closed? Google maps is forcing me through Gudalur, not sure why?

[ajaypjayaraj]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Is the road between Gundlupet and Sultan Bathery closed? Google maps is forcing me through Gudalur, not sure why?
Attachment 1506992

May be because you searched for route during the hours that route is closed. That road is closed at night. Usually when I google a route to Bangalore, it shows Sultan Bathery Gundalpet route. But now when I checked after seeing your query, it shows alternative routes only. So my guess is, it checks for the best route available at that time when you search. Last week, I travelled and that route was open during the day.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by ajaypjayaraj

May be because you searched for route during the hours that route is closed. That road is closed at night. Usually when I google a route to Bangalore, it shows Sultan Bathery Gundalpet route. But now when I checked after seeing your query, it shows alternative routes only. So my guess is, it checks for the best route available at that time when you search. Last week, I travelled and that route was open during the day.

I checked after changing the departure time to tomorrow morning and still doesn't route through this way. It won't even allow me to drag the line to follow this road. Anyways, I'll go tomorrow (it is already tomorrow) and update back.

[kala]

Originally Posted by Jaguar

Is the road between Gundlupet and Sultan Bathery closed? Google maps is forcing me through Gudalur, not sure why?
Attachment 1506992

Originally Posted by ajaypjayaraj

May be because you searched for route during the hours that route is closed. That road is closed at night. Usually when I google a route to Bangalore, it shows Sultan Bathery Gundalpet route. But now when I checked after seeing your query, it shows alternative routes only. So my guess is, it checks for the best route available at that time when you search. Last week, I travelled and that route was open during the day.

Doesn't make sense. The Gundlupet-Gudalur road is also closed for traffic from 9 PM.

I tried setting the time of journey to noon - even then GM doesn't seem to route through the forest road section of NH212. In fact if you set the destination as Muthanga, it says it cannot determine a route !! - Probably something must have gone wrong with some edit that someone did ?

Originally Posted by Jaguar

I checked after changing the departure time to tomorrow morning and still doesn't route through this way. It won't even allow me to drag the line to follow this road. Anyways, I'll go tomorrow (it is already tomorrow) and update back.

Even I'm travelling that way in the morning - Hope the road isn't really closed !