[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by NPV

That leaves only these options for Ooty:
1.via Gudalur
2.via Salem-Avinashi-Annur-Mettupalayam
3.via Chamarajanagar-Sathy-Annur-Mettupalayam

Yes, that means Masinagudi route is closed. Have read it on other forums that this is done all year during peak season time and that sometimes the police officers at checkpost let you through.
I would prefer route 1 as alternative since one can cover other tourist attractions enroute ( pykara, shooting point ). Though road conditions are not great.

[ampere]

Why don't you try the NH209 option the next time ? That would be NH209 upto Bannari and getting to Mettupalayam from there via Bhavanisagar. Should give you all the advantages you have listed plus zero toll costs. (And should take around the same time)

Originally Posted by NPV

Does this mean one cannot take the Masinagudi route to reach Ooty now ?
That leaves only these options for Ooty:
1.via Gudalur
2.via Salem-Avinashi-Annur-Mettupalayam
3.via Chamarajanagar-Sathy-Annur-Mettupalayam

Try what @Kala suggests. Its a good road, and will avoid Sathy too.
If one is trying to hit Coonoor and if Masinagudi is closed, then you are looking 2.5 hours via Gudalur and add to it crossing Ooty traffic.

At Bannari turn towards Bhavani Sagar. And furthur down you can join the Sathy-Mettupalayam road.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

Try what @Kala suggests. Its a good road, and will avoid Sathy too.
If one is trying to hit Coonoor and if Masinagudi is closed, then you are looking 2.5 hours via Gudalur and add to it crossing Ooty traffic.

At Bannari turn towards Bhavani Sagar. And furthur down you can join the Sathy-Mettupalayam road.

Need to get to Red Hill Nature Resort which is about 30km further away from Ooty towards Fernhill/Emerald Lake easily an hour or more drive from Ooty. Going via Mettupalayam is closer for Coonoor but maybe a much longer drive for Ooty, so is it worth taking the much longer route (distance and time wise) ?

How bad are the road conditions on Gudalur route ?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

Need to get to Red Hill Nature Resort which is about 30km further away from Ooty towards Fernhill/Emerald Lake easily an hour or more drive from Ooty. Going via Mettupalayam is closer for Coonoor but maybe a much longer drive for Ooty, so is it worth taking the much longer route (distance and time wise) ?
How bad are the road conditions on Gudalur route ?

If you are heading via Gudalur, you are anway way looking at about 320km. And on top you are looking at 3 hour extra drive through Gudalur. Add to it, crossing Ooty to Fernhil Palace and a drive Avalanche road. Easily 7+ hours I would say.

Instead of you take NH209: Maybe the drive would be easier. (except the hairpins at Dimbam)

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by NPV

How bad are the road conditions on Gudalur route ?

Its rough at places, but drivable. There is no big potholes, but your car will rattle a bit at places. Road is narrow inside the forest part till the TN RTO check post from Mudumalai turn. At some area the road has deep shoulders so be careful if you are driving a low gc sedan and giving side to other vehicles.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by kala

Why don't you try the NH209 option the next time ? That would be NH209 upto Bannari and getting to Mettupalayam from there via Bhavanisagar.

Is Sathy a bottleneck which is bypassed by taking the Bannari-Bhavansisagar route and then joining back on NH209 to get to Annur and then Mettupalayam ?
Gmaps also shows a route from Bannari, Bhavanisagar all the way to Mettupalayam bypassing NH209 after Bannari.

It would be of great help if you could add a route map link and landmarks for your suggested route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

Is Sathy a bottleneck which is bypassed by taking the Bannari-Bhavansisagar route and then joining back on NH209 to get to Annur and then Mettupalayam ?

Yes its worth bypassing Sathy.

Here is the rout link.

Route Link

I think what you were referring to is the Sathy-Annur road.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

Yes its worth bypassing Sathy.

Here is the rout link.

Thanks. This was the gmaps route I mentioned.
Did @kala mean this route as well ? I thought he said bypass sathy and join 209 again for annur. Then take annur mettupalayam. Hence my question on benefit of bypassing sathy alone.

[kousik]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Kalhatty roads to be closed for tourist traffic as per news report -
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle5958246.ece

I was in Masinagudi over the last weekend and strayed towards Ooty via the Kalhatty roads (I just love the 36 consecutive hair pin bends -- woohoo). When going up, I did not find anyone trying to stop me (neither at Thepkadu nor at Masinagudi). I didn't go all the way up (till Thalaikunda) because I was afraid they'll send me back through Gudalur. And there was a beeline of cars going up, so using that road uphill at least is still probably allowed.

Another interesting observation is at Mavanalla (after Masinagudi, 25kms before Ooty, just before the ghat starts) there's a new Coffee Day, if you want a dose of coffee before (or after) you take the Steep ghat challenge.

[condor]

Originally Posted by ampere

Here is the rout link.
Route Link

Though 2-lane road, this road is fine. Just the usual care when driving thru the villages.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by kousik

I was in Masinagudi over the last weekend and strayed towards Ooty via the Kalhatty roads (I just love the 36 consecutive hair pin bends -- woohoo). When going up, I did not find anyone trying to stop me (neither at Thepkadu nor at Masinagudi). I didn't go all the way up (till Thalaikunda) because I was afraid they'll send me back through Gudalur. And there was a beeline of cars going up, so using that road uphill at least is still probably allowed.

Usually they allow one way traffic on this route towards Ooty and divert return traffic via Gudallur.

[kala]

Originally Posted by NPV

Thanks. This was the gmaps route I mentioned.
Did @kala mean this route as well ? I thought he said bypass sathy and join 209 again for annur. Then take annur mettupalayam. Hence my question on benefit of bypassing sathy alone.

Yes I meant the same route that @Ampere has marked. When going from Bangalore you don't need to go till Sathy, can turn off at Bannari itself (the right turn immediately after the Police checkpost) and this takes you to Mettupalayam via Bhavanisagar (without touching either Sathy or Annur)

[NPV]

Originally Posted by kala

Yes I meant the same route that @Ampere has marked. When going from Bangalore you don't need to go till Sathy, can turn off at Bannari itself (the right turn immediately after the Police checkpost) and this takes you to Mettupalayam via Bhavanisagar (without touching either Sathy or Annur)

@kala, @ampere - the route you mentioned is on SH15 - the Erode-Sathy-Mettupalayam-Kotagiri-Ooty road. I wanted to take this on my return but being the first time, did not want to take a chance without landmarks (and no GPS) and I wanted to return as early as possible.
Took the known Gudalur route and still reached quite late, heavy rain from Malavalli onwards did not help the cause as well. Add to it our Hosur Road, Koramangala, Indiranagar traffic

Update on road conditions:
Onward
Took Bangalore-Mysore-Nanajangud-Gundlupet-Bandipur-Theppakadu-Masinagudi-Ooty. Started at 4:45am and was near Ooty Bus Stand at 10:45am with a 45 minute stopover for breakfast at Kamat Madhuvan near Mysore Palace. Slow moving truck and bus traffic on Mysore-Nanjangud road even at 8 in the morning and a little bit of rough road near Nanjangud but nothing alarming. Went into Mysore city and took the road near Palace towards Nanjangud. Tried the Masinagudi route first time, starts out quite narrow and broken on edges till Masinagudi. After that it's new tarmac, quite wide and the best part was the 36 hair pin bends. New tarmac and lane markings here as well and will easily put many other city roads to shame Wide enough for 2 cars but with a bus in front or on opposite side, the equation changes! The hair pin bends are almost back to back, steep and you quickly ascend the hills to reach Ooty.
*Road inside Bandipur is excellent too. Few years ago, the KA side was bad and TN side excellent, now roles have reversed slightly.

Return
Started from Ooty at 11am, Masinagudi route had cops with a "No Entry" board, did not bother to even ask so took Gudalur route.
Road is a bit rough with lots of small potholes/patches that have opened up and these are scattered so a slow drive. It improves after Pykara but there were one or two hair pin bends with no road just mud and stones but still driveable albeit slowly.
After Gudalur town, the forest road starts off well but once you enter Mudumalai (after the sign board from this side) the stretch upto Theppakadu is horrible with some places as bad or worse than the old Shiradi of yore. But this was a short stretch and I'd still say driveable.
Overall took an hour extra compared to Masinagudi route. Stopped at DeShell restaurant (at Hotel Misty Rock) Gundlupet for lunch, took an hour here. Then took Chamarajanagar route to get back to Bangalore via Kanakapura. Took NICE road from Kanakapura road to Hosur Road exit, was out by 6.30pm but then took 1+ hour in crazy traffic to reach C V Raman Nagar at 7:45pm. I don't think I could have reached even at this time if I'd taken Gundlupet-Mysore and then Mysore Road through the city to reach my home.

[pariwar]

Hi!

Am planning to go to Ooty on Monday, 12th May. 0500 hrs start from Bangalore University. Intend to do NH209 all through with a turn off at Chamarajnagar towards Gundlupet.

Questions:

1. Any recent updates on the road conditions between Chamarajnagar & Gundlupet?
2. Since I will be very early for Nijaguna, planning to stop for breakfast at Gundlupet. Any suggestions for a good Veg Restaurant with clean toilets for the wife?

On the return, plan to take Coonoor - Mettupalayam - Bannari - NH209 route.


Question:

1. Any recent updates on the Puliampatti - Bhavanisagar - Bannari road conditions

At Ooty, I plan to do the following:

1. Dodabetta Lookout
2. Botanical Gardens
3. Boating at Ooty Lake
4. Ooty - Coonoor Train (tickets already booked)
5. Upper Bhavani Lake - Emerald & Avalanche Lakes.

Anything else that I should definitely not miss out on?


Question:

1. Any really very good vegetarian restaurants that I should not be missing out on when in Ooty?

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by pariwar

Hi!

Am planning to go to Ooty on Monday, 12th May. 0500 hrs start from Bangalore University. Intend to do NH209 all through with a turn off at Chamarajnagar towards Gundlupet.

I think you should take regular Mysore road for a 5am start from Bangalore University.

You can try CCD Gundlupet which is open 24 hours. (Ph: 9379690379)