[ashis89]

Thanks for all the information.

Originally Posted by yatin

No challenging roads on your route (really, not because I drove my petrol Etios), just some narrow roads in the hills & footlands. A Wagon R should manage just fine, in under 10 hours.

WagonR is a tall boy which is famous for extremely poor low end response.

You may have a real problem with Munnar-Devikulam-Chinnakanal-Periakanal-Poopaara; the road is closed till Chinnakanal from 7 AM to 7 PM, for hacking the mountain to widen the road. Localites get through, but I don't know if they will let you through at your own risk; the alternate seems to take 1.5 hours more.

If you haven't fixed your itinerary yet, I'd suggest stretching for a day at Thekkady; you go that far, it is close by & apparently is a good visit.

Did you take the alternate route?

We already have done the bookings at Munnar and Kodaikanal. We can't halt at Thekkady. But would it be worth it to drive through the city and then proceed to Kodaikanal? I believe that would be another 2-3 hrs of extra drive which we can manage.

Munnar -> Thekkady -> Kodaikanal?

[ankan.m.blr]

Guys , I am planning to drive to Munnar next weekend (06-APR). The route is Bangalore- Salem - Avinashi - Palladam - Udumalpet - Marayoor - Munnar. Going by the agitation in TN due to Kavei issue, should I postpone my plans.

[blorebuddy]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Guys , I am planning to drive to Munnar next weekend (06-APR). The route is Bangalore- Salem - Avinashi - Palladam - Udumalpet - Marayoor - Munnar. Going by the agitation in TN due to Kavei issue, should I postpone my plans.

I did not hear any issues for KA vehicles till now. Today the movement has been stopped (Bandh in TN). It should be ok tomorrow I guess. Keep an eye on the developments before you start.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Guys , I am planning to drive to Munnar next weekend (06-APR). The route is Bangalore- Salem - Avinashi - Palladam - Udumalpet - Marayoor - Munnar. Going by the agitation in TN due to Kavei issue, should I postpone my plans.

I still see you online, so guess you haven't left Bangalore
Today there should not be any problem and things should be normal. However, if your's is KA registration, watch out on Monday as the SC is hearing the contempt case on 9th April.

BTW, i did took same route on February 10th to goto Munnar.
Ensure you watch out for correct exit to take in Service road to take left towards Mangalam/Palladam road. Though there is a board, but it is easy to miss. Keep an eye and follow the GPS GMaps carefully.

-Ravi

[binil]

How is the route condition from Kodaikanal to Munnar & in the opposite direction also? We are planning to travel in October 1st week. Planning to do a road trip covering Madurai, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal & Munnar. Starting from Madurai & ending at Coimbatore. Will plan the detailed itinerary based on road conditions.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by binil

How is the route condition from Kodaikanal to Munnar & in the opposite direction also? We are planning to travel in October 1st week. Planning to do a road trip covering Madurai, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal & Munnar. Starting from Madurai & ending at Coimbatore. Will plan the detailed itinerary based on road conditions.

Roads are all good and especially by october,the rains would have all stopped.You can do Pune-Bangalore-Madurai-Kanyakumari-Munnar-Kodaikanal-Bangalore-Pune.

IMHO,Munnar and Kodaikanal in the same trip would be an overkill as both are hill stations and similar topography.Ofcourse I am sure you have your own reasons.

In case you do not want to retrace your routes,from Kanyakumar you can drive through Kerala to Munnar instead of taking the route via Tamilnadu.

[sridhu]

Planning on a December drive from Bangalore to Kodai

What is a good route?

(2 drivers; Crysta most probably (don't think the Jazz AT will be at all pleasurable to drive on the hills))

Google suggests - Dharmapuri - Mettur - Erode - Dharapuram - Palani - Kodai

Would Salem- Karur - Dindigul - Vathalagundu - Kodai be better? (Mostly NH 44)
Seems about 25km more

Also good vegetarian eating joints enroute? Murugan Idli types.

Thanks a lot

[NPV]

Originally Posted by sridhu

Would Salem- Karur - Dindigul - Vathalagundu - Kodai be better? (Mostly NH 44)
Seems about 25km more

Also good vegetarian eating joints enroute? Murugan Idli types.

This would be better since it gives you more National highway 4/6 laned roads. I think the Vathlagundu bypass is now open so it's easy to get to the kodai ghat road bypassing the town.

Options for breaks depends on what time you start since most open around 6:30am or later.
I would suggest Sree Saravana Bhavan (65km) after the Shoolagiri HP bunk (which has McDonalds and Krishna Inn) or their other branch (95km) just after krishngiri toll.
There is also a new A2B around Chinnar (70km).

Another nice one is Sai Sangeet (150km) on right side, needs a U-turn before Thoppur toll (inside Indian oil campus).

Salem (200km) has Park plaza and Estancia (if you want to splurge on breakfast) and Aasai Dosai opposite Estancia.

[Red Liner]

Would Salem- Karur - Dindigul - Vathalagundu - Kodai be better? (Mostly NH 44)

Just drove up and down twice on this route past 2 weeks, its brilliant. Go ahead and enjoy the drive.

Palani route is right through the forests, the roads have taken a beating because of the recent cyclone. Not sure how good it will be. Kodai is kind of limping back to normalcy at the moment.

[ampere]

Just stick to the standard route.

• 4-Lane till Dindigul. Multiple breaking options.
• Exit towards Theni. You get wide 2-lane.
• Exit to Kodaikanal post Bathlagundu

An early morning start by 4 should be allow one to reach Kodaikanal for a late lunch at 1/1:30.

A rough break-up which I can think off: 4 AM start, 6:30/7 cross Salem (200km). Another 2.5/3 hours hours to Dindigul (180km); 45 minutes to an hour to Bathlagundu and then and another 2 hours max to Kodai. Add an hour for food, it roughly comes down to 8-9 hours.

[DragonHawk]

Planning for Kodai this December and for my onward journey I am sticking to the default route via Dindigul-Bathlagundu-Kodai. However I will be travelling to Mysore during my return leg.

Google suggest below two routes

1. Kodai-Palani-Gudimangalam-Avinashi-Puliampatti-Dimbam
2. Kodai-Palani-Kangayam-Kolapallur-Sathy-Dimbam

How does the above routes fare in terms of availability of veg restaurants and fuel stops? Also depending on the time I reach Mysore I may end up driving all the way to Mangalore on the same day, hence I am planning to leave Kodai by 8am. So any latest updates and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

1. Kodai-Palani-Gudimangalam-Avinashi-Puliampatti-Dimbam
2. Kodai-Palani-Kangayam-Kolapallur-Sathy-Dimbam

Palani-Dharapuram-Palladam-Avinashi-Annur-Sathy-Nanjangud-Mysore

Also depending on the time I reach Mysore I may end up driving all the way to Mangalore on the same day, hence I am planning to leave Kodai by 8am. So any latest updates and suggestions are welcome.

You may want to break at Mysore. You would reach by evening. Given its multiple ghats you are covering, my suggestion to spend the night in Mysore.

[YashD]

Leaving for Kodai on 30th November, during the wee hours. A target of 2-3 am. We are 5 people and I'm taking the Innova Crysta 2.4.
Planned route as per google maps, Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Salem - Mudalaipatti - Paramathi - Dindigul - Kodai
It's said to be a 469 kms run whereas journey via Erode and Dharampuram is around 450 kms.
The time difference between the journey is around 20 minutes more if we take the Erode's route.
Please let me know which will be the most suitable route.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by YashD

Please let me know which will be the most suitable route.

Salem - Dindiul - Batlagundu is the best option.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by YashD

The time difference between the journey is around 20 minutes more if we take the Erode's route.
Please let me know which will be the most suitable route.

Just stick to the NH 44 that bypasses major towns enroute (this is the Bangalore-Salem-Madurai-Kanyakumari route) and exit after Dindigul towards Vathlagundu (this road continues to Theni, you need to exit the town and take the Kodai ghat road). There is now a bypass for Vathlagundu town leading to Kodai ghat road.