[APV]

Originally Posted by abirnale

Monday - Friday are school and work restrictions. So as a family we can only do it on weekend. Moreover this is one trip my wife is very particular that we take this month itself. I am booking Villa Retreat near Kodai Lake. If we get one other worth seeing sight for next day, we should be good. More the reasons to go back to the place again

If you stay in Villa Retreat - Coaker's walk, Kodai Lake & Bryant Park are all in walkable distance. Would take almost half of a day depending on the crowd at boat house. If kid(s) are interested they can check out Horse ride & bicycle riding too around the boat house area.

[Ddrive]

Originally Posted by abirnale

Moreover this is one trip my wife is very particular that we take this month itself.

Dear Abirnale, (if the trip is still pending)

Day1

Bangalore - Kodai 8 hours, if you start at 5am you can check into Villa retreat by 12 noon or by 1 pm.

Have lunch, leave the car in the hotel and walk out by 3 pm.
Coakers walk is just a few steps from your hotel, take that walk and come through the other end, walk a little more and there is Bryant park. Visit Bryant park and exit through the other end.. you will be at the lake. Walk till the boat house, take a boating if you like and walk back to the hotel. Go to the market area and do some shopping in the late evening (remember all these by walk). Enjoy jewel box view of Periakulam right from your hotel top.

Day2.

Any time in the morning you can drive to Kurinji Andavar temple. After that drive towards Pillar Rocks area. The road leading to Pillar Rocks will have all those places like, Golf Links, Green Valley View (erstwhile Suicide point), Pine forests, Guna Caves, Moire point etc. All these you can finish before lunch. Drive back to Bangalore any time after lunch.

[abirnale]

Thanks @Ddrive for such a detailed response. The trip is due after another weekend so information is right in time. My plan is slightly changed though - I am leaving from Bangalore on Friday evening to reach Kodaikanal late in night. So I get full Saturday and almost half of Sunday. That means more places to visit or more time to spend at same places you mentioned!

Thanks again for your response!

[abirnale]

Like everyone suggested here, I took the onwards route via Salem - Dindigul - Kodai Ghat and on return chose Palani - Dharapuram stretch. All the details of our trip and pictures are covered here.

The Villa Retreat was too good for us. Very well trained and caring staff in addition to the amazing location of course! Off season trip helped too - not much crowd to hoard at the view points!

All in all it was a great trip and thanks for all your inputs and help. It would not have been so easy for me considering completely unknown territory. Felt like driving in home terrain!

Thanks again.

[RCD]

Will be going to Kodaikanal from Bangalore later this week.

Have done this a couple of times before, but not in the last 4-5 years.

Will someone please tell me the best route to take ?

I remember the route on the plains quite well > past Salem - Dindigal etc.

After that I think there are 2 possible ways of climbing up.

Would like to know the best route, and time required.

Will probably be using my Scorpio AT , and staying at Club Mahindra.

thanks & regards,

RCD

[NPV]

Originally Posted by RCD

Will be going to Kodaikanal from Bangalore later this week.

Simple route - take NH7/44 all the way past Salem up to Dindigul. Turn off from NH7/44 towards Bathlagundu/Vathalagundu and then take the Kodai turn off near Bathlagundu town (there was a bypass that was almost ready several months ago, should be operational now).

*Note that the turn off to Bathlagundu comes after a toll on NH7/44 and once on service road, there are 2 roads towards right side - one goes to Bathlagundu and the other to Palani. Palani road can also be taken but is a little narrow at some places.
Another option is to continue on NH7/44 towards Madurai after the Dindigul toll and then turn off to Kodai Road, but is not a preferred option now since the Bathlagundu road widening work was completed.

[RCD]

Thanks a ton PNV.

Can you also tell me how long it should take to get there ? Will be taking a very early ( pre-dawn start )

When I drove earlier, the road after Salem was narrow and single lane, while your reply seems to indicate that there is a toll road all the way to Dindigal.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by RCD

When I drove earlier, the road after Salem was narrow and single lane, while your reply seems to indicate that there is a toll road all the way to Dindigal.

NH 7/44 is 4 laned all the way to Kanyakumari, should be the least of your worries till Dindigul bypass where you turn off towards Bathalgundu, even that road is now quite wide and the Kodai ghats were always wide, so not an issue.
Estimate about 6 hours max. to get to the Dindigul bypass including a breakfast break en route. You should be able to do Bangalore-Kodai in about 8-9 hours easily.

[rajivtelang]

What will be the fog condition in ghat roads of Kodai during December end timeframe? I will be reaching Kodai on 23rd by evening and plan is to go to Munnar on 26th morning. We will start by some 8-9AM from Kodai. Being peak of winter I am not very sure if the fog will be there in ghat roads around that time.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

What will be the fog condition in ghat roads of Kodai during December end timeframe? I will be reaching Kodai on 23rd by evening and plan is to go to Munnar on 26th morning. We will start by some 8-9AM from Kodai. Being peak of winter I am not very sure if the fog will be there in ghat roads around that time.

This was the condition last Jan in the Ghat road. Was drizzling also and we hardly saw the sun.





This was the view from our room on a foggy day..



and when the sun was out.

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

This was the condition last Jan in the Ghat road. Was drizzling also and we hardly saw the sun.

Is this morning time or evening? I will be climbing the ghat in the evening (not dark) on 23rd Dec and descending in the morning on 26th Dec. (not too early)

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Is this morning time or evening? I will be climbing the ghat in the evening (not dark) on 23rd Dec and descending in the morning on 26th Dec. (not too early)

The ghat section pics were taken at 2pm and the one at the resort was taken at around 4pm.