Chennai-coimbatore -attakati-valparai-top Slip

[Gautam Misra]

ROUTE
Chennai - Coimbatore -Pollachi - Attakati - Valparai - Top Slip

CAR USED
Toyota Innova

PART - I

Since there are many travelogues where Coimbatore has been discussed I will come straightaway to Attakati. The route from Pollachi to Valparai consists of 40 hair pin bends and Attakati is exactly midway. It is a very small town and there is not much tourism in the said route.

Accomodation at Attakati- TNEB guest house / PWD I.B

Here are some pictures from Attakati.

[aaggoswami]

Good pictures.
What was the FE and was did Innova behave during these hairpin bends ?

[Gautam Misra]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Good pictures.
What was the FE and was did Innova behave during these hairpin bends ?

The fuel economy was around 11 (95% AC) Diesel and there were absolutely no problems with the Innova in the hair pin bends. But then you can't compare it with something like the Tata Safari.

Here are some pics as to how the Innova "behaved" with its surroundings.

[Shan2nu]

Oh man, i dunno how many summer holidays we've spent in Valparai (upto 96'). It's such a wonderful place and yeah those 40 (i thought it was 41) hairpin bends are a pleasure to drive on.

This would make for an awesome team-bhp trip, up the Annamalai hills. Are there any good hotels in Valparai or Attakati?

Shan2nu

[Gautam Misra]

Originally Posted by Shan2nu

Oh man, i dunno how many summer holidays we've spent in Valparai (upto 96'). It's such a wonderful place and yeah those 40 (i thought it was 41) hairpin bends are a pleasure to drive on.

This would make for an awesome team-bhp trip, up the Annamalai hills. Are there any good hotels in Valparai or Attakati?

Shan2nu

There are no big private hotels in the area. Valparai now has tea estates like NEPC and TANTEA and Govt. accomodation is only available in these areas.

It may be 41 hair pin bends I am also not sure.

[aaggoswami]

Wow, the Innova is really versatile and is flexible to settle down in any surroundings !

Nice pictures and looks like you enjoyed every bit of it.

[Surprise]

Give more details about your travel time, top speeds and the traffic conditions.

Its 40 no's of hairpin bends

[esteem_lover]

A must drive to place in the near future. Have heard enough of this place to make it a must visit. More pictures & details of your drive please.

[Gautam Misra]

PART II - VALPARAI

Duration -
Pollachi to Attakati - About 90 minutes
Attakati to Valparai - About 90 minutes

As it has been discussed in the previous posts the road from Pollachi to Valparai consists of 40 hair pin bends. The roads from Attakati to Valparai are quite narrow but very scenic and serene. One can say that Valparai is something akin to Munnar two to three decades back - Virgin tea estates, breathtaking scenary, but hardly any good private accomodation.

After about 2 p.m we have mist in the entire valley and the roads in the evening have a very poor visibilty and there are several warnings given on the roads indicating that these are "Mist spreading zones".

I must also add that there is not much traffic, if we compare it with the roads leading to the other hill stations. However using the roads after 5 in the evening may not be advisable due to the heavy mist.

Here are some pictures of Valparai.

[rippergeo]

nice travelogue.

the narrow roads are what have been discouraging me from making this trip. but if an innova can do it, a swift should be able to do it right?
did you have to reverse or go off road a lot to let the oncoming traffic pass?

[Gautam Misra]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

nice travelogue.

the narrow roads are what have been discouraging me from making this trip. but if an innova can do it, a swift should be able to do it right?
did you have to reverse or go off road a lot to let the oncoming traffic pass?

In fact swift would be better vis-a-vis an Innova. There are some hair pin bends where reversing may be required and that would actually depend on the experience of both the drivers.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by rippergeo

nice travelogue.

the narrow roads are what have been discouraging me from making this trip. but if an innova can do it, a swift should be able to do it right?
did you have to reverse or go off road a lot to let the oncoming traffic pass?

Road is a normal bus/ truck road, nothing scary or difficult about it. I can't think of any place where you have to reverse or let oncoming traffic pass. Enjoy the trip in your regular car.

[kutlee]

Ripper is all over the forum...
Nice pictures. The private accomodation can be the car itself.
Is this place close to Munnar / Kerala?
HV, are you listening?

[ravi@64bhp]

Originally Posted by kutlee

Ripper is all over the forum...
Nice pictures. The private accomodation can be the car itself.
Is this place close to Munnar / Kerala?
HV, are you listening?

Munnar is very close by from Valparai. Munnar is in Kerala and Valparai is in Tamilnadu (vey close to kerala border). The distance by ariel route would be around 45 km.

[rippergeo]

Originally Posted by kutlee

Ripper is all over the forum...

well, so are you! what are you stalking me?!!
always wanted to do this route. dad has been discouraging me ever since I got my DL saying that this route is very narrow and that I'll have to reverse for kilometers together if i need to let a lorry pass.

now I know. probably was a narrow track during his college days.