Team-BHP - Advice: How to go to Kodaikanal from Munnar and / or Tehkdi

Can any body give some insight about how to go to Kodaikonal from Munnar / Tekri (Kerala)? Some idea about the roads, distances would help. I am planning a trip to Kerala but also want to visit Kodaikonal. I am going to Kochin from Delhi by air and then shall travel all places by road. From the road atlas, Kodaikonal appears very close to Munnar. I am not certain about road. I treid to find out and someone suugested that it is possible only through Tekdi. Any great idea. I know there are many people in this group who can advise me.

No need to goto Madurai & then Kodaikanal.

Periyakulam-Theni - Kodaikanal. This route is the main road, maybe a national highway.

Im unsure but I think there is a shorter route (roads maybe not be as great) which leads from Munnar upto kodaikanal from the other side.

Your best bet is to stick with the Theni route.

You can also go to kodai tru the forest road, i guess only 4X4, types can go tru the roads, its tru the forest, you also have greater chance of meeting heads on with some wild animals, you also need to check out if the forest officials would allow at this time......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subodh Kumar

Sir,

Thanks for your advices; can you give some idea about the distances as well as expected travel time by a car from Thekadi to Kodaikonal and / or from Munnar - Thekadi - Kodaikonal.

Thanks in advance.

Hai there,

I have the approximate distances, maybe small variations, timings is also approximate give or take 30 mts to 60 mts either way, depanding on road conditions.

Cochin -Kothamangalam - Adilali - Munnar - 145 KM - 5 hours
Munnar - Nedunganadam - Kumili - Thekkady - 140 KM - 5 hours
Thekkady - Theni - Kodaikanal - 160 KM - 4 - 5 hours

Cochin to Munnar - Good roads, Munnar to Kumili - Thekkady Mountain roads - repairs going on post-rains, Thekkady to Theni to Koday OK, Theni to Kodai roads are good. This is as per report of a friend who did that stretch in the first week of August.

The map distance looks small, you have to go thro thick forests and jeep tracks which even bikers avoid. Remember these are the ghats and going thro the forest roads, trying to find the right way etc. can be a hazzle. Most travellers take the road I have suggested.

Happy driving,

-- Ramky

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jango

You also have a good chance of becoming a part of the scenery on that jeep route. Its about 80 kms from Munnar to Kodai by that jeep route, but it took us a good 5.5 to 6 hours to cover on the one (and only) time we tried that route out on bike.

Take the regular Cochin - Munnar - Thekkadi - Theni - Kodai route suggested by Ramkya. These are regular state and national highway stretches where you're fine even if you get stuck at night.

PS: Its Thekkady, not tehkdi.

I agree with Steer. The route to Kodi from Munnar via Berijam lake is only for a 4WD. The last time I tried it, my old 2wd safari needed a suspension overhaul.
Take the route via Periakulam. The road to Kodi is good, I went up last week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyobeb

Hai Jyobeb / Steer,

I wonder if the Coffee 500 rally which used to start from Hotel Hiltop, Kanjirapally, 700 KM, 2 stage rally is still happening. I drove on a road king twice way back in 1982, heard it has stopped. Subsequently we switched to popular and sheenlac rallys. Nanjappa / Anita team, Sanal were regular winners then. Are they happening now ?

Most of the rally sectors were these routes on the ghats and we used to have a night halts at Munnar / Thekkady / Kumily. The toughest sectors were the Kumily, Vandenmedu, Kodai, Ooty, Nelliyampathy sectors. I still have the tulip charts / log books and the distances for these routes and still remember these routes clearly.

--Ramky

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Its about 80 kms from Munnar to Kodai by that jeep route, but it took us a good 5.5 to 6 hours to cover on the one (and only) time we tried that route out on bike.

Wow!! Respect to you for having biked that trail. Those forests can get treacherous at times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Take the regular Cochin - Munnar - Thekkadi - Theni - Kodai route suggested by Ramkya. These are regular state and national highway stretches where you're fine even if you get stuck at night.

Roads from Cochin to Munnar are good... Dont know the next leg of the drive.

Theni-Kodai stretch is great too, we did this close to midnight. You can do good speeds here. Then you get to the climb which is also a decent stretch. I did this drive at the start of august this year.

Have a Blast :)