[shajufx]

Angamaly-Muvattupuzha route is good enough to do a 80-100 kmph easily. Muvattupuzha-Koothattukulam is just fine, with the frequent curves, ups and downs, best would be 40-60 kmph (much lesser in the night). Koothattukulam-Kottayam average could be 80 kmph. All these are according to the road condition mid of November. Sabarimala season maintenance is usually just patchworks. Not sure if there is anything done this time.

[deepclutch]

I will Suggest taking Muvattupuzha-Aarakkuzha-Pandappilly to Reach Koothattukulam(and connect to MC Road) .It is less in kms,Not Hilly either.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by NFS2024

a. Leave early morning say 5am from Bangalore and reach munnar in the eve.

5am dep from BLR would let you reach Munnar latest by 3pm.Go via Udumulpet-Chinnar Sanctuary-Marayoor-Munnar.Very scenic drive and if you are lucky you would get to see some wildlife.

Originally Posted by NFS2024

b. Leave munnar by say 7 or 8am and reach kovalam asap

munnar to kovalam would take you around 5-6hours

Originally Posted by NFS2024

c. Leave alleppey by say 7 or 8am and reach Blore asap.

if you want to reach blr nice and early,then leave alleppey by 4am and you would be in blr by 4pm.a 8am start would mean that you wouldnt reach blr till 12 in the night,beacuse private buses would begin services in Kerala by 5am-6am and then its chaos on the roads till you cross over to Coimbatore.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by NFS2024

c. Leave alleppey by say 7 or 8am and reach Blore asap.

Do you think the above is a good idea?

I would suggest you to start at 6am from Alleppy.

You could easily bye pass Cochin at 7.15am and Trichur bye pass at 8.45am,
Palghat at about 10am and another 7-8 hrs (max) drive to Bangalore.

Plan to reach Trichur as soon as possible after that traffic won't be an issue especially after you cross Perunthurai.

[NFS2024]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

5am dep from BLR would let you reach Munnar latest by 3pm.Go via Udumulpet-Chinnar Sanctuary-Marayoor-Munnar.Very scenic drive and if you are lucky you would get to see some wildlife.

munnar to kovalam would take you around 5-6hours

if you want to reach blr nice and early,then leave alleppey by 4am and you would be in blr by 4pm.a 8am start would mean that you wouldnt reach blr till 12 in the night,beacuse private buses would begin services in Kerala by 5am-6am and then its chaos on the roads till you cross over to Coimbatore.

Originally Posted by coolclouds

I would suggest you to start at 6am from Alleppy.

You could easily bye pass Cochin at 7.15am and Trichur bye pass at 8.45am,
Palghat at about 10am and another 7-8 hrs (max) drive to Bangalore.

Plan to reach Trichur as soon as possible after that traffic won't be an issue especially after you cross Perunthurai.

Have given the planned routes to take based on the suggestions from you guys, hvk and others. Let me know if its appropriate one last time. Thanks in advance.

Bangalore to Munnar
Bangaloreto Munnar (475kms / 9hrs): Bangalore – Hosur – Krishnagiri – Dharmapuri – Thoppur (Exit NH7 and turn Right) – Mettur – Bhavani (Join NH47) – (Exit NH47) Perundurai – Chennimalai – Kangayam – Dharapuram – Udumalaipettai – Marayoor – Munnar

Munnar to Trivandrum (Kovalam)

Munnar – Poopara 30 kms – Puliyanmala 40 – Kattapana 15 – Kuttikanam 40 –Kanjirapalli 35 – Vazhoor 17 – Changanaserry 25 – Adoor 43 – Kottarakara 20 –Trivandrum 90 – Kovalam 15, Total: 370 kms

Alleppey to Bangalore (NH47)
Alleppey – Ernakulum Bypass – Chalakudi – Mannuthy Bypass – Palakkad Bypass – Coimbatore L&T Bypass – Bhavani (Turn Left onto Mettur Road) – Thoppur (Rejoin NH7) – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Bangalore.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by NFS2024

Bangalore to Munnar
Bangaloreto Munnar (475kms / 9hrs): Bangalore – Hosur – Krishnagiri – Dharmapuri – Thoppur (Exit NH7 and turn Right) – Mettur – Bhavani (Join NH47) – (Exit NH47) Perundurai – Chennimalai – Kangayam – Dharapuram – Udumalaipettai – Marayoor – Munnar

Munnar to Trivandrum (Kovalam)

Munnar – Poopara 30 kms – Puliyanmala 40 – Kattapana 15 – Kuttikanam 40 –Kanjirapalli 35 – Vazhoor 17 – Changanaserry 25 – Adoor 43 – Kottarakara 20 –Trivandrum 90 – Kovalam 15, Total: 370 kms

Alleppey to Bangalore (NH47)
Alleppey – Ernakulum Bypass – Chalakudi – Mannuthy Bypass – Palakkad Bypass – Coimbatore L&T Bypass – Bhavani (Turn Left onto Mettur Road) – Thoppur (Rejoin NH7) – Krishnagiri – Hosur – Bangalore.

These are the best routes you can take. Wish you a safe and pleasant journey.

(Recently saw some discussions on Shakari-Omallur state highway to bye pass Salem but don't have much details to share)

[hvkumar]

Route profile looks OK. Better stick to the NH7-NH47 road via Salem, the short cut from Omalur to Sankari is not for everyone.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by NFS2024

Is the speed limit specific to this route or is it enforced across kerala?

That speed limit holds for the whole state and lower speed limits are posted wherever needed. They try to monitor those places where the roads are straight where people tend to go fast.

Have all the papers including a valid pollution certificate with you. These days they are also on the look out for seat belts and talking on mobile phones.

Originally Posted by NFS2024

thanks hvk. Am not a seasoned driver on the highways at all and have never done night driving. My plan is to

The highways in Kerala are mainly two lane and would be heavy with traffic during day times reducing your average speed. Be careful about the public and private buses as well as tipper lorries.

Alleppey Banagalore would take 12 hours or more for me.

I do not cross 70kph inside Kerala and take it upto 80kph elsewhere these days and that is comfortable as I do not use the horn at all.

[sj_koova]

Avoid going via Thoppur. Via Salem is better option now.
If you have to pass through Salem during heavy traffic hours, choose Omalur-Sankari route(SH65). Entrance to NH47 at Sankari is bit confusing due to bridge/road work on SH65. I traveled on Omalur-Sankari route last week and I prefer this route during day time.

[kavu75]

I am planning to take the following route while traveling to Pandalam next week.
I used to take usual NH7 - NH47 route via Palaghat.
This time i am planning to try
Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbum - Kumily - Munakayam - Ponkunnam - Manimala - Ranni - Pathanamthitta - Pandalam

Got this from google map.
from:Bangalore, Karnataka to:Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu to:salem, Tamilnadu toindigul, Tamilnadu to:Pandalam, Kerala - Google Maps

Got to see the comments from benbsb29, ssriram75, saying good experience.

What's the current update about this road and how much time it may take, compare to regular NH47 route?
I am planning to start at 5am from Marthahalli, Outer ring road.

Any other suggestions?

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by kavu75

I am planning to take the following route while traveling to Pandalam next week.
I used to take usual NH7 - NH47 route via Palaghat.
This time i am planning to try
Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbum - Kumily - Munakayam - Ponkunnam - Manimala - Ranni - Pathanamthitta - Pandalam

Got to see the comments from benbsb29, ssriram75, saying good experience.


What's the current update about this road and how much time it may take, compare to regular NH47 route?
I am planning to start at 5am from Marthahalli, Outer ring road.

Any other suggestions?

Kavu, you stay around Marathalli? Nice to know.

The alternative you can use once you get to Mundakkayam is Mundakkayam-> Ranni-> Kozhencherry -> Aranmula -> Kulanada ->Pandalam

I take this since i need to get to Kulanada.

As for the road conditions, i havent travelled since September so i shall wait for the others to contribuite. However, i expect the road to be good all the way till Kumily, where there are some broken patches in between. Not sure about Kerala road conditions, as such.

There is a turn you need to take to get off the highway, to go towards
Periyakulam at Dindigul. Since this is your first time, you would end up missing it. Do check some older posts where the road has been mentioned clearly, where you need to turn right off the highway.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by kavu75

I am planning to take the following route while traveling to Pandalam next week.
I used to take usual NH7 - NH47 route via Palaghat.
This time i am planning to try
Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbum - Kumily - Munakayam - Ponkunnam - Manimala - Ranni - Pathanamthitta - Pandalam
.

What's the current update about this road and how much time it may take, compare to regular NH47 route?
I am planning to start at 5am from Marthahalli, Outer ring road.

Any other suggestions?

I went recently on the Theni-Kumili route, the road was great except for bad road sections inside some of the TN towns. Further, the ghat ascent from Cumbam side to Kumili was bad. Roads further on should be good due to the Sabarimala season, I was in Thodupuzha and those parts, roads were very good.

[benbsb29]

HV, the roads in Thodupuzha are among the best roads you can find, so that shouldnt come as a surprise.

[joecherian]

Originally Posted by kavu75

This time i am planning to try
Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Dindigul - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbum - Kumily - Munakayam - Ponkunnam - Manimala - Ranni - Pathanamthitta - Pandalam
Any other suggestions?

Unless you have any specific work to do in my home town (Manimala), you can use this route
Deviate to Erumaly from Mundakkayam, on to Placherry, Ranni Pathanamthitta and Pandalam

This way you can totally skip kanjirappally, ponkunnam,Manimala

More over, if you still want to go to Manimala, then you can deviate to Manimala from kanjirappally ( no need to go to Ponkunnam).

[kavu75]

@benbsp20
@hvkumar
Thanks for the quick updates.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

There is a turn you need to take to get off the highway, to go towards
Periyakulam at Dindigul. Since this is your first time, you would end up missing it. Do check some older posts where the road has been mentioned clearly, where you need to turn right off the highway.

Yeah, i saw the other thread which explains the turn at this point.
How much will be the normal travel time, can we reach around 10-12 hours, with 1-2 hours break.

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Kavu, you stay around Marathalli? Nice to know.

Are you staying nearby?

Originally Posted by joecherian

More over, if you still want to go to Manimala, then you can deviate to Manimala from kanjirappally ( no need to go to Ponkunnam).

No, i don't want to go to Manimala, this is the route i got from google map.