Blr-Red hill-Coonor - Need help

ayaskanti · 18th September 2007, 12:51

Hi,

We are planning a 4 days trip to Nilgiris- want to cover Red Hills, Coonor, Ooty and Mudumalai while returning.

What should be the best route for this trip?
4 of us and luggage would be in a Swift vxi - should we go via Masinagudi route or the Gadulur route? What are the pros & cons in both and how are the road conditions after the rains?
How bad is the road condition between Ooty & Red hills Nature Resort - can a Swift make it? Has anyone done that route recently?
Any other places of interest nearby?

Help

!!

barry · 18th September 2007, 13:59

Hi Ayas!

I would suggest that you take the masinagudi ascent instead of gudalur. The gudalur Ooty road is horrible, the state of disrepair needs to be seen to be believed! Besides , all the heavy vehicles (read busues and trucks) use only this route.

The route through masinagudi is a lot more picturesque and is devoid of heavy traffic! Aso, it saves you close to 30 kms (not really sure bout the exact figure though). The ascent is a lot steeper, u will have to do 36 hairpin bends in fairly quick succession to reach the top but believe me its REALLY WORTH IT!

I'd recommend that you forget that a road exists from gudalur to Ooty!

Make sure you do the drive in daylight - u can enjoy the scenery, spot some wildlife etc that way and also make it past the checkpost that is halfway up before it closes at 8!

There are some nice jungle resorts in and around masinagudi, so you could spend the nite there, take a safai early morning and then head to ooty!

I hope i havent bored you with too much detail, its just that talking bout the place i was born makes me go a lil overboard sometimes! - solpa adjust maadi!

barry · 18th September 2007, 14:10

Hi Ayas!

Id recommend that you take the masinagudi route. The road from gudalur to Ooty is really bad. The state of disrepair needs to be seen to be believed! The entire heavy vehicle traffic from Ooty to Kerala/Karnatake uses this road - need i say more!

Besides, the road thru masinagudi is really picturesque and a lot smoother. The ascent will be steeper though, you will have to take 36 hairpin bends in quick succession to get to the top. Will be a really involving drive uphill- just enjoy urself!

Make sure that you do the trip in daytime, that wa u can enjoy the scenery, spot some wildlife and m,ake it past the forset checkpost thats around half the way up to Ooty before it closes at 8 PM!

Another option may be to spend the night at some jungle resort in masinagudi (tiger trails, monarch safari park, casa deep woods, etc) and possibly take a safari early next morning before heading to ooty!

I hope i havent bored you with too much detail. Its just that i tend to overboard smetimes while talking about the place i grew up!

Solpa adjust maadi!

ayaskanti · 18th September 2007, 14:21

Hi Barry,

Thanks a lot. I'm new to this area and details are welcome. More the better.

Any idea about how bad is the road condition between Ooty & Red hills Nature Resort - can a Swift make it? Any other places of interest nearby?

Thanks once again.

hvkumar · 18th September 2007, 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayaskanti

Any idea about how bad is the road condition between Ooty & Red hills Nature Resort - can a Swift make it? Any other places of interest nearby?

Thanks once again.

The Red Hill Resort is located off the Ooty-Avalanchi road which is a good motorable road. I do not know about the last mile from Emerald (the place where you purportedly turn off the road to reach the Resort, which is away from the road) - I advise that you check up with the resort itself on the state of the last mile.

To reach the Avalanchi road, you have 2 options from Oooty - go into town, through the market and take the road beyond the Lake to the Avalanchi road. Alternatively, continue of the road from Ooty to Conoor (without going into the market), and 4 kms after the town, you have a road going to the right (there is a small sign board there) which will lead directly to the other road coming Ooty Lake.

18th September 2007, 12:51	#1
ayaskanti Newbie Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 18 Thanked: 0 Times	Blr-Red hill-Coonor - Need help Hi, We are planning a 4 days trip to Nilgiris- want to cover Red Hills, Coonor, Ooty and Mudumalai while returning. What should be the best route for this trip? 4 of us and luggage would be in a Swift vxi - should we go via Masinagudi route or the Gadulur route? What are the pros & cons in both and how are the road conditions after the rains? How bad is the road condition between Ooty & Red hills Nature Resort - can a Swift make it? Has anyone done that route recently? Any other places of interest nearby? Help !!
	() Thanks

18th September 2007, 13:59	#2
barry Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 14 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi Ayas! I would suggest that you take the masinagudi ascent instead of gudalur. The gudalur Ooty road is horrible, the state of disrepair needs to be seen to be believed! Besides , all the heavy vehicles (read busues and trucks) use only this route. The route through masinagudi is a lot more picturesque and is devoid of heavy traffic! Aso, it saves you close to 30 kms (not really sure bout the exact figure though). The ascent is a lot steeper, u will have to do 36 hairpin bends in fairly quick succession to reach the top but believe me its REALLY WORTH IT! I'd recommend that you forget that a road exists from gudalur to Ooty! Make sure you do the drive in daylight - u can enjoy the scenery, spot some wildlife etc that way and also make it past the checkpost that is halfway up before it closes at 8! There are some nice jungle resorts in and around masinagudi, so you could spend the nite there, take a safai early morning and then head to ooty! I hope i havent bored you with too much detail, its just that talking bout the place i was born makes me go a lil overboard sometimes! - solpa adjust maadi!
	() Thanks

18th September 2007, 14:10	#3
barry Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 14 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi Ayas! Id recommend that you take the masinagudi route. The road from gudalur to Ooty is really bad. The state of disrepair needs to be seen to be believed! The entire heavy vehicle traffic from Ooty to Kerala/Karnatake uses this road - need i say more! Besides, the road thru masinagudi is really picturesque and a lot smoother. The ascent will be steeper though, you will have to take 36 hairpin bends in quick succession to get to the top. Will be a really involving drive uphill- just enjoy urself! Make sure that you do the trip in daytime, that wa u can enjoy the scenery, spot some wildlife and m,ake it past the forset checkpost thats around half the way up to Ooty before it closes at 8 PM! Another option may be to spend the night at some jungle resort in masinagudi (tiger trails, monarch safari park, casa deep woods, etc) and possibly take a safari early next morning before heading to ooty! I hope i havent bored you with too much detail. Its just that i tend to overboard smetimes while talking about the place i grew up! Solpa adjust maadi!
	() Thanks

18th September 2007, 14:21	#4
ayaskanti Newbie Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 18 Thanked: 0 Times	Hi Barry, Thanks a lot. I'm new to this area and details are welcome. More the better. Any idea about how bad is the road condition between Ooty & Red hills Nature Resort - can a Swift make it? Any other places of interest nearby? Thanks once again.
	() Thanks