[ampere]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Update on the Yercaud-Kuppanur-Karimangalam route : The alternate route to Yercaud

Yes truck traffic is high on this route. Trucks take the Vanyambadi-Thirupatthur-Harur-Salem route as the short-cut and also as a means to cut down toll on the 4-lane.

Also as you said Kuppanur-Yercaud is very narrow and desolate. But since there is not much traffic, it holds. The day traffic opens up, it would become more dangerous to drive on that route.

The entrance to Kuppanur-Yercaud road from the Harur-Salem SH is almost not visible at all. I remember few years back there was no sign-guage. Even with Garmin pointing me to that exit, I had to double check to make sure I was on the right route. Because it never seems like a long haul road. It looked more like small village road. I hope this situation has improved over years? Or its still the same?

Google Maps tried its level best to divert me on to the Danishpet route while on the way to Yercaud. It even repeatedly directed to take 'U' turns after I went ahead on the NH towards Salem.

I guess over a period of time, this suggestion should die.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by ampere

Yes truck traffic is high on this route. Trucks take the Vanyambadi-Thirupatthur-Harur-Salem route as the short-cut and also as a means to cut down toll on the 4-lane.

From a trucker's perspective, is it worth driving on potholed 2-lane highways cutting across a couple of crowded towns to save 20 km and few hundreds in toll?

Originally Posted by ampere

Also as you said Kuppanur-Yercaud is very narrow and desolate. But since there is not much traffic, it holds. The day traffic opens up, it would become more dangerous to drive on that route.

At many places, you may have to reverse a long way if you encounter a bus or a mini truck in the opposite direction. I started the descend at around 3 PM, and was probably lucky, had to face only one TNSTC bus in the opposite direction that too at a point where there was sufficient width. This was on Friday and I feel it would be lot worse on a Saturday morning when there would be tourist traffic up the hills. Could see a few Chennai registration cars going up the hill as I neared the end of the ghats.

Originally Posted by ampere

The entrance to Kuppanur-Yercaud road from the Harur-Salem SH is almost not visible at all. I hope this situation has improved over years? Or its still the same?

I did not feel it was that narrow. May be as you said, it would have improved in the recent times. Will try to get the snapshot from the dash-cam later today and post here if that could be of use to anyone.
The width of the ghat road improves substantially as you approach Kuppanur. Most curves have interlocking blocks on the shoulder, making it wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass comfortably.

[Vysakh]

Avoided the danishpet route and took the salem route as recommended. No potholes at all. The ghat roads were a bliss.
There's some flyover construction in salem and some diversions/bad roads for a km or two, but no major issues.

[ThilakNex]

Not sure if this is the right post to the thread. Here I am sharing the video detailing about the less crowded places to visit in Yercaud giving the fair idea about road conditions. We did this trip during April 2019. If it is helpful for travel enthus in any way, the purpose is served.

http://youtu.be/X2h5lqx-TnU

[Caffeinated]

I am planning a drive from BLR to Yercaud in two weeks' time with family. Since there are varied opinions in the forum on the different routes available to drive, I want to confirm from travelers if the below route is the most comfortable one.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

Since there are varied opinions in the forum on the different routes available to drive, I want to confirm from travelers if the below route is the most comfortable one.

Yes, going via Salem is the best option.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

I am planning a drive from BLR to Yercaud in two weeks' time with family. Since there are varied opinions in the forum on the different routes available to drive, I want to confirm from travelers if the below route is the most comfortable one.

Yes, the best option is always via Salem. If you want to drive on some two lane roads, then during the return, you can try Kuppanur, Harur, Kariamangalam.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Yes, the best option is always via Salem. If you want to drive on some two lane roads, then during the return, you can try Kuppanur, Harur, Kariamangalam.

Is this still the recommendation even now ? Google maps suggests Kariamangalam-Kambainallur-Bommidi-Yercaud and I don't trust that recommendation

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by NPV

Is this still the recommendation even now ? Google maps suggests Kariamangalam-Kambainallur-Bommidi-Yercaud and I don't trust that recommendation

You can take this route and update us with the current status

On a serious note, if you are looking for good roads then it's better to take the route via Salem.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by NPV

Is this still the recommendation even now ? Google maps suggests Kariamangalam-Kambainallur-Bommidi-Yercaud and I don't trust that recommendation

I had read somewhere that sections of the ghat after kuppanur were washed out during the rains due to landslides. Best would be to stick to Salem route as suggested by Arun.

[NPV]

Stress buster - did a day trip to Yercaud and back today, started at 6am and returned around 8:30pm with breakfast, lunch and tea breaks

Road conditions are overall decent, with a few irritants:
1. Barricades at many junctions along the NH 44. Rapid urbanization along the way, the 4 lane sections are badly in need of expansion to 6 lanes at least

2. Thoppur ghat in the Bangalore-Salem direction now has temporary lane separation using jugaad - drums and plastic median blocks, cars need to keep right to avoid being slowed down by trucks since some of them are stopped/slow down at a (makeshift?) checkpost along the ghat road

3. Couple of flyovers coming up along the highway near Omalur, one before the Omalur toll and one after

4. Old problem - Omalur onwards, local Salem traffic mixes with the highway and this pain continues with few junctions and signals too

5. Yercaud ghat road is good for the most part except couple of places where land slide/erosion related damages are being repaired

The good thing now is that getting to the Yercaud ghat road via Salem from NH 44 is easy via the newish J Jayalalithaa 2 tier flyover.

We drove up to the lake, then to Lady's seat and gent's seat and returned to Salem for lunch. Weather was awesome at Yercaud but fog was thick so hampered visibility at the valley view points! On the way back, we took a detour after Sai Sangeet thoppur to visit the small Nagavathi dam and then headed back to Bangalore. Lesser traffic from Hosur towards Bangalore helped us reach back by 8:30pm.

[srvm]

We did a Bangalore-Yercaud trip over the last weekend.

Onwards route: Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Yercaud
Route status: Good roads. Nothing to worry. Couple of very small sections in the ghat road under repair due to landslides in Oct-2021.


Return route: Yercaud-Kottachedu-Kuppanaur-Harur-Morappur-Kambainallur-Karimangalam-Krishnaigiri-Bangalore.
Route status: I tried this route to avoid the Sunday evening rush in the main Salem ghat section as well as the usual mad rush in the Thoppur ghat section.
Much less traffic in the Kuppanur route. Ghat section is in good shape overall. It is wide enough in most sections but narrow in some other sections (need to give way to upwards traffic). But overall very minimal traffic. The only painful part of the entire route is a 10km stretch starting from Kuppanur towards Harur (after the ghat section is over) - lots of potholes which need to be carefully avoided. After this stretch, the rest 30-32km roads are perfect (typical of any TN state highway). Some sections here are getting widened to smooth 4-lanes. The Harur-Morappur-Kambainallur-Karimangalam stretch is also holding up well - good, wide 2-lane roads and minimal traffic. Overall this route is good for descent. I would not prefer it for ascent.


Other points:
1. When we entered Yercaud, adults were stopped for compulsory RT-PCR tests (free of cost) by TN Health Officials, irrespective of vaccination status. Children (mine is 11 year old) spared from RT-PCR test.

2. Kuppanur route timings: I started from Yercaud around 3pm. I joined NH at Karimangalam around 6pm with sedate, no-rush driving. The route is very scenic at many places but also has steep ascent/descent (e.g. around Kari Ramar Temple, Kottachedu). Ghat section alone must have taken about 60-80 minutes. Climbing uphill will take easily more time particularly if you are stuck behind a larger slower vehicle since you will have to wait for a spot to safely overtake.

3. Landslide in Kuppanur route status: Road is motorable. Repair work completed. But it is somewhat narrow (only around 5-10 metre long section) where only one vehicle can pass at a time. One can stop and look at a breathtaking view of the nature's wrath.

[TSEA]

Hi, has anyone taken the below route to yercaud, recently:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Elec...11.7747924!3e0

If yes, please do let us know the road conditions. We will be travelling in a suv

[bhushan08]

Originally Posted by TSEA

Hi, has anyone taken the below route to yercaud, recently:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Elec...11.7747924!3e0

If yes, please do let us know the road conditions. We will be travelling in a suv

Pls avoid. We had taken this route by mistake and will not recommend. Take the Salem route.

[laluks]

Originally Posted by TSEA

Hi, has anyone taken the below route to yercaud, recently:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Elec...11.7747924!3e0

If yes, please do let us know the road conditions. We will be travelling in a suv

It's a laid back route. Been on this on March 10th. Take this route if you hate Highway traffic. SUV will do it without a sweat, sedans also I don't think will have issues. Just simple country roads, smaller lane, some broken patches, but more pleasant and green. Will put up the video if I get some time.

So if you are in for it with such expectations just go for it.