[joecherian]

I was planning to take the mettur-Bhavani-Dharapuram-Orramchatram route for my Onam drive down to Kanjirappally.I have one doubt on this route. Do I have to go by Dindigul to reach Batlagundu (once I reach Ottanchatram) or is there a shorter route to reach Batlagundu from Ottanchatram ?

[hvkumar]

Dharapuram-Ottancharam 40 kms-Kannivadai 16-Sembatti (turn right) 13-Vathalkundu (turn right) 20-Periakulam 25-Theni 16-Kambam 40-Kumili 22-Vandiperiyar 16-Kuttikanam 11-Peeremede 5-Mundakaam 25-Kanjirapalli 17.

As you can see, you don't touch Dindigul. Dindigul is a turn off (away from your route) from Sembatti 14 kms.

[joecherian]

Hi HVK, that was fast.So, at what place on the Oddanchatram Dindigul road , do I have to take a deviation to Kannivadai ?

[hvkumar]

Joe, when you come in from Dharapuram, you turn left into Palani-Dindigul road at Ottanchatram. Then you go straight through Kannivadai to Sembatti, where you turn right onto the Dinidgul-Theni road.

You also have the choice of coming from Dharapuram to Palani (also 40 kms) and travelling an extra 40 kms from palani to Ottanchatram. You can take a call at Dharapuram after finding out which road is beter - the one to Ottan or Palani.

[ajayr]

Hi all,

Am planning a trip to Thekkady from Bangalore in December. What would be the best route to take? Also are there enough things to see for a 3D/2N trip?

Can Munnar be visited as a day trip from Thekkady?

Thanks!
-Ajay.

[csentil]

Route would be:

Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Dharapuram - Ottanchatram - Sembatti - Vathalagundu - Periyakulam - Theni - Kambam - Kumili - Thekkady.

Bangalore - Bhavani would take 4-5 hrs depending on your speed and stops.

Bhavani - Thekkady would take another 5 hrs or so.

When I did Dharapuram - Thekkady a month back the road between Ottanchatram - Sembatti was not so great. Road work is in progress. 3 culverts are in progress.

Distances are given by hvkumar above.

If you leave Bangalore early morning, you should be able to reach Thekkadi around 3 to 4 pm. What you want to do in Thekkady is upto you. There are night walk safaris available in a group of 7-8 max. Its 500 bucks per person and depending on your luck you could see a lot or nothing. There is one walk at 7 pm and the other around 10pm. I've done it twice and the experience of walking inside a forest in the night is something to be experienced. Since its a 3 hour walk and you might have to run if chased by elephants it is recommended that only people who are fit and able take this.

This has to be booked at the Periyar Wildlife information centre which is a km before the Park gates.

You should do an early morning boat ride which gives you the best chance to see wildlife. If you reach Thekkady earlier you can do the evening boat ride as well provided you manage to procure tickets earlier. Tickets get sold out fast and it is better if you book through your hotel before you reach there or book as soon as you reach there.

In Thekkady it is only the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary which is of interest unless you want to see Cardamom plantations or go to Mangla Devi peak for which you need to hire a jeep.

However if you are a wildlife enthusiast there are a whole lot of stuff that you can do there. You can go for a full day trek, stay overnite inside the forest in a small jungle house, go bamboo rafting the whole day or trek for 2 days. Information for all this along with the fares are available at the Tourist information centre. I have the pamphlets with me somewhere at home and if you are interested I can dig them out.

Munnar is around 110 kms or so and would take 3 hrs or so from Thekkady. I would recommend you finish Munnar, then go to Thekkady and return back to Bangalore via Coimbatore. You can't cover much in Munnar unless you leave early morning and drive back downhill during the night.

[hvkumar]

I second csenthil - Munnar is too good to be done in a day trip, although driving to and fro should take you only 6 hours. You could leave in the evening by, say, 4 pm, and reach Munnar by 7 p.m., spend the next day there and leave the day after.

[ajayr]

@csentil and @hvkumar, thanks a lot for the useful information. Guess will give Munnar a miss this time. Will definitely try to do the night trek. Thanks again

[Walterdee]

Hi all,

Planning to Drive from Tirunelveli to Mysore 1st week of Jan. The route as far as I could figure is Tirunelveli.-Sattur-Virudunagar -Thirumangalam-Madurai -Dindigul-Oddanchatram-Dharapuram-Tiruppur-Avinashi-Annur (NH209)-Puliampatti-Sathy(amangalam)-Chamrajnagar-Nanjangud-Mysore

I understand there is a nicer drive through Mudumalai etc... does anyone know of this please ?

[hvkumar]

Your route is perfect, but you do not go through Mudumalai. You cross the Dimbam ghats/ jungles between Sathy and Chamarajnagar.

[csentil]

Roads when you enter Karnataka after the Dhimbam ghat section are not too great and especially before and after Chamrajnagar. So watch out.

If you want to go via Mudhumalai then it is a deviation. It would be Puliampatti - Mettupalayam - Kotagiri/Ooty - Gudalur - Mudhumalai - Bandipur - Gundulpet - Nanjangud - Mysore.

[Nitin Mathur]

Hi Guys,

Thinking of Periyar over the 21st September weekend. Pls. advise between:

1. Is NH 7 (Salem - Dindigul) done (4 laning)? Its amazing now between Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri (went to Hogenakkal over the last weekend).
If its done I guess this would be the fastest route.

2. Else I guess from earlier threads Bangalore -Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Perundurai-Kangyam-Dharapuram-Sembatti-Vattalakundu-Periyakulam-Kambam would be better.

3. Also what if I take NH 209 upto Sathy, take the SH through Gobi-Tiruppur-Kangyam? How are the roads here?

Also feel free to recommend other routes. I'll be driving a Swift, idea is to get there in (relatively) quick time without physical or mechanical damage.

Thanks.

[bijuks]

Go through Salem - Karur - Dindigul - Vattalgundu - Theni - Kambam route. This is faster. (even though there are small stretches of construction zones).

Watchout for the directions to Vattalgundu from Dindigul. NH7 is a very good highway around Dindigul and you can easily miss the turn and end up at Madurai .

[Nitin Mathur]

Thanks Biju. How much time would it take to Periyar if i take hosur-Salem-Dindigul, Vattalakundu, Kambam starting early morning/late night?

[sminni]

Hi

I plan to drive from Bangalore to Thekkady this December (in an Aveo)

what would be a good cruising scenic route

Thanks