Wanted: Trivandrum -- Kalhatty(Nilgiri Hills) Route Suggestion.

Sankar · 10th July 2008, 12:28

Hi guys! We, me redfire and three of our friends, have decided on a weekend motorcycle trip to Kalhatty. We will be starting from Trivandrum on Saturday (July 12th) early in the morning and hope to reach Kalhatty by evening. The route decided amongst ourselves as of now is:

Trivandrum - Alappuzha - Ernakulam - Thrissur - Kunnamkulam - Pattambi - Perinthalmanna - Nilambur - Nadukani Churam - Gudallur - Masinagudi - Ooty ghat route - deviate from 20th hairpin for Kalhatty.

We are told that this is one of the best routes to take with some superb roads and a shorter distance. We would like to know if there are any better alternative routes to reach Kalhatty.

Our friends from Bangalore would join us at Kalhatty

praJEEP · 10th July 2008, 12:32

Who are coming from bangalore shankare ?

Edit : Damn i am missing it. Cannot join you this time will plan something next month and let you know, may be munnar.

Sankar · 10th July 2008, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by praJEEP

Who are coming from bangalore shankare ?

8 of our friends from Silver Bullets. All on 8 motorcycles.

pypkmsrikanth · 10th July 2008, 13:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar

Hi guys! We, me redfire and three of our friends, have decided on a weekend motorcycle trip to Kalhatty. We will be starting from Trivandrum on Saturday (July 12th) early in the morning and hope to reach Kalhatty by evening. The route decided amongst ourselves as of now is:

Trivandrum - Alappuzha - Ernakulam - Thrissur - Kunnamkulam - Pattambi - Perinthalmanna - Nilambur - Nadukani Churam - Gudallur - Masinagudi - Ooty ghat route - deviate from 20th hairpin for Kalhatty.

We are told that this is one of the best routes to take with some superb roads and a shorter distance. We would like to know if there are any better alternative routes to reach Kalhatty.

Our friends from Bangalore would join us at Kalhatty

Hi Sankar, you could alternatively take the Ernakulam - Kodungallur - Kunnamkulam - Pattambi route as well, this would be some really winding roads, except that it's extremely narrow at places and quite busy as well. But you go through some good backwaters.

Cheers.

hvkumar · 10th July 2008, 14:35

Keep an eye on the Nilambur-Nadugani route status, often gets shut down because of land slides. Avoid weeks when thee is heavy rain, almost certain to shut down!

hvkumar · 10th July 2008, 14:38

Sounds a very tight schedule. Leave as early as possible. Try to avoid Trissur town route, and instead come on NH47 directly to Palakkad and interchange to Mannarkad, Nilambur. Please keep note that check posts at Nilambur and Masinagudi do not allow traffic after dark (8 pm).

pypkmsrikanth · 10th July 2008, 15:09

The stretch between Theppakadu and Kalhatty is closed after 8 PM so if you have to reach Kalhatty after 8 PM you either grease the check post guys or opt for coming down from Ooty, this again depends on where your accomodation is, if its between Kalhatty check post and Masinagudi then the only option is to grease the check post guys but I doubt if they would allow M/cycles even if you grease them. I dont think the checkposts at Nilambur are closed after 8 PM because lorries ply round the clock, also keep in mind you might have a problem if you are going alone at the Thorapally Check post as well (after Gudalur towards Mudumalai) where once I was denied permission to cross in my bike at around 8.30 PM. When I insisted in going to Theppakadu at around 5.30 early in the morning next day, I was asked to wait until a Sumo came along and was instructed to tailgate the Sumo all the way and not to attempt overtaking nor falling back.

Sankar · 10th July 2008, 15:35

Thanks for the replies hvkumar. Since the rains have started here is there a possibility of the Nadukani churam being shut down. Is this the season it usually gets shut down due to rains?

Pradeep, do let me know when you plan to come down to Munnar. You could've joined us this time too...it's not necessary that you have to be a part of the club because we welcome our friends on other bikes too. We have a Pulsar 200 with us from Tvm other 3 bikes are Enfields.

pypkmsrikanth, we probably wouldn't take NH17 as we would skip the Thrissur town from the east side as suggested by hvkumar.

hvkumar · 10th July 2008, 15:40

Already closed down once and reopened this season. For the time being, Nilambur road is open.

praJEEP · 10th July 2008, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar

Pradeep, do let me know when you plan to come down to Munnar. You could've joined us this time too...it's not necessary that you have to be a part of the club because we welcome our friends on other bikes too. We have a Pulsar 200 with us from Tvm other 3 bikes are Enfields.

Will let you know, i could have come down this time but i am running on a tight business schedule on 12th & 13th hence couldn't make it do share some pics once you come back. i hope you bought some rain gears.

Take and ride safe..

redfire · 10th July 2008, 18:18

Small correction - we are 4 Bullets and one P180 from here. 8-9 bullets from Blore.

We hope we can reach Nadukani churam by 2 O clock so no problem of check post clossing down, but what worrying me is the state of road after monsoon and whether traffic is blocked due to that. If someone from that area/near by can update the latest status, please.

MudMover · 10th July 2008, 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Already closed down once and reopened this season. For the time being, Nilambur road is open.

Confirmed. Road open and good to go as of 7th July when I passed through. Please note a few pics of the stretch here http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-nilambur.html. Have a nice trip!

Sankar · 10th July 2008, 20:45

Nice photos MudMover! The Kerala Section of Nadukani looks yummy!!

redfire · 10th July 2008, 21:10

Mud - thanks a lot and nice pics. We confirm this route.

pypkmsrikanth · 11th July 2008, 06:01

All the Best guys. I might be roaming around that side, if I decide to bite the bullet and I drive down from Chennai. How long? More than a year since I visited Mudumalai & Bandipur, the sacrifice I had to make while I shifted from Bangalore to Chennai

10th July 2008, 12:28	#1
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,054 Times	Wanted: Trivandrum -- Kalhatty(Nilgiri Hills) Route Suggestion. Hi guys! We, me redfire and three of our friends, have decided on a weekend motorcycle trip to Kalhatty. We will be starting from Trivandrum on Saturday (July 12th) early in the morning and hope to reach Kalhatty by evening. The route decided amongst ourselves as of now is: Trivandrum - Alappuzha - Ernakulam - Thrissur - Kunnamkulam - Pattambi - Perinthalmanna - Nilambur - Nadukani Churam - Gudallur - Masinagudi - Ooty ghat route - deviate from 20th hairpin for Kalhatty. We are told that this is one of the best routes to take with some superb roads and a shorter distance. We would like to know if there are any better alternative routes to reach Kalhatty. Our friends from Bangalore would join us at Kalhatty
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 12:32	#2
praJEEP BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 537 Thanked: 8 Times	Who are coming from bangalore shankare ? Edit : Damn i am missing it. Cannot join you this time will plan something next month and let you know, may be munnar. Last edited by praJEEP : 10th July 2008 at 12:38.
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 14:35	#5
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Keep an eye on the Nilambur-Nadugani route status, often gets shut down because of land slides. Avoid weeks when thee is heavy rain, almost certain to shut down!
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 14:38	#6
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Sounds a very tight schedule. Leave as early as possible. Try to avoid Trissur town route, and instead come on NH47 directly to Palakkad and interchange to Mannarkad, Nilambur. Please keep note that check posts at Nilambur and Masinagudi do not allow traffic after dark (8 pm).
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 15:09	#7
pypkmsrikanth Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,124 Thanked: 283 Times View My Garage	The stretch between Theppakadu and Kalhatty is closed after 8 PM so if you have to reach Kalhatty after 8 PM you either grease the check post guys or opt for coming down from Ooty, this again depends on where your accomodation is, if its between Kalhatty check post and Masinagudi then the only option is to grease the check post guys but I doubt if they would allow M/cycles even if you grease them. I dont think the checkposts at Nilambur are closed after 8 PM because lorries ply round the clock, also keep in mind you might have a problem if you are going alone at the Thorapally Check post as well (after Gudalur towards Mudumalai) where once I was denied permission to cross in my bike at around 8.30 PM. When I insisted in going to Theppakadu at around 5.30 early in the morning next day, I was asked to wait until a Sumo came along and was instructed to tailgate the Sumo all the way and not to attempt overtaking nor falling back.
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 15:35	#8
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,054 Times	Thanks for the replies hvkumar. Since the rains have started here is there a possibility of the Nadukani churam being shut down. Is this the season it usually gets shut down due to rains? Pradeep, do let me know when you plan to come down to Munnar. You could've joined us this time too...it's not necessary that you have to be a part of the club because we welcome our friends on other bikes too. We have a Pulsar 200 with us from Tvm other 3 bikes are Enfields. pypkmsrikanth, we probably wouldn't take NH17 as we would skip the Thrissur town from the east side as suggested by hvkumar.
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 15:40	#9
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,454 Times	Already closed down once and reopened this season. For the time being, Nilambur road is open.
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 18:18	#11
redfire BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago, USA Posts: 449 Thanked: 27 Times View My Garage	Small correction - we are 4 Bullets and one P180 from here. 8-9 bullets from Blore. We hope we can reach Nadukani churam by 2 O clock so no problem of check post clossing down, but what worrying me is the state of road after monsoon and whether traffic is blocked due to that. If someone from that area/near by can update the latest status, please.
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 20:45	#13
Sankar Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: Location Posts: 5,766 Thanked: 9,054 Times	Nice photos MudMover! The Kerala Section of Nadukani looks yummy!!
	() Thanks

10th July 2008, 21:10	#14
redfire BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago, USA Posts: 449 Thanked: 27 Times View My Garage	Mud - thanks a lot and nice pics. We confirm this route.
	() Thanks

11th July 2008, 06:01	#15
pypkmsrikanth Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,124 Thanked: 283 Times View My Garage	All the Best guys. I might be roaming around that side, if I decide to bite the bullet and I drive down from Chennai. How long? More than a year since I visited Mudumalai & Bandipur, the sacrifice I had to make while I shifted from Bangalore to Chennai
	() Thanks