Team-BHP - Bangalore to Munnar : Route Queries

Hi,
I am planning to travel Bangalore-Munnar with my Indica, during first week of August.
Any suggestion for best route?
Also I dont want to drive at a stretch, hence planning to take night halt midway, please advise for the good decent place on the way to Munnar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawk14277

Unless you intend to leave BLR in the evening,BLR Munnar is just a 8hr drive.Salem is the only place midway for a night stopover or at Perundurai-Hotel Chennis.Salem Saravana Bhavan and GRT are good

Take the BLR Salem Perundurai Udumulpet-Chinnar-Marayoor-Munnar route.If you are staying in the Chinnakanal area of munnar then take the NH7 route from Salem and go via Theni-Bodi-Chinnakanal.

Roads are by and far good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2835540)

I guess this section will never go bad (Am I over expecting of Indian roads? :) )
The only thing to note would be the road condition from udumalpet to Munnar because of Monsoon.

The Theni route also is now a bit frustrating due to diversions on the Dindigul-Theni road.

Thanks @ampere. I'm also worried about the Udulmal --> Marayoor --> Munnar stretch, forest roads can be bad during the monsoon. Will wait for update from people who have done the stretch recently

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawk14277 (Post 2836356)

Also I dont want to drive at a stretch, hence planning to take night halt midway, please advise for the good decent place on the way to Munnar.

Depends on how much you want to drive at a stretch. I usually cover much ground on the previous day and reserve the hill drive to daytime. If thats the case, I can suggest New Tiruppur Lodge, Palani (for Udumalpet route) and Western Gatz, Theni (if you take Bodi route). I've stayed the latter 3 times so far and highly recommended.

Note that going via Palani isn't the standard route if you want to go via Udumalaipet, Marayoor. But its probably the nearest to Munnar leaving just 40km+ghat section to cover.

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayans80 (Post 2838646)

Note that going via Palani isn't the standard route if you want to go via Udumalaipet, Marayoor. But its probably the nearest to Munnar leaving just 40km+ghat section to cover.

Palani to Munnar 40km+ ?? No way, I'd think it would easily by 120 km+. Marayoor to Munnar itself is about 40 kms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kala (Post 2839237)

Palani to Munnar 40km+ ?? No way, I'd think it would easily by 120 km+. Marayoor to Munnar itself is about 40 kms.

I did say 40 (which itself is an approximation just assuming Palani-Udumalpet distance) + ghat section. If you take exact numbers, Palani-Udumalpet-Munnar would be 127 km (going by milestone distances, 87 from Munnar to Udumalpet and 40 from Udumalpet to Palani), where Palani-Udumalpet-1st TN check post would be like 50 km (where the plains territory ends) and rest 70ish km is a slow climb to Munnar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayans80 (Post 2839262)

Ah mea culpa - I misunderstood your post. I interpreted the "40km+ghat roads" phrase as 40+ kms of ghat roads :)

Bangalore-Dindigul-Theni-Bodi Metti-Suryanelli-Chinnakanal-Munnar.

Nice views and high possibilities of wildlife sighting, especially near Anaiyrankal Dam.

If you have SUV or a vehicle with high clearance, a ride up to kolukkumalai will give you enough thrills for a week.

Shyam

Quote:

Originally Posted by shyamk (Post 2842595)

Thanks Syam. I am looking for the current road condtion of Udumal to Munnar. I am familiar with road in Munnar area (my wifies hometown), but has not done this stretch in last 1 year. I use a sedan with low GC, need to make sure the road is in good shape

The Bodi Metti route has excellent roads. You would need a SUV or a vehicle with high clearance only if you attempt to drive up all the way to Kolukkumalai.

A visit to that highest tea plantation will reward one with some stunning views, especially if it is a clear day.

Shyam

Friends - Would like to know the best route from Bangalore to Munnar.

My search yielded 2 routes

The first one is through Dindigul and the 2nd one is through Udumalaipettai in Tamil Nadu.

The route through udumalpettai shows less distance but not aware of the condition of the roads on these routes.

Of the topic , can some one who is been to Munnar suggest a good and decent accommodation for a family.

I was looking at Aranyaka. It looks good on the website but not sure on the reality.

TIA

I have stayed at Aranyaka. Not so far off from the town and yet, not near too. I stayed in both their shared rooms & cottages (It was the rainy season and we have the entire resort to ourselves!!). Decent place.

There are no shops (food or beverage) nearby, and hence, you are dependent on the resort folks for your food. Things change if you take your own vehicle.

Shyam

Quote:

Originally Posted by shyamk (Post 2842595)

If you have SUV or a vehicle with high clearance, a ride up to kolukkumalai will give you enough thrills for a week.

Shyam

Me too suggest Kolukkumalai even if one do not have a SUV. There are plenty of Jeeps available at about Rs. 500 for the trip. There is an entry fees of Rs. 50 for vehicle.

For those who never been to Kolukkumalai, the route would be: Munnar-Devikulam-Suryanelli-Kolukkumalai

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolclouds (Post 2848413)

Is 4wd must for Kolukkumalai? I somewhere read that its a craziest drive by 4x4 to the place with world's highest tea estates.

I have got 2wd (xuv) and trying to figure out if I can do that!

Also, I'm going to spend 2 days (28-30) out there, let me know about other such places that I can go while on trip from Bangalore
Thanks.