[ampere]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Could you please list this route in detail? I might want to take this while returning.

If I may venture a guess:

Kanakpura-Chamarajanagar-Annur-Karumathampatti-Palladam-Udumalpettai-Munnar

(About 3-4 km of drive around Karumathampatti is bad)

Route Link

[pariwar]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Could you please list this route in detail? I might want to take this while returning.

Originally Posted by ampere

If I may venture a guess:
Kanakpura-Chamarajanagar-Annur-Karumathampatti-Palladam-Udumalpettai-Munnar

It may not be appropriate to use NH209 whilst returning from Munnar due to the following reasons.

• if you were to check out @ 1200 hrs, finish lunch & then depart Munnar, you should be crossing Sathyamangalam @ approx. 1800+ hrs...it would be twilight when you are crossing the 27 hairpin bends of Dimbam ghats and then approx. 12+ kms of dense forest area
• Chamarajnagar to NICE Road intersection (BLR outskirts) can be done in about 3+ hours easily, however with high beam vehicles on a two lane road with intermittent curves is not a comfortable drive if you do not have previous experiences on similar stretches.
• You will find dinner time a huge challenge if you cross Chamarajnagar in an in-between time, absolutely nothing decent available till you hit Bangalore and there is a good chance that restaurants will start closing down. Nijaguna Residency on the right side just before you enter Chamrajanagar town is a good food stop.

If you would like to take my advise for using NH209, then attempt it on your way out with a 0500 hrs departure. You will hit Chamrajanagar @ approx. 0800 hrs, use Nijaguna Residency for a breakfast & toilet break. Proceed forward and take a short break for tea @ Annaimalai/Chinnar border (in any case you will have to stop for entering vehicle details in their log book), cover the 13 kms bad road section and then drive through to Munnar. You can opt to take lunch at Munnar @ about 1430 hrs or if you find it is getting late, then stop @ Marayoor (40 kms before Munnar) at Variath Hotels, decent food with a decent toilet.

The return can be using the conventional Salem-Krishnagiri-Hosur road.

[fast_elegance]

Originally Posted by pariwar

It may not be appropriate to use NH209 whilst returning from Munnar due to the following reasons.

• if you were to check out @ 1200 hrs, finish lunch & then depart Munnar, you should be crossing Sathyamangalam @ approx. 1800+ hrs...it would be twilight when you are crossing the 27 hairpin bends of Dimbam ghats and then approx. 12+ kms of dense forest area

If you would like to take my advise for using NH209, then attempt it on your way out with a 0500 hrs departure. You will hit Chamrajanagar @ approx. 0800 hrs, use Nijaguna Residency for a breakfast & toilet break. Proceed forward and take a short break for tea @ Annaimalai/Chinnar border (in any case you will have to stop for entering vehicle details in their log book), cover the 13 kms bad road section and then drive through to Munnar. You can opt to take lunch at Munnar @ about 1430 hrs or if you find it is getting late, then stop @ Marayoor (40 kms before Munnar) at Variath Hotels, decent food with a decent toilet.

The return can be using the conventional Salem-Krishnagiri-Hosur road.

Thank you Pariwar!!

Yes, I will be checking out @ 1200 hrs, finish lunch & then depart Munnar.

I think I will go by your suggestion and take this route to reach Munnar:
Kanakapura-Chamarajanagara-Sathyamangalam-Karumathampatti-Karanampettai-Palladam-Udumalpettai-Munnar

For return might take the Salem route.

Thank you all for the suggestions and the pointers.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pariwar

It may not be appropriate to use NH209 whilst returning from Munnar due to the following reasons.

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Thank you Pariwar!!

Perfectly valid point. I thought you will start by say 8AM, which means by 11 you are at Udumalpet and by that logic you should cross Dimbam by 4AM.

But even then driving on 4-lane is better in dark hours.

[fast_elegance]

Hi All,

Just back from the trip to Munnar.

Beautiful place!! Was just lost to its beauty!! Just driving through the tea plantation clad mountains made it even more awesome.

Thanks to all of you for the routes, suggestions and pointers.
Took the Kanakpura-Chamarajanagar-Annur-Karumathampatti-Palladam-Udumalpettai-Munnar route on my way to Munnar and came back via Salem.
Both the routes were superb except for a few kms inside the Annamalai tiger reserve. I guess this road is going to see some fresh tarmac soon. Saw piles of stone and mud besides the road all the way.

Covered a total of 1100 kms with an average of 21kmpl.

Thank you again! Here is a pic

[veedub89]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Hi All,

Just back from the trip to Munnar.

Beautiful place!! Was just lost to its beauty!! Just driving through the tea plantation clad mountains made it even more awesome.

Thanks to all of you for the routes, suggestions and pointers.
Took the Kanakpura-Chamarajanagar-Annur-Karumathampatti-Palladam-Udumalpettai-Munnar route on my way to Munnar and came back via Salem.
Both the routes were superb except for a few kms inside the Annamalai tiger reserve. I guess this road is going to see some fresh tarmac soon. Saw piles of stone and mud besides the road all the way.

Covered a total of 1100 kms with an average of 21kmpl.

Thank you again! Here is a pic

Nice picture you got!

So how long does it take to get to Bangalore from Munnar? I have to reach Bangalore by six in the evening so I was wondering what time I should target to leave Munnar. Since you did this trip quite recently the road conditons that I encounter will be similar to what you encountered and thus will be very helpful to me in terms of planning my departure.
I plan to do this trip on the 26th of this month.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by veedub89

So how long does it take to get to Bangalore from Munnar? I have to reach Bangalore by six in the evening so I was wondering what time I should target to leave Munnar. Since you did this trip quite recently the road conditons that I encounter will be similar to what you encountered and thus will be very helpful to me in terms of planning my departure.
I plan to do this trip on the 26th of this month.

At least 8-10 hours.

- 3 hours to Udumalpet
- 2.5 hours to Perundurai
- 1 hour to Salem
- 3 hours to BLR

(All drive times)

Now the last 3 would be difficult as you would see toll booths being lined up.
So to summarise at least you should start by about 6-7AM.

[veedub89]

Thanks a lot Ampere! I think you are suggesting the NH7 route here, correct?

I think I will plan to leave around 5 or something because I am travelling with my family and we would be breaking our journey to stop for atleast for half an hour somwhere.

[fast_elegance]

Originally Posted by veedub89

Nice picture you got!

So how long does it take to get to Bangalore from Munnar?

Originally Posted by veedub89

Thanks a lot Ampere! I think you are suggesting the NH7 route here, correct?

I think I will plan to leave around 5 or something because I am travelling with my family and we would be breaking our journey to stop for atleast for half an hour somwhere.

Originally Posted by ampere

At least 8-10 hours.

- 3 hours to Udumalpet
- 2.5 hours to Perundurai
- 1 hour to Salem
- 3 hours to BLR

Thank you veedub89!! Pic of the car with the tea mountains is a must in Munnar

It was a relaxed drive for me with no hurry. So I took about 10 hours to reach B'lore i.e. started at 6 AM and reached at 4 PM. The only bad stretch is inside the Annamalai forest reserve with pot holes and other challenge is the stretch from Krishnagiri to Hosur due to deviations.

If you plan to leave Munnar at 5:00 AM, you should be reaching B'lore by 3:00 PM latest.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by veedub89

Thanks a lot Ampere! I think you are suggesting the NH7 route here, correct?

I think I will plan to leave around 5 or something because I am travelling with my family and we would be breaking our journey to stop for atleast for half an hour somwhere.

Its SH till Perundurai. NH47 from Perundurai to Salem and there on its NH7.

Route Link

[patnaik7]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Thank you veedub89!! Pic of the car with the tea mountains is a must in Munnar

It was a relaxed drive for me with no hurry. So I took about 10 hours to reach B'lore i.e. started at 6 AM and reached at 4 PM. The only bad stretch is inside the Annamalai forest reserve with pot holes and other challenge is the stretch from Krishnagiri to Hosur due to deviations.

If you plan to leave Munnar at 5:00 AM, you should be reaching B'lore by 3:00 PM latest.

Hello everyone I need some help, although I fear this might be again. Just want to be sure as this is going to be my first long drive.

I am planning to go to Munnar this weekend along with my wife. Based on the posts that I have read so far, I have compiled a to and from Munnar route. Would appreciate it if you guys can review and suggest improvements if necessary.

Whitefield to Munnar: http://goo.gl/maps/Ru0jx

Whitefield->Salem->Dindigul->Kodai Road->Batlagundu->Andipatti->Theni by pass -> Munnar, Kerala, India

Munnar to Whitefield: http://goo.gl/maps/6f32T

Munnar -> Udumalaipettai -> Perundurai -> Salem -> Whitefield

I will be travelling in a small car, Honda Brio. Also, can anyone recommend a reasonably priced (<2k) good hotel in Munnar. Cleanliness is of paramount importance to me, not worried about luxury.

[fast_elegance]

Originally Posted by patnaik7

Whitefield to Munnar: http://goo.gl/maps/Ru0jx

Whitefield->Salem->Dindigul->Kodai Road->Batlagundu->Andipatti->Theni by pass -> Munnar, Kerala, India

Munnar to Whitefield: http://goo.gl/maps/6f32T

Munnar -> Udumalaipettai -> Perundurai -> Salem -> Whitefield

I will be travelling in a small car, Honda Brio. Also, can anyone recommend a reasonably priced (<2k) good hotel in Munnar. Cleanliness is of paramount importance to me, not worried about luxury.

Hi Patnaik,

Is there any specific reason why you chose the Dindigul - Theni route instead of the regular Perundurai - Udumalaipettai route while going to Munnar?

The Dindigul - Theni route will add atleast 70-80 kms to your journey.

You will not find a decent clean hotel for anything less than 2.5k INR in Munnar. This is as per my experience and also considering it is a holiday season. It is also advisable to book your accommodation in advance as it is tough to find one during weekends.

[patnaik7]

Originally Posted by fast_elegance

Hi Patnaik,

Is there any specific reason why you chose the Dindigul - Theni route instead of the regular Perundurai - Udumalaipettai route while going to Munnar?

The Dindigul - Theni route will add atleast 70-80 kms to your journey.

You will not find a decent clean hotel for anything less than 2.5k INR in Munnar. This is as per my experience and also considering it is a holiday season. It is also advisable to book your accommodation in advance as it is tough to find one during weekends.

Thanks Elegance. No specific reason for Dindigul actually, some were saying maybe roads were better that side. But you are right, that shaves some kms off.

I guess I will do the Salem-Perundurai-Udumalaipettai-Munnar route (http://goo.gl/maps/sRZVQ) for both going and return journeys. Hopefully the roads are good.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by patnaik7

I will be travelling in a small car, Honda Brio. Also, can anyone recommend a reasonably priced (<2k) good hotel in Munnar. Cleanliness is of paramount importance to me, not worried about luxury.

If you plan to stay at Chinakannal which is 22km from Munnar town towards Theni, then the route via Dindigul/Theni makes sense.

[patnaik7]

Originally Posted by ampere

If you plan to stay at Chinakannal which is 22km from Munnar town towards Theni, then the route via Dindigul/Theni makes sense.

Thanks Ampere. I have no plans to stay at Chinakannal at this point. Current plan is to stay and chill out in Munnar it self. The route Elegance followed was Kanakpura-Chamarajanagar-Annur-Karumathampatti-Palladam-Udumalpettai-Munnar route on way to Munnar and coming back via Salem. Planning to do the same now as the roads are supposed to be good. Any thoughts?