[sridhu]

Originally Posted by samish_g

How was the ghat section roads?

Samish: there were no issues on the ghat around Chinar. Seems to have been cleared.

The Munnar - Udumalpet - Dharapuram - Aravakuruchi - Karur - Bangalore route is as good as the Dindigul route. Udumalpet to Karur is on excellent state highways. The only issues are that the signage is in Tamil & hence turning off to SH 84c near Munalur is tricky. Imo, it still does not matter as the SH is brilliant.

We did the door to door in 9 hours including food & restroom breaks.

[Indian Ranger]

Friends,

Please advise if it is possible to reach Munnar if the departure from Bangalore[Nice road,Bannerghatta Road] is at 2:30 PM. Cars are Fiesta and Verna. With 9-10 hours of drive time, the arrival at Munnar would be by 11 or 11-30 pm. How does the weather behave at night in the hills?

Your inputs will help.

Thanks.

Rgds,
Manjunath

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Indian Ranger

Friends,

Please advise if it is possible to reach Munnar if the departure from Bangalore[Nice road,Bannerghatta Road] is at 2:30 PM. Cars are Fiesta and Verna. With 9-10 hours of drive time, the arrival at Munnar would be by 11 or 11-30 pm. How does the weather behave at night in the hills?

Night driving to Munnar is not an issue. But in this season, with heavy rains and fog, it would be quite difficult. Do check that aspect out.

[shyamk]

Originally Posted by Indian Ranger

Friends,

Please advise if it is possible to reach Munnar if the departure from Bangalore[Nice road,Bannerghatta Road] is at 2:30 PM. Cars are Fiesta and Verna. With 9-10 hours of drive time, the arrival at Munnar would be by 11 or 11-30 pm. How does the weather behave at night in the hills?

Your inputs will help.

Thanks.

Rgds,
Manjunath

Don't they close the Chinnar Ghat at sundown ?

Shyam

[ampere]

Originally Posted by shyamk

Don't they close the Chinnar Ghat at sundown ?

Shyam

I dont know if its a recent phenomenon. But I have read many posts here where people drove to Munnar (i think from both sides. Udumalpet as well as Theni).

Theni side is open for sure.

[shyamk]

In 2010 I was turned away at Chinnar Ghat at 7.00pm. I took a major detour all the way towards Theni and came in through bodi.

This was during September. Hence, I put forth the question. Maybe it is open all throughout the night these days.

Shyam

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by shyamk

In 2010 I was turned away at Chinnar Ghat at 7.00pm. I took a major detour all the way towards Theni and came in through bodi.

This was during September. Hence, I put forth the question. Maybe it is open all throughout the night these days.

Shyam

Hi Shyamk

Yes. A periodic ban is in place for four wheelers and two wheelers are banned during night hours. I reproduce the relevant clause of Chinnar Wild Life Sanctuary Management Plan below which will through light on the situation:

[BOLD]6.4.1.6.6. Heavy vehicular traffic[/BOLD]

A heavy vehicular traffic is being experienced along Marayoor-Chinnar road that many times hamper the free movement of animals even during night hours. Moreover, road hits due to speedy vehicles are also found along this road. To control such heavy traffic and associated problems following strategies will be implemented:

 Impose traffic regulations along the road and explore possibilities of restricting night
traffic especially for two wheelers. Ban movement of two wheelers during night hours.
 Explore possibility of imposing periodic break on night traffic.
 Impose speed regulations
 Speed breakers in crucial points.
 Signages with rules and regulations of the PA 91
 Warnings at animal movement locations
 Impose fine to speedy vehicles
 Carry out a carrying capacity study for the road traffic and implement the strategies evolved through the studies
 Make escape ramps for animals to cross over the high way.
 Conduct night patrol along the road

The detailed plant can be found at http://www.chinnar.org/html/managementplan.htm

[Waxeloquent]

Greetings! Driving in my Duster to Club Mahindra, Chinnakanal, Munnar during third/fourth week Oct. The Club has advised me y day that I avoid Bodinaikanu-Bodimedhu route between 8am and 6pm due to repairs being carried out. In stead they advised me to take Theni diversion to Cumbum-Combummedhu-Nedumkandam-Pooppara-Chinnakanal; that is about 60 km more! If I start from Bangalore say 6am, get to Dindigul, halt overnight, start early morning say 5.30
will I be able to take Bodinaikanur route or the road it absolutely NO irrespective of the time? Any decent hotel in Dindigul? I went to "All roads to Kerala" thread (got some valuable inputs from Ampere) and I was re-directed to this for more inputs. Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks and cheers

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Waxeloquent

If I start from Bangalore say 6am, get to Dindigul, halt overnight, start early morning say 5.30
will I be able to take Bodinaikanur route or the road it absolutely NO irrespective of the time? Any decent hotel in Dindigul? I went to "All roads to Kerala" thread (got some valuable inputs from Ampere) and I was re-directed to this for more inputs. Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks and cheers

- Can you start by 4AM ? 6AM would quite late. Traffic on Hosur road can be quite painful. Its good to finish early morning before the "devils" wake up.

- And sorry I was not aware about the Bodi stretch going through repairs.
- A 4AM start means, you can be at the resort by evening.
- If it gets delayed, you can plan to stay at Theni too.

Here is one:
http://www.westerngatz.com/

I have not stayed myself, but have read decent things about the place.

[Waxeloquent]

Originally Posted by ampere

- Can you start by 4AM ? 6AM would quite late. Traffic on Hosur road can be quite painful. Its good to finish early morning before the "devils" wake up. - And sorry I was not aware about the Bodi stretch going through repairs. - A 4AM start means, you can be at the resort by evening. - If it gets delayed, you can plan to stay at Theni too. Here is one: http://www.westerngatz.com/ I have not stayed myself, but have read decent things about the place.

We have plenty of time on hand . The Theni place looks awesome and certainly would like to check that out and the
tariff does look v reasonable. Starting earlier from Bangalore is not an issue. As we live close to Hosur road, 6 am start
for our Chennai, Coimbatore trips, we found it was alright. Also, too early will miss A2B dosa/vada at Krishnagiri. So
it looks Theni halt and then Munnar via Kambam, Pooppara... unless we get a confirmation that Bodi road is doable before
8am. There are still 4 weeks to go, let's see.

Thanks Ampere for good inputs & Cheers

Mod Note: Post Edited. Smiley usage is restricted to two per post on Team-BHP. Please do NOT use more than 2 smileys in a post.

[ashlyak]

Hello,

I traveled Bangalore-Selam-Palani-Kodikanal-Kambam Ghat section-Idduki-Munar. It was not a one day trip. We stayed in Kodi for few days, then moved to Munnar.

The Palani to Kodi and Kambam Ghat section were so nice, really loved driving thru !

[mpksuhas]

Planning a trip to Thekkady - Munnar during Oct first week.
For onward trip planning to take NH 7 till Dindigual - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbam - Thekkady. Iam planning of starting early from Bangalore (~3AM), drive will be my Alto. Any update on route condition will be helpful.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Any update on route condition will be helpful.

If you start at 3AM, most hotels should be closed till Salem would you would most probably cross by 6AM. Plan to have a brake beyond Salem only.
If you have kid in the car, this is the time munch miles before the first break!

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by ampere

If you start at 3AM, most hotels should be closed till Salem would you would most probably cross by 6AM. Plan to have a brake beyond Salem only.

Thanks. Yes when I take NH 7 our usual break is at Shoolagiri HP COCO for fueling up. We try to take some snacks from home to avoid stopping much. However my usual trips are towards KL via NH 47 or towards Chennai. Though I have been on NH 7 beyond Salem (enroute to Kodai) it was around 3 years back hence not sure of any food joints on the way. Guess will check Bangalore - Kanyakumari thread for the same.

No it will just me and my wife. One of the major reasons to start early is to beat Bangalore - Krishnagiri madness.

My major concern was road condition between Dindigul and Thekkady.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Planning a trip to Thekkady - Munnar during Oct first week.
For onward trip planning to take NH 7 till Dindigual - Periyakulam - Theni - Cumbam - Thekkady. Iam planning of starting early from Bangalore (~3AM), drive will be my Alto. Any update on route condition will be helpful.

NH7 is excellent all the way to Kanyakumari
Couple weeks ago traveled till Karur, started from Silk Board around 3.30am and reached Karur at 7.30am.
Hosur bypass is a pain with rough roads and also the Sales Tax checkpost where trucks go slow and block the traffic sometimes
Few diversions for incomplete bridges on the Hosur-Krishnagiri stretch but otherwise very good.
Food stops - maybe Karur is an option. You can consider a short detour into the town not too far from the highway. I was told Hotel Arunachala is good, haven't tried myself. To get there:
- there are 2 back to back flyovers on the highway. Just after the first one ends, you can see a turn off to the service road (Hotel Annapoorna on service road is landmark), this turn off is marked for Trichy (left) and Coimbatore (right). Turn off leads to a circle/signal where you turn left to go to Arunchala.
Alternatively you can travel further ahead on NH7 and there are some restaurants on the highway itself on either side (my travelgoue for Madurai, Rameshwaram, Kanyakumari had a list of the ones we spotted back in 2011).