[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by MaverikMahesh

Friends, I am planning a trip to Munnar for the 15th Aug long weekend. As i have previously done this trip via Salem Dindigul Theni Bodi route, want to do the Kanakpura, Chamarajanagar, Udumalapet Munnar, CM (Chinnakanal). I would like to reach Club Mahindra by 1:30 PM. Plan to leave by 4:30 AM.

A start at 4:30 would mean that we could be in Chamarajanagar by 7 (?). Is Nijaguna Residency a good place for breakfast?

Can i reach Munnar by 1:30 if i take this route? In case i am delayed, which is a good place for Lunch?

Yes nijaguna is ideal for breakfast,place warms up for breakfast only by 730.

You would reach munnar for lunch else you have a couple of restaurants at udumulpet






Sent from my iPhone using Team-BHP

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by MaverikMahesh

Can i reach Munnar by 1:30 if i take this route? In case i am delayed, which is a good place for Lunch?

In all probability you can reach CM, Munnar on time for Lunch. Otherwise, you may try Aanandhaas at Dhali - Munnar Road at Udumalpet. Another option is Gandhiram at Pollachi Bye-pass Road but, it involves a slight detour of around half a kilo meter. Even in Munnar, you may try Rajasthani Hotel (forgot the name of the hotel) which is on Udumalpet-Munnar exactly at the Munnar Town.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by MaverikMahesh

Friends, I am planning a trip to Munnar for the 15th Aug long weekend. As i have previously done this trip via Salem Dindigul Theni Bodi route, want to do the Kanakpura, Chamarajanagar, Udumalapet Munnar, CM (Chinnakanal). I would like to reach Club Mahindra by 1:30 PM. Plan to leave by 4:30 AM.

A start at 4:30 would mean that we could be in Chamarajanagar by 7 (?). Is Nijaguna Residency a good place for breakfast?

Can i reach Munnar by 1:30 if i take this route? In case i am delayed, which is a good place for Lunch?

Nijaguna starts late so you may end up waiting for breakfast there if you start at 4:30am.
I think a better option may be Ramavilas at Sathy, next to the Police Station. Another advantage of having breakfast at Sathy would be that you would have traversed down the Dimbham ghats.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MaverikMahesh

Can i reach Munnar by 1:30 if i take this route? In case i am delayed, which is a good place for Lunch?

I doubt on this. Because:

- A 4:30 start means (assuming you start on time) you would be in CBE by 9:30/10.
- Assuming you reach Annur by 9AM, then starts you Coimbattore bypass routing.
- And that is Annur-Karumathampatti-Palladam-Udumalpet.
- I see in Google that its about 90 km.
- With small roads and villages to cross, I would give it about 2 hours.
- So that means you hit Udumalpet by 11-11:30PM.
- Now I assume 3 hours from Udumalpet to Munnar. Its about 90km and with winding roads and photo stops, I would assume it would be easily 3 hours.
- So its already 2:30 to Munnar.
- And last but not least CM is at Chinnakanal which is 22km from Munnar on the NH49 towards Theni. Thats another 40 minutes to an hour.
- So it easily goes till 3:30. And in between if you break more, add those stoppage times.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by MaverikMahesh

Can i reach Munnar by 1:30 if i take this route? In case i am delayed, which is a good place for Lunch?

Forgot to mention this in my earlier response. If you're looking to reach Club Mahindra by 1:30pm, you'd be better off taking the Salem-Dindigual-Theni route since it will be faster and you can reach Chinnakanal directly. The udumalaipet-marayoor route will get you to munnar town from where it will take an hour or so to drive the 20 odd Km to Chinnakanal where Club Mahindra is located.
For onward journey maybe you can take the Dindugal route and return via Marayoor-Udumalaipet-Chamarajanagar-Kanakapura.

Hello All,
Thanks to all those people who helped me with the route to Munnar from BLR. I had plans to ride on my Bullet with my wife.

Unfortunately I had a fatal fall 3 weeks back and fractured my tail bone.
Though I am on the recovery mode now, my Ortho advised no driving and absoutely no riding for next 1 month.

I am forced to take the train to Madurai and then a cab to Munnar.
I will plan this ride sometimes later in the year.

Thanks once again for all the inputs. I shall save this thread.

[Fauji]

Munnar is mindblowingly beautiful now. We were there last week. The road from Bangalore via Theni is excellent. There are few rough patches on the Bodi ghat road. No worries as such. In and around Munnar, the roads are just awesome. enjoy your drive!

[MaverikMahesh]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Munnar is mindblowingly beautiful now. We were there last week. The road from Bangalore via Theni is excellent. There are few rough patches on the Bodi ghat road. No worries as such. In and around Munnar, the roads are just awesome. enjoy your drive!

Dear Fauji, Great to hear from you. Did you write a travelogue on your recent trip to Munnar?

By the way, may i ask what route did you take from Theni to Munnar (or should i assume Club Mahindra - as i remember you are a member). What was the time taken and when did you start your journey from Bangalore?

[Oxy]

A friend is planning a trip to Thekkady from Bangalore. He will be driving. Wanted to ask a few queries on his behalf:

1. Is approximately a 500 kms drive. Is it probable to do this in a day?
2. How are the road conditions in general?

[satan's_valet]

Originally Posted by Oxy

A friend is planning a trip to Thekkady from Bangalore. He will be driving. Wanted to ask a few queries on his behalf:

1. Is approximately a 500 kms drive. Is it probable to do this in a day?
2. How are the road conditions in general?

Yes. It is easily possible in a day. He can take the Thekkady >> Cumbum >> Theni >> Dindigul >> Karur >> Salem >> Krishnagiri >> Bangalore route.

Dindigul to Bangalore is on NH7 with good roads and is easily doable in 5-6 hours with normal (80-100 kmph) speeds. Thekkady to Dindigul is on State Highways with decent roads and he can do it in 2-3 hours.

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by ampere

- Now I assume 3 hours from Udumalpet to Munnar. Its about 90km and with winding roads and photo stops, I would assume it would be easily 3 hours.

Ampere, Driving to Munnar this Friday and my planned routes are below

Onward : Bangalore-Salem-Dindugal-Theni-Bodi-Munnar
Return : Munnar-Udumalapet-Dharapuram-Erode-Salem-Bangalore.

I am confused if I should latch on to NH7 on the return at Aravakuruchi from Dharapuram or if the Erode route is good enough to drive. Can you assist in my decision?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gopikb

I am confused if I should latch on to NH7 on the return at Aravakuruchi from Dharapuram or if the Erode route is good enough to drive. Can you assist in my decision?

Gopi, I think either of the roads are equally good. Go with what you like!

there is also a clean bypass to Karur side. Dharapuram Bypass : Udumalpet-to-Karur

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by ampere

Gopi, I think either of the roads are equally good. Go with what you like!

Thank you Ampere. That allows me to take a decision after reaching Dharapuram. Munnar is most beautiful with the showers and mist. Unfortunately the past one week I see that sun is blazing in its full glory in Bangalore. Not sure what Munnar holds for us this weekend. Driving family there for the first time and I am hoping that they get to see the real beauty of Munnar.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Ampere, Driving to Munnar this Friday and my planned routes are below


Return : Munnar-Udumalapet-Dharapuram-Erode-Salem-Bangalore.

I am confused if I should latch on to NH7 on the return at Aravakuruchi from Dharapuram or if the Erode route is good enough to drive. Can you assist in my decision?

No need to get to Erode. You can do dharapuram-kangeyam-perundurai to latch on to NH7. Excellent roads.

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by luvurride

No need to get to Erode. You can do dharapuram-kangeyam-perundurai to latch on to NH7. Excellent roads.

luvtoride, thank you. Did you mean dharapuram-kangeyam-perundurai-Bhavani-Mettur to join NH7? It is close to 300kms of 2-lane roads and am worried about the traffic and the overtaking maneuvers in 2-lane road. Instead if I join Karur as recommended by Ampere, it is only 189kms to join 4-lane and I can drive that extra 100 kms in 4-lane bliss.

But driving to Mettur does open up additional possibility of visiting Mettur dam, drive through a scenic route and also bypass Salem completely. Thanks for bringing this up. I will decide based on the interest of kids and my strength to drive on return. Two lanes typically sap more energy than 4-lanes for driving and hence just from a driving point of view, I prefer 4-lanes any day.