[ampere]

Originally Posted by sayoojl

yeah that is what google suggested. I had posted on "All Roads to Kerala" thread as to which route to take(Avinashi-Mangalam or Kangayam-Dharapuram). I got a suggestion to take the latter one and hence i took it.Most of the towns enroute were easy to pass except Udumalpet due to construction works.will try this route next time

The only problem with Avinashi route is that, on the 4-lane bypass, marking for the Mangalam/Palladam exit is not at all clear. You need to know where to exit for this.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

The only problem with Avinashi route is that, on the 4-lane bypass, marking for the Mangalam/Palladam exit is not at all clear. You need to know where to exit for this.

On the Avinashi Bypass, on left side look for a smallish Saravana Bhavan hotel (almost like a small house) where there is a break in the median, take this and follow the service road, it will first intersect the Tiruppur road where you have to proceed straight on service road and the next left turn is for Mangalam, the sign board had almost faded out fully when I saw it last in January this year.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

On the Avinashi Bypass, on left side look for a smallish Saravana Bhavan hotel (almost like a small house) where there is a break in the median, take this and follow the service road, it will first intersect the Tiruppur road where you have to proceed straight on service road and the next left turn is for Mangalam, the sign board had almost faded out fully when I saw it last in January this year.

Thats exactly what I am saying. These are the type of sign-guages that we have look out for ourselves. There is no proper board which says about the exit points. Maybe its just a matter of time I guess.

[RGP]

Decided last night to head for Munnar over the long weekend. No time to plan or research. Leaving at 5.30 am. I am going to follow the route suggested by Google Maps: Blr-Salem-Avinashi-Udumalpet-Munnar. So any tips on route and road conditions will be helpful.
And I read of a truckers strike in Road to Kerala thread. Will that have an impact?
Thanks in advance.

[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by RGP

Decided last night to head for Munnar over the long weekend. No time to plan or research. Leaving at 5.30 am. I am going to follow the route suggested by Google Maps: Blr-Salem-Avinashi-Udumalpet-Munnar. So any tips on route and road conditions will be helpful.
And I read of a truckers strike in Road to Kerala thread. Will that have an impact?
Thanks in advance.

Truckers strike will be a serendepity for you, with traffic being easy.
Roads will be good all through. I will be off to Munnar tomorrow morning, so, if you are able to update the stretch from Udumalpet to Munnar, that will help.

Enjoy the trip and the long weekend.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by RGP

I am going to follow the route suggested by Google Maps: Blr-Salem-Avinashi-Udumalpet-Munnar. So any tips on route and road conditions will be helpful.

NH7 upto Salem, then NH 47 upto Aviniashi bypass is excellent as usual.
From Avinashi bypass turn left towards Mangalam (don't get onto the Tiruppur Road, see my earlier post on this page to locate the Mangalam turn). Keep straight on this road at all junctions and you reach a 4 way junction with signal at Palladam (On opposite side you can see Om Saravana Bhava hotel). Continue straight and after 1-2Km, there is a fork where left will take you to Udumalaipet (right goes to Pollachi). Upto this point the road is excellent from my recent experience, I'm not sure of the condition beyond, but I don't expect it to be bad, maybe just a short narrow stretch after Udumalaipet in the Chinnar sanctuary

Not sure about the truckers strike impact on this route since you enter Kerala near Marayoor only, till there it is Tamil Nadu.

This route will take you to Munnar Town via Marayoor, where will you be staying ?

[RGP]

Thanks for the tips, NPV. The one on exit to Mangalam was spot on. Surely saved me some time. Road was smooth up to Udumalpet. Fairly drivable after that but only 1 car width usable in some sections. Plan 3-3.5 hours for that stretch. Hardly any trucks along entire route.

[speedmiester]

I am planning for a long weekend trip to Munnar next week from 23rd to 26th.
I would like to know the best routes from Bangalore. Any updates on the current road conditions would be very helpful.
Preference is for good roads and less traffic.

Options are :
1. Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Udumalpet-Munnar
2. Bangalore-Chamrajanagar-Udumalpet-Munnar
3. Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Dindigul-Munnar

Which is better?

Alternately I was planning to drive down to Mysore on 22nd night and leave from there to Munnar.

Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

Options are :
1. Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Udumalpet-Munnar
2. Bangalore-Chamrajanagar-Udumalpet-Munnar
3. Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Dindigul-Munnar

Which is better?

It depends on where in Munnar you plan to stay? If its in Chinnakanal, take option 3, else option 1 will do. You dont want go with option 2. As is you have 50-80km of ghats on the Munnar side. You dont want further 2L roads of NH209 and that too with diversions to avoid the closed bridge at Kollegal. It will delay you further.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

I am planning for a long weekend trip to Munnar next week from 23rd to 26th.
I would like to know the best routes from Bangalore. Any updates on the current road conditions would be very helpful.
Preference is for good roads and less traffic.

Options are :
1. Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Avinashi-Udumalpet-Munnar
2. Bangalore-Chamrajanagar-Udumalpet-Munnar
3. Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Dindigul-Munnar

Which is better?

Alternately I was planning to drive down to Mysore on 22nd night and leave from there to Munnar.

Unless you want to visit Mysore, no point transiting there when your destination is Munnar.

Best routes are #3 and #1.
Route #3 will take you to Chinnakanal which is closer for Club Mahindra, Sterling, etc. Munnar town is about an hour away from Chinnakanal (~25km).

Route #1 will take you to Munnar town directly. This is closer for the tourist spots like Maatupetty dam, echo point, top station, etc.

[speedmiester]

Originally Posted by NPV

Unless you want to visit Mysore, no point transiting there when your destination is Munnar.

Best routes are #3 and #1.
Route #3 will take you to Chinnakanal which is closer for Club Mahindra, Sterling, etc. Munnar town is about an hour away from Chinnakanal (~25km).

Route #1 will take you to Munnar town directly. This is closer for the tourist spots like Maatupetty dam, echo point, top station, etc.

Thanks, I am thinking about Mysore as it's my hometown and can stay for the night and leave early the next morning via chamrajanagar.

I have made a booking in a resort near Bison Valley road.

[kala]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

Thanks, I am thinking about Mysore as it's my hometown and can stay for the night and leave early the next morning via chamrajanagar.

I have made a booking in a resort near Bison Valley road.

In that case Mysore-T.Narsipur-Chamarajnagar-Sathy-Puliampatty-Avinashi-Palladam-Udumalpet-Marayoor-Munnar would probably be the best bet.

Taking the Mysore-Nanjangud-Chamarajnagar route instead may be slightly shorter, but I'm not sure about the road surface between Nanjangud and CRnagar, and the Mysore-Nanjangud road is generally a bit rough and trafficky.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by speedmiester

Thanks, I am thinking about Mysore as it's my hometown and can stay for the night and leave early the next morning via chamrajanagar.

I have made a booking in a resort near Bison Valley road.

- I see its close to Poppara.
- Definitely you should go via Dindigul/Theni.
- Staying overnight at Mysore wont help. Bangalore is much easier, as you drive on 4-lane all the way up to Dindigul.
- Make a 4AM start and you are good

[kala]

Originally Posted by ampere

- I see its close to Poppara.

I think most of the resorts on Bison valley road (like Abad, Deshadan etc) are closer to Munnar town and hence easier to get to from the town rather than from the Pooppara side. Pooppara to Munnar via the Bison valley road is a rather tricky stretch to drive - the road being quite narrow and with very steep gradients (and private buses on the route don't budge to give way).

So even if coming on the Theni route, I think it would be advisable to come to Munnar town and then go to the resort from that end.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by kala

So even if coming on the Theni route, I think it would be advisable to come to Munnar town and then go to the resort from that end.

I dont know much. I just saw in Google that the turning to this road was beyond Chinnakanal on NH49. Hence I thought Theni would be a better option.