[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

I am trying to put this plan since I am with my whole family. Starting at 5AM could be a bit tough due to my young kid.

Ok got. So

Option 1: Start at 5:30 pm and find accommodation in Salem.

Option 2: if you can start at say 3:30-4 pm you can drive on till Karur and stay at the Residency there. From that point you are around 3 hrs from Kodai. Assuming you start from Karur at 8 am, you should be in Kodai by 11 am.

If you can get of from work early try option 2. It will be the best as you can never predict the Salem traffic. Karur to Kodai will be a free run.

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

Option 2: if you can start at say 3:30-4 pm you can drive on till Karur and stay at the Residency there. From that point you are around 3 hrs from Kodai. Assuming you start from Karur at 8 am, you should be in Kodai by 11 am.

Thanks, any idea about the scary toll booths at Attibele and Krishnagiri if I start by 4PM? I am sure they are never good in daylight , will try my best to start by 4PM and try to make at Karur.

[mpksuhas]

Saw a query for COCO between Salem and Dindigul

Details -

BPCOCO

IOC

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Thanks, any idea about the scary toll booths at Attibele and Krishnagiri if I start by 4PM?

There is no good time to cross Attibele as such, there will be queue always. However, usually it would be possible to cross the queue in around 15 mins.

I am not sure which day you are planning to drive, if its a long weekend you will find long queue. On a regular day / friday, queue is not that bad at Attibele or Krishnagiri. I usually start around 05:00 PM from Bellandur towards Chennai and can cross Attibelle ~ 20 mins, Krishnagiri ~ 10 mins in pre-fastag days.

Where in Bangalore are you starting from? based on that you can take Sarjapur - Bagalur route to avoid Attibele.

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Where in Bangalore are you starting from? based on that you can take Sarjapur - Bagalur route to avoid Attibele.

I am starting from Marathahalli and will try my best for 4PM on 22nd evening.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

I am starting from Marathahalli and will try my best for 4PM on 22nd evening.

Since its long weekend, you will find longer queues at toll booths.

Best option would be to take Varathur - Sarjapur road - Bagalur - Hosur or
Kadubeesinahalli - Left from New horizon college - Carmelaram station - Sarjapur road - Sarjapur - Bagalur - Hosur.

Road between Carmelaram railway bridge to Sarjapur is bit patchy due to widening work. Still it will be better than driving through Silkboard - Attibele route.

[rajivtelang]

Visited Kodai and Munnar over last week of 2017.

December 22nd:
After thinking a lot, I decided to start by 4PM from Bangalore and made a stay at Salem (Grand Estancia). I took to Sarjapura-Bagalur-Hosur route to avoid Attibele and it helped except the deadly speed breakers on this road where even Ertiga got brushed once . No issues at all at Krishnagairi toll. Reached the hotel by 8.15PM

December 23rd:
Started from Salem at 9AM and reached Kodai at around 3PM via Karur, Dindigal bypass with one lunch break en-route after taking the Kodai road. Booking was at Pine Borough Inn for 3 nights. Rooms were cramped and very cold compared to outside weather due to lack of direct sunlight on the hotel. Roads are good throughout.

December 26th:
Started at 9.30AM after checkout from Kodai and reached Munnar by 2PM. I took the road via Theni. Surprised to see the border check posts demanding for Rs.50 even from white license plate vehicles, at both Tamilnadu and Kerala border.
I had a booking at Estate Residency via Yatra but they ditched us at last moment saying the booking was not confirmed by Yatra. Thus putting us on road literally. Luckily found one home stay around 15KM before Munnar. It was a good location and a relief (I had my parents and whole family with me)

December 28th:
Original plan was to start back on 29th to Bangalore but since we had gone through so much of uncertainty and trouble, thought to make the trip short and started on 28th December only. Checked out at around 8.30AM. Took same road back via Theni, Karur, Salem, Hosur and Bangalore. Being a weekday all tolls were completely empty, just sailed smoothly everywhere. Reached home by 8PM.

[rajivr1612]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

Booking was at Pine Borough Inn for 3 nights. Rooms were cramped and very cold compared to outside weather due to lack of direct sunlight on the hotel.

Hi Rajiv, I was also at Pine Borough Inn from 22nd to 24th Dec. As you said rooms are not upto the mark. However kids enjoyed due to the pets in the hotel. If you noticed, the Blue Etios Liva in front of the reception was mine. I saw a KA registered Ertiga, was that yours?

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by rajivr1612

Hi Rajiv, I was also at Pine Borough Inn from 22nd to 24th Dec. As you said rooms are not upto the mark. However kids enjoyed due to the pets in the hotel. If you noticed, the Blue Etios Liva in front of the reception was mine. I saw a KA registered Ertiga, was that yours?

Oh yeah, that was me. I too remember seeing a blue Etios Liva on arrival.
My daughter too enjoyed the kids area and the pets. But the hotel as a whole was disappointing due to no proper dinner on Sunday and Monday evenings, bad rooms and too much cold inside the rooms. Only the breakfast was good.

[ravib]

Friends,

Am planning for a trip to Munnar and Thekkady this weekend.

1) For onward journey from Bangalore to Munnar, planning to go via Udumalaipet, Chinnar, Marayoor.
2) For Munnar to Thekkady, i see 3 routes suggested by Google.
a) Via Nedumkandam (95 kms and selected as default route)
b) Via Konnathady, Erattayar, Kattapana, Anavilasam (85 kms)
c) Via Selliampara, Narakakanam, Kattapana, Anavilasam (96 kms)

Can someone confirm which route is good in terms of road condition and we can avoid potholed/bad roads?

3) For return journey from Thekkady to Bangalore, will take usual Kumily/Theni/Dindigul/Salem route

Can anyone provide latest update / road conditions for Munnar to Thekkady stretch of 100 kms?

Thanks
-Ravi

[bijuks]

Originally Posted by ravib

Friends,

Am planning for a trip to Munnar and Thekkady this weekend.

2) For Munnar to Thekkady, i see 3 routes suggested by Google.
a) Via Nedumkandam (95 kms and selected as default route)
b) Via Konnathady, Erattayar, Kattapana, Anavilasam (85 kms)
c) Via Selliampara, Narakakanam, Kattapana, Anavilasam (96 kms)

Can someone confirm which route is good in terms of road condition and we can avoid potholed/bad roads?

@ravib - You would have completed this trip. Please share the route feedback.

Regarding 2b above. The roads are not that great between Konnathady and Erattayar. Though there will be very less traffic, there are potholes and steep climbs (with bad roads).

2c is a better option with good roads and medium traffic. All are winding roads and narrow at times.

The straight road through Munnar - Devikulam - Pooppara - Nedumkandam - Kumily seems not ready for daytime traffic yet. Is the construction is still happening?

Did anyone travel that route recently?

[ravib]

Yes, i completed the trip last week.

This is the best route and excellent roads (99.5%) and absolute pleasure to drive. Stay in NH is the mantra. Of course roads are narrow and winding, but you will enjoy it.

Munnar-Adimaly-Idukki Dam-Kattappana-Vallakadavu-Anavilasam-Kumily-Thekkady.
Ensure you take Vallakadavu road after Kattappana.

https://goo.gl/maps/SSwzAaCdrA12

-Ravi

[ravib]

Sorry, i just realized in my previous post, google maps link is incorrect.

Here is the correct link.

https://goo.gl/maps/91tFPtqSsXm

In the previous route via Chitrapuram and Selliampara, the roads are bad with big potholes and is super slow. So better avoid it.

-Ravi

Note to MODs: If possible, please merge this post with previous one as i am unable to edit it because it is more than allowed window.

-Ravi

[mashmash]

Hi,

I am planning to do Bangalore to Munnar in the first week of May. Is this the preffered route: https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/12...d10.039693!3e0. I would be starting for Whitefield and intend to start early morning. By what time should we expect to be in Munnar, considering one stop for Lunch en-route?

MaSh

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by mashmash

Hi,

I am planning to do Bangalore to Munnar in the first week of May. Is this the preffered route: https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/12...d10.039693!3e0. I would be starting for Whitefield and intend to start early morning. By what time should we expect to be in Munnar, considering one stop for Lunch en-route?

MaSh

This is pretty much the good route, roads all good. While exiting Bangalore you continue further till Bagalur and the hit Hosur directly to avoid Attibele. I took that route to Munnar in last December. Be careful about monster speed breakers between Sarjapura and Bagalur. No other complaints of any sort.
I took the same route to return as well.

[mashmash]

Originally Posted by rajivtelang

This is pretty much the good route, roads all good. While exiting Bangalore you continue further till Bagalur and the hit Hosur directly to avoid Attibele. I took that route to Munnar in last December. Be careful about monster speed breakers between Sarjapura and Bagalur. No other complaints of any sort.
I took the same route to return as well.

Great, thank you so much. How much time did it take? Would starting around 5:00am from Whitefield be okay to reach Munnar by Lunch time?

MaSh