[rajesh_sg]

Planning for a trip to Kumarakon and Thekkady in my baleno [4 adults + 2 kids]. Need advice on the route. The tour is planned in the month of Oct [2-7]. The planned itenary is as below:

2-Oct : depart from Chennai @ 4/5 AM
2-Oct : reach kottayam or the nearest place to kumarakom [if feasible]
3-Oct : check-in to boat house @ kumarakom
4-Oct : check-out and proceed to Thekkay
7-Oct : check-out and proceed to Chennai

Pls suggest whether we can reach kumarakom on the same day or any break is reqd. and any better alternatives.

[trrk]

Hi rajesh,

> Pls suggest whether we can reach kumarakom on the same day or any break > is reqd. and any better alternatives.

Experts would come with concrete answers.

Kumarakom is about 12 to 15 kms from Kottayam, about 30 minutes drive max.

[hvkumar]

Chennai-Kumarakom:

Chennai-NH4-Kanchipuram-NH56-Walajahpet-Vellore-Krishnagiri-NH7-Dharmapuri-Toppur-State highway-Mettur-Bhavani-NH47-Perunthurai-Avinashi-Coimbatore bypass-Palakkad-Trissur-Chalakudy-Angamali-M C Road-Perumbavoor-Muvattupuzha-Kottayam-Kumarakom.

If you leave Chennai by 4 am, you can target reaching Coimbatore (take bypass) for late lunch and reach Kumarakom in time for dinner. Road is very fast till Krishnagiri, being 4-lane road. From Krishnagiri (turn left into NH7 towards Salem) to Toppur, speeds may come down thanks to road widening work. State road from Toppur is also good. From Bhavani (where you join NH47), slow down, road widening work. Don't miss taking Coimbaore bypass, saves you trouble of going into the city and getting jammed and lost. NH47 bypasses Palakkad and Trissur and all small towns. TTurn left off Nh47 at Angamali and go via Kalady to Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha and Kidangoor to Kottayam.

Kumarakom-Thekkady:

Kumarakom-Kottayam-Ponkunnam-Mundakayam-Peeremade-Vandiperiyar-Kumili-Thekkady.

This is a 4 hour drive, lots of curves, turns and climbs.

Thekkady-Chennai:

Thekkady-Kumili-Kumbam-Theni-Periakulam-Dindigul-Manaparai-Trichy-Perambalur-Villupuram-Tindivanam-Chennai

All in a day's work.

[trrk]

Hi hvkumar,

> TTurn left off Nh47 at Angamali and go via Kalady to Perumbavoor,
> Muvattupuzha and Kidangoor to Kottayam.

Since he does not appear to have a plan for Kottayam other than as a resting point before Kumarakom, can he continue on NH47 upto Sherthallai and get to Kumarakom via Thanneermukkam bund?

[rajesh_sg]

Rajesh, Kumar,

Thanks for your suggestions. Can I take the Theni route to Kumarakom from Chennai or going via Coimbatore would be better. What time can I reach Kumarakom if I start @ 5am and what would be distance to Kumarakom by both the routes.

Rajesh

[hvkumar]

I am attaching a file which details the route and the distances:

Route 1:
Madras-Trichy-Dindigul-Theni-Thekkady-Peeremade-Kottayam-Kumarakom, 691 kms

Route 2:
Madras-Krishnagiri-Mettur-Coimbatore-Trissur-Perumbavoor-Kottayam-Kumarakom, 761 kms

Please checkout the attached file.

On Route 1, Ideally, if I leave Madras early morning, I could reach Thekkady by 7-8 pm, depending on your speed and duration of halts.

On Route 2, I would target Kumarakom on Day 1 - very fast drive till Krishnagiri and consistently high speeds till Angamali. You have to navigate the route from there carefully, there being many towns.

[rajesh_sg]

Kumar,

Thanks for the info. Would update once the tour is finalised.

Rajesh

[indiamukund]

Hi,

My plan is enclosed below with the route options.

• Leave Chennai by 4PM on Saturday. Chennai - dindivanam - Salem - Erode - Bhavani - Andhiyur. Halt at Andhiyur. Start from Andhiyur by 8AM in the morning to Ooty (Route to be finalized).
• Leave Chennai 4 PM on Saturday. Chennai - vellore - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - erode - Bhavani - Andhiyur. Halt at Andhiyur. Start next day morning from Andhiyur to Ooty (Route to be finalized).

Pl revert with the road condition for both the routes and revert with the possible inputs on driving conditions. I have planned to drive the way myself.

[vikram murali]

Hi All,

This is my first post in this forum. I have read posts/discussions extensively here. Nows my turn. Jumping to my point, I will be travelling to Thekkady from Chennai on 31st March by road (Maruti 800, Self Drive) starting in the evening around 8 pm. My plan is to reach there by morning. I then have 4 days (have to return to Chennai by 5th morning). I plan to visit Kumarakom as well and return back to Chennai.

I would appreciate some suggestions from experts here regarding routes, places that are 'must see', time that can be devoted to each place.

I would specifically like to know :

1) The condition of roads between Thekkady and Kumarakom (NH 220)
2) The condition of NH 47 between Cochin and Salem
3) To go to Thekkady from Chennai, which is the best route ? Though long, will going via Salem (NH 7) save me time instead of NH 45 via Dindigul?
4) How is the stretch between Thiruchy and Dindigul ? Last time when I drove to Munnar six months back, the road was under construction. Is anyone aware if it is completed now ?

help me on this.

Thanks in advance.

[Eddy]

Note from Support: Please search and post in the appropriate section. Thanks.

[ampere]

If you are going to Thekkady, why do you need to go via NH7/NH47 etc?
The standard route: Chennai-Trichy-Madurai-Theni-Kumily-Thekkady.

Dindigul option is also available, but you get 4L till Madurai.

[vikram murali]

Thank you Ampere. NH 47 to return from Cochin to Chennai. Please correct me if I am wrong somewhere.

[ampere]

The distance between Cochin-Chennai, either by Madurai or by CBE/Salem, is almost the same and the 4L offer on the either route.

The only thing, I cannot answer: Is it worth taking the heavy traffic and road-conditions on the Trichur-Palakakd-CBE sector or go via Kottayam-Kanjirapally-Theni-Madurai. Definitely traffic should be easier through Madurai as compared to Salem (Thats what my thoughts are).

[kala]

Originally Posted by vikram murali

1) The condition of roads between Thekkady and Kumarakom (NH 220)
2) The condition of NH 47 between Cochin and Salem
3) To go to Thekkady from Chennai, which is the best route ? Though long, will going via Salem (NH 7) save me time instead of NH 45 via Dindigul?
4) How is the stretch between Thiruchy and Dindigul ? Last time when I drove to Munnar six months back, the road was under construction. Is anyone aware if it is completed now ?

1) Thekkady to Kumarakam is by and large good roads except for about 10 kms or so right at the beginning.
2) Cochin to Palghat has some four laning work going on and there are some patched up roads between Trichur and Palghat. Also 4 laning work is in progress between CBE and Avinashi. Otherwise good roads all through.
3 & 4) No idea about the roads between Chennai and Dindigul/Madurai, but from what I've seen on this forum, the general consensus seems to be that Chennai-Trichy-Madurai is in better shape than Chennai-Dindigul. From either place, one needs to come via Theni to get to Thekkady, and that road is also OK except for the last ghat section just before Kumily which has quite a lot of potholes (about 10-12 kms from Lower camp to Kumily)

Originally Posted by ampere

The distance between Cochin-Chennai, either by Madurai or by CBE/Salem, is almost the same and the 4L offer on the either route.

The only thing, I cannot answer: Is it worth taking the heavy traffic and road-conditions on the Trichur-Palakakd-CBE sector or go via Kottayam-Kanjirapally-Theni-Madurai. Definitely traffic should be easier through Madurai as compared to Salem (Thats what my thoughts are).

For Cochin to Madurai, going via Kottayam wouldn't be such a great idea because even the Cochin-Kottayam sector has pretty heavy traffic and is quite a slow stretch. If one wants to return via Madurai, I'd suggest taking NH-49 via Muvattupuzha-Kothamangalam-Munnar-Bodi-Theni to Madurai. However I have a feeling the NH-47 route via CBE-Salem-Krishnagiri-Vellore may be shorter and faster (Assuming you start early from Cochin to beat the Kerala traffic and don't get too delayed in the four-lane work between CBE and Avinashi)