[hathras_jhansi]

I plan to go with my parents to a wedding for which we have been invited in Thodupuzha which is a big town near Ernakulam and Muzhatumpuzha in December. My father hates bad roads and loathes to spoil the car because of that. With age one does become less adventurous and he would rather stick to Bangalore-Hosur-Salem-Palghat-Alwaye-Thodupuhza the usual route. I respect his sentiment and apprehension.
I am going back to the UK by March and would like to savour the scenery of the jungle, have a slice of Darjeeling by going through hair pin curves, follow a "non conventional" route with few cars other than nature to give company, which does not make too much of a detour and keeps the car in good shape. We could leave Bangalore at 300AM.
Would Bangalore-Kanakapura-Kollegala-Chamarajanagara-Gundulpet-Bandipur-Kalapatta-Pattambi-Thodupuzha. I did see the previous postings and have some idea. But they were not specific enough to guide me. I am very grateful for the guidance and am glad to know that there are people who share my love for travel.

I would like to work around this route. Our car is an Indica and cannot take the rough roads or card tracks like a jeep or bigger vehicle and performs best under normal conditions.
Kindly suggest how to make the route better and after Gundulpet whether there is a shorter route to Thodupuzha. It would be better to avoid Ernakulam and Trichur and go via smaller towns like Perumbavoor and the road condition is a significant area of concern.
I am amazed by the wealth of experience and the knowledge people have here of roads and of roads not taken by the usual one-dimesional crowd and the thirst for adventure. Hats of to members here. Keep going! I would be very grateful for the routing and some help in fulfilling my wish to go via the bandipur/gundulpet ghat route.
Many thanks in advance
Hathras_Jhansi

[Lukeskywalker]

Hey Hathras, welcome to team-bhp, if you are looking for good roads, then I would avoid taking the Blr-Kanakpura-Kollegal road.
You would be better off taking the Blr-Mysore-Nanjangud-Gundlupet-Sultan Bathery-Kalpetta route.
I am not very sure of the road conditions in Kerala after the monsoons, I'm sure our Kerala members can shed some light on that aspect.
regards,
Hari.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by hathras_jhansi

My father hates bad roads and loathes to spoil the car because of that.

Then I dont think he will appreciate the route you mentioned. The Bangy - Mysore - Nanjungud - Gundulpet route is better. It does had some bad stretches around Nanjungud, but its fine.

My pick would be same as Hari.

OT: Just noticed. So, you have yearly one post is it

[pypkmsrikanth]

Would it not be better to do Bangalore - Mysore - Gundlupet - Gudalur - Nilambur - Perintalmanna - Trichur - Aluva - Thodupuzha. Except for the Gundlupet - Bandipur Park Entrance the roads are decent through out. Also this would allow him, if planned well, to catch up the Morning safari either at Bandipur or Mudumalai, stop for breakfast near Gudalur and continue onwards.

[hathras_jhansi]

Thanks so much for replying so soon. I am not quite able to recollect the name of a place that began with P in Kerala and was a shorter route from Bandipur. What is the route from Bangalore via Kanakapura to Gundulpet. I was told that only the Sathyamangalam approach was bad. Is there a way to turn towards Mysore and take the kanakapura road whilst avoiding Mysore? Would be very grateful to kerala members for advice.
The idea is to leave Bangalore around 430AM and ideally reach the same day. Does the temple town of Kadampuzha and Pattambi fall in the route? Are there places to stay in Kadampuzha?The idea is to avoid Ernakulam and trichur and head straight to tdpzha and using the karnataka-kerala border via Bandipur-Nagarhole[I am told there is a narrow forest road with spectacular scenery]. Please guide and lay a set of routes even via Mysore and the regular ones even giving priority to scenery and ghat sections if possible.
Thanks again
Hathras_Jhansi

[hathras_jhansi]

sorry yes the name of the place I was reffering as P is perithamanilla. Is it possible to avoid trichur or aluvzha and head straight to tdpzha say via Perumbavoor?
Thanks again

[princezahed]

Regardless of which route you take,one thing you can be assured of is amazing scenery and some bad roads.i had gone to thodupuzha last year in a zen via sulthan bathery.there were patches of bad roads towards alwaye.dont remember the exact route i took coz i had written it on a piece of paper.

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by hathras_jhansi

sorry yes the name of the place I was reffering as P is perithamanilla. Is it possible to avoid trichur or aluvzha and head straight to tdpzha say via Perumbavoor?
Thanks again

If you are hell bent on avoiding Thrissur(Trichur), you can go via

Bangalore - Mysore - Gundulpet - Gudalur - Nilambur - Perinthalmanna - KunnamKulam - Guruvayoor - Kodungallur - Paravoor - Aluva - Perumbavoor - Muvattupuzha - Thodupuzha.

From Kunnamkulam it is a very narrow twisty road(I like it for the challenges it offer) and you need to be careful during daytime, when the buses are plying. Progress can be slow.

Otherwise, from Kunnakulam, you could hit Thrissur then go to Chalakkudy - Angamaly - Perumbavoor and continue from there.

[finneyp]

Hathras_jhansi,
OT: Interesting nick, any connection with Jhansi?

[rex_varghese]

Originally Posted by hathras_jhansi

sorry yes the name of the place I was reffering as P is perithamanilla. Is it possible to avoid trichur or aluvzha and head straight to tdpzha say via Perumbavoor?
Thanks again

I would suggest the following route, which is the shortest one of all. But, has heavy local traffic (in the Kerala part) during day times.

Bangalore-Mysore-Gudalur-Nilambur-Trichur (this is enroute and cannot be bye-passed)-Angamaly-Perumbavoor-Muvattupuzha-Thodupuzha.
No need to touch Aluva or Ernakulam.

The second option would be a longer route, but a very predictable one.
Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri-Mettur-Bhavani-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Trichur(you can bye-pass Trichur town)-Angamaly-Perumbavoor-Muvattupuzha-Thodupuzha. No need to touch Aluva or Ernakulam on this route too.

I did the Coimbatore route a week back and roads are relatively better. Could cover the distance in 9-10 hours (from Muvattupuzha).

Regards
Rex

[deepclutch]

well ,as a fact I reside in Muvattupuzha town .
and the easiest way to reach from Blore to thodupuzha is by Blore-hosur-coimbatore-palakaad-thrissur-angamaly-perumbavoor-muvattupuzha-thodupuzha.

There may be alternate way via kattapana etc(not sure).

actually ,there is no need to go through aluva. before 1960's ,there was no kaladi bridge ,hence the earlier route was via aluva.now it is not needed.
M.C road(Main Central road) is perfect from Angamaaly to Thodupuzha one stretch.
while from Muvattupuzha to down south ,it is ghat sections upto ettumanoor town ,near kottayam.

[hathras_jhansi]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Hathras_jhansi,
OT: Interesting nick, any connection with Jhansi?

Just as you people seem to know every single route by road, I am can make a claim to possess some knowledge on the Indian Railways and trains and routes. The name hathras and jhansi comes from two places, hathras being a focal meeting point of one of the most spectacularly scenic routes which goes through a tiger reserve and skirts the nepal border and passes through dense jungle, the mathura to gonda gokul express and the kanpur-delhi main line and jhansi being an important junction in the railway network.

Thanks so much for replying. What are the routes from Nagarhole and Irupu falls via Kanakapura please? How does one head down from Virajpet? How many hours would Bangalore-Madikeri-Virajpet-Kannur-Pattambi-Thrisssur-Thodupuzha amount to? Just to add it to the list for academic interest.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Virajpet - Kannur roads are virtually non existent they are in such bad state that even heavy vehicles avoid. If you want to go to Iruppu falls and Nagarhole you will have to take the Mysore - Hunsur route. Once you are through with Nagarhole and Iruppu falls come to a place called Kutta which is the Karnataka - Kerala Border. From Kutta you can come to Tholpetty (part of Wayanad WLS) then onto Mananthavady - Kalpetta - Calicut - Thrissur - Thodupuzha.

[deepclutch]

Bangalore-Madikeri-Virajpet-Kannur-Pattambi-Thrisssur-Thodupuzha

This is a wrong route plus take MUCH time to reach.no need to go northwards to kannur to visit a place near cochin(thoudpuzha) .unless you got some tour plans?

OT: Kannur is connected with NH17 to reach cochin ,skipping trichur.yeah ,the route is not so good at many places ,and also narrow too.

shortest route to cochin or kottayam or thodupuzha is - Blore-coimbatore(via erode bhavani) to reach palakkad-trichur-angamali-thodupuzha .

Kannur lies atleast 350kms from thodupuzha.

[hathras_jhansi]

Dear Kuttapan and Rex ,
Thanks for the Bangalore - Mysore - Gundulpet - Gudalur - Nilambur - Perinthalmanna - KunnamKulam - Guruvayoor - Kodungallur - Paravoor - Aluva - Perumbavoor - Muvattupuzha - Thodupuzha and for Rex via TCR route. If we left Bangalore [Koramaabgala to be precise and reached the Banashankari temple in 45 minutes when could we reach TDPZA with the above route in mind and taking the Kanakapura-Chamarajanagar -Gundulpet route? How is the Chamarajanagara Gundulpet route? How much time will it take to cover under average speed and a regular Indica car? How much time will the second section take to cover skipping Trichur and passing via Trichur?
What is the condition of the road through the entire section?
Where are the decent places to eat and use rest rooms?
Can you please lay out a hypothetical journey from start to finish in the above route leaving in the morning?
Thanks very much again.