[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by Jebs

Hi Guys, Please let me know which is the best route to Koodalur from Chennai. I've heard banglore route is good and scenically than other routes.

I'll be going along with my family, So the good (less challenging) routes preferred.

If you want the easiest route, then it should be,

Chennai-Vellore-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Bangalore-Kanakapura-Kollegal-Chamrajnagar-Gundlupet-Gudalur

[Prodigy07]

Originally Posted by ampere

Salem-Avinashi-Annur-Mettlupalayam-Conoor. Thats a better option.

Ampere Thanks!, So is it better to avoid Vellore-Krishnagiri route and instead take Ulundurpet - Salem route?

[Jebs]

Thanks rameshnanda!

I just googled this route, looks like I need to cross bandipur and muthumalai wild life sanctuaries. My relative told me there's only 3 hairpin bends are there.

Do we need to enter all the way to bangalore? How about the road quality? Google map says most of the roads under repair work.

[kala]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

If you want the easiest route, then it should be,

Chennai-Vellore-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Bangalore-Kanakapura-Kollegal-Chamrajnagar-Gundlupet-Gudalur

Originally Posted by Jebs

Thanks rameshnanda!

I just googled this route, looks like I need to cross bandipur and muthumalai wild life sanctuaries. My relative told me there's only 3 hairpin bends are there.

Do we need to enter all the way to bangalore? How about the road quality? Google map says most of the roads under repair work.

Yes - you do have to cross the sanctuaries. As for the hairpin bends, I'm not sure which one is being referred to here - if it is the one inside Bandipur WLS, it hardly qualifies as one, it is just a small hillock which you go around and the road gradient is quite small.

You don't need to enter Bangalore City - After you pass the Electronic City elevated road entrance (you shouldn't get on to the elevated road - stay on the right most lane to continue on the road below), you'll find the entrance to the NICE road towards the left after about 2 kms. Enter NICE road and take the second exit onto Kanakapura road (NH209).

Note that there is a bridge under construction between Malavalli and Kollegal on NH209, so you need to take an alternate route via Malavalli-Talakad-T.Narsipur and reach Chamarajnagar directly instead of going through Kollegal. The route is shown in the link http://goo.gl/4ChvkU (That shows the route to Ooty - In your case you don't need take the left turn at Theppekkad towards Masinagudi/Ooty but go straight instead in order to get to Gudalur).

Roads are good almost all the way except for some bad stretches inside the forest between Theppekkadu and Gudalur - right at the very end of your journey.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

Ampere Thanks!, So is it better to avoid Vellore-Krishnagiri route and instead take Ulundurpet - Salem route?

If you are in south Chennai closer to Tambaram, then it makes sense. If you are closer to NH4 then taken the Vellore route.

[YaeJay]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

Ampere Thanks!, So is it better to avoid Vellore-Krishnagiri route and instead take Ulundurpet - Salem route?

As Ampere mentioned if you live in south chennai, even if you live around OMR ECR, connect to chengalpet through thiruporur and do the Ulundurpet salem route. This way you can avoid a lot of city traffic upto chengalpet. Traffic starts thinning once you hit tindivanam. What time do you plan to start your journey?

@Jebs

Originally Posted by kala

Roads are good almost all the way except for some bad stretches inside the forest between Theppekkadu and Gudalur - right at the very end of your journey.

Roads between Theppekkadu to Gudalur are almost not there. Drive from Mysore is a two lane road with KA buses bullying everything on their path. Esp the Volvos. Unless things have improved since Feb this year.
Why dont you try the mettupalayam kotagiri ooty gudalur? Its not too much of a challenge. You might enjoy the drive and the scenery. The mettupalayam coonoor road is still a mess.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Prodigy07

Ampere Thanks!, So is it better to avoid Vellore-Krishnagiri route and instead take Ulundurpet - Salem route?

If your home in chennai is near Tambaram and down south, it makes sense to come via Ulundurpet.
If your home in chennai is near Porur, Poonamallee, it makes sense to come via Vellore.

[DWind]

Originally Posted by YaeJay

Why dont you try the mettupalayam kotagiri ooty gudalur? Its not too much of a challenge. You might enjoy the drive and the scenery. The mettupalayam coonoor road is still a mess.

Every Summer due to heavy traffic they used to make Mettupalayam - Coonoor - Ooty and Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty as one way with the former being used for upward direction and Latter for downward movement. Has it not been implemented this time?

[YaeJay]

Originally Posted by DWind

Every Summer due to heavy traffic they used to make Mettupalayam - Coonoor - Ooty and Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty as one way with the former being used for upward direction and Latter for downward movement. Has it not been implemented this time?

As of this moment, No. I verified with a friend. Plan to be heading that way next week.

[couswheels]

Last year I took ulundurpet - Avinashi - Annur - Mettupalayam - Kothagiri route to Ooty. There was no one way implemented at that point of time. Initially Mettupalayam - Kothagiri roads are narrow however traffic was minimal. While climbing down took Coonoor route. There are some places where roads are narrow and would accommodate only one vehicle in the Coonoor route. Hence need to take care while taking Coonoor route as traffic would be at its peak during this season.
Personally prefer Ulundurpet route for onward journey and Krishnagiri route for return journey to avoid Vandalur - Perungalathur traffic bottleneck.

From Ooty I went upto Theppakadu for jungle safari. It took more than 3 hours for me to cover the distance till Theppakadu that too in a Duster. This was during June 2014 and understand from the recent posts that roads are still worse.

[KRN]

Originally Posted by psathya

But in my opinion the Ulundurpet route is way better than the other route.. I average 6.30 mins to 7 hours chennai to mettupalayam and half an hour extra on the return.

I am planning to drive my Honda City from Chennai to Mettupalayam and subsequently to Valparai this weekend. I stay in OMR and planning to take the Ulundurpet-Bhavani-Avinashi-Annur-Mettupalaym route. Need help on the following

1. Any construction or conditions of the road that I need to be aware of from Chennai to Mettupalayam?

2. Need suggestions on a couple of good places for breakfast around 2-3 hours from Chennai

3. For Mettupalayam -> Valparai, do I have to go via Coimbatore or are there better options? I see a route via Annur->Karumathampatti->Malumichampatti->Pollachi. Any idea of how the roads on this route are?

[searacer932]

Originally Posted by KRN

I am planning to drive my Honda City from Chennai to Mettupalayam and subsequently to Valparai this weekend. I stay in OMR and planning to take the Ulundurpet-Bhavani-Avinashi-Annur-Mettupalaym route. Need help on the following

1. Any construction or conditions of the road that I need to be aware of from Chennai to Mettupalayam?

2. Need suggestions on a couple of good places for breakfast around 2-3 hours from Chennai

3. For Mettupalayam -> Valparai, do I have to go via Coimbatore or are there better options? I see a route via Annur->Karumathampatti->Malumichampatti->Pollachi. Any idea of how the roads on this route are?

Where exactly are you staying in OMR? Based on where you are staying on OMR, the exit out of Chennai could be planned.

If you are staying south of Sholinganallur then you could try the following options to exit Chennai -

Option 1 : via Thiruporur - Chengelpet road
Option 2 : via Kelambakkam - Vandalur road

If you are staying North of Sholinganallur then may be take the 200 feet road to connect to Pallavaram on GST

I would recommend A2B Ulundurpet for the breakfast break. It's 137 kms from Chengelpet and just before the Ulundurpet toll plaza and will come on the right side of the road from when you travel towards Ulundurpet.

[KRN]

Originally Posted by searacer932

If you are staying North of Sholinganallur then may be take the 200 feet road to connect to Pallavaram on GST

I would recommend A2B Ulundurpet for the breakfast break.

Thanks searacer. Yes, I stay north of Sholinganallur and hence the 200 ft road makes sense.

Can anyone help me with Valparai route query?

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by KRN

3. For Mettupalayam -> Valparai, do I have to go via Coimbatore or are there better options? I see a route via Annur->Karumathampatti->Malumichampatti->Pollachi. Any idea of how the roads on this route are?

It depends on the time you leave Mettupalayam. If you are entering into Coimbatore during non-peak hours, it is absolutely fine to take the city. You will not save time in taking the 25km long alternative as it passes through multiple villages. That being said, AFAIK the Annur-Karumathampatti-Karanampettai-Pollachi should be good.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by KRN

3. For Mettupalayam -> Valparai, do I have to go via Coimbatore or are there better options? I see a route via Annur->Karumathampatti->Malumichampatti->Pollachi. Any idea of how the roads on this route are?

One simple way is to do Mettupalayam-Annur-Avinashi (bypass), go below the NH47 to the other side towards Mangalam-Palladam-Pollachi-Aliyar-Valparai