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-   -   Chennai - Coimbatore - Ooty : Route Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/55581-chennai-coimbatore-ooty-route-queries-2.html)

Thanks pypkmsrikanth for the routes.
Can anyone guide me on the uphill/downhill drive in ooty? I never drove in such a hill area with 36 hair pin bends?

@locoaman - The route to Ooty from Mettupalayam does not have 36 hair pin bends, its the route from Mysore which has 36 hair pin bends. If you take the road via Kotagiri, its a peaceful route with very little traffic. Only between Doddabetta & Ooty would you have heavy traffic.

If you take the regular route via Coonoor, you would have very heavy bus traffic not to forget the hoardes of private cars which use this stretch during season time.

Guys

I am planning to drive down to Kotagiri from Chennai on 9th June. Planning to take the route mentioned below.

Chennai - Krishnagiri - Dharmappuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Ammapettai - Athani - Sathyamangalam - Sirumugai - Mettupalayam - Kotagiri

How are the roads? are they drivable? do let me know

Thx
Luke

I drove from Tiruppur to Chennai yesterday.

Road Condition
Chennai to Thoppur - no issues. great road
Thoppur to Mettur - Good. some places its rough.
Metter to Ammapettai to Bhavani - Good. Roads were repaired recently.

Just back from coimbatore. The roads from Bangalore to Mettupalayam are very good. Krishagiri-Dharmapuri and Sathy-Mettupalayam are the best stretches. No info on the condition of the roads after mettupalayam though.

regards
m800

i went on my trip in april. the entire route was very good. NH has been done really good. SH are good but smaller. you would have to pay toll at around 4 places before you reach mettur.

i took kothagiri route from metupalayam to reach ooty. the route is both scenic and less traffic.

Guys I need to go from Ooty to Chennai, whats the shortest route?

The best route is Chennai - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur -Mettur - Ammapettai - Andhiyur - Sathyamangalam - Mettupalayam - Kotagiri - Ooty. Peaceful in terms of traffic and decent road conditions all the way. In case you want to go via the regular NH you could continue via Mettur - Bhavani - Perunudurai - Avinashi and then onto Mettupalayam instead of going via Coimbatore.

Going via Kotaigir is faster than going via Coonoor as traffic is less with similar road conditions.

I searched and did find a couple of topics about Chennai - Ooty, but my questions are quite different and more specific, and also the threads are quite old now with possibly outdated information, so opening a new topic:

I am driving to Ooty next month, from Chennai. Need your suggestions on the best route.

My priorities are:
1. Road condition
2. Petrol bunks
3. Safe to drive in the night with wife
4. If possible avoid main towns and the traffic associated with them.

I am planning to start driving at 11PM so that I can reach Ooty by late morning or mid-day. Here are the options:

Chennai to Mettupalayam:

Option 1: Chennai - Velur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Athani - Sathy - Mettupalayam
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the state of roads from Mettur to Sathy?
2. Are there any petrol bunks between Mettur to Sathy, and how much truck traffic is there?
3. Will there be decent hotels (with toilet) to stop if needed?


Option 2: Chennai - Velur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Avinashi - Mettupalayam
QUESTION: Is there much traffic (or) will it take much time in crossing thru Salem area and Avinashi area?


Option 3: Chennai - Tindivanam - Ulundurpet - Athur - Chinna Salem - Salem - Avinashi - Mettupalayam
QUESTIONS:
1. How good is the stretch between Ulundurpet to Salem?
2. Will it take much time crossing Salem area through this route?


Note: From Mettupalayam to Ooty I want to do the Coonoor route, because I saw the Kotagiri route some time back, it seemed to be much less steep but the road seemed narrower and the sheer drops were more visible, and with my fear of heights I think that could be a problem. Let me know if you think I am making a mistake.

I will be driving on April 13th (night) and coming back on April 18th. Is this peak season, and will there be much traffic in Ooty?

Thanks much in advance. Let me know if you can think of anything else that I should keep in mind. This will be my second hill drive.

Any specific reasons why you dont want to go through Banaglore Mysore? The roads are in top class all the way till Ooty. If you start at around 1AM you can reach Bangalore by 5:30/6 and bypass via NICE road. You would be in time for breakfast at Kamat on the the Mysore road. You can hit Ooty pretty much by 12-1 PM. I would say that is much easier and better route.

Isn't this roundabout? Also, I dont have experience in hills except for a Yelagiri trip, so I would like to try the Coonoor or Kotagiri route before taking on the formidable Gudalur route...

Will try to answer a few of your queries.

Option 1: Chennai - Velur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Mettur - Athani - Sathy - Mettupalayam
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the state of roads from Mettur to Sathy? The roads are in average condition.
2. Are there any petrol bunks between Mettur to Sathy, and how much truck traffic is there? You will have Petrol Pumps in Andhiyur but advisable to fill fuel near Dharmapuri or the A2B outlet near Thoppur on NH7. Truck traffic will be very less as compared to NH47.
3. Will there be decent hotels (with toilet) to stop if needed? Very little facilities.


Option 2: Chennai - Velur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Avinashi - Mettupalayam
QUESTION: Is there much traffic (or) will it take much time in crossing thru Salem area and Avinashi area? Crossing Salem during night should not be a problem. Same with Avinashi. This would be your best bet in my opinion, you need to be careful between Perundurai and Avinashi but better facilities in terms of fuel, toilet breaks etc. obviously safer because of higher traffic volume.


Option 3: Chennai - Tindivanam - Ulundurpet - Athur - Chinna Salem - Salem - Avinashi - Mettupalayam
QUESTIONS:
1. How good is the stretch between Ulundurpet to Salem?
2. Will it take much time crossing Salem area through this route?


Note: From Mettupalayam to Ooty I want to do the Coonoor route, because I saw the Kotagiri route some time back, it seemed to be much less steep but the road seemed narrower and the sheer drops were more visible, and with my fear of heights I think that could be a problem. Let me know if you think I am making a mistake. Though Kotagiri route is narrower I would prefer this because bus traffic would be far lesser as compared to Coonoor route. Also you would have to check if there are any restrictions during high season time for traffic between Mettupalayam and Coonoor.

I will be driving on April 13th (night) and coming back on April 18th. Is this peak season, and will there be much traffic in Ooty?

Thanks much in advance. Let me know if you can think of anything else that I should keep in mind. This will be my second hill drive.[/quote]

The Mettupalayam-Kotagiri-Ooty route is quite steep, narrow and has quite a number of nasty turns. But, yes, traffic is less and facilities poor.

Has the Ulundurpet-Salem route improved? I don't think so.

Mysore road is longer by 80Km (~600 Km as measured from Poonamalai). But it satisfies, all your needs like decent pumps, very good roads, very-very nice eat-outs etc. I am not sure if its the same for the other sections.

If you start late night, you can easily by pass Bangalore early morning through the NICE without any issues.

Thanks much, pypkmsrikanth, hvkumar and ampere!

Can you provide more info on this - what kind of restrictions? You mean, like route would be closed or something?