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-   -   Bangalore - Guruvayoor - Kochi! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/61380-bangalore-guruvayoor-kochi.html)

Hello everyone,

I had promised that my first long trip in my new car would be to Guruvayoor and I am planning to do it this weekend. But the only problem here is I will have to travel in the night. Even though I have done this once some 4 months back but still in a dilemma of night driving (My car is a getz and I am not a fan of the stock headlights provided with it).

Just wanted some advice from you all on anything that should be careful/looked for. (I plan to take the hosur – krishnagiri – Salem – palakkad route)I have gone through articles on night driving and the precautions but just wanted to be sure of something like I don’t meet thieves or bandits on the way. Forgive me if I am sounding stupid, but you guys are my only hope as ever J

regards,
Sunil

In the route you mentioned chances are less that you will meet a bandit :-) The route is busy even through night. Just ensure that you stick to the main highway and stop only where there is civilisation

I think the better route for you would be Bangalore - Mysore - Gundlupet - Gudalur - Nilambur - Perinthalmanna - Pattambi - Guruvayur. This would be more peaceful for you if you are driving through the night as traffic would be less. Don't worry about highway robbery, I think its a very rare instance down south especially in the route you have mentioned.

pypkmsrikanth, I think the route is closed for night traffic. nonetheless, I will not consider safe at all unless someone is a seasoned night driver through this route. Typically the roads are narrow and with the rains in Kerala, I would keep away from trying this route

Which road is closed, the reason why I suggested this route is because he is planning to drive through the night, for an unseasoned night driver the NH7 is going to be extremely painful especially between Perundurai and Trichur. The route I had suggested would have very little traffic not to forget the near absence of local traffic in Kerala which would kill your speeds if driven during the day.

Thanks for your inputs. I guess I will stick on to the tried and tested Bangalore - Housur route. Will surely keep you guys updated once I am back in Bangalore.

regards,
Sunil

Suni, I suggest you to upgrade your stock headlamp bulb to Osram Nightbreaker series. This will defenitly improve your night vision and surely get more respect from opposite vehicles. It works very good for me in my Santro. You may not require to do any wiring changes as this will get in the 60/55W ratings.

Have a Safe trip sunil , drive safe.

Good decision to stick to Hosur road. Keep an eye for boulders left by the lorry guys (kept behind tyres as substitute for hand brake). During one of my night drives to Kerala, I ran over one of these in the 4 lane (lying in the outer side of the left lane) while doing 140 KMPH. Thanks to stability of Elantra, all us were safe, other loses - Lenso alloy broken, brand new Michelin tyre damaged.

Have a nice trip

I second that, I travel on this route every year for my Sabarimala trip.
Infact, I went on this route a couple of weeks back Bangalore-Guruvayoor for my daughter's Annaprasam(ceremonial first time feeding for my baby)

I had a great weekend travelling to Guruvayoor (had to scrap Kochi plans as certain things didn’t work out). Started at 7:20 pm friday but took an hour and half to come out of Bangalore. Had dinner at Hosur by 9 pm and was off again. The roads are very good till salem but there was a patch were i had no other choice but to watch out and save my tyres. Couple of screeching noices because there were many diversions and the boards which suggested weren’t properly lit or alteast there were no reflectors (and thanks prakash I will take that upgrade of headlamps bit more seriously especially after this trip). Intermediate breaks for some black coffee and it was all going good till we paid the toll between palakkad and Coimbatore where there was some heavy rain and plus 2 major accidents. There was an Esteem looking like a 2 door coupe. Got delayed more than anticipated at walayar Check post because you just cant get down from the road as it was very slushy and muddy. I have this jinx about Palakkad – Trichur stretch because of the bus service (all the Mary Giri’s and Roshans having a race of their own). This time it was bit more difficult because of rain and one KPN was really coming under everyone’s skin. All in all reached Guruvayoor at 7 in the morning, took shower and their too our man (guruvayoorapan) was putting up his price  finally got out of the temple at 12 just before the afternoon pooja. Slept for some time and went to meet a friend of mine in Trichur (even though we both stay in Bangalore but hardly get time to meet). Came back and crashed on the bed, had to leave by 4 (Sunday) in the morning back to Bangalore but as one would have it woke up at 7 and left the hotel by 8 and reached Bangalore at 5:30. All in all 1056 Kms with an average of 15 Plus with 100% A/C, not bad for a new Getz 1.1 GLE!! What say?? (and who said it was underpowered ) Now its time for first service and on goes planning to visit home in Trivandrum during Onam  .

Thanks a lot for your support guys!! Much appreciated.:thumbs up

Regards,
Sunil

Planning to do a Bangalore - Guruvayoor trip over the coming weekend. I need to avoid the the Palakkad - Thrissur bit and came up with this route:

Palakkad - Ottappalam - Shoranur - Akathiyoor - Kunnamkulam - Guruvayoor.

Any updates on the road condition? Is there any other alternative route?

the road is good.did it recently.except for some bad patches between Ottapalam & Plkd.Also I am guessing that you meant Kulappully when you wrote Shoranur,because while coming from Ottapalam,the following route is easier:

PLKD-PATMBI:SH 22

PATMBI-GVR:SH 50 / Nilambur-Perumpilavu road.

Ottapalam-Kolapully(major junction,left wud take you into shoranur,keep straight)-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Gvr

After Pattambi there are two routes:

1.Join the Nilambur-Perumpilavu road and reach Kunnamkulam,

2.Jump onto SH-50 and reach Kunnamkulam.

Not much of a difference in road condn or time taken or distance.around 6-7kms more via the SH.

Thanks Ranjit. I got the route from Yahoo maps, so the place names maybe a bit off. So, it should be Palakad - Ottappalam - Pattambi - (Nilambur-Perumpilavu road) - Kunnamkulam - Gvr. Right?

If you are driving during the day Mysore - Gundlupet - Gudalur - Nilambur - Perinthalmanna - Pattambi - Guruvayur would be a good route.

The roads are good till Perinthalmanna barring a very bad stretch of 10-12 kms after Gundlupet. Perinthalmanna to Gurvayur via Pattambi is full of potholes but certainly doable at a slower pace.