[DieselLover]

Guys,
I am visiting valapari on March 5th with family (including parents) and booked 2 tents at Monica garden. I am planning to start from Ekm on 5th morning around 6 30 AM and should hopefully reach Valparai by around 11 30 or so with relaxed driving. Return is planned after breakfast on 6th either via Aliyar route or Chalakkudy route.

Should we pre-order lunch at Monica Garden? How is the food quality/rate there?
is the places - Loams view point, Kurangumudi and Nallamudi pooncholai near by Monica? is it worth visiting with elderly parents?

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by NPV

Issue may be to find the turn off from Avinashi bypass since all flyovers are complete so you need to get on to service road.

. I'm now quite familiar with Pollachi but still find it difficult to explain without the map

Originally Posted by ampere

Try the Avinashi-Mangalam-Palladam-Pollachi route. Its nice.


Similiar timings I think. But ideally Coimbattore route should be faster by virtue of 4-lane.



If you want to enjoy the SH, by all means. Else, I would prefer Salem.



It is confusing indeed.

The following is the route to get on to Aliyar road:
link

Legend:
- 1 : Start Point
- 2-3-4: Via points
- 5 : End point.

So if you see the link the route between 4 to 5 does not exist. See in the satellite mode and you get correct route.

See Posts #248 and #250 of this thread

Thanks for your inputs. Completed the Valparai trip successfully.

Started from Whitefield on 26th at 5:10 AM and reached Waterfall estate (20 KMS before Valparai) at 12:15 PM with 2 breaks for fuel and one break for Break fast. Took the Avinsashi - Palladam - Pollachi route. The exit to "Palladam" is marked on the highway. Could easily cross Pollachi too. Asked auto guys at couple of turns for directions. While returning, retraced the same route and it was a breeze.

Started from Waterfall estate at 11:00 AM yesterday and reached whitefield at 7:00 PM with one lunch break and a fuel break. Entered NH 47 at 1:15 PM (distance 120 KMS). Took the Sankari -Edappadi - Tharamangalam - Omalur route. Edappadi - Tharamagalam has been newly relaid. The entire section is in good condition now. Took 50 mins to cover 48 KMS.

Originally Posted by DieselLover

Guys,
I am visiting valapari on March 5th with family (including parents) and booked 2 tents at Monica garden. I am planning to start from Ekm on 5th morning around 6 30 AM and should hopefully reach Valparai by around 11 30 or so with relaxed driving.

My friends drove from Kochi to Valparai on Friday. They started from Kakkanad at around 9:30 AM and reached Waterfall estate Valparai which is 20 KMS away from Valparai while coming from Kochi by 2:45 PM. So you should be able to make it by 11:30.

Stayed at Waterfall Estate. Booked all the 3 rooms in IndraPrastha. Had a nice stay and wonderful food. This place is a good option compared to the other very expensive options. Total bill was Rs 34 K for 6 adults and 3 kids all inclusive (Food + tax) for 2 nights.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

The exit to "Palladam" is marked on the highway.

Thanks for the update, glad you found the route easily. Earlier, it was quite easy to miss this exit so on a couple of occasions I've exited to the service road about 3-4 Km before the turn off. Now that the signage is present, it should be easy to spot this exit.

[DieselLover]

Visited Valaparai last weekend and stayed at Monica Garden tents. Booked two tents as parents also accompanied us this time. The place has good ambience and the staff is courteous. Food is good at a reasonable price. One of the staff accompanied us as a guide for local site seeing which was very helpful.

Faced two major issues though:
1. Climate - extremely hot during day time. We reached by 11 30 AM and couldn't go out till 3 30 PM. The sunshine has a burning sensation on the skin. Climate cooled down later in the evening and night was very comfortable. I think March - May is not the right time to visit this place.
2. Watch out for rats in the tents - The place was swarming with rats at night. it was a big nuisance and spoiled a good nights sleep. They made some minor damage by chewing our toothpaste tube, soap kept in bathroom, my wife's handbag, a packet of biscuits etc. I made a formal complaint about this in the morning. Hope they will do something about it.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by DieselLover

:
1. Climate - extremely hot during day time. We reached by 11 30 AM and couldn't go out till 3 30 PM. The sunshine has a burning sensation on the skin. Climate cooled down later in the evening and night was very comfortable. I think March - May is not the right time to visit this place.

The best time to visit this place is either monsoons, when you can see all the water bodies in full or Dec/Jan time post rains. Beyond that it gets extremely hot.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Stayed at Waterfall Estate. Booked all the 3 rooms in IndraPrastha. Had a nice stay and wonderful food

pramod - could you post a few pics of the place and view from the rooms.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by procrj

pramod - could you post a few pics of the place and view from the rooms.

Posts:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post2337412


https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post2779532


Check this thread

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...rai-bliss.html (Three days in Valparai - Bliss!)


A recent post, which I had added on that thread
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ml#post3658711 (Three days in Valparai - Bliss!)

[procrj]

Originally Posted by ampere

A recent post, which I had added on that thread

Thanks ampere. Time to save up some vitamin M and head back into the hills.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by procrj

pramod - could you post a few pics of the place and view from the rooms.

Here are the pictures of Waterfall Estate - Indraprastha Cottage.

[h14]

Route update:

Below was the route I took:

Govindapuram-Anamalai-Sungam-Dhali-Palani-Dindigul-Chennai.



I found the Ananmalai - Sungam - Dhali better than the Sungam-Mukkonam road to get to Udumalpet-Palani road. This was scenic and had loads of curves. Definitely recommended for those who love 2 lanes with a nice dose of corners and of course good locations and hardly any traffic

This route takes you very close to Palani, infact joins just before the shanmuga river bridge.

So those travelling from/to chennai/valparai/topslip/munnar can try this to bypass Udumalpet and Pollachi.

From Palani its the usual route I took.

[i20ian]

Hi.. I'm planning to visit Valparai next month with parents. Heard about Karumalai falls and Iraichal parai falls. In Google maps roads doesn't lead directly to these places. Has anyone been there? Does this place involve any trekking to reach there? Is it worth visiting?

[i20ian]

Hi.. Heard about Karumalai and Iraichal parai falls in Valparai. Planning to visit there. Does this place involve trekking? Is it worth a visit?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by i20ian

Hi.. Heard about Karumalai and Iraichal parai falls in Valparai. Planning to visit there. Does this place involve trekking? Is it worth a visit?

No idea about trekking part. But the place is close to Balaji temple. The road to these falls deviate from very close to the temple road.

[Mr.Boss]

After almost 2 years we are planning for a road trip, as usual a Hill station.

When : Dec 26 ~ Dec 28 (2 Nights, 3 days)
Where : Topslip - Valparai - Athirapally
Who : 3 couples and 2 toddlers
How : 2 cars (Sunny & Swift)

- For 27th Night stay I made booking at Valparai.
- Please suggest a stay option for 26th Night. Which is better, Topslip or Parambikulam tiger reserve?
- Also suggest what to see.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Mr.Boss

After almost 2 years we are planning for a road trip, as usual a Hill station.

This thread is more alive with respect to what you were looking for. Hence I moved it here.

- Please suggest a stay option for 26th Night. Which is better, Topslip or Parambikulam tiger reserve?
- Also suggest what to see.

Either way : Parambikulam has the state owned place. There is no other option.Choices will be limited.