[nutmello]

hi all
i have heard that there is a road from kodai to munnar thro the forest.
can any of you give more info on this? any driving directions?

[ssingri]

This is a forest road it is closed to general public. This is the road that goes to Berijam lake and then to a place called Top station I think.

[pypkmsrikanth]

This route is only available as a trekking path with prior permissions from both TN & Kerala Forest departments. The road connects Munnar to Kodai via Mattupetty - Top Station - Berijam Lake. It is the stretch between Topstation & Berijam Lake that is closed for vehicle traffic. You can take your vehicle to Berijam Lake with prior permission from Forest Department, permissions are given every day in the morning at the office.

[ampere]

This state highway road was closed long time ago. I think HVK went once on his bike.
The road does go via Top Station in Munnar (The same road which folks take through Mattupetty dam).

[coolclouds]

We traveled to Kodai via Top station some 15yrs back in two wheeler.

Now the possible routes are via Udumalpet or Thekkady/Kumily - for taxi vehicles to get permit I believe.

[kiku007]

Check out post# 20 in this link,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-photos-2.html

[hvkumar]

Yes, like ampere mentioned, I have riden my mobike on the Munnar-Kodai route in 1987!
The distance is as follows:
Munnar-Top Station 25 kms-Berijam Lake 40 kms-Kodai 25 kms.
There was never a road, it was merely a difficult OTR trail, cutting through to deter thick jungles, going up and down some hills.
The road is long closed, apparently to deter ganja cultivation. Once upon a time, this used to be the toughest part of the very popular Popular Car Rally in Kerala.
I took around 3-4 hours to drive from Munnar to Berijam, most of it in first gear, falling down several times. Although it is supposed to be elephant/bison jungles, I did not see any, but since I was riding solo (and no other company), it was very very scary.

[Suresh Stephen]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Yes, like ampere mentioned, I have riden my mobike on the Munnar-Kodai route in 1987!
The distance is as follows:
Munnar-Top Station 25 kms-Berijam Lake 40 kms-Kodai 25 kms.
There was never a road, it was merely a difficult OTR trail, cutting through to deter thick jungles, going up and down some hills.
The road is long closed, apparently to deter ganja cultivation. Once upon a time, this used to be the toughest part of the very popular Popular Car Rally in Kerala.
I took around 3-4 hours to drive from Munnar to Berijam, most of it in first gear, falling down several times. Although it is supposed to be elephant/bison jungles, I did not see any, but since I was riding solo (and no other company), it was very very scary.

This reminds of my bike ride from Kodaikanal to Munnar in 1988. We had three bikes. Kumar I agree with you .It was very scary. I trekked this track in 2007 . The roads are completely spoilt and barricades were put up by the forest dept
Suresh

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Suresh Stephen

This reminds of my bike ride from Kodaikanal to Munnar in 1988. We had three bikes. Kumar I agree with you .It was very scary. I trekked this track in 2007 . The roads are completely spoilt and barricades were put up by the forest dept
Suresh

Wow! Did you walk all the way? Do they allow this or any permits needed?
Do you have any snaps of this trek?

[decode]

Wohaaa. One among the fresh and most memorable bike rides through this road. I have done this road on bike in 1996 and 1997. I have done it in RX100 both the times. In some situations, you need the pillion to get down and push the bike. There is a lot of adventure in these roads(sorry no roads,it's just a trekkable path) like slippery path, slush, stones/pebbles / short completly broken tarmack. Leaves/shrubs brushing you from either sides. You must be ready to face suprise terrains and need to be very careful with your bike as the bike can sink into the slush beyond silencer height. There have been cases known to me where water entered the silencer and then to the cylinder when the bike got stuck or switched off in the slush and in the middle of the forest where there is literally no sign of civilisation . You can see wildlife,lots of wild Gaurs to watch out for (they are always found in groups). the nature and surrounding are simply amazing. The roads were closed and we had to sneek into the path with great difficlutly. I remember there was wide trench build by forest department to stop bikes from entering the path/road. It was adventure to the core. We had to schedule our travel in such a way that we would reach Berjam only after 7PM where the check post would be closed and there would be no one around other than curious animals

[manavdotcom]

Unfortunately I don't remember the route but I have done Kodai to Munnar by Car and it was a very good road. Nothing like a forest or something.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by manavdotcom

Unfortunately I don't remember the route but I have done Kodai to Munnar by Car and it was a very good road. Nothing like a forest or something.

Two standard routes.
1. Kodai-Palani-Udumalpet-Munnar
2. Kodai-Batlagundu-Theni-Bodi-Munnar

Both are almost the same distance (I think about 170-200)

[Digital Vampire]

Ahh...those were the days!

I've done this route on my bike (Up & Down) sometime in 1995. It was one of those adventure trips you cherish for long...Even my RD350 struggled to climb some inclines due to slippery terrain. I still remember some good part of the journey was almost jumping from one big boulder to another burning clutch and hitting belly pan.You certainly would appreciate a lighter bike with high GC here.

Like many mentioned, this path is blocked since long.

[hvkumar]

June 1987: I was in my Ind-Suzuki AX100. I made enquiries in MUnnar town market (it was a real small town then) about the Kodai road, and they all dissuaded me from going this way, told me go via Udumalaipet or Theni. Needless to say, I don't listen!! So I left Munnar at around 230 pm, being wary that I should reach Kodai before dark. After the first 5 kms or so, the balance 20 kms via Mattupetty and Kundale to Top Station was mere rubble. At Top Station, there never used to be any check post, and I simply rode on. As decode explains, the trail conditions were awful and I kept going. ON one occasion, I fell down badly and landed in the ground on my chest - so badly that I suspected a rib fracture. The headlamp casing popped off and the atmosphere was so eerie that I scrambled onto the bike quickly and kept riding. I had this impression in the back of my mind that the putter of the bike's exhaust would scare away any animals. I realised I had reached the TN border when I saw some labourers - they were startled when they saw me and my bike come out of nowhere crashing through the stones and bushes - who were collecting eucalyptus for South India Viscose Ltd (it had its factory near Mettupalayam). Crossed Berijam by 6 or 630 (have to refer my log book!) and reached Kodai in the next 30 minutes. That is when I stopped and examined the damage - luckily, minor bruises and no bike damage - and then proceeded to Coimbatore.

[decode]

Manavdotcom, the road I am referring is definitely not drivable. You could ride on your bike if you met all the capabilities and expectations . The road that you would be referring would be Munnar – Chinnar – Marayoor – Udumalpet – Palani –Kodai which is a motorable road.

Kiku007 – I am referring to the Top station – Berjam - Kodaikanal Road