Team-BHP - Advice Required

Standard Route :

Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore-Salem-Perindurai-Kangeyam-Dharapuram-Udumalpettai-Munnar.

Bombay-Pune : Nothing to Mention
Pune-Bangalore : A whole thread on this is running up (NH4)
Bangalore-Munnar (Nh7 till Salem, NH47 till Perindurai, and then SH till Udumalpettai and then on to Munnar)

You will need two breaks. A day drive from Udumalpet-Munnar is highly recommended. Hence travel break points need to be plannined accordingly.

Logical break Points : Hubli/Belgaum, Tumkur/Bangalore/Hosur, Salem.
According to your drive time and start time you can decide.

Quote:

Originally Posted by womanonwheels (Post 2104439)

Hi Guys,

can someone help me with the distnace and route for Mumbai to Munnar. I will approximately have two weeks for this trip and I will do this in my Swift Dzire. Last year I did Mumbai - Chandigarh in it and would like to try something different this year.

So please post whatever you know of the place and ways to reach it.

As ampere suggested, you can use his route. That route had good 4 laned roads through most the part upto munnar.

However, if you are interested in a more scenic and adventurous drive, I will suggest the following

NH17 - Mumbai - Pen - Dapoli - Panaji (Basically Goa route)
- Continue on this stretch through Karwar - Mangalore - Kozhikode - Ernakulam - Munnar

Upto Ernakulam its NH17 and from Ernakulam onwards towards Munnar it is NH49.

This is the route I have done in the past. But I believe if you do not want to touch Ernakulam, there is a route directly towards Munnar (Kozhikode - Thrissur - Munnar) - Thanks to google maps for this one, back then we went to Ernakulam unnecessarily :(

Even in this route, it comes to 1550 to 1600 kms and you need to atleast one night break.
If you can stretch that little bit, you can take detour at Madapally towards Wayanad and enjoy the exotic scenery and different fruits this small village has to offer. You can get back into Kozikode Highway via Wayanad - Puduppadi - Kozikode).

I had done this route about 6 years ago and the roads were not good then. I think it will be different now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by womanonwheels (Post 2106080)

this is great stuff. If I want to stick to a drive upto 1000 kms from Mumbai, then what are my options?

Question is not clear. You still want to goto Munnar right? :)
Mumbai - Munnar via Bangalore would about 1500 Km!

If you dont want to drive all the way there, take a train to Coimbatore or Ernakulam and you can hire a cab to/fro to Munnar.

Ernakulam would be ideal, but the Konkal should be functioning for that. CBE is the alternate.

PS: I think you also have Mumbai-Madurai trains/flight. That also can be a good option.

Not quite clear about ur questions, I perceived it in 2 ways:

If you want to take a break after 1000kms of drive and then continue o Munnar: Then you can break at Bangalore

If you would wanna stick to 1000kms drive: then you can explore Waynad, Ooty, Masinagudi and Western Ghats and few more.

-Rajesh

Quote:

Originally Posted by womanonwheels (Post 2106080)

this is great stuff. If I want to stick to a drive upto 1000 kms from Mumbai, then what are my options?

You will not be able reach Munnar for less than 1000kms by driving from Mumbai.

If you want to do a drive upto 1000kms, the other options that I can think of are Dandeli/Kali River (I think it comes upto 600/700 odd kms) or Shimoga/Jog Falls/Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary/Chickmagalur (Comes upto 900 to 1000 kms) and if you can stretch that extra bit, you can even check out Wayanad/Kozhikode/Guruvayoor (1200 to 1300 kms). This list is by no means complete.

A small detour on this konkan belt can take you to lovely places.

NH17 is a lousy drive now because of bad roads all over in south MH, KA and KL. KL in particular is impossible to drive through thanks to the congested roads.

Apart from the excellent route ampere has suggested, I would add that going via Dindigul and Theni is also a lovely way to get to Munnar. You can check out the detailed route profile in this route guide:

Bombay-Bangalore route guide:
http://hvkumar.googlegroups.com/web/...+Bangalore.xls

Bangalore-Munnar via Dindigul, and Munnar-Bangalore via Perunthurai:
http://hvkumar.googlegroups.com/web/...iMunnarBlr.xls

You can make it to Bangalore if you are a fast driver, or else think of stopping at Hotel Ravi Mayur in Chitradurga. All the places are marked in the route guide given above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by indian21r (Post 2106934)

Is NH -17 bad for bikers as well. I am planning on Mumbai to hyderabad via a NH-17 , Nh-7 sometime in december. I want to explore the western ghats.

Mumbai to Hyderabad, you will neither touch NH7 nor NH17. If you plan to use those two National Highway, my guess would be the distance will be atleast three times the normal distance. All the best for your trip if want to see those lovely ghats on NH17. But for this trip plan well. My guess would be Mumbai - Goa - Bangalore - Hyderabad route.

However, Mumbai Hyderabad direct route via Pune(NH4) and Sholapur(NH9) is in a bad shape with 4 laning going on after Pune and before Sholapur. Roads are better in Karnataka stretch and in AP, closer to Hyderabad.
I bet you will have a sore back on this route.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2104761)

Bangalore-Munnar (Nh7 till Salem, NH47 till Perindurai, and then SH till Udumalpettai and then on to Munnar)

You will need two breaks. A day drive from Udumalpet-Munnar is highly recommended. Hence travel break points need to be planned accordingly.

Can I add a twist in the tale (tail?). There is no need to go to Bangalore. She can go to Mysore directly from Tumkur or Neelagamangala via Kunigal. From there proceed to Kozhikode - Thrissur - Munnar or towards Ooty.

In fact, the first halt can be done at Chitradurga, so that the second day she can reach Ooty / Munnar.

The return trip can be done on the route suggested by you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by himavanth_m (Post 2105885)

If you can stretch that little bit, you can take detour at Madapally towards Wayanad and enjoy the exotic scenery and different fruits this small village has to offer. You can get back into Kozikode Highway via Wayanad - Puduppadi - Kozikode).

Can you elaborate this further? Your idea sort of perks me up to try it out :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by womanonwheels (Post 2106080)

this is great stuff. If I want to stick to a drive upto 1000 kms from Mumbai, then what are my options?

Ma'm, do you mean 1000 kms a day? You can do 1000 kms a day - but it would driving, driving and more driving.... and, probably, no fun.

But, if you mean only 1000 kms radius, then Bangalore appears to be the limit.

And, looks like you have a hill station in mind - the only thing which comes to my mind right now, is a resort (The Serai) run Cafe Coffee Day in Chickamagalur / Coorg area. It is reported to be good for a couple of days stay. The other famous one is the Kabini River Lodge, nearer to Mysore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by indian21r (Post 2106934)

Is NH -17 bad for bikers as well. I am planning on Mumbai to hyderabad via a NH-17 , Nh-7 sometime in december. I want to explore the western ghats.

NH 17 is bad for anyone and everyone. The best way to do the coast seems to be by ship now!!