Team-BHP - Hyd-Dodaballapur-Vellore-Pondicherry-Mahabalipuram-Hyd Trip plan

I am planning the 25-1 Jan week with my family (wifey, 4 yr son, 4 month son) in my Scorpio. Below is the high level plan:

23rd Dec: Hyd to Dodaballapur. Start 3pm, reach 11pm. Park in my bro-in-laws house.

25th Dec: Dodballapur to Vellore. Start is based on route to take (If the suggested route is to cross Bangalore then want to start early to beat BLR traffic. If the suggested route is via Kolar, then can start a bit late). Need to be in Vellore by 4pm so that check into hotel and visit temple in the evening.

26th Dec: Vellore to Pondicherry. Start early and check into Pondicherry hotel and have lunch.

28th Dec: Pondicherry to Mahabalipuram. Booked into Radisson Temple Bay through 1st Jan.

1st Jan: Mahabalipuram to Hyderabad (may break overnight based on how my 4 month old baby takes the long drive).

I need the following suggestions from you:
1. Dodaballapre to Vellore: which route to take as per current road conditions.
2. Vellore to Pondicherry: Heard the road conditions are bad. Please suggest a "pleasure to drive route" though it is a longer route :)
3. Mahabalipuram to Hyd: Should I come via Madanapalle, Ananthapur or via Kadappa, Nandyal.
4. I drove to Goa in 2007 when my first son was 9 months old. But no experience in driving long distances with 4 month old baby. Anyone has done it? Any challenges faced?
5. Hotels in Vellore(1 night) and Pondicherry(2 night)

Mods: Did the extensive search but not finding info on the recent conditions of all the routes I plan to take. Hence started a new thread. Feel free to merge in case a similar thread exists.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prabingade (Post 2129386)

ng drive).
I need the following suggestions from you:
1. Dodaballapre to Vellore: which route to take as per current road conditions.
2. Vellore to Pondicherry: Heard the road conditions are bad. Please suggest a "pleasure to drive route" though it is a longer route :)
3. Mahabalipuram to Hyd: Should I come via Madanapalle, Ananthapur or via Kadappa, Nandyal.
4. I drove to Goa in 2007 when my first son was 9 months old. But no experience in driving long distances with 4 month old baby. Anyone has done it? Any challenges faced?
5. Hotels in Vellore(1 night) and Pondicherry(2 night)

Mods: Did the extensive search but not finding info on the recent conditions of all the routes I plan to take. Hence started a new thread. Feel free to merge in case a similar thread exists.

1. Dodaballpur-Vellore

Doddaballapur-Dobbaspet-Nelamangala-NICE-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Vellore
(This would by-pass Bangalore totally except the smalll issue of entering the NICE road) Others can suggest if there is a better route from Doddaballpur to Nelamangala (I do see one in GM, but I am sure about it). Check with Luke_Skywalker.

Doddaballapur, Karnataka to Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632001 - Google Maps

(Please note NICE road is shown broken in GM but it is not so)

2. Vellore-Podicherry
Vellor-Kanchi-Chenglepet-Pondicherry

Multiple Options:

a. Via Gingee (Vellore-Arani-Gingee-Tindivanam-Pondicherry)

Roads are in OK condition. NH66 is not all that great.

Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632001 to Pondicherry - Google Maps

b. Via Kanchi/Chengelpet

Vellore-Kanchi-Chengelpet-Tindivanam-Pondicherry

(Longer distance, but helps you stay GQ as much as possible)

Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632001 to Pondicherry - Google Maps

c. via Kalpakkam / ECR

Vellore-Kanchi-Chengelpet-Kalpakkam-Pondicherry.

Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632001 to Pondicherry - Google Maps

3. Mahabalipuram-HYD
Both routes are good, but I am not sure which one is more Naxal sensitive.
HVK should be able to comment. I think NH205 via Ananthpur/Kadri should be better (The NH18 via Cuddapah also has heavy truck traffic)

4. With regards to travelling with an infant you need more breaks and hence dont be worried if your efficiency comes down. Also try not to do more than 350-400 Km in a day.

Not aware of hotels in Vellore. Pondicherry has a Ginger. But do check if a room would suffice four of you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by simpleman (Post 2137333)

prabingade, I can only advice you about Vellore to Pondicherry and about stay in vellore. I would suggest you take the vellore-Polur-tiruvanamalai-tindivanam-Pondicherry. The alternatives are Vellore-Polur-Tiruvanamalai-Tirukoilur-Villupurum-Pondicherry.
The last one will be about 30kms longer but better than any other route as the roads will be good.
You can PM if you need accommodation to be arranged, as I stay in Vellore.

Question: Why should he go to Tiruvannamalai if he can directly hit Gingee via Arani? Are the roads too bad ?

The Arani - Chetpet - Gingee road used to be single lane road with some bad sections at almost all times, though I have not used that stretch in the recent times, I second simpleman's suggestion its better to come to Thiruvannamalai via Polur and then onwards via Tindivanam. Though the most scenic route is to come via Kanchipuram - Chengalpet - Kalpakkam and join ECR there.

With regard to your trip back from Pondicherry I suggest you start very early from Pondy reach Vellore via Tindivanam, Tiruvannamalai. From Vellore you go to Ananthapur via Chittoor - Palamaner - Madanapalli, though one of the members here regularly uses the Cuddapah route to come to Vellore via Hyderabad, if I manage to find out his posts will put that up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampere (Post 2137310)

To my knowledge that is a long route. Would suggest the option 1 below.
1. Start at 6 am and sail through the centre of bangalore - duration Dodballapur-Hosur=2.5 Hrs;else
2. Dodballapur-Devenhalli-Whitefield-Varthur-Sarjapur- Attibele -Hosur duration should be approx 3 hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by adnaps (Post 2137797)

If you start early morning, yes its better to sail through the city. The only issue is that it would take half an hour to reach Yelahanka and if the start gets delayed a bit, every thing breaks loose.

If there is a short cut to Nelamangala (instead of Dobbaspet, that would be the best as it would allow fast commute through NICE).

I see one route on GM, but I am not sure about it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. However, looking at the road conditions and no. of places to visit with a 4 month old infant, planning to drop all others and go to Mahabalipuram directly. Primarily because, the infant may not be able to take so many place changes and hence point to point may be better.

So current plan is:
27th Dec: Hyderabad to Ranipet/Vellore (Take diversion from NH7 at Kurnool or Anantpur not decided yet). Please suggest hotels around this area.
28th Dec: Start early morning and go to Mahabalipuram. Check into resort.
1st Jan: Mahabalipuram to Ranipet/Vellore (Check out from resort at 12:00noon or so). Stay overnight.
2nd Jan: Ranipet/Vellore to Hyderabad.

I think the above would help my wife and infant instead of putting them into much of stress/risk (climate changes, food etc). Let me see how the infant takes and can plan a trip to Shimla/Manali during summer in my Scorpio:)