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-   -   Munnar, Kemmangundi or Chickmagalur for a 3 days trip? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/96971-munnar-kemmangundi-chickmagalur-3-days-trip.html)

Guys, me and my friends (around 5-6 guys) are planning to go on a trip towards the end of March. The place should be cool and there should be good accomodation available. We have narrowed down to three places : Munnar, Kemmangundi and Chickmagalur. I need to select one of these three places.

As I have never been to these places, I would like you guys to help me out by answering a few questions using the template below :

Place : <Name of the place>

1. Is March a good time to visit this place?
2. Other places of interest around this area
3. Accomodations/hotels/homestays (should allow bachelors :D) to check out
4. Route from Chennai & Bangalore

Extra info on these places are most welcome.

You want to do all 3 within 3 days?

Kemmangundi is usually part of Chikmagalur trip. But Munnar is easily 550kms away from Chikmagalur. I suggest you pick between Munnar or CKM, you can't do both in 3 days and enjoy too.

I need to decide on one of the three places. I have edited my post to clarify this. Thanks for pointing this out.

CHIKMAGALUR/KEMMANGUNDI
Yes. It's slighlty cold during night, In summer heat is not too much either.
Nearby POI are Bababudangiri, Mullaingiri, Mutthodi forest, Kallathigiri, hebbe falls, Lakya dam - Lakkavalli backwaters
Hotels in CKM - The Serai, Taj Getaway, Planter's court, Benaka Residency, Hotel Rajmahal, Hotel Soundarya etc..(In the Descending order of Tariff/day)
Check the following link for homestays in CKM
Getaway :: homestayinchikmagalur :: Stay in Style
I don't have much idea abt homestays in Kemmangundi, but ther's one GOVT maintained Lodge -hotel accomodation on Kemmangundi hills, it's a decent lodge.
Chennai - Krishnagiri -Hosur - Electronic City- NICE Road - Nelamangala - Kunigal - Hassan-Belur-Chikmagalur.
Chikmagalur - Kaimara - Lingadalli- Kallathipura-Kemmangundi.

If you have only 3 days - including travel time, you would be better advised to hit Chikmagalur as you can reach in 6 hours or so.
Munnar involves atleast 8-9 hours driving which doesnt give you too much time to enjoy the place per se.
If I were faced with this choice, I would decide on Chikmagalur only for this reason.

Why don't you look at the option of visiting Malnad by making Tirthahalli as a base? It is least explored and has everything - Piligrimage, Heritage, mountains, waterfalls, Wild life etc. It is a comfortable drive of 6 hours - shorter than Pondy :) - from Bangalore and there are good options to stay. The road between Bangalore and Shivamogga is good.

Take a look at my travelogue

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

Guys, thanks a lot for your inputs. We have finalized Chickmagalur-Kemmangundi-Thirthahalli. I have one more query.
Is it ok to take our own small cars (Ritz Vdi & Punto MJD) or do you need an SUV in these areas?

Ritz and Punto should be fine.
But make sure from Chikmagalur you take the route via Kaimara -Arasinaguppe -Lingadahalli - Kallathipura to Kemmangundi.
By any chance if you take this route CKM-Kaimara-Atthigundi-Kemmangundi, this is in very bad shape, it's broken all the way from Attigundi - Kemmangundi. But this is one THE BEST SCENIC Route I have encountered.

Is should be very easy for Punto/Ritz.
Should not be a problem at all as per me.

Kemmangundi should be good in march. Its not more than 5 hours drive from Bangalore.

You can book the rooms at the Govt Horticulture Dept Guest House. They have different types of rooms. The tariff is good and the rooms are neat.

You really want him to miss this road? :)

Some views from this road:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post1117952

Besides, to go to Mullaiangiri, he has to take this route. Some shots that route too: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...lur-belur.html

Also, Belur is barely 20kms away from CKM.

Well Samurai San, As I have mentioned earlier in my post, It's one the MOST SCENIC ROAD I have encontered, it definetely is.

I had taken an I20 last time in this broken stretch, it was really pain to drive without scraping the underbelly of the car. Thank god nothing of that sort happened.
But for a newbie who is not used to this type of OFF ROAD Driving, it's damn difficult to drive a car/sedan without scraping anything of the car. Moreover the road is too narrow, edgy too, giving way will be difficult for drivers who have mostly driven in City/Highway. One mistake .... and certainly you know where the vehicle will land.
Moreover the road is very much deserted, not many vehicles ply on this road, no phone network either in some places...
But the good thing about this road was it gas getting repaired in someparts, but definetely not in the BHADRA WILDLIFE limits.
More the number of times I see your pics, it just gives me goosebumps.. Read the travelogue for the second time.. still can't get hangover of the pics, Just Amazing.

For 3 days, I think you can also include Shravanabelgola, Belur and Halebidu in your trip, if you are interested in ancient architecture. These temples are not to be missed.
For lunch enroute, you could look at Hoysala Village Resort on the Hassan-Belur route. The route is mostly decent and you can easily manage it in a Punto or Ritz. I did it in a Punto and managed never to scrape the bottom throughout the trip :).

Will I be able to go in this route via Maruti Esteem? :) Your pictures are too tempting, but don't want to damage my car for the same.

Is it safe to drive in night on these route? Just asking so as to save daytime.