Team-BHP > Travelogues


Reply
  Search this Thread
62,222 views
Old 12th November 2016, 16:26   #31
APV
BHPian
 
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Coimbatore
Posts: 93
Thanked: 118 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Quote:
Originally Posted by abirnale View Post
Monday - Friday are school and work restrictions. So as a family we can only do it on weekend. Moreover this is one trip my wife is very particular that we take this month itself. I am booking Villa Retreat near Kodai Lake. If we get one other worth seeing sight for next day, we should be good. More the reasons to go back to the place again
If you stay in Villa Retreat - Coaker's walk, Kodai Lake & Bryant Park are all in walkable distance. Would take almost half of a day depending on the crowd at boat house. If kid(s) are interested they can check out Horse ride & bicycle riding too around the boat house area.

Last edited by ampere : 12th November 2016 at 17:52. Reason: Trimmed quoted post
APV is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 14th November 2016, 15:03   #32
BHPian
 
Ddrive's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Chennai
Posts: 254
Thanked: 534 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Quote:
Originally Posted by abirnale View Post
Moreover this is one trip my wife is very particular that we take this month itself.
Dear Abirnale, (if the trip is still pending)

Day1

Bangalore - Kodai 8 hours, if you start at 5am you can check into Villa retreat by 12 noon or by 1 pm.

Have lunch, leave the car in the hotel and walk out by 3 pm.
Coakers walk is just a few steps from your hotel, take that walk and come through the other end, walk a little more and there is Bryant park. Visit Bryant park and exit through the other end.. you will be at the lake. Walk till the boat house, take a boating if you like and walk back to the hotel. Go to the market area and do some shopping in the late evening (remember all these by walk). Enjoy jewel box view of Periakulam right from your hotel top.

Day2.

Any time in the morning you can drive to Kurinji Andavar temple. After that drive towards Pillar Rocks area. The road leading to Pillar Rocks will have all those places like, Golf Links, Green Valley View (erstwhile Suicide point), Pine forests, Guna Caves, Moire point etc. All these you can finish before lunch. Drive back to Bangalore any time after lunch.
Ddrive is offline   (4) Thanks
Old 14th November 2016, 21:53   #33
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 1,767
Thanked: 7,226 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Thanks @Ddrive for such a detailed response. The trip is due after another weekend so information is right in time. My plan is slightly changed though - I am leaving from Bangalore on Friday evening to reach Kodaikanal late in night. So I get full Saturday and almost half of Sunday. That means more places to visit or more time to spend at same places you mentioned!

Thanks again for your response!
abirnale is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 28th November 2016, 10:20   #34
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Bengaluru
Posts: 1,767
Thanked: 7,226 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Like everyone suggested here, I took the onwards route via Salem - Dindigul - Kodai Ghat and on return chose Palani - Dharapuram stretch. All the details of our trip and pictures are covered here.

The Villa Retreat was too good for us. Very well trained and caring staff in addition to the amazing location of course! Off season trip helped too - not much crowd to hoard at the view points!

All in all it was a great trip and thanks for all your inputs and help. It would not have been so easy for me considering completely unknown territory. Felt like driving in home terrain!

Thanks again.
abirnale is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 30th October 2017, 17:55   #35
RCD
BHPian
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 32
Thanked: 16 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Will be going to Kodaikanal from Bangalore later this week.

Have done this a couple of times before, but not in the last 4-5 years.

Will someone please tell me the best route to take ?

I remember the route on the plains quite well > past Salem - Dindigal etc.

After that I think there are 2 possible ways of climbing up.

Would like to know the best route, and time required.

Will probably be using my Scorpio AT , and staying at Club Mahindra.

thanks & regards,

RCD

Last edited by RCD : 30th October 2017 at 17:58. Reason: Added place of stay.
RCD is offline  
Old 30th October 2017, 20:06   #36
NPV
Distinguished - BHPian
 
NPV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Namma Bengaluru
Posts: 7,206
Thanked: 10,232 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Quote:
Originally Posted by RCD View Post
Will be going to Kodaikanal from Bangalore later this week.
Simple route - take NH7/44 all the way past Salem up to Dindigul. Turn off from NH7/44 towards Bathlagundu/Vathalagundu and then take the Kodai turn off near Bathlagundu town (there was a bypass that was almost ready several months ago, should be operational now).

*Note that the turn off to Bathlagundu comes after a toll on NH7/44 and once on service road, there are 2 roads towards right side - one goes to Bathlagundu and the other to Palani. Palani road can also be taken but is a little narrow at some places.
Another option is to continue on NH7/44 towards Madurai after the Dindigul toll and then turn off to Kodai Road, but is not a preferred option now since the Bathlagundu road widening work was completed.

Last edited by NPV : 30th October 2017 at 20:09.
NPV is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 31st October 2017, 19:34   #37
RCD
BHPian
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 32
Thanked: 16 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Thanks a ton PNV.

Can you also tell me how long it should take to get there ? Will be taking a very early ( pre-dawn start )

When I drove earlier, the road after Salem was narrow and single lane, while your reply seems to indicate that there is a toll road all the way to Dindigal.
RCD is offline  
Old 31st October 2017, 19:50   #38
NPV
Distinguished - BHPian
 
NPV's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Namma Bengaluru
Posts: 7,206
Thanked: 10,232 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Quote:
Originally Posted by RCD View Post
When I drove earlier, the road after Salem was narrow and single lane, while your reply seems to indicate that there is a toll road all the way to Dindigal.
NH 7/44 is 4 laned all the way to Kanyakumari, should be the least of your worries till Dindigul bypass where you turn off towards Bathalgundu, even that road is now quite wide and the Kodai ghats were always wide, so not an issue.
Estimate about 6 hours max. to get to the Dindigul bypass including a breakfast break en route. You should be able to do Bangalore-Kodai in about 8-9 hours easily.

Last edited by NPV : 31st October 2017 at 19:52.
NPV is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 22nd November 2017, 17:43   #39
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: MH02,KA01,GA09
Posts: 1,012
Thanked: 546 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

What will be the fog condition in ghat roads of Kodai during December end timeframe? I will be reaching Kodai on 23rd by evening and plan is to go to Munnar on 26th morning. We will start by some 8-9AM from Kodai. Being peak of winter I am not very sure if the fog will be there in ghat roads around that time.
rajivtelang is offline  
Old 23rd November 2017, 14:46   #40
Distinguished - BHPian
 
naveen.raju's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cochin
Posts: 4,823
Thanked: 8,846 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Quote:
Originally Posted by rajivtelang View Post
What will be the fog condition in ghat roads of Kodai during December end timeframe? I will be reaching Kodai on 23rd by evening and plan is to go to Munnar on 26th morning. We will start by some 8-9AM from Kodai. Being peak of winter I am not very sure if the fog will be there in ghat roads around that time.
This was the condition last Jan in the Ghat road. Was drizzling also and we hardly saw the sun.

Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal-img_20170126_134118.jpg

Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal-img_20170126_134131.jpg

This was the view from our room on a foggy day..

Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal-img_20170126_152450.jpg

and when the sun was out.

Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal-dsc_0029.jpg
naveen.raju is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 23rd November 2017, 16:21   #41
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: MH02,KA01,GA09
Posts: 1,012
Thanked: 546 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Quote:
Originally Posted by naveen.raju View Post
This was the condition last Jan in the Ghat road. Was drizzling also and we hardly saw the sun.
Is this morning time or evening? I will be climbing the ghat in the evening (not dark) on 23rd Dec and descending in the morning on 26th Dec. (not too early)
rajivtelang is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 24th November 2017, 10:24   #42
Distinguished - BHPian
 
naveen.raju's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Cochin
Posts: 4,823
Thanked: 8,846 Times
Re: Road Trip : Bangalore - Kodaikanal

Quote:
Originally Posted by rajivtelang View Post
Is this morning time or evening? I will be climbing the ghat in the evening (not dark) on 23rd Dec and descending in the morning on 26th Dec. (not too early)
The ghat section pics were taken at 2pm and the one at the resort was taken at around 4pm.
naveen.raju is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks