[tmnraghu78]

Great trip dreamdiesel!

I believe you have gone to right place at the right time when mountains are covered with thick forests and all streams are in full flow. I am sure you must have had excellent experience.

Can you throw some numbers/info like

• Total trip in KM and trips between each point.
• Mileage
• Points to be considered going to munnar, thekkady etc.,
• Any best places you experienced for shopping, restaurants enroute to munnar from Bangalore etc.,
• Or any other such points that you want to share with fellow BHPians would be of great help

Thanks,
Raghu Lakshman

[dreamdiesel]

Originally Posted by tmnraghu78

Great trip dreamdiesel!

I believe you have gone to right place at the right time when mountains are covered with thick forests and all streams are in full flow. I am sure you must have had excellent experience.

Can you throw some numbers/info like

• Total trip in KM and trips between each point.
• Mileage
• Points to be considered going to munnar, thekkady etc.,
• Any best places you experienced for shopping, restaurants enroute to munnar from Bangalore etc.,
• Or any other such points that you want to share with fellow BHPians would be of great help

Thanks,
Raghu Lakshman

Thanks Raghu.. It was indeed an awesome experience visiting Munnar and Thekkady this monsoon. Post Sep 30th is when the tourist season begins and IMO hill stations are pretty when visited in the off-season.

• Total trip in KM was 1430kms and day to day odometer reading and route taken each day is mentioned in detail in the travelogue.
• Overall mileage I got was about 19.9kmpl with about 70% AC Usage.
• I have posted a Munnar travel guide on post # 16 with almost all places in and around Munnar covered. At Thekkady, the Periyar National Park is the place to visit, trips to Spice plantations, Kathakali/Kalaripayatu performance are some of the things you can do. At Periyar NP, other than the usual boat ride that I did to spot wild animals you have different programes offered at Periyar NP ie, Bamboo Rafting, Night Patrolling, Nature walks etc. More info on Periyar Tiger Reserve -Thekkady, Kerala, India
• Munnar is famous for its tea. But we did not buy any we had enough stock back home from my recent Ooty visit. Thekkady is the spice hub in Kerala and you get good variety at all places in Kumily. Places to eat on the way to Munnar from Bangalore, you have good restaurants at major towns till Udumalaipettai after that its forests all the way till Munnar. At Munnar you have few good restaurants but best bet would be at any restuarant in a good hotel/resort.
• I have shared most of my experiences on this trip in detail in travelogue. I am sure they will be helpful to some extent.

Happy motoring..
GODWIN

[ampere]

Great views. I thought all hill stations/plantations are alike. But looks like Munnar is truly a different place.

I plan to do this in Dec. But instead of Thekkady I was planning kumarakom.
Your list of places and distances around Munnar would be a good help. I am more of a lazy guy. So I was initially thinking while at Munnar, driving around would fun or tiring? But looking at those pictures, looks like it may be a real fun. Hence I will sincerely try most places.

Also looks like Thekaddy should not be missed, or there is always a room for another holiday !

[Latheesh]

Thanks my dear friend...great pictures, especially munnar and thekkady pics!!

[Fordy]

Great end to an excellent travelogue. As mentioned before, I always loved your travelogues. So when are you up next?

[neoonwheels]

Nice travelouge there dreamdiesel. It reminded me the days when I had been there on my honeymoon. Do not want to hijack your thread but just want to share the echo point and munnar dam photos I clicked in March 08 summer. The same place looks so different .

[kannan666]

Excellent travelogue and pics DD ! Where are you headed off too next ? Really envy you for the number of trips you are able to make lately !

[dreamdiesel]

Originally Posted by ampere

Great views. I thought all hill stations/plantations are alike. But looks like Munnar is truly a different place.

I plan to do this in Dec. But instead of Thekkady I was planning kumarakom.
Your list of places and distances around Munnar would be a good help. I am more of a lazy guy. So I was initially thinking while at Munnar, driving around would fun or tiring? But looking at those pictures, looks like it may be a real fun. Hence I will sincerely try most places.

Also looks like Thekaddy should not be missed, or there is always a room for another holiday !

Thanks ampere. Munnar is different compared to other hill stations in South India like Ooty or Kodaikanal. Driving around Munnar is definitely fun.

I think 1 day at Thekkady should also be included in your trip in Dec. But again as you say another holiday, Thekkady as an excuse...

Originally Posted by Latheesh

Thanks my dear friend...great pictures, especially munnar and thekkady pics!!

Thanks Latheesh..

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

Nice travelouge there dreamdiesel. It reminded me the days when I had been there on my honeymoon. Do not want to hijack your thread but just want to share the echo point and munnar dam photos I clicked in March 08 summer. The same place looks so different .

Those pics are so good. I agree with you. Its completey different in non rainy seasons. Well taken pics...

Originally Posted by Fordy

Great end to an excellent travelogue. As mentioned before, I always loved your travelogues. So when are you up next?

Originally Posted by kannan666

Excellent travelogue and pics DD ! Where are you headed off too next ? Really envy you for the number of trips you are able to make lately !

Thanks guys. No plans as of now for my next trip.. But something might materialize in about 2-3 months time. Hills in MH looks very inviting..

[gadadhar]

I made a w/e visit to Munnar through the same road taken by dreamdiesel and found it much better than my regular route through Tiruppur, best part being the time saved by avoiding the rush traffic in Tirupur town (would have saved 1 hr for sure). Thanks dreamdiesel and other BHPian’s for providing all the details (there was not a single instance I have to ask for direction)
While going I took NH through Salem and came back through Mettur – Thoppur. I felt Mettur is better choice until the 4 lane after Salem is completed, but beware there are some bad but manageable stretch when you near Thoppur. I took 11 hrs from Bangalore JP Nagar to Munnar with approx break of 1 hr 30 mts and return took 9.5 with break of around 45 mts.
Munnar as usual was in its full glory with the rains. Some snaps below

[NaTuRe]

@gadadhar - Nice photos. Rains have added more greenery to the green Munnar

[dreamdiesel]

Nice photos Bobby. I guess the rains must have subsided at Munnar.

[sridhar_setty]

@DD, excellent travelogue with good photos. Enjoyed reading it.

Did you get those jeans?

[dreamdiesel]

Originally Posted by sridhar_setty

@DD, excellent travelogue with good photos. Enjoyed reading it.

Did you get those jeans?

Thanks Sridhar. Oh yes, we did get the jeans couriered back safely back to Bangalore. We called up the hotel and thanked the guy..

[PearlJam]

dreamdiesel, I really enjoyed reading your detailed and nicely written posts. The photos too are really good. Keenly awaiting your next travelogue

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by dreamdiesel

Nice photos Bobby. I guess the rains must have subsided at Munnar.

Thanks dreamdiesel. During our stay rains were playing hide and seek, It is raining cats and dogs out there in Munnar when I spoke to my guys during last w/e.

TA for your detailed rote map

Originally Posted by NaTuRe

@gadadhar - Nice photos. Rains have added more greenery to the green Munnar

Thanks NaTuRe. Munnar and Wayanad after rains is terrific