[Majic]

Gadadhar, nice photos, i think you should defenitely start a travelogue on it, Dreamdiesel, as usual just checking out if any other trip has been started off recently!

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by Majic

Gadadhar, nice photos, i think you should defenitely start a travelogue on it

Thanks Majic, My trip may not be worth writing a travelogue since Munnar is like a second home for me (my better half's home town) and there was no sight seeing done during the trip.

[emkay456]

Originally Posted by dreamdiesel

We are the entrance to Periyar National Park by 3:30PM. But entry tickets (Rs.25/head) and LMV entry (Rs.50). We drive for another 4kms near the Boating area, park the car and we have about 20mins to spare. But tickets for the Upper level on the boat (Rs.150) and Camera fee (Rs.25). Hungry as we only had breakfast in the morning we head towards the restaurant at Periyar NP and munch on some snacks. Close to 4:00PM we board the boat and take our seats at the upper level. By 4:15PM the boat starts off into the lake at Periyar National Park. Along with our boat 2 other boats leave filled with tourists.

Were you on one of those fibreglass boats which capsized recently killing 40 people. I think that boat was named Jal kanya.

[dreamdiesel]

Originally Posted by emkay456

Were you on one of those fibreglass boats which capsized recently killing 40 people. I think that boat was named Jal kanya.

emkay, We were not on the boat that sank recently. But we did see that boat (Green color boat in my pics). Very saddened to hear about the deaths that happened. I hope Kerala Tourist Dept. take steps to prevent such incidents in future.

@Majic - No roadtrips as of yet. Might do a roadtrip in early Dec or Jan.

[hyper-VTEC]

I would travel to Munnar this weekend with family and friends and want to find out if the following route makes sense. This is more in terms of kms.. but i can go to Dindigul on NH-7 which i super smooth and can make up for the time.

Bangalore - Salem - Karur - Dindigul - NH45 - Munnar

Please suggets pros and cons. Thanks

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

I would travel to Munnar this weekend with family and friends and want to find out if the following route makes sense. This is more in terms of kms.. but i can go to Dindigul on NH-7 which i super smooth and can make up for the time.

Bangalore - Salem - Karur - Dindigul - NH45 - Munnar

Please suggets pros and cons. Thanks

Would suggest the regular route. More so because, its very scenic from Udumalpet to Munnar.

For that matter another point I would like to make is that you shoud start late in the afternoon from Bangalore, so that you stay at Salem overnight and start next day. This is more so because the views on the way through Udumalpet are stunning in the early hours of the day.

PS: I know folks can do this stretch in one day itself.

[hyper-VTEC]

Originally Posted by ampere

Would suggest the regular route. More so because, its very scenic from Udumalpet to Munnar.

For that matter another point I would like to make is that you shoud start late in the afternoon from Bangalore, so that you stay at Salem overnight and start next day. This is more so because the views on the way through Udumalpet are stunning in the early hours of the day.

PS: I know folks can do this stretch in one day itself.

by regular ruote you mean:
Bangalore – Hosur – Krishnagiri – Dharmapuri – Thoppur – Mettur – Bhavani - Perundurai – Chennimalai – Kangayam – Dharapuram – Udumalaipettai – Marayoor – Munnar ?

So if i leave BNG at 5AM and take the regular route when do you think i can reach Munnar. I do not intend to drive at speeds of more than 100kmph, since i'll have 4 adults and a kid.

[ampere]

Yes thats the regular route. I also have read folks doing this distance and reaching Munnar by 3 or 4 PM (They start by about 4 or 5AM).

In fact even I am like you who does not drive over 100. Given this fact and also the fact that the Udumalpet to Munnar is about 90Km, it can easily take about 3 hours. Hence I did what I mentioned before. Since I had a kid, it worked well.

I started by about 1 in the afternoon reached Salem by about 4 PM and I lazed around in a hotel. Started early the next day and it was real fun going through that stretch as it allows you to stop, whenever you need. Else you would be running for time to reach your resort before night fall.

[hyper-VTEC]

@ampere: Thanks for the advice. We are actually thinking of doing that, since distance between Bangalore and Munnar is quite a lot and i do not want to exert myself much.

Which hotel did you stay in Salem? I am looking at places near the highway.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

@ampere: Thanks for the advice. We are actually thinking of doing that, since distance between Bangalore and Munnar is quite a lot and i do not want to exert myself much.

Which hotel did you stay in Salem? I am looking at places near the highway.

Stayed at Cenney's Gateway.
CENNEYS.COM

Its quite costly. I paid about 3200 for a night (inclusive of breakfast).
Its next to the five roads junction. Stay was very pleasant and rooms very comfortable. (I guess we should expect it for the price we pay)

Place has ample car park and you can get on to NH7/NH47 very easily without going through city traffic much.

[hyper-VTEC]

whoa! i am looking at something around 1/3 the price :-( Any options?

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by hyper-VTEC

@ampere: Thanks for the advice. We are actually thinking of doing that, since distance between Bangalore and Munnar is quite a lot and i do not want to exert myself much.

Which hotel did you stay in Salem? I am looking at places near the highway.

You can easliy cover this distance in 11 hrs with enough breaks (I have done it less than 10 hrs ), Roads are good and traffic is non existent once you leave the highway. As rightly told by others keep 3 + hrs for the last stretch from Chinnar to Munnar..

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

You can easliy cover this distance in 11 hrs with enough breaks (I have done it less than 10 hrs ), Roads are good and traffic is non existent once you leave the highway. As rightly told by others keep 3 + hrs for the last stretch from Chinnar to Munnar..

What you say is correct. My maths was the following:

If one drives at 80/90, he will get an average of 50-60 an hour. Of the 490Km to Munnar, if one does 400, with this average, he will need a max of 8 hours and then another 3 to reach Munnar. This way I expected my driving time to be about 11 hours. Then if I add breaks, it was increasing the travel time for me. Hence I thought I should break the journey. Leaving Salem early, helps break through the truck traffic early.

Another point to note that is that BLR-Salem is relatively stress free. Hence breaking at Salem, one gets an impression that he could have carried on further easily. But the fact is that at the end one has to add 90 Km of ghat driving, which I was not prepared to do at the end of the drive cycle. Hence the break worked out well.

Now if one wants to drive to a place like Valparai, and if the last stretch of ghat drive is not that long, may be one can attempt it. But surely not Munnar. Not in my capacity !

[dreamdiesel]

hyper-VTEC, Bangalore to Munnar can be easily done in 10hrs. As you see, on my roadtrip I left bangalore by 7:30AM and reached Munnar by 5:00PM. Inspite of numerous breaks and also rains in the Ghats nearing Munnar. You can actually leave Bangalore by 5:00PM and even with 50kmph average you will be in Munnar by max 3-4PM. Again, if its going to be too tiring I would suggest Ampere's plan.

EDIT: Munnar during rains is the most beautiful....

[jacs]

Hi All,

Most part of Kerala got a Summer shower, especially the southern part. Now temperature might have come down by 3 or 4 degrees making it travellable.

Would request you all to Visit Kanthalloor which is after Marayoor when you come from Munnar. Best if you could get hold of some estate wallas. I got a golden opportunity few years back to be there in my uncle's Eucalyptus plantation which is almost 10KMs inside from road reachability, only 4X4 vehicles traverse these routes. But let me tell you it was a heaven in terms of vegetation. You would spot wildlifes like Elephants, Boars, Deers etc if you are lucky.