[pramod]

Originally Posted by passionforcars

BTW which camera do you use?

I use a Canon D-SLR Rebel-XT (also called 350D).
I use a 18-55 mm AF lens along with a 70-300 mm Sigma AF Lens.

Spindoc, Sriswe, sdp1975, arindamray --> Thanks all!

----------------------------
Route taken on the return journey
-----------------------------
Kanyakumari -- Thirunelveli -- Virudhanagar -- Madurai Bypass -- A2B hotel for lunch.
-- Dindugal -- Karur -- Namakkal -- Salem (Tea stop at Salem) -- Krishnagiri -- A2B for early dinner -- Hosur -- Silk Board -- JP Nagar.

-----------------------------
Thirunelveli is a big sized town or rather city. Petrol bunks are there who accept credit cards.

Other places in this journey to fill petrol :
---------------------------------------
1. Actually petrol bunks available all through out NH7. So when you r on NH7, neednt worry about it.
2. On the way to Kodai, A2B, Salem town have credit card receiving bunks.
3. I filled petrol at a small petrol bunk on the NH45, 10 Kms from NH7 junction, when we were travelling towards Vathalagundu.
This bunk accepts cash only.
4. Kodai town has a BP in the town center and a Indian oil down the ghat.

5. Madurai town has lots of them. Most of the bunks in Tamil nadu wont have electricity and will be running on generator. So we dont get to check air at most places. So keep a watch on that front.

----------------------------------------
I will provide the details of the toll costs, toll locations and the FE later today.

I spent an amount of 7300Rs for a distance of 1670 Kms for the whole trip which comes to a cost/Km to 4.4 Rs.

[Rajesh K R]

Hi Pramod,

Nice travelogue with pictures. How was the weather at Kodai ? Was it hot or cold ? We are planning to go to Kodai on 2nd April and we intend going there only if the weather is tolerable as we will be travelling with kids.

From your travelogue, we can make out the roads are good. Can it be done in a Getz 1.3 or a Wagon-R ?

Rajesh.

[pramod]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

How was the weather at Kodai ? Was it hot or cold ? We are planning to go to Kodai on 2nd April and we intend going there only if the weather is tolerable as we will be travelling with kids.

From your travelogue, we can make out the roads are good. Can it be done in a Getz 1.3 or a Wagon-R ?

Rajesh.

Rajesh:

1. Roads are very good all the way from Bangalore to Dindugal on NH7.
And then you take a right towards Vathalagundu - Kodai on NH45 which is in excellent condition too. Wagon-R or Getz can easily do the ghat also, which is not difficult to negotiate.

2. Weather was actually very good. Infact, we thought it would be hot. But surprisingly, we visited a shop to buy coats and shawl It was around 18 to 22 degrees, which is very pleasant.

[Rajesh K R]

Originally Posted by pramod

Rajesh:

1. Roads are very good all the way from Bangalore to Dindugal on NH7.
And then you take a right towards Vathalagundu - Kodai on NH45 which is in excellent condition too. Wagon-R or Getz can easily do the ghat also, which is not difficult to negotiate.

2. Weather was actually very good. Infact, we thought it would be hot. But surprisingly, we visited a shop to buy coats and shawl It was around 18 to 22 degrees, which is very pleasant.

Thanks pramod for the info . Hope u dont mind if i ask you for some other info about Kodai. We intend doing this by road and have some apprehension as we will be going with elders and kids.

[pramod]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

]Hope u dont mind if i ask you for some other info about Kodai. We intend doing this by road and have some apprehension as we will be going with elders and kids.

Anytime.
Let me know if u need more info.

You neednt worry about the travel to Kodai on Road. It is very safe and there is always vehicles plying on the whole stretch of 470 Kms from Bangalore to Kodai. There isnt any isolated stretch.

If u plan to leave Bangalore in the morning, do so at around 5 to 5:30 AM, so that, you can reach Kodai for lunch.

[ampere]

I went to Kodai by train. But some how I never remember the cab guy getting on to NH45 (my memory does not serve me) from Kodai road. The total distance was about 80KM as I remember. What is the route from the station?

[pramod]

Originally Posted by ampere

The total distance was about 80KM as I remember. What is the route from the station?

Yes, the distance from there to Kodai is around 80 Kms.

55 Kms from the NH45 - SH156 junction to Kodai. This is the junction where, coming from Dindugal, taking right leads you to Kodai, going straight leads you to Theni.

[Rajesh K R]

Originally Posted by pramod

Anytime.
Let me know if u need more info.

You neednt worry about the travel to Kodai on Road. It is very safe and there is always vehicles plying on the whole stretch of 470 Kms from Bangalore to Kodai. There isnt any isolated stretch.

If u plan to leave Bangalore in the morning, do so at around 5 to 5:30 AM, so that, you can reach Kodai for lunch.

Thanks mate !!! We intend leaving BLR by around 4.30 AM so that even if we drive a tad slow we can be in Kodai by lunch time.

[sbraj]

Hey pramod, excellent writeup and amazing pics.

P.S. BTW, you look familiar. Ever worked for MOT? I will PM you.

[pramod]

Originally Posted by sbraj

Hey pramod, excellent writeup and amazing pics.

P.S. BTW, you look familiar. Ever worked for MOT? I will PM you.

Yeah, Motorola Networks till 2007 Feb.

=====================================
Have a few videos of the trip: I have uploaded just 1 till now:
This is on SH156 , just about to start climbing the 40 Kms of Kodai Ghat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgcIC9Bl1AI

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Gansan

Devil's kitchen (Guna caves) is fenced off and closed to the public now.

Gansan - Is it that the whole caves is closed or only a part. Planning of going to Kodai for april 2 long weekend havent been to Guna caves till now even though this my fourth trip to Kodai was thinking of making it this time.

Pramod- Great pics. Especially Madhurai Meenakshi black&white ones.

[MX6]

Originally Posted by pramod

Thanks to all who followed the blog through out!
Thanks to Bala, MX6 , HVK for the route query clarifications!

Regards
Pramod

You are welcome. We thank you for the travelogue you put up.
It was nice to see the sunrise photos. Unfortunately the cloud cover marred the glorious sunrise. Nowadays it's difficult to catch a perfect sunrise/ sunset (with no clouds, just the sun and water).
And don't worry about less responses. Just that there's been too much travelogues posted by too many members. 3 days I'm away and when I logged in I see 16 unread travelogues!
I'm pretty sure that when someone plans a trip to Kodai/ KK etc, first thing they'll do is dig up your travelogue and start leaving comments.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by MX6

You are welcome. We thank you for the travelogue you put up.
I'm pretty sure that when someone plans a trip to Kodai/ KK etc, first thing they'll do is dig up your travelogue and start leaving comments.

Completly agree; ie what me doing now reading your travelouge and planing Kodai trip.
Also, regarding the Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangaud - Sathyamangalam -Coimbatore route I have heard its bit longer than the Hosur route you took, but whould you suggest on taking that route when we returning from Kodai so as just to avoid driving the same route to and fro ?

[pramod]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

.
Also, regarding the Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangaud - Sathyamangalam -Coimbatore route I have heard its bit longer than the Hosur route you took, but whould you suggest on taking that route when we returning from Kodai so as just to avoid driving the same route to and fro ?

While travelling to Kodai, you can take NH7 and reach Kodai quick.
While coming back, you can take:

Kodai - Palani - Pollachi - Coimbatore - NH209 - Sathyamangalam route.

But, This return route will take a very long time since it isnt 4 lane. And also, you cannot continue after Kollegal towards Maddur to join Mysore-Bangalore road. As the road from Kollegal to Maddur is in bad state.

If you have the time to do the return journey in a relaxed way, without thinking of next day's office, i suggest, you can go ahead and do it

Query with the bhpians on the latest road condition on that route, in the "route Query section"

[MX6]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Also, regarding the Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangaud - Sathyamangalam -Coimbatore route I have heard its bit longer than the Hosur route you took, but whould you suggest on taking that route when we returning from Kodai so as just to avoid driving the same route to and fro ?

Originally Posted by pramod

While travelling to Kodai, you can take NH7 and reach Kodai quick.
While coming back, you can take:

Kodai - Palani - Pollachi - Coimbatore - NH209 - Sathyamangalam route.

mpksuhas. Try this.

On the way back, take the NH7 till Karur. From Karur you can take the route to Saty through Erode, Gobichettipalayam.
The road is very good and traffic sparse and regulated that you can easily keep 90 - 100 on that.
From Saty to dhimbam ghat, it's like 23 hair pin bends, but it's just a 20 min climb thanks to excellent roads.
Dimbham ghats to the border of karnataka - tn is also a breeze with great roads!
The roads deteriorate once you cross in to Karnataka. You can proceed to Chamarajanagara - Nanjangud. Roads improve from Nanjangud to Mysore to Bangalore. Watch out for speedbreakers in karnataka.

It's good and breaks the monotony. No need to go to coimbatore at all.
The route is NH7 to Karur, then to Erode, Gobi, Saty and Dimbham to across border to Chamarajanagara and Nanjangud.