Kodaikanal to Pondicherry

1. Straight(0.1 km) on Lake Rd
   
2. 1st Right onto Lake Rd, go 0.5 km
   
3. Slight 1st Right onto Lake Rd, go 0.9 km
   
4. 1st Right onto Observatory Rd, go 0.2 km
   
5. 2nd Left onto SH18 Hwy, go 0.6 km
   
6. Slight 2nd Left (past Government Hospital on the right) onto SH18 Hwy, go 20 km.
   Enter Dindigul District at 6.1 km.
   Enter Pannaikadu at 15 km.
   
7. Slight Right onto SH18 Hwy, go 21 km.
   Leave Pannaikadu at 4.9 km.
   Enter Theni District at 16 km.
   
8. Left onto NH45 Hwy, go 10 km.
   Leave Ganguvarpatti.
   Enter Dindigul District at 3.6 km.
   Via Batlagundu at 6.7 km.
   Enter Sevugampatti at 8.2 km.
   
9. Left onto NH45 Hwy, go 31 km.
   Leave Sevugampatti at 1.9 km.
   Via Pallapatti at 29 km.
   Enter Dindigul at 30 km.
   
10. Left onto NH7 Hwy, go 1.1 km
    
11. 1st Right onto NH45 Hwy, go 95 km.
    Leave Dindigul at 1.3 km.
    Via Vadamadurai, Ayyalur at 21 km.
    Enter Tiruchirappalli District at 29 km.
    Via Manapparai at 57 km.
    Via Karur District, Tiruchirappalli District at 81 km.
    Enter Tiruchirappalli at 92 km.
    
12. Left (past Ashby (Hotel) on the left) onto NH45 Hwy, go 4.3 km
    
13. Left onto NH45 Hwy, go 0.2 km
    
14. 2nd Right onto NH45 Hwy, go 1 km
    
15. Left onto NH45 Hwy, go 157 km.
    Enter Tiruchirappalli District at 4.5 km.
    Via S. Kannanur at 9.7 km.
    Enter Perambalur District at 31 km.
    Via Perambalur at 50 km.
    Via Cuddalore District at 86 km.
    Enter Viluppuram District at 101 km.
    Enter Viluppuram at 156 km.
    
16. Right onto NH45A Hwy, go 37 km.
    Leave Viluppuram at 4.1 km.
    Via Valavanur at 10 km.
    Leave Tamil Nadu at 14 km.
    Via Tamil Nadu at 19 km.
    Enter Pondicherry at 22 km.
    Via Kurumbapet at 31 km.
    Enter Pondicherry at 31 km.
    
17. At roundabout, take 2nd exit onto Thiruvalluvar Salai Rd, go 1.5 km overall
    
18. Slight Right onto Nehru St(NH66 Hwy), go 0.2 km
    
19. Take 2nd Left, go 0.1 km
    
20. Arrive at destination
    

Note 1:
Climbing Routes: Kodaikanal can be climbed by two different routes from the plains - one from Palani and the other from Batlagundu/Genguvarpatti. The Batlagundu route is wider, less gradient and easier to drive, it is called the "Ghat Road". The Palani route is useful only if you are driving from Coimbatore/Udumalpet/Pollachi/Palghat direction, it is narrower, steeper and tough to climb. Both these routes meet at Perumalmalai Junction from where Kodaikanal is 12 km.

Note 2:
Munnar Route: Kodaikanal to Munnar direct road has been closed due to some inter-state issues. Only dare-devil two-wheelers can use that route (via Berijam). If you have to travel west of Kodaikanal (Munnar/Thekkady/Cochin/Kollam/Trivandrum), it is best to take the Ghat Road towards Batlagundu, turn right at Ghats Road Junction towards Periyakulam and procced via Theni/Bodi.

Note 3:
Some map sites show a short, straight route from Periyakulam to Kodaikanal. This road was the only track to Kodaikanal during pre-independence days. It is surprising to see the map sites still showing that trail as a "road" now. It is a steep 18km hiking trail only for the seasoned mountain climbers. It is not a "Road", it's a trekking route via Kumbakarai/Vellagavi Village. Please do not confuse Periyakulam to Kodaikanal route as a Road.

Reverse Route
Pondicherry to Kodaikanal


Detailed Route maps and travel directions:

Kodaikanal to Pondicherry - Yahoo! Maps

Kodaikanal to Pondicherry - Google Maps