Kodaikanal to Trivandrum

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. Take Right, go 24 km.
   Leave Sevugampatti.
   Enter Madurai District at 16 km.
   Enter Usilampatti at 23 km.
   
10. Slight Right onto NH49 Hwy, go <100m
    
11. Take Slight 1st Left, go 26 km.
    Leave Usilampatti.
    Enter Peraiyur at 26 km.
    
12. Take Right, go 21 km.
    Leave Peraiyur at 2.9 km.
    Enter Virudhunagar District at 8.8 km.
    
13. Right onto NH208 Hwy, go 10 km
    
14. Left onto NH208 Hwy, go 23 km.
    Via Srivilliputhur, Rajapalayam at 7.3 km.
    
15. Slight Left onto NH208 Hwy, go 36 km.
    Enter Tirunelveli District at 6.3 km.
    Via Virudhunagar District at 7.7 km.
    Enter Tirunelveli District at 8.1 km.
    Via Sivagiri, Puliyankudi at 20 km.
    
16. Slight Left onto NH208 Hwy, go 18 km.
    Via Kadayanallur at 6.4 km.
    
17. Slight Left onto NH208 Hwy, go 3.5 km
    
18. Right onto NH208 Hwy, go 32 km.
    Via Panboli, Pudur (S) at 9.8 km.
    Enter Kerala at 18 km.
    
19. Left onto SH2 Hwy, go 21 km
    
20. Slight Left onto SH2 Hwy, go 20 km.
    Enter Thiruvananthapuram District at 8.1 km.
    
21. Right onto SH2 Hwy, go 10 km.
    Via Nedumangad at 4.7 km.
    
22. Right onto SH2 Hwy, go 5.3 km.
    Enter Thiruvananthapuram at 2.3 km.
    
23. Slight Left onto SH2 Hwy, go <100m
    
24. Slight 1st Right (past Moon City Restaurant on the right) onto SH2 Hwy, go 3.2 km
    
25. Slight Left onto Sasthamangalam Oolanpara Rd, go 1.2 km
    
26. Continue down Mahatma Gandhi Rd(NH47 Hwy): 0.3 km (Past Corporation Office on the left)
    
27. 4th Left onto Kollur Rd, go 0.1 km
    
28. 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
Trivandrum to Kodaikanal


Detailed Route maps and travel directions:

Kodaikanal to Trivandrum - Yahoo! Maps

Kodaikanal to Trivandrum - Google Maps