Ooty to Kodaikanal

1. Start, go <10m
   
2. Take 1st Left, go 0.8 km
   
3. Take Slight 1st Left (past Fortune Hotel Sullivan Court on the right), go 0.5 km
   
4. Take Slight 1st Right, go 0.2 km
   
5. Take Slight 4th Left, go 1 km
   
6. Continue down SH8 Hwy: 1.4 km
   
7. Slight 1st Left onto SH8 Hwy, go 4.1 km.
   Enter The Nilgiris District at 2.6 km.
   
8. Slight Left onto SH8 Hwy, go 10 km.
   Leave Kethi.
   Enter Coonoor at 1.4 km.
   
9. Slight Left onto SH8 Hwy, go 24 km.
   Via The Nilgiris District at 10 km.
   Enter Coimbatore District at 10 km.
   Enter Mettupalayam at 23 km.
   
10. Take Slight Left, go 37 km.
    Leave Mettupalayam at 1 km.
    Via Annur at 21 km.
    
11. Slight Left onto NH47 Hwy, go 1.8 km.
    Enter Avanashi at 1 km.
    
12. Take 1st Right, go 22 km.
    Leave Avanashi.
    
13. Left onto NH67 Hwy, go 0.7 km.
    Enter Palladam.
    
14. Take 1st Right, go 46 km.
    Leave Palladam at 1.2 km.
    
15. Take Slight Left, go 0.8 km.
    Enter Udumalaipettai.
    
16. 1st Left onto NH209 Hwy, go 26 km.
    Leave Udumalaipettai at 1.8 km.
    Via Madathukulam at 12 km.
    Enter Dindigul District at 14 km.
    
17. Take Slight Right, go 22 km
    
18. Take Left, go 5.2 km
    
19. Take Right, go 7.7 km.
    Enter Kodaikanal at 7.2 km.
    
20. Continue down Naidpuram Rd: 0.4 km
    
21. Continue down Convent Rd: 0.2 km
    
22. Slight 1st Left onto Convent Rd, go <100m
    
23. 1st Right onto Convent Rd, go 0.7 km
    
24. Slight Right onto Convent Rd, go 0.7 km
    
25. Slight 4th Right onto Lake Rd, go 0.9 km
    
26. Slight 1st Left onto Lake Rd, go 0.5 km
    
27. 1st Left (past Sterling Days Inn Valley View (Hotel) on the right) onto Lake Rd, go 0.1 km
    
28. Arrive at destination
    

Note 1:
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:
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 Ghat Road, 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 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. Please do not confuse Periyakulam to Kodaikanal route as a Road.

Reverse Route
Kodaikanal to Ooty


Detailed Route maps and travel directions:

Ooty to Kodaikanal - Yahoo! Maps

Ooty to Kodaikanal - Google Maps