Nice write up and pic. Keep it up.

Missed the thread !
Ananth: nice log
and many thanks for inviting/pulling me IN !
Meghamalai is Wonderful place to see!
P.S:Ananth, i have not taken many pics...but Please select some pics from my album and post them too ..

Road Conditions / Things to Note:

1) Chennai - Trichy - Dindigul - 4 Lane GQ Roads

2) Dindigul - Theni - 2 Lane State Highway - Road widening in progress - Some sections are relaid already, But if you are on a car - expect delays in week days / peak hours

3) Theni - Chinnamannur (Take Left) - Vellayammalpuram Village - Decent single lane roads

4) There is a forest check post just after this village, There was no one available to stop us - so we rode through.

5) Vellayammalpuram to Meghamalai to Highwavys - Broken roads with some patchy tarmac here & there - Caution: The roads are tough and challenging - Most of the places, The roads are steep with no tarmac / only boulders to evade through.

6) Stay Options available are: Cloud Mountain Bunglow / Sand River Cottage - Costly resort sorta accommodation and Panchayat Guest House / Government IB are cheaper versions of the same.

7) There are only two places to get food in the whole 30-40 kilometer radius - To get food or book accommodations - contact: Murugan (Who owns the Murugan tea Shop) - +91-94427-81748

8) Best time to visit the place is after the monsoons (obvious) - August to January (In my Opinion)

9) We visited: Highwavys Dam, Maharajamettu View Point, Iravangalar Dam, Lakes Surrounding the Dams, Several tea Estates (there are totally 7)

10) We missed: Vattaparai, Manalar, Thoovanam Dam & Vanniar Dam (Due to very bad roads and Lack of time)

11) There is a forest guest house available - which can be the perfect place to stay for wild life lovers - Stay needs to be booked through forest officials (Not sure of contact Numbers)

12) BSNL works throughout the area and in some high hair pin bends, Airtel / Vodafone from Kerala works!

13) There are a couple of falls / dam surrounding Meghamalai - But needs to be accessed from Theni & not via Meghamalai

14) Accommodations are normally booked well in advance (before a month atleast)

15) This is not a regular hill station, It is un adulterated and has a soothing effect. Hope it remains so.

16) Contact details for accommodation:

Sand River Cottage / Cloud Mountain Bungalow - Shivakumar @ +919894055554 or +919487850508.
Panchayat guest house / Government IB @ 04554232389 or 04554232225

Best wishes for your travels. Route Map : Chennai, Tamil Nadu to Meghamalai - Google Maps

Couldnt resist marking this thread with 5 stars *****!

CBR does have limited range :sigh: but we needed the break .

Do you have any pictures of the twisted gear lever that played spoilsport making us cancel the Kerala stretch ?

It was a wonderful experience riding with an experience rider like you, and the coordination was just spot on. I couldn't have asked for better company on/off the tarmac . I still get goosebumps thinking about the amazing scenery and the views the place had to offer. Thank you for the amazing getaway from the bustling city life, just what the doctor ordered .

Thanks, It was a delightful experience!

Thank you!

Thanks for the good company

Thanks!

Thank you!



Thanks Nagesh!


Thanks SunilG!

Route Map : http://goo.gl/maps/wvL1

Thanks Haroon - Glad you liked the log / pictures.

Sri Lanka does look more similar to Kerala and hence I'm still tentative of planning a full fledged ride there. If i could get a similar view in my own state / neighboring state why should i invest much more to see it in a foreign land?

Thank you!!

Yeah, But we could have still carried on, couldn't we?

Yes i have, do you want me to post that?

Like wise, It was good riding with you & Deepak - You are as experienced as me, Not to get formal for being experienced in anything. I did drop the bike - So I'm not perfect in any sense

So, September it would be when we ride there again

Beautiful place... perfect for a small gang to go, prepare own food, drink, dance, bonfire and ofcourse, awesome Tea.

Well done.

Wonderful Trip Log there Machi ! Superb Photos and good narration !

Now waiting for September

Meghamalai - I have been there too

Very nice Travelogue and superb photos Ananth . I belog to the city Cumbum, Theni District and work here in Chennai. 7 months back I had an unplanned solo trip to Meghamalai for the first time. Wow, surprisingly its a wonderful place and I have enjoyed the trip a lot and felt very refreshed after the trip. I'm happy to share my trip photos here - https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...3&l=2446988272
Happy Touring buddy !
Gopi

Beautiful pictures! Looks like a great off beat place. I wonder how beautiful it would be just after the rains with more water in that dam/lake

We definitely could have, and thats what we did, post Ullundurpet!

Please go ahead. I havent seen the picture myself.

Simple and crisp review, Ananth. Keep it coming and superb photos by the way. Waiting for the next ride to catch up with you guys

Cheers!
VJ

Ananth...this one place was left for nature itself....this place again would get commercialised...I had been to this place twice now and have never shared the snaps or anything about this place

Similarly Kollimalai was one and now look at the number of people going there, just 4 yrs back that was like 1 typical village (though not much change, but still little commercialisation)

But your narration was excellent and also the snaps.

There are quite a lot of such destinations across in all states, lets not commercialise those places too. just my thought.

Great Ride Ananth....
Nicely written log.... Thoroughly enjoyed it....