Bangalore-Madurai-Rameshwaram-kanyakumari : itinerary required

Hi All,

I am planning this trip for the year end Dec 24th in my car (Swift) with family which includes 2 kids as well.
please suggest me if my itenary is doable & also the importatnt places I should not miss.

Bangalore==>Madurai>Rameshwara m ==Day 1
Rameshwaram ==>Kanyakumari ==Day2
Kanyakumari ==> Bangalore ==Day3

Please suggest good hotels to stay in Rameshwaram & KK. Also do i need to make reservations beforehand as its going to be year end.

Thanks for your replay
Regards
Raju

Dear Freinds,
I am reaching Rameswaram by 4th oct.mid night from varanasi along with my parents and 2 kids.Returning on 9th oct from Trivandrum by train at 5:30 AM to Lucknow.In between these days I want to visit rameswaram,madurai,Kanyakumari and if possible then trivandrum.need help to plan my journey.secondly can we get taxis from kanyakumari early in the morning to catch the train(if required in case).If required boarding station may be changed.

@meghnath: So the number of days you are having is 4 (5,6,7 &8).

You should plan accordingly that 8th night at any cost you should be at Trivandrum. You cannot travel from Kanyakumari to Trivandrum on 9th early morning as the travel is almost 2 to 2-1/2 hrs with narrow roads.

My probable itinerary will be:

5th October - Morning proceed to Dhanushkodi and come back. Evening visit Rameshwaram Temple and rest at your leisure.

6th October - Morning take a bus to Madurai and it is 3-1/2 hrs travel to Madurai from Rameshwaram. Visit Meenakshi Amman Temple, Mahal and Thiruparankundram and stay at Madurai.

7th October - Morning proceed to Kanyakumari (bus/train). Local Sight seeing and Suchindram Temple and stay at Kanyakumari.

8th October - After sunrise, proceed to Trivandrum (bus/ train). Lot of buses from Nagercoil (15Kms from Kanyakumari). After reaching Trivandrum, visit Temple, Shangumugham Beach etc. stay.

9th October - Leave for Lucknow.

Regards

Balaji

Hi all,

I am visiting my brother along with my parents on 11th March(reaching Bangalore). I also have a return ticket from Bangalore on the 18th March. In between is it possible to cover to Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram, and Kodaikanal so that we get back to Banglore on the friday morning or night. We would want to take trains and alternative would be Buses. Stay mostly in Kanyakumari and Kodaikanal. If kodaikanal becomes a tough ask we could leave that and stay in Madurai may be.. along with the local sight seeing...

Thanks in advance.

travelorpaul,
You have not mentioned your TIME of arrival/departure at Bangalore.

You may have a tentative itinerary like. This may appear just short of 1 day in case you are reaching/departing B'lore in the evening/morning respectively. I also have not assume any time for you in B'lore:

11Mar: Afternoon- take a bus. Reach Madurai at night. Check in at hotel.
12Mar: Goto Rameswaram & Dhanushkodi and back at night.
13Mar: Cover Madurai temple visits. Start at night/evening (?) for Kanya.
14mar: Visit the Rock Memorial & other temples. Start for Kodaikanal- bus/train (Nagerkoil).
15Mar: If you have a hotel booking @ Kodai, ask them to pick you up from Kodai Road Rly. Stn. Or else, you would get cabs from teh stn itself which you have to negotiate on spot.
16Mar: Kodai siteseeing.
17Mar: Reach in the morning. If you afford to reach in the evening, you'd have 1/2 more day for Kodai.

Sorry, I do not have much idea on the buses. But, KPN has good buses & connections. I personally have travelled with them on the afternoon bus from B'lore to Madurai.

@ animdas : travelorpaul want to be back at Bangalore on 16th.

@ travelorpaul - assuming that you will reach Bangalore in the morning / afternoon. Please find the animdas' itinerary with slight modification.

11th - @21.20hrs - Take Mysore-Tuticorin Express (16732) to Madurai.

12th - @7.20hrs - reach Madurai. Take a hotel, get refreshed up and visit Meenakshi Amman Temple, Thiruparankundram, Thirumalainaicker Mahal. Better arrange a cab.

@ 23.40hrs- Take Kanyakumari Express (12789) to Kanyakumari and reach Kanyakumari.

13th - @4.20hrs reach Kanyakumari. Entire Day at Kanyakumari. Visit Vivekananda Memorial, Temple, Thiruvalluvar Statue, Gandhi Mandapam, Suchindram Thanumalayan Temple.

@ 22.00hrs - Take Kanyakumari- Rameswaram Express (12790) to Rameswaram.

14th - @5.20hrs reach Rameswaram. Check in and proceed to Dhanushkodi(Arrange a Jeep from the Hotel). After coming back from Dhanushkodi, proceed to take bath in 22 wells. Visit Rameswaram Temple in the afternoon @15.30hrs and rest at leisure.

You can come back to Madurai either on 14th evening or on 15th morning either through Bus or Train.

15th - Visit Azhagar Kovil, Pazhamuthircholai and evening @19.50hrs Catch Mysore express to reach Bangalore on 16th.

If you want to visit Kodaikanal then your departure from Kodai Road should be on 16th night in the same train @20.33hrs. 15th afternoon, you can proceed to Kodaikanal and stay back there and leave to Kodai Road by 16th evening.

Due to time constraint, even though you can have peaceful dharshan, you have to stick to the time. Please book the tickets in advance.

Regards

Balaji

/** Cross Posted with Balaji **/
Travelorpaul,

Probable itenary.

10-Mar (Night) - Board Kanyakumari Express from Bangalore
11,12-> Tourist spots of kanyakumari. Board Rameswaram Express on 12th night
13-> Early Morning Arrival in Rameswaram.Visit Temple,beach and Dhanuskodi and board Passenger Train to Madurai @17:35 hours which will reach Madurai Jn at 21:15 Hours. Stay at Lodge.
14--> Madurai Tourist spots
15--> Madurai Tourist spots until 12 pm. Board Kodaikanal bound bus from Madurai and you will be in Kodai by evening. Rest For the day
16,17 --> Kodaikanal Tourist spots. Book Cab and ask them to Leave you at "Kodai Road Railway Station" (Board Train#6731 Dep:20:35 Hrs Arr:Bangalore 18th 06:30 Hrs)

This way all your long distances are in train and will be extremely comfortable especially for aged people.

If you need more info, Pleast post.

Velu

Good options, @pmvelu

Just 2 cents: usually, I found both these trains (to Madurai or Kanyakumari) always full .
What would be his other options?

.

Bus is the only other alternative animdas (If on Budget).

2A, 3A and SL berths are currently available on the Kanyakumari Express from Bangalore to Kanyakumari as well as from Madurai to Bangalore. The Madurai to Bangalore leg has very few 2A/3A berths still unsold though.

Hi, Thanks for the replies and sorry for not getting back earlier.

I am going to reach Bangalore on 11th afternoon and can star another journey in the night only. So the night train was good option but tickets are not available, so I'll take bus.
11Mar: Night- take a bus. Reach Madurai at next morning. Check in at hotel.
12Mar: Goto Rameswaram & Dhanushkodi and back at night.
13Mar: Cover Madurai temple visits. Start at night/evening (?) for Kanyakumari.train is not a option as it departs at 2 in the night. so please suggest some option here.
14mar: Visit the Rock Memorial & other temples. Parents want night stay here.
15Mar: move to kodaikanal from kanyakumari?? spend the night
16Mar: Kodai siteseeing and Back to Bangalore

Can I do this?? missing link is transportation from madurai to kanyakumari and kanyakumari to kodaikanal!! and also to bangalore.

also in kanyakumari is staying option available?

hotel suggestions in Madurai/kanyakumari/kodaikanal would be welcome...

Also how is the general road conditions in these places??

Thanks.

Update:

I have done a booking of a tavera for the five days travel from Madurai & Back covering Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and Kodaikanal. I am not booking any hotel in advance as I have been informed that this is the off season and hotels are in plenty. Can someone help me with the general road conditions and weather during this period?
Also, what kind of cuisine we should definitely try in these places?

While this thread might have ended, just wanted to share the successful trip experience here. So a detailed travelogue may be found here: Tamil Nadu travelogue

Hi Guys,
What about hiring a car from Madurai > Rameshwaram > Thruchi. If we managed to hire a car from Madurai we can use that for our local needs as well. We planned travel by train (2ppl). I think if it is a car it will be more convenient for us in many ways. Did anyone know how much it’ll cost (Car + Driver)? In this case do we have to take care driver’s accommodation as well or it will be part of their package. We will be there in Oct 2012 so I have plenty of time to short everything…