Distances

• Distance from Vanamala to Sholurmattam (Nearest bus stop & market) - 4.3kms
• Distance from Vanamala to Kotagiri (Town & nearest taluk headquarters) – 22.4 kms
• Distance from Vanamala to Udagamandalam aka Ooty (Important tourist destination in Nilgiris and district headquarters) – 51.5kms
• Distance from Vanamala to Mettupalayam (Nearest railhead and foothill) - 53.3kms
• Distance from Vanamala to Coimbaotre (Nearest airport) – 88.6kms
• Distance from Vanamala to Chennai – About 560kms
• Distance from Vanamala to Bangalore - About 316kms (This is a picturesque hill route via Mysore & Bandipur National Park but plan sufficient time for travel and enjoy the route)

Tranport

Nearest airport is Coimbatore which is 88.6kms from Vanamala. Daily flights are available to Coimbatore from Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai & Delhi.

Nearest railhead is Mettupalayam which is 53.3kms from Vanamala. Train service available to Mettupalayam from Coimbatore and Chennai. There is an overnight train from Chennai to Mettupalayam and return. `Blue Mountain Express’ from Chennai leaves Chennai Central station by 9.15PM and reaches Mettupalayam by 6 AM the next day and leaves Mettupalayam by 7.45PM to reach Chennai Central by 5 AM.

Nearest bus stop to Vanamala is a small town called Sholurmattam. Local buses run from Kotagiri, Mettupalayam and Coimbatore to Sholurmattam. Buses run from Kotagiri to Sholurmattam about one an hour during peak time. Travel time from Kotagiri to Sholurmattam is about 1 hour. Good tarred roads available upto Sholurmattam but be prepared for rough drive as the route is a hill route.

Driving Directions

If you are driving, ask directions for Kotagiri and reach a junction in Kotagiri called Darnington Circle. Kotagiri is a town and route map can be accessed from Google Maps.

At Darnington Circle (Just before Kotagiri town when you drive from Mettupalayam) take the road leading to Kodanadu (Right when you drive from Mettupalayam and left when you drive from Coonoor or Ooty and drive on Kotagiri to Kodanadu Road.

Look for a junction called `S.Kaikatty’ and take right turn (Orange and Green colour Vanamala signboards available at all junctions from here) towards Sholurmattam Road. Drive past villages called Queenshola and Honnatti. At Honnatti junction, take the road leaning towards left. Drive past a small town called `Kilkotagiri’ and reach `Sholurmattam’ bus stop. Look for Vanamala signboard and drive straight from Sholurmattam bus stop and you will reach a tea factory called `Kilkotagiri tea factory’ or `Bomman Tea factory’. Drive past the tea factory and take the right turn immediately after the tea factory (near the signboard `Kadasolai’). Reset your odometer counter at this junction and drive for exactly 2.9kms and you will reach the big signboard `Vanamala’. `Vanamala’ house is on the footpath from the road.

You might need to tread about 70m footpath from the main road. SUVs can reach upto the house. Please plan suitably if there are elders or people with walking disability in your group. Please contact your host if you are doubtful.