Travelling by road may very well be the best option if one wants to get to Kotagiri. Starting from the plains, getting to Coonoor by any vehicle is easy enough. The Kotagiri Ghat road route, which is also the oldest known route to the Nilgiris from the plains, is the best way you can get. Getting on this route from Mettupalayam, you can pass through Aravenu and then reach Kotagiri. The distance from Mettupalayam to Kotagiri along this route is a mere 33 kilometres. The fact that the road is well maintained only adds to its appeal.
Head east on Hyderabad - Janagam Hwy/Koti Women's College Rd/Main Rd
Turn left toward Sultan Bazar Juction Rd/Sultan Bazar-Ramkote Main Rd
At Sultan Bazar Chowrasta, continue onto Sultan Bazar Juction Rd/Sultan Bazar-Ramkote Main Rd
Continue straight through Ramkoti Chowrasta
Continue onto King Koti Rd
Continue straight onto Old MLA Quarters Rd
Continue straight onto Hyderguda-Basheerbagh Rd
Hyderguda-Basheerbagh Rd turns slightly left and becomes Bade Ustad Gulam Ali Khan Marg/LB Stadium Rd
Continue straight onto LB Stadium Rd
At Public Garden X Rd, take the 2nd exit onto NH 44/NH65
Turn left at Ravindra Bharti X Rd onto NH65
Continue straight
Turn right onto AC Guards Rd/Utkoor - Mogdumpur Rd
Keep right to continue on Masab Tank Flyover
Merge onto Masab Tank Road/Mehdipatnam - Banjara Hills Rd/Moghal Ka Nala Ring Rd/Utkoor - Mogdumpur Rd
Continue straight onto PV Narasimha Rao Expy
Merge onto NH 44
Keep right to stay on NH 44
Continue straight to stay on NH 44
Slight left
Keep left to continue toward NH 44
Take the ramp on the right onto NH 44
Continue straight to stay on NH 44
NH 44 turns right and becomes NH75
Turn right to stay on NH75
Exit onto Vidyaranyapura - Nanjangud Rd
Take the ramp to NH48
Continue onto NH48
Exit onto NH275
Keep right to stay on NH275
Turn left at Maddur Cir onto Malavalli - Madduru Rd/Malavalli Main Rd
Turn right onto Jattipalla - Kanakapura Rd/Malavalli - Mysore Rd/Mandya - Belakavadi Rd/Mysore Rd
Turn left onto T Narasipura - Srirangapatna Rd
Turn right onto Belakavadi - T Narasipura Rd/Tirumakudalu Narasipura - Sira Rd/T Narasipura - Srirangapatna Rd
Turn left toward NH766
Take the ramp on the right onto NH766
Turn right onto Kozhikode - Mysore - Kollegal Rd/Mysore - Kollegal Rd/Mysore - Trichy Rd/Tirumakudalu Narasipura - Chamarajanagar Rd
Turn left onto NH948
Turn right onto Bannari-Bhavanisagar Rd/Puliampatti-Bhavanisagar-Bannari Rd
Slight left at Nagamani Stores
Turn left onto Kothamangalam Road
Turn right
Turn right onto Dodampalayam Bridge
Turn right
Turn right onto Bhavanisagar-Erangattur Rd
Turn left
Turn right at Nallroad Bus Stop onto Mettupalayam - Cuddalore Rd/Puliampatti-Bhavanisagar-Bannari Rd/Sathyamangalam - Mettupalayam Main Rd
At Amul Ice Cream, continue onto Mettupalayam - Bhavanisagar Rd/Puliampatti - Mettupalayam - Meenampalayam Rd/Sirumugai Rd
Mettupalayam - Bhavanisagar Rd/Puliampatti - Mettupalayam - Meenampalayam Rd/Sirumugai Rd turns left and becomes Annaji Rao Road/Mokkai Rd
Turn right at SIMCO MARKETING toward NH181
Turn right at Ranga Lodge onto NH181
Turn right at Vairam Hardware onto Mettupalayam - Kotagiri Rd
Turn left at Thirumurugan Stores
Turn left at the monument onto Franciscan Brothers Rd/Kota Hall Rd