Weekend trips from Chennai

18 getaways ranked by distance — budgets and durations from real planned trips.

Quick answer

The closest weekend escapes from Chennai are Pondicherry (136 km), Shivanasamudra (348 km), Srisailam (365 km). Everything below is within 663 km — doable between a Friday evening and a Monday morning.

Under 250 km — leave Friday evening

Pondicherry

French quarter streets, seafront promenades and Auroville.

136 km away2–3 days~₹2,500/dayBest: October–February

Chennai to Pondicherry

160 km4h 55m~₹9,988/person

250–450 km — overnight bus or early train

Shivanasamudra

Twin Kaveri waterfalls and coracle rides in Karnataka.

348 km away4–4 days~₹3,000/dayBest: August–January

Srisailam

A hilltop Jyotirlinga above the Krishna river in Andhra.

365 km away4–4 days~₹2,700/dayBest: October–February

Mysore

Royal palaces, Chamundi Hill and old-city Mysore charm.

403 km away2–3 daysBest: October–March

Ooty

The Nilgiris' hill queen — toy train, tea factories and eucalyptus air.

430 km away2–3 days~₹2,900/dayBest: March–June

Kodaikanal

The princess of hill stations — misty cliffs, pine forests and star-shaped lake.

438 km away2–3 days~₹2,100/dayBest: September–January

Chennai to Ooty

550 km14h 30m~₹11,463/person

450–700 km — long weekend territory

Waynad

Spice plantations, waterfalls and ancient caves in Kerala's hills.

480 km away2–4 days~₹4,500/dayBest: October–March

Hampi

A ruined empire in a boulder desert — temples, coracles and sunsets.

481 km away2–3 daysBest: October–February

Munnar

Kerala's tea country — emerald slopes, misty passes and Eravikulam's tahrs.

483 km away2–3 daysBest: September–March

Chikmagalur

Coffee estates, waterfalls and easy Bengaluru-weekend peaks.

488 km away4–4 days~₹2,400/dayBest: September–February

Vythiri

490 km away4–5 days~₹5,100/dayBest: October–March

Coorg

Coffee estates, misty ridges and Kodava hospitality.

494 km away2–3 daysBest: October–March

Madikeri

Coorg coffee hills, waterfalls and misty Madikeri mornings.

497 km away4–4 days~₹8,000/dayBest: October–March

Kerala

Backwaters, tea hills and beaches in one state — best done slowly.

550 km away5–7 days~₹1,500/dayBest: October–February

Kochi

Fort Kochi's colonial quarter, Chinese nets and Kerala's best cafés.

557 km away2–3 days~₹3,500/dayBest: October–February

Udupi

Krishna Matha devotion and coastal food on Karnataka's coast.

599 km away2–3 daysBest: October–February

Kanyakumari

India's southern tip — sunrise and sunset over the same sea.

630 km away2–3 daysBest: October–February

Gokarna

Goa's quieter cousin — cliff-walk beaches and a temple town heart.

663 km away2–4 days~₹1,500/dayBest: October–February

Plan your weekend out of Chennai

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Distances are straight-line and road distances will be longer. Budgets are medians from trips planned on TravBuddy.