I did the same trip in 2005 twice( one with Friends & then with Wife).
It was my first long drive outside Bangalore( in my Newly bought Petra).
When I went there second time, I had a chance to see shooting of some south Indian film.
After visiting, I even started a thread on TBHP on how to reach there.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...bangalore.html (Trip to "Banyan Tree/Manchinabele Dam(Bangalore)")
cheers