[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by sbala

Thanks Ampere. I will seriously give a thought about this.



Awesome procrj. This really helps. Appreciate it.

In fact, you don't really need to stay there. You can see all the places in a day drive or even with a boat ride. Staying is better with http://www.oysteropera.in/ but slightly costly and more scenic.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by procrj

C.R Patna - Holenarsipura via SH121 beautiful roads. .

Is it easy to find directions? Where do we deviate from NH48? Should we enter CR Patna town?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Is it easy to find directions? Where do we deviate from NH48? Should we enter CR Patna town?

Yes you need to enter CR Patna town and then take the road towards Holenarsipura. Once you cross the railway underpass and take a right onto SH8 towards Holenarsipura, you need go a few kms ahead and then you will see this right turn for Agrahara. Intersection has a proper board which says Agrahara right. Take the right and you are on SH121.
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/ix1CYXtnVJy

[sbala]

Tried Madikeri - Sulia - Cherkala - bekal route last Friday. Roads were butter smooth thorough out the way except 2 or 3 places. What a scenic road !! Absolutely loved driving on this road.

While coming back, tried Bekal - Panathur - Sulia - Subramanya road as We wanted to have a darshan at Kukke Subramanya temple. Roads were manageable till Panathur from Bekal. But Panathur -> Sulia is in worst condition. There werent any roads, just mud in certain stretches. I took this road to try out a different route. Though the road offer scenic views, too many pot holes spoils your driving experience.

Sulia -> Subramanya route absolutely gem to drive.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by sbala

Sulia -> Subramanya route absolutely gem to drive.

how is Gundya - Sakleshpur holding up? Have been planning a trip to Subramanya for a while now.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by sbala

Tried Madikeri - Sulia - Cherkala - bekal route last Friday. Roads were butter smooth thorough out the way except 2 or 3 places. What a scenic road !! Absolutely loved driving on this road.


Sulia -> Subramanya route absolutely gem to drive.

Compeled my Bekal trip. Onward. Sept 3rd. Start time - 5:10 AM. End time 1:40 PM. Distance 437 KMs.

Route - Whitefield - Nelamangala -CR Patna - Holenarsipur - Arkalagud - Kushal nagar - Madikeri - Sullya - Cherkala - Kasargod - Bekal.
Had planned to take - Arkalagud-Shanivarasanthe-Somwarpet-Madikeri
route but before Arkalagud saw a sign board to Madikeri and took it. Later realised that it is not via Shanivarasanthe-Somwarpet. Maps took through some village road and finally entered 23 KMS before Kushal nagar.
Absolutely enjoyed Madikeri - Sullya - Jalsoor. Jalsoor- Cherakala is also nice.

Took the Bekal - Cherkala - Jalsoor - Subramanya -Gundya - Sakelshpur - Hassan Bangalore - Whitefield.

Start time 9:50 AM. End time 5:50 PM. Distance 413 KMS.

Jalsoor - Gundya is very nice and scenic.

Originally Posted by procrj

how is Gundya - Sakleshpur holding up? Have been planning a trip to Subramanya for a while now.

Gundya to Sakleshpur is broken. There are many sections where you have to
navigate in 2nd gear. Even the concrete section has started breaking at few places. Sakleshpur to Hassan is also patchy at places. Traffic was less though. Found road repair material on the sides. Might be patched up soon. But avoid this currently.

Bekal - Sakleshpur took 4 hours for 160 KMs.
Sakleshpur to Whitefield was done in 3 hours 40 mins due to low traffic.

[sbala]

Originally Posted by procrj

how is Gundya - Sakleshpur holding up? Have been planning a trip to Subramanya for a while now.

As Pramod said, Gundya - Sakleshpur is really worse, even with XUV. Cement roads have some knee deep craters. Got really tired driving this section due to traffic as well as the bad roads. Otherwise, Roads are pretty decent.

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by sbala

As Pramod said, Gundya - Sakleshpur is really worse, even with XUV. Cement roads have some knee deep craters. Got really tired driving this section due to traffic as well as the bad roads. Otherwise, Roads are pretty decent.

Hi Bala, I am driving from Bangalore to Bekal this weekend and am planning to take the below route

Bangalore -> Hassan ->Sakleshpur -> Gundya -> Subrahmanya -> Jalsoor -> Bekal

From what I see in the recent updates, Sakleshpur -> Gudya seem to be the worst stretch as of now. You gave me the jitters when you said even XUV500 has difficulty negotiating the craters. I am driving a Punto and not sure if I should take the Madikeri road instead. Can you confirm if that stretch is really not drivable in small cars?

[sbala]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Hi Bala, I am driving from Bangalore to Bekal this weekend and am planning to take the below route

Bangalore -> Hassan ->Sakleshpur -> Gundya -> Subrahmanya -> Jalsoor -> Bekal

From what I see in the recent updates, Sakleshpur -> Gudya seem to be the worst stretch as of now. You gave me the jitters when you said even XUV500 has difficulty negotiating the craters. I am driving a Punto and not sure if I should take the Madikeri road instead. Can you confirm if that stretch is really not drivable in small cars?

Very deep craters.. All low GC cars were driving zigzag to avoid getting into those. You can pass through them slowly with enough patience . Trucks and other slow moving vehicles will test your patience as well . Other than this stretch, the route is awesome to drive.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Hi Bala, I am driving from Bangalore to Bekal this weekend and am planning to take the below route

Bangalore -> Hassan ->Sakleshpur -> Gundya -> Subrahmanya -> Jalsoor -> Bekal

From what I see in the recent updates, Sakleshpur -> Gudya seem to be the worst stretch as of now. You gave me the jitters when you said even XUV500 has difficulty negotiating the craters. I am driving a Punto and not sure if I should take the Madikeri road instead. Can you confirm if that stretch is really not drivable in small cars?

Would recomment this route. Had driven on Sep 3rd. Roads are good and scenic.
Bangalore -> CR Patna - Holenarsipur -Madikeri - Sullya - Cherkala - Kasargod - Bekal

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by sbala

Very deep craters.. All low GC cars were driving zigzag to avoid getting into those. You can pass through them slowly with enough patience . Trucks and other slow moving vehicles will test your patience as well . Other than this stretch, the route is awesome to drive.

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Would recomment this route. Had driven on Sep 3rd. Roads are good and scenic.
Bangalore -> CR Patna - Holenarsipur -Madikeri - Sullya - Cherkala - Kasargod - Bekal

Thank you Pramod and Bala. Based on your feedback, I am planning to drive the below route now. I have a stop for one night at Kukke before I drive to Bekal during onward journey. So the route will be

First day - Onward to Kukke:

Bangalore -> CR Patna - Holenarsipur -Madikeri - Suliya -Kukke

Second day - Kukke to Bekal

Kukke - Jalsoor - Cherkala - Bekal

Third day - Return to Bangalore

Bekal - Cherkala - Suliya - Madikeri - Kushalnagar - Holenarasipur -> CRPatna - Bangalore

Thanks so much once again guys. Google maps show an extra 90 minute from Bangalore to Kukke if I take the Madikeri route rather than sakleshpur route. But given that Shiradi ghat is not is good shape, I am hopeful my planned route will overall work better. If anyone has recently traveled from Madikeri to Kukke, road condition update would be helpful.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Thank you Pramod and Bala. Based on your feedback, I am planning to drive the below route now. I have a stop for one night at Kukke before I drive to Bekal during onward journey. So the route will be

First day - Onward to Kukke:

Bangalore -> CR Patna - Holenarsipur -Madikeri - Suliya -Kukke

Second day - Kukke to Bekal

Kukke - Jalsoor - Cherkala - Bekal

Third day - Return to Bangalore

Bekal - Cherkala - Suliya - Madikeri - Kushalnagar - Holenarasipur -> CRPatna - Bangalore

Thanks so much once again guys. Google maps show an extra 90 minute from Bangalore to Kukke if I take the Madikeri route rather than sakleshpur route. But given that Shiradi ghat is not is good shape, I am hopeful my planned route will overall work better. If anyone has recently traveled from Madikeri to Kukke, road condition update would be helpful.

If you going to Kukke, better to take Bangalore - Sakleshpur - Gundya - Kukke. Around 10 - 15 kms of bad roads.

Madkikkeri - Kukke - Roads are good. Ghat section with less traffic.

Return route would be

Bekal - Cherkala - Suliya - Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasanthe - Arkalagud - Holenarsipura - CR Patna - Bangalore

I missed this route and had to go via Kushal Nagar.

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

If you going to Kukke, better to take Bangalore - Sakleshpur - Gundya - Kukke. Around 10 - 15 kms of bad roads.

Madkikkeri - Kukke - Roads are good. Ghat section with less traffic.

Return route would be

Bekal - Cherkala - Suliya - Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasanthe - Arkalagud - Holenarsipura - CR Patna - Bangalore

I missed this route and had to go via Kushal Nagar.

Thanks for the suggestion Pramod. Will probably take the Sakleshpur -> Gundya -> Kukke while going.

On the way back, I saw that Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasanthe - Arkalagud is mostly twisties through the Ghat section while Madikeri -> Kushalnagar has lesser Ghat section. I am not sure about the condition of the road for Somwarpet option also. Did you travel that section recently?

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by gopikb

On the way back, I saw that Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasanthe - Arkalagud is mostly twisties through the Ghat section while Madikeri -> Kushalnagar has lesser Ghat section. I am not sure about the condition of the road for Somwarpet option also. Did you travel that section recently?

As per reports in this thread Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasanthe - Arkalagud is in good shape. I could not take it as I missed the way at Arkalagud and ended up near Kushal Nagar while going to Bekal.

[DragonHawk]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Thanks for the suggestion Pramod. Will probably take the Sakleshpur -> Gundya -> Kukke while going.

On the way back, I saw that Madikeri - Somwarpet - Shanivarasanthe - Arkalagud is mostly twisties through the Ghat section while Madikeri -> Kushalnagar has lesser Ghat section. I am not sure about the condition of the road for Somwarpet option also. Did you travel that section recently?

Shanivarsante-Somwarpet-Madikeri stretch is good with twisty roads. Traffic is less but scenery makes your journey enjoyable. However travelling at night post 8pm should be strictly avoided as this area is prone to elephants. I have been regular in this stretch for quite sometime when Shiradi was closed due to repairs and couple of months back I had taken this route to Puttur in my bike and it is my preferred route than Kushalnagar one.