Pune to Ooty (Feedback reqd on this route)

[footloose15]

Hi Friends,

I am planning for a trip from Pune to Ooty. I have gone through the forum and have decided for following route:-

1. Pune-Belgaum-Hubli-Harihar-Shimoga-Tarikere-Arsikere-Channarayapatna-K R Pet-Srirangapatna-Mysore-ooty

OR

2. Pune-Belgaum-Hubli-Harihar-Shimoga-Tarikere-Chikmagalur-Hassan-Hunsur-Bandipur-ooty

The problem about the second route is that there is no info about it in the forums(after Tarikere I have chosen a diff route). I was hoping if you guys have any idea then you can guide me. My main motive was to bypass Mysore(am not sure whether this a good decision or not.). The reason to bypass Mysore is that I have 7 days time in which approx 3-4 days will be spent in driving, so that leaves me with 3 days to spend in ooty. If i do sightseeing in Mysore then I get less time in ooty.
I am more interested in ooty .

Thanks,

Rohan

[nutmello]

hi. the first route is almost correct. instead of traking right turn at harihar to shimoga, continue on the NH further down to Chitradurga and then take the right turn just before the chitradurga town. you will get into a town bye pass. continue on the road till you get another main road. take a right turn ( State high way - srirangapatna - bidar) to mysore. excellent road all the way till mysore.from durga to mysore it will be about 275 kms- 5 hrs drive time.you will pass thro turvekere, mayasandra, adi chunchanagiri vertically cross the blr- mlr NH at bellur cross and reach nagamangala, straight to srirangapatna.
the harihara shimoga arsikere is in bad condition and takes lot of time compared to the route that i have suggested.
You cannot bye pass mysore but have to travel thro the city to go to ooty. do let me know if you need any hotel booking in mysore or at coonor.

[footloose15]

thanks nutmello. Will definitely keep you posted.

[addyhemmige]

I would suggest the second route with a small change. I do not know the condition between Harihar & Shimoga. But after Shimoga, you will have good roads all the way to Mysore.

The route I suggest is

Pune-Belgaum-Hubli-Harihar-Shimoga-Tarikere-Lingadahalli-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan-Hole Narsipur-KR Nagar-Mysore-Gundlupet-Ooty

The only bad stretches you encounter are (from Shimoga onwards)
1. Just after Shimoga where 4 laning work is going on (a couple of kms, not sure exactly)
2. Exit of Chikmagalur (a few hundred meters)
3. Inside Hassan (3-4 kms)
4. Between Mysore & Nanjangud (approx 20 kms)
5. Between Gundlupet & Bandipur gate (approx 10-15 kms)

The Hunsur Bandipur road is not in good shape. So, it makes better sense to go through Mysore even if you don't want to do sight seeing.

To avoid entering Mysore City, take a right at the ring road (when you come from KR Nagar) towards Bandipur/Ooty.

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

I would suggest the second route with a small change. I do not know the condition between Harihar & Shimoga. But after Shimoga, you will have good roads all the way to Mysore.

The route I suggest is

Pune-Belgaum-Hubli-Harihar-Shimoga-Tarikere-Lingadahalli-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan-Hole Narsipur-KR Nagar-Mysore-Gundlupet-Ooty

The only bad stretches you encounter are (from Shimoga onwards)
1. Just after Shimoga where 4 laning work is going on (a couple of kms, not sure exactly)
2. Exit of Chikmagalur (a few hundred meters)
3. Inside Hassan (3-4 kms)
4. Between Mysore & Nanjangud (approx 20 kms)
5. Between Gundlupet & Bandipur gate (approx 10-15 kms)

The Hunsur Bandipur road is not in good shape. So, it makes better sense to go through Mysore even if you don't want to do sight seeing.

To avoid entering Mysore City, take a right at the ring road (when you come from KR Nagar) towards Bandipur/Ooty.

I'd have suggested simply to hit Bangalore first and then move on to the mysore road and to ooty via bandipur but the routes mentioned above seem to be more interesting. hope you have a good time and write a good travelogue after your trip. have you frozen on the accomodation? ping me and i'll give you some interesting options.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

I'd have suggested simply to hit Bangalore first and then move on to the mysore road and to ooty via bandipur but the routes mentioned above seem to be more interesting. hope you have a good time and write a good travelogue after your trip. have you frozen on the accomodation? ping me and i'll give you some interesting options.

Me too.Above routes are interestingThough the fastest routes would be via NH4 till Bangalore(4lane) and then Blore-Mysore(entire stretch is 4Lane),then take the ring road before Mysore which would land you up on the Ooty road which again is in very good shape.enter bandipur,if you have a thrill for hairpin drive take the kalhetty ghat route with 36 steep hair pins bends,but a very short route and once you finsh the 36th bend you are in ooty.this is a much more scenic route than the one through Gudalur considering you would be passing through masinagudi.All the best with your drive.Have a safe one.

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

if you have a thrill for hairpin drive take the kalhetty ghat route with 36 steep hair pins bends,but a very short route and once you finsh the 36th bend you are in ooty.this is a much more scenic route than the one through Gudalur considering you would be passing through masinagudi.All the best with your drive.Have a safe one.

The Kalhatty route is the quickest way from mudumalai to ooty and I love driving up that route. Return by default would be via Gudalur coz the Kalhatty route is too steep and not recommended for the downhill drive.
@footloose, what car are you driving in?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by 14000rpm

The Kalhatty route is the quickest way from mudumalai to ooty and I love driving up that route. Return by default would be via Gudalur coz the Kalhatty route is too steep and not recommended for the downhill drive.
@footloose, what car are you driving in?

yes agree.i take the downhill route every now and then and what scares the driver all the more are the writings on the rocks which say "Contact 98XXXXXXX for Brake service".Just an indirect way of telling you,brakes are bound to fail

[ampere]

The Nanjangud Gudlupet section has also been repaired. There is new layer of tar poured in that section ! It was fun driving to Ooty from Bangalore 2 months back.

Also the Bangalore -> Mysore -> Gudlupet section has become a virtual eat out place. Coffee days, Baristas, Mac, KFC, Pizza Corner etc are all over the place apart from the traditional Kamat !

Also be sure you plan the timings. They don't allow into Masinagudi route after evening hours.

[14000rpm]

Originally Posted by ampere

The Nanjangud Gudlupet section has also been repaired. There is new layer of tar poured in that section ! It was fun driving to Ooty from Bangalore 2 months back.

now thats good news coz the only pain area of the drive was that section. must drive up once more in the near future.

[ampere]

You can breeze through that Nanjangud -> Gudlupet section and just about 2-3km before Gudlupet, there is a coffee day.

Very strategically placed ! Both for folks going to Ooty as well as Waynad !

The Gudlupet to Bandipur as mentioned earlier in the post is really bad for about 10-15km. From Bandipur it is a breeze again.

[footloose15]

Hi Guys,

Really thanks for all your suggestions. I think more or less i might try the routes suggested by nutmello and addyhemmige, sounds new and interesting. Harihar shimoga route is bad as @nutmello said. So might continue till chitradurga and then take diversions to mysore.
However I do agree doing it via bangalore will be a faster option.

@14000rpm Ill be travelling in a 2007 wagon r(vxi). I have not frozen on the accommodation. This is going to be a October end or Early Nov trip. Since this is a 1000 kms trip(one way) I was also wondering where should i halt after a day of driving. Its going to be in the 600-700 kms range(in a day). Earlier I had managed 550 kms in a day in wagon r(That was Pune to Baroda started at 3 AM and reached at 1:30 or 2 PM) So will try to get accomodation accordingly. Please do suggest options .

Thanks

[nutmello]

hi
returned from ooty last night. acomodation - in mysore is difficult unless you book in advance as of now due to dasara festivales. all hotels are booked and tariff will be very high. do let me know if you need one, i can talk to some of the hotels. same story in ooty also. holiday season here.
do not drive to Blr and return to mysore. it will be very lengthy and huge traffic headache as you near blr. taking right turn at chitradurga is the best route. perfectly fine road ( not a single pot hole), however be careful for the sharp turns near nagamangala.
decent accomodation will be difficult to find once you leave hubli.Hubli to mysore will take about 10 + hours.If you leave by 6 am then you can try to reach mysore by 7pm. i doubt if you can find even a good toilet enroute.so plan carefully.
why not take a train to mysore and take a cab to ooty and around ? just a thought though.