[DudeWithaFiat]

Bumping up an old thread.

Is Route 2 (Kochi-Gudalur(NH212) Gundlupet-Mysore-SH17-Srirangapatna-SH19-Pandavapura-Nagamangala- Tuvurekere- NH4- Hiriyur- chitradurga- NH13 Davangere-Kudligi-Hospet-Hampi) good for a solo bike ride? I'm planning a solo 10 days rides starting from Kochi in August.

Thanks in advance.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by DudeWithaFiat

Bumping up an old thread.

Is Route 2 (Kochi-Gudalur(NH212) Gundlupet-Mysore-SH17-Srirangapatna-SH19-Pandavapura-Nagamangala- Tuvurekere- NH4- Hiriyur- chitradurga- NH13 Davangere-Kudligi-Hospet-Hampi) good for a solo bike ride? I'm planning a solo 10 days rides starting from Kochi in August.

Thanks in advance.

No safety issues absolutely.If you stick to just day time driving,you should be perfectly good to go.

[DudeWithaFiat]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

No safety issues absolutely.If you stick to just day time driving,you should be perfectly good to go.

Thanks Ranjit.

Yes, I will be riding only during daytime. Do you know of any alternate route where I can get down for stay or spend time for some good photography? Is the 'Route 2' scenic?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by DudeWithaFiat

Thanks Ranjit.

Yes, I will be riding only during daytime. Do you know of any alternate route where I can get down for stay or spend time for some good photography? Is the 'Route 2' scenic?

If you want a scenic route,why dont you consider the below route:

Gundlupet-Mysore ORR-Hunsur Road-Bilekere-KR Nagar-Holenarsipur-Hassan-Belur-Halebid-Belavadi-Chikmagalur-Kadur-Shimoga-Jog Falls-Siddapur-Sirsi-Yellapur-NH63-Hubli-Gadag-Koppal-Hospet-Hampi-NH13-Chitradurga-NH4-Tumkur-NICE Road-Salem-Perundurai-Kangayam-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Wadakancheri-Thrissur-Kochi,

You could keep Chikmagalur as the base and explore Mulayangiri Peak (highest peak in KA).The UNESCO protected structures at Belur and Halebeed and the ancient structure at Belavadi which is quite a piece of construction.The coffee estates of Chikmagalur,Jog falls,the forest vistas between Jog and Yellapur,keep hospet as base and explore Hampi,come back via NH13 to Chitradurga-Tumkur-Salem-Perundurai,the vistas and windmills around Pollachi,the lush green fields of Kollengode-Pazhayannur

The map for your reference:

https://www.google.co.in/maps?saddr=...,10,12&t=m&z=7

[JohnnyBoss]

Please suggest the best route (means good roads and shortest distance) from Hampi to Madanthyar near Belthangadi via Davangere (want to try the Benne Dosa there ), Chikmagalur and Mullyanagari.

Will 12 hours be enough to cover the distance with a break, say 2 hour, at Mullyanagari and other usual food and bio stops?

Thank you.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

Thank you.

There are two options. One is NH13 all the way. Chitradurga Shimoga Tirthahalli Sringeri Bajagolli Belthangady. Good roads all the way via ghats. Only section bad is the Chitradurga Shimoga section.

For Benne Dosa I think you may be subjecting yourself to narrow roads by taking this second option. This option is also bad at quite many sections. Still if you want to take that option.. Chitradurga Bhadra Kadur Ckm Aldur Balehannur Mudigere Charmady Belthangady. Broken roads at many places.

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by ampere

There are two options. One is NH13 all the way. Chitradurga Shimoga Tirthahalli Sringeri Bajagolli Belthangady. Good roads all the way via ghats. Only section bad is the Chitradurga Shimoga section.

Thank you sir for the prompt response. But I'll miss Mullyanagari. Is it possible to cover the place also following the route suggested by you in the same day?

[Bijoy&Indu]

Dear BHPians,

We are planning a trip from Cochin to Hampi on September 1st. We are a family of 2 adults and a 3 year old kid. There will be 2 drivers and we would be driving a 530d. We would have loved to take the Bangalore - Tumkur route, but don't want to get stuck in the Bangalore traffic on a Friday evening.

We plan to take Cochin - Palakkad - Coimbatore - Sathyamangalam - Chamarajanagar - Srirangapatna - Huliyar - Hiriyur - Challakere - Rampura - Hyatt Place Hotel Toranagallu.

Can any one give an update on the current situation of the roads.

As per google maps it will take 15 hrs. We are planning an early start by 4 am. Will it be possible to reach by around 7 pm? If we get delayed, is it safe to do the stretch from Hiriyur to Hampi at night.

Are there any better routes? Or any way to bypass the Bangalore traffic. Would also like to know about good restaurants on the way.

Thanks in advance,

Bijoy & Indu

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Bijoy&Indu

We plan to take Cochin - Palakkad - Coimbatore - Sathyamangalam - Chamarajanagar - Srirangapatna - Huliyar - Hiriyur - Challakere - Rampura - Hyatt Place Hotel Toranagallu.
...
Are there any better routes? Or any way to bypass the Bangalore traffic. Would also like to know about good restaurants on the way.

Route is fine, though I'm not sure what via points you have in mind for Chamarajanagar-Srirangapatna.
The Hiriyur-challakere stretch barely has any facilities so suggest don't drive late evening/night hours, especially when traveling with family.

However, I would suggest that you consider doing Cochin-Bangalore bypass-Tumkur on day 1 with an overnight halt at Tumkur. Once you take NICE Road, you can exit at Tumkur road and drive to Tumkur.

[iamnarayang]

Originally Posted by NPV

Route is fine, though I'm not sure what via points you have in mind for Chamarajanagar-Srirangapatna.
The Hiriyur-challakere stretch barely has any facilities so suggest don't drive late evening/night hours, especially when traveling with family.

However, I would suggest that you consider doing Cochin-Bangalore bypass-Tumkur on day 1 with an overnight halt at Tumkur. Once you take NICE Road, you can exit at Tumkur road and drive to Tumkur.

If you go via Bangalore, my suggestion will be to take Anantapur, Bellary route to Hampi. I did this route on Sunday, August 13th and found it to be very good.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by iamnarayang

If you go via Bangalore, my suggestion will be to take Anantapur, Bellary route to Hampi. I did this route on Sunday, August 13th and found it to be very good.

This is an option too, but there is no easy way to bypass Bangalore if one needs to get to Bellary Road (NH 7) from Hosur Road (OP will be traveling from Kochi to Bangalore and may find it tough to bypass Bangalore in the evening to go towards Devanahalli). Comparatively, Hosur Road-NICE Road-Tumkur Road will be easier to do.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by Bijoy&Indu

Dear BHPians,

We are planning a trip from Cochin to Hampi on September 1st. There will be 2 drivers and we would be driving a 530d. We would have loved to take the Bangalore - Tumkur route, but don't want to get stuck in the Bangalore traffic on a Friday evening.

If we get delayed, is it safe to do the stretch from Hiriyur to Hampi at night.


Bijoy & Indu

With a 4 AM start from Kochi, you can reach Bangalore Outskirts by 12:00 Noon easily and you can take NICE road exit to Tumkur.

I would not recommend the Hiriyur - Hampi section after dark. Road is deserted and has no facilities.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Bijoy&Indu

Cochin - Palakkad - Coimbatore - Sathyamangalam - Chamarajanagar - Srirangapatna - Huliyar - Hiriyur - Challakere - Rampura - Hyatt Place Hotel Toranagallu

Originally Posted by pramodpk

I would not recommend the Hiriyur - Hampi section after dark. Road is deserted and has no facilities.

+100 to that. In fact I would not recommend the Hiriyur - Challakere - Rampura stretch to anyone driving a low sedan. The speed breakers are monstrous and at Night, I would strongly advise you to pick another route.

But the Chitradurga - Hospet section is also bad due to 4 laning and hence your only viable option for a night drive would be Anantpur - Bellary.

Also do note that Tornagalu - Hampi is a 30 min drive and try not to drive this after sunset as you will have a lot of trucks/cars on high beam and you wont see much of the road.

Bijoy - I would urge you to consider night stop at Hiriyur/Chitradurga/Anantpur and cover the last few hours to Hyatt in broad daylight. Saying this as to get to Hyatt you need to pass through the Jindal Steel plant gates and its only mud & dirt you will encounter from the huge lorries driving on that road. If it has rained, then its mud & slush and in a low sedan, I wouldnt want to risk it after 12+ hours of driving.

Originally Posted by NPV

find it tough to bypass Bangalore in the evening to go towards Devanahalli)

NPV did you not recommend NH648 to get to Hoskote from Hosur via Bagalur?Or was it Ampere. Not sure. But if Bijoy hits hosur by noon, this should be a good option to Bypass Bangalore and go to Deveanahalli via Hoskote.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by procrj

+100 to that. In fact I would not recommend the Hiriyur - Challakere - Rampura stretch to anyone driving a low sedan. The speed breakers are monstrous and at Night, I would strongly advise you to pick another route.

Actually there are near zero humps all the way till Bellary. Even the rumble strips have been removed at many places. Its a good ride now. But the humps start once you hit Bellary. Bellary bypass is a pain with large humps. In general any access to Hampi either via Chellekere/Hiriyur or Anantpur is not advisable at night.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by procrj

NPV did you not recommend NH648 to get to Hoskote from Hosur via Bagalur?Or was it Ampere. Not sure. But if Bijoy hits hosur by noon, this should be a good option to Bypass Bangalore and go to Deveanahalli via Hoskote.

My reasoning was if OP reaches Bangalore in the evening, it is better to take NICE road, hit Tumkur road, stay overnight at Tumkur - perfect day 1 from Kochi to Tumkur. Day 2 can be a relaxed day time drive from Tumkur to Toranagallu.
If OP starts early morning, then Hosur-Bagalur-Hoskote-Devanahalli is an option to get to Bellary via Ananthpur. In that case staying overnight at Ananthpur makes sense. Day 2 can be an easy drive from Ananthpur to Toranagallu.