[Alfa Romeo]

Hey guys
I'm doing a road trip down South from Mumbai on 17th of this month . I would be visiting Coorg (Kutta) for a 4 day trip and still thought of driving down with 4 of us in the car. We have a choice of taking accent viva or maruti ritz..
I am planning to travel to pune Friday night (16th Dec) and stay over at my cousins place and leave for Kutta early morning ( 3 am – 4am) the next day (i.e 17th Dec). I did glance through some of the routes mentioned and now I am a tad bit confused as to which route would be the best for us..I would like to reach Kutta by 9pm the same day …
My questions:
1)Which is the best route to be taken? Keeping in mind this would be my first trip to south and a bit longer road trip.
2)Is it possible to reach kutta by 9 pm the same day ? i.e around 18 hours of driving with some minimum halts.
3)Any suggestive places enroute for breakfast and lunch ?
4)Any alternate / best route from Mumbai ?
5)Which car would better serve the purpose ? keeping in mind the road condition etc ..also ritz is a new car and accent has already clocked 1.2 L kms.
6)Return trip should also be the same route ?
7)Any place if interests enroute or nearby kutta ? I have read about irrupu waterfalls and some place for rafting as well..
8)Planning to buy mapmy india would that be of real help?
I would really appreciate help /suggestions from the experts and thanks all in advance..

[Fortuner71]

Please note for Kutta u have to pass through Nagarhole ( Rajiv Gandhi ) National park . The gates close at 6 pm in the evening . Times might have changed please cross check .

[h@r$h@l]

Originally Posted by Alfa Romeo

Hey guys
I'm doing a road trip down South from Mumbai on 17th of this month . I would be visiting Coorg (Kutta) for a 4 day trip and still thought of driving down with 4 of us in the car. We have a choice of taking accent viva or maruti ritz..
I am planning to travel to pune Friday night (16th Dec) and stay over at my cousins place and leave for Kutta early morning ( 3 am – 4am) the next day (i.e 17th Dec). I did glance through some of the routes mentioned and now I am a tad bit confused as to which route would be the best for us..I would like to reach Kutta by 9pm the same day …
My questions:
1)Which is the best route to be taken? Keeping in mind this would be my first trip to south and a bit longer road trip.
2)Is it possible to reach kutta by 9 pm the same day ? i.e around 18 hours of driving with some minimum halts.
3)Any suggestive places enroute for breakfast and lunch ?
4)Any alternate / best route from Mumbai ?
5)Which car would better serve the purpose ? keeping in mind the road condition etc ..also ritz is a new car and accent has already clocked 1.2 L kms.
6)Return trip should also be the same route ?
7)Any place if interests enroute or nearby kutta ? I have read about irrupu waterfalls and some place for rafting as well..
8)Planning to buy mapmy india would that be of real help?
I would really appreciate help /suggestions from the experts and thanks all in advance..

We did the South Road trip last year. Our route was BBY-Kolhapur-Hampi-Coorg-Jog Falls-Goa-Surat.

All details for the same are on my thread

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-4000-kms.html

Regards,

[Alfa Romeo]

Originally Posted by Fortuner71

Please note for Kutta u have to pass through Nagarhole ( Rajiv Gandhi ) National park . The gates close at 6 pm in the evening . Times might have changed please cross check .

Hi fortuner , thanks for the useful bit..will need to cross check ..basically this is the reason for me to post it so that i get all the updates & info..thnx again

[ampere]

[quote=Alfa Romeo;2600944
1)Which is the best route to be taken? Keeping in mind this would be my first trip to south and a bit longer road trip.
[/QUOTE]
Pune-Bangalore-Mysore-Hunsur-Gonikuppal-Kutta

Route link

2)Is it possible to reach kutta by 9 pm the same day ? i.e around 18 hours of driving with some minimum halts.

Would be a stretch. You can break at Tumkur to start the next day.
This way you would also enjoy the drive beyond Mysore.
Also the forest checkpost at Nagarhole closes in the evening (I think its 9PM).

3)Any suggestive places enroute for breakfast and lunch ?
4)Any alternate / best route from Mumbai ?

Look at Bombay-BLR thread. There are many places suggested.
Kolhapur has a Mac Donald. You also have Kamat hotels along with Petrol bunks on the NH4. The alternative route can be:
- Going via Waynad to Kutta (Pune-Bangalore-Mysore option remains the same)
- There is a method to get off the NH4 much earlier. But I would not suggest that as you get good 4L all the way till Mysore.

5)Which car would better serve the purpose ? keeping in mind the road condition etc ..also ritz is a new car and accent has already clocked 1.2 L kms.

Bigger car is always better. But even Ritz is very comfortable. (If one is a petrol, decision is obvious! )

6)Return trip should also be the same route ?

You can break at Hubli for the day during return

7)Any place if interests enroute or nearby kutta ? I have read about irrupu waterfalls and some place for rafting as well..

There are places, but it depends if you want to explore the Waynad region, or Coorg or spend more time with wild life at Nagarhole.

8)Planning to buy mapmy india would that be of real help?
I would really appreciate help /suggestions from the experts and thanks all in advance..

If you have an Android phone, you can buy MMI maps and they also work well. And they cost only about 2500-3000/-

[Alfa Romeo]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

We did the South Road trip last year. Our route was BBY-Kolhapur-Hampi-Coorg-Jog Falls-Goa-Surat.

All details for the same are on my thread

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-4000-kms.html

Regards,

Thanks harshal , did visit your link ...but i think we wouldn't require to touch hampi..nevertheless some places as mentioned are useful for my trip as well

[Alfa Romeo]

Originally Posted by ampere

Pune-Bangalore-Mysore-Hunsur-Gonikuppal-Kutta

Route link


Would be a stretch. You can break at Tumkur to start the next day.
This way you would also enjoy the drive beyond Mysore.
Also the forest checkpost at Nagarhole closes in the evening (I think its 9PM).


Look at Bombay-BLR thread. There are many places suggested.
Kolhapur has a Mac Donald. You also have Kamat hotels along with Petrol bunks on the NH4. The alternative route can be:
- Going via Waynad to Kutta (Pune-Bangalore-Mysore option remains the same)
- There is a method to get off the NH4 much earlier. But I would not suggest that as you get good 4L all the way till Mysore.


Bigger car is always better. But even Ritz is very comfortable. (If one is a petrol, decision is obvious! )


You can break at Hubli for the day during return


There are places, but it depends if you want to explore the Waynad region, or Coorg or spend more time with wild life at Nagarhole.


If you have an Android phone, you can buy MMI maps and they also work well. And they cost only about 2500-3000/-

Thanks a lot ampere for your suggestions..the route you mentioned passes through BLR , isnt it possible to directly go on NH4 till the destination? google maps shows total distance as 919 kms if we take the NH4 while the BLR route is 1088 kms..is it due to road condition or something you are suggesting this route?

Me and my cousin both would be driving and hence we plan to take the stretch..Basically we do not have many days also to spend..plan to be there for 3 days and return back next week (wednesday).
Need some one to help on the exact time as someone else suggested 6 pm..we should not reach there to find the gates closed

Both are petrol maybe planning to take ritz so that lesser chances of breakdown etc..it being new vehicle

no option to break journey while in the return as well.have to drive all the way.

Wildlife seems a better idea..provided we really get to see some..but do you have any particular suggestions? and surely the MMI maps for android seems better as I am using dell streak (android based)

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Alfa Romeo

Thanks a lot ampere for your suggestions..the route you mentioned passes through BLR , isnt it possible to directly go on NH4 till the destination? google maps shows total distance as 919 kms if we take the NH4 while the BLR route is 1088 kms..is it due to road condition or something you are suggesting this route?


Me and my cousin both would be driving and hence we plan to take the stretch..Basically we do not have many days also to spend..plan to be there for 3 days and return back next week (wednesday).
Need some one to help on the exact time as someone else suggested 6 pm..we should not reach there to find the gates closed

The route I mentioned uses what is called NICE road in Bangalore. Its a 4L bypass along the South West corridor of the Bangalore City. You enter from NH4, get into the NICE road and exit on Mysore road. Mysore road (SH17) is though a SH is also a 4L road all the way.

Since you are two drivers, then you can easily to Mysore in one starting from Pune,

Here is another thread on the same, where other routes are being tried by members.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-option-2.html

[Dhanu@DJ]

Originally Posted by Alfa Romeo

Thanks a lot ampere for your suggestions..the route you mentioned passes through BLR , isnt it possible to directly go on NH4 till the destination? google maps shows total distance as 919 kms if we take the NH4 while the BLR route is 1088 kms..is it due to road condition or something you are suggesting this route?

Me and my cousin both would be driving and hence we plan to take the stretch..Basically we do not have many days also to spend..plan to be there for 3 days and return back next week (wednesday).
Need some one to help on the exact time as someone else suggested 6 pm..we should not reach there to find the gates closed

Yes the forest entry to Nagarhole National park is until 6 PM. The road would remain closed from 6PM to 6AM. There is a resort in the entrance of the National park (Kings Sanctuary) if you get delayed you can actually stay back in a resort to proceed in the morning.

If you take the NH4-Hiriyur- Mysore (or Holenarsipur-Hunsur Road)- Hunsur -Kutta. Most of the road is in good condition.

If you do not want to break at all then you can go via Virajpet -Mysore road to reach Kutta. This does not pass through the National park limits and vehicles are allowed to play through. For this road you need to continue on the Mysore-coorg road even after Hunsur and after about 30 kms you need to take a left towards gonikopal road. Road is good for most part except for about 25 kms.

Here is the google maps link

Both are petrol maybe planning to take ritz so that lesser chances of breakdown etc..it being new vehicle

no option to break journey while in the return as well.have to drive all the way.

Wildlife seems a better idea..provided we really get to see some..but do you have any particular suggestions? and surely the MMI maps for android seems better as I am using dell streak (android based)

Originally Posted by ampere

The route I mentioned uses what is called NICE road in Bangalore. Its a 4L bypass along the South West corridor of the Bangalore City. You enter from NH4, get into the NICE road and exit on Mysore road. Mysore road (SH17) is though a SH is also a 4L road all the way.

Since you are two drivers, then you can easily to Mysore in one starting from Pune,

Here is another thread on the same, where other routes are being tried by members.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-option-2.html

Mysore to Kutta is about 100 odd KMS so if you insist on no breaks you should be good to be there at kutta by about 9 or 10 PM

[Fauji]

I agree with Dhanu. It may be difficult to make it before 6 PM on same day as you are driving from Mumbai. It is recommended to stay in Mysore for the night and then leave early in the morning to Kutta via hunsur - Nagarahole. If you can leave Mysore around 5 AM so that you are there when gate opens at the national park, you have strong chance of seeing wild animals.

Else leave late ans it is 2 hours drive from Mysore.

[Alfa Romeo]

Originally Posted by Fauji

I agree with Dhanu. It may be difficult to make it before 6 PM on same day as you are driving from Mumbai. It is recommended to stay in Mysore for the night and then leave early in the morning to Kutta via hunsur - Nagarahole. If you can leave Mysore around 5 AM so that you are there when gate opens at the national park, you have strong chance of seeing wild animals.

Else leave late ans it is 2 hours drive from Mysore.

Originally Posted by Dhanu@DJ

Yes the forest entry to Nagarhole National park is until 6 PM. The road would remain closed from 6PM to 6AM. There is a resort in the entrance of the National park (Kings Sanctuary) if you get delayed you can actually stay back in a resort to proceed in the morning.

If you take the NH4-Hiriyur- Mysore (or Holenarsipur-Hunsur Road)- Hunsur -Kutta. Most of the road is in good condition.

If you do not want to break at all then you can go via Virajpet -Mysore road to reach Kutta. This does not pass through the National park limits and vehicles are allowed to play through. For this road you need to continue on the Mysore-coorg road even after Hunsur and after about 30 kms you need to take a left towards gonikopal road. Road is good for most part except for about 25 kms.

Here is the google maps link


Mysore to Kutta is about 100 odd KMS so if you insist on no breaks you should be good to be there at kutta by about 9 or 10 PM

Originally Posted by ampere

The route I mentioned uses what is called NICE road in Bangalore. Its a 4L bypass along the South West corridor of the Bangalore City. You enter from NH4, get into the NICE road and exit on Mysore road. Mysore road (SH17) is though a SH is also a 4L road all the way.

Since you are two drivers, then you can easily to Mysore in one starting from Pune,

Here is another thread on the same, where other routes are being tried by members.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-option-2.html

Thanks ampere , dhanu and Fauji for your inputs . Yesterday I was talking to the resort guy where we would be put up . He told that I need to come via Madikeri in which case I wouldn’t require to cross the national park and hence no issues of timing . I assume and believe that he should be right. He has asked us to come till Kutta bus stand / canara bank atm from where his jeep would pick us up. He asked us the car in which we were travelling , and when we said Maruti ritz he asked us to park our car near the bus stand (wherein parking is available) and he would pick us up from there.
So now the route would be I suppose mysore – madikeri . In google maps it shows mysore – madikeri road but it does not touch madikeri. After we turn left onto mysore – madikeri road the distance till kutta bus stand shows a total of around 58 kms..is this route right.
Pune, Maharashtra to Kutta Bus Stand, Kutta, Karnataka 571250 - Google Maps
Dhanu I suppose you are also mentioning the same route if I am not wrong . Could you please let me know the entire route from pune if possible. Yes we are palnning to be there by 9pm . Maybe we take just the mandatory breaks.
Thanks again to all of you

[Dhanu@DJ]

Originally Posted by Alfa Romeo

Thanks ampere , dhanu and Fauji for your inputs . Yesterday I was talking to the resort guy where we would be put up . He told that I need to come via Madikeri in which case I wouldn’t require to cross the national park and hence no issues of timing . I assume and believe that he should be right. He has asked us to come till Kutta bus stand / canara bank atm from where his jeep would pick us up. He asked us the car in which we were travelling , and when we said Maruti ritz he asked us to park our car near the bus stand (wherein parking is available) and he would pick us up from there.
So now the route would be I suppose mysore – madikeri . In google maps it shows mysore – madikeri road but it does not touch madikeri. After we turn left onto mysore – madikeri road the distance till kutta bus stand shows a total of around 58 kms..is this route right.
Pune, Maharashtra to Kutta Bus Stand, Kutta, Karnataka 571250 - Google Maps
Dhanu I suppose you are also mentioning the same route if I am not wrong . Could you please let me know the entire route from pune if possible. Yes we are palnning to be there by 9pm . Maybe we take just the mandatory breaks.
Thanks again to all of you

Yes, I am also quoting you the same route. There are are couple of routes to reach Kutta

Easier and quiet scenic one is
1)Hunsur through Nagarhole national park to kutta. But this is closed for public from 6PM to 6AM. this is about 58 kms. Link . I have driven this route about a month back and road is good. This will be the road you will use if you want to go to safari in nagarhole national park.

2) Hunsur through Gonikopal- Srimagala road is all along the national park border and you do not need to touch Madikeri (Mercera) for this. this about 78 kms. Link . Road is good for about 30-40 kms and average road for next 30 kms.

3) Hunsur all the way till Madikeri then virajpet Road-> Gonikopal and Kutta. Here is the Route link .

I have driven to Madikeri about 20 days back and road is good till madikeri. Going till madikeri to go to Kutta would be simply waste of time so take the second option if you are not in Hunsur town say by around 5.15PM if you enter the forest check post from Hunsur end by about 5.50 PM they will any how let you pass through national park and if you are lucky enough you treat that you had a very good safari. Most of the sightings are around this time. I had an elephant chasing my car around that time in this road some 3 years back

If you can't make it by that time then take the route 2) via mysore-virajpet road.

Here is the complete suggested route. Google maps link

Complete route -
Pune-> Hiriyur (NH4 Until this)-> Huliyar -> K B Cross-> Bellur Cross -> pandavapura cross -> Elivala (near mysore) -> Hunsur -> virajpet- gonikopal road -> kutta

Except couple of sections between Huliyar- Elivala which is 2 lane rest of the road is good.

[Alfa Romeo]

Originally Posted by Dhanu@DJ

Yes, I am also quoting you the same route. There are are couple of routes to reach Kutta

=============
Except couple of sections between Huliyar- Elivala which is 2 lane rest of the road is good.

Hey Dhanu, thanks a ton This explanation was indeed required for me . So as you said if we reach Hunsur by 5ish we take the first option else the second option. Plan to leave pune by 3 - 4 am to be able to reach sooner..Hope it would be possible. The third option is ruled out as you say its a waste of time. I dont know why that resort guy suggested the madikeri route. Anyways finally we two options which we can avail..Btw we have got mapmyindia form one of my friends, hope we see this routes in that as well

And as you said if we get some encounters / sightings in the national park, it would be icing on the cake.

Finally are there any must visit places around kutta? I have read about irrupu waterfalls and a palce for river rafting (but according to the resort guy there are no rapids around this time of year and hence ruled out ).

[Dhanu@DJ]

Originally Posted by Alfa Romeo

Hey Dhanu, thanks a ton This explanation was indeed required for me . So as you said if we reach Hunsur by 5ish we take the first option else the second option. Plan to leave pune by 3 - 4 am to be able to reach sooner..Hope it would be possible. The third option is ruled out as you say its a waste of time. I dont know why that resort guy suggested the madikeri route. Anyways finally we two options which we can avail..Btw we have got mapmyindia form one of my friends, hope we see this routes in that as well

And as you said if we get some encounters / sightings in the national park, it would be icing on the cake.

Finally are there any must visit places around kutta? I have read about irrupu waterfalls and a palce for river rafting (but according to the resort guy there are no rapids around this time of year and hence ruled out ).

It all depends on the rain god. Its not odd to get a shower of 1-2 cms in coorg during this time. If there is a rain of about 1.5 cms nearer to the srimangala tea estate area rafting would be possible. It rained 2 consecutive days while i was there at club mahindra 20 days back.

1)Talacauvery - This is the birth place of river cauvery. Has a scenic view point as well. Entry till 5 or 6PM only. Enroute to this is a temple at "Bagamandala"

2)Nearer to Kutta you have Irupu falls, Tholpatty Forest ( safari available here as well) and Nagrhole National park all these are with in 15-20 kms from Kutta.

3)Kuruva Island - This is an island formed out kabini river. This is beyond tholpatty forest. about 25 kms from kutta.

4)Abbi falls, Raja Seat, Omkareshwara temple, madikeri fort are all in the vicinity of Madikeri which is about 70 kms from Kutta.

5)Bylakuppe tibetian settlement (Golden Temple), Cauvery Nisargadama, Dubbare elephant training and taming camp (best visited early in the morning - Elephants will be fed and given bath before they are left into forest) and Harangi dam all these are in the Mysore - Madikeri road probably you can cover if you wish while move back to Pune.

Adjoining Kutta is the Waynad district of Kerala which also has many scenic and good places. If you are staying a Home stay nearer to Kutta. They would know all these places and they can guide you based on your comfort.

Cheers,

[Alfa Romeo]

Originally Posted by Dhanu@DJ

It all depends on the rain god. Its not odd to get a shower of 1-2 cms in coorg during this time. If there is a rain of about 1.5 cms nearer to the srimangala tea estate area rafting would be possible. It rained 2 consecutive days while i was there at club mahindra 20 days back.

1)Talacauvery - This is the birth place of river cauvery. Has a scenic view point as well. Entry till 5 or 6PM only. Enroute to this is a temple at "Bagamandala"

2)Nearer to Kutta you have Irupu falls, Tholpatty Forest ( safari available here as well) and Nagrhole National park all these are with in 15-20 kms from Kutta.

3)Kuruva Island - This is an island formed out kabini river. This is beyond tholpatty forest. about 25 kms from kutta.

4)Abbi falls, Raja Seat, Omkareshwara temple, madikeri fort are all in the vicinity of Madikeri which is about 70 kms from Kutta.

5)Bylakuppe tibetian settlement (Golden Temple), Cauvery Nisargadama, Dubbare elephant training and taming camp (best visited early in the morning - Elephants will be fed and given bath before they are left into forest) and Harangi dam all these are in the Mysore - Madikeri road probably you can cover if you wish while move back to Pune.

Adjoining Kutta is the Waynad district of Kerala which also has many scenic and good places. If you are staying a Home stay nearer to Kutta. They would know all these places and they can guide you based on your comfort.

Cheers,

hey thanks again, i will make an agenda to visit most of the places as you have listed down..yep we are in a home stay so assuming he knows places around..will try and post a travelogue once I am back...thnx for all the help