Information on Coorg route

Ketan · 29th May 2007, 12:53

I did that same route a couple of weeks back. I kept asking for Hunsur after I took a right turn before Mysore...I remember I was guided to a narrow raod that finally took me to a wildlife checkpost,, one was was going to Virajpet and another one towards Kushalnagar.. I actually remember that I got deviated twice while going,,, We had a plan for Mysore only and on the way we decided to go to Nisargadhama (though I know you have to book that place few days / week in advance), Nisargadhama is a few KMs before KushalNagar.
As I said I got deviated twice while reaching that place and it was really a long route,,I was suppsoed to hit Nisargadhama from Mysore highway side and I found myself arrived to this place from Madikeri side.
However, while returning we took the Mysore road (that is thru Piriyapatna > Hunsur > Mysore) and we reached Mysore much faster than previous day, I could see those two deviations on the way that I took previous day

That stretch is good, you can easily maintain close to 100KPH except a few patches where road construction is going on and a couple of villages enroute..
I actually tracked my return journey with my GPS receiver, but could not export it as I came to know that GPS2GE that I had on the phone was expired and I could not export the kml file out of it :(
I wish I had highway maps like mapmyindia on my PPC!!! I'm still looking for a good navigator s/w and set of highway maps that I can use in India...

spadival · 29th May 2007, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ketan

I actually tracked my return journey with my GPS receiver, but could not export it as I came to know that GPS2GE that I had on the phone was expired and I could not export the kml file out of it :(
I wish I had highway maps like mapmyindia on my PPC!!! I'm still looking for a good navigator s/w and set of highway maps that I can use in India...

OT: I use Noni GPS, a free software ( Noni GPSPlot ) to track the path and export in KML format. Its very simple and has a lot of usefull features.

tsk1979 · 29th May 2007, 13:24

I think the Hunsur route is best, but no signboards mean that you need to ask frequently. When we went to Orange country, we took a wrong road due to an incorrect signboard.
After that I used a compass to navigate(Tried going towards west) and finally hit the correct road.

rjstyles69 · 29th May 2007, 13:39

LOL Ketan that was a bummer dude. You went all the way to Madikeri via Virajpet and then came back to Nisargadhama

.

Well I just got back from Coorg yesterday.

Route taken to reach coorg : Bangalore-- Mysore--Hunsur--Gonikoppa--Virajpet-- Madikeri.

Return journey : Madikeri--Suntikoppa--KushalNagar--Periyapatna--Hunsur--Mysore--Bangalore.(roughly 20 odd kms of bad roads)

edit : tsk the route to Mercara is pretty well marked now.

Ketan · 29th May 2007, 14:16

Yeah, it was man! I guess I did not go all the way to Madikeri, but took some weird route to reach Nisargadhama,, I never went to Madikeri, I might have got the right direction from someone to reach nisargadhama before I reach madikeri. Once when I was standing at the gate of the checkpost that goes to Virajpet, I thought going that route; the road to Virajpet thru that forest area would have been a sheer joy to drive,, but then i was already late (coorg was not at all in the plan when we left home) and wanted to reach Nisargadhama by 2 in the noon at least..

akroy · 29th May 2007, 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Return journey : Madikeri--Suntikoppa--KushalNagar--Periyapatna--Hunsur--Mysore--Bangalore.(roughly 20 odd kms of bad roads)

Thanks rj for the latest update, This is the main route to Coorg and last time lots of road construction activities was undergoing when I went last time in May2006...
BTW, which section is this 20 km of odd bad stretch falling? (I guess it is between Kushalnagar & Piriyapatna)

Abhi

rajshenoy · 29th May 2007, 15:38

Hey ketan,

I have heard about staying in nisarga dhama. can you shed some light on it?
how we are suppose to book this place? any website?

is the place really worth it? i have been to this place 4 years back just for few hrs picnic. is it worth staying there?

rjstyles69 · 29th May 2007, 17:21

Quote:

(I guess it is between Kushalnagar & Piriyapatna)

Bingo.You certainly will encounter bad patches beyond Piriyapatna also, but then they are ignorable and manageable.
Will be travelling a few more times over the weeks to come, so will keep you all updated

.

saurabh711 · 29th May 2007, 19:21

@RJ: Coorg! again?? a marriage ceremony again or you are just simply madly in love with that drive??

akroy · 29th May 2007, 20:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Bingo.You certainly will encounter bad patches beyond Piriyapatna also, but then they are ignorable and manageable.
Will be travelling a few more times over the weeks to come, so will keep you all updated

.

R u planning to visit every place in Coorg district in every week of drive?

Abhi

Ketan · 29th May 2007, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Hey ketan,

I have heard about staying in nisarga dhama. can you shed some light on it?
how we are suppose to book this place? any website?

is the place really worth it? i have been to this place 4 years back just for few hrs picnic. is it worth staying there?

Here you go....

"
You can not walk into the place and make your booking to stay. Please contact Conservator of Forests, Madikeri for the booking. There are totally 10 Cottages and the price ranges between Rs.250 to 450 per day. Their Telephone is 08272-25708 at Madikeri. Make a DD after making your booking and send it to them"

Nisargadhama

There are few activities in the park like boating, elephant ride, deer park and few more... kids can spend some good time in the park there,, that is an island as Cavery divides into two streams at one end of the island and again joins at the other end of it..

Tibetan Monastery, camp and golden temple are not too far from this place so you can go there, we visited the camp same day but could not spend much time there.

Dubare Elephant camp is also close to this place,,, we visited the camp for Elephant bathing, feeding, ride and briefing sessions..

Orange county is also close from this place and I read its worth spending time there. However, I could not as we ran out of time..

Never miss to take a walk with your girlfriend/wife around the Nisargadhama island, on the bank of river at late evening or early in the morning...its close to 3-4 KMs walk and really worth it.

I forgot to mention that cottages are built at the bank of the river with the support of trees on the bank,, the one that I got alloated was not so good except the balcony was really nice,, could not enjoy the balcony with drink as my in-laws were there :(

try to book the one at far end in the raw,, I just saw it in the morning while taking a stroll in the morning, that one was almost above the river, in circular shape,, supported with 3-4 trees in the river...you have got a small cable bridge to reach that cottage...dont know about the facilities inside the cottage. All in all its a good economy option...

rjstyles69 · 29th May 2007, 22:07

Quote:

@RJ: Coorg! again?? a marriage ceremony again or you are just simply madly in love with that drive??

Oooh heck, nothing of that sort. Just drive down finish up some personal work , meet up with a few friends, make merry and drive back

.

Quote:

R u planning to visit every place in Coorg district in every week of drive?

I have been to almost every nook and corner of this district and my love for the place and their culture never ends.
Am still contemplating on writing a travelogue of the places I went to this time around but my Laziness Rules.

rjstyles69 · 5th August 2007, 23:50

*** bump ***

Anyone traveling to coorg, don't even think of doing this route(Mysore--Hunsur-- PiriyaPatna--KushalNagar--Madikeri).

The roads are bad for about 40 odd kms. Cross Hunsur and then its a battle field which has had its share of the rain fury.

Car is bound to take a sound beating if you choose to do this route.

Heck go to Coorg now

, its raining non-stop. No jeep or 4x4 will suffice for adventure and the adrenaline rush.

Rivers and streams are running full in and around Napoklu and Bhagmandala.
Absolute mayhem with landslides everywhere.

Take the alternate route via Gonikoppal--Virajpet to reach coorg.
Plan your trips accordingly and trek now,leeches are in plenty.

Steeroid · 5th August 2007, 23:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Heck go to Coorg now

, its raining non-stop. No jeep or 4x4 will suffice for adventure and the adrenaline rush.

I yam. Going to Coorg, that is. Aug 23rd or Aug 27th, depending on when the Rimpoche of the Bylekuppa Monastry is free.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Rivers and streams are running full in and around Napoklu and Bhagmandala.
Absolute mayhem with landslides everywhere.

Sounds like fun!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjstyles69

Take the alternate route via Gonikoppal--Virajpet to reach coorg.
Plan your trips accordingly and trek now,leeches are in plenty.

OK how do I get to Bangalore via Gonikoppal? I know I can get TO Coorg thru Kutta-Gonikoppal from Wynad.

Samurai · 6th August 2007, 01:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steeroid

OK how do I get to Bangalore via Gonikoppal? I know I can get TO Coorg thru Kutta-Gonikoppal from Wynad.

Gonikoppal-hunsur, then you know. BTW, I lived in Gonikoppal for 3 years.

29th May 2007, 12:53	#31
Ketan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,002 Thanked: 442 Times View My Garage	I did that same route a couple of weeks back. I kept asking for Hunsur after I took a right turn before Mysore...I remember I was guided to a narrow raod that finally took me to a wildlife checkpost,, one was was going to Virajpet and another one towards Kushalnagar.. I actually remember that I got deviated twice while going,,, We had a plan for Mysore only and on the way we decided to go to Nisargadhama (though I know you have to book that place few days / week in advance), Nisargadhama is a few KMs before KushalNagar. As I said I got deviated twice while reaching that place and it was really a long route,,I was suppsoed to hit Nisargadhama from Mysore highway side and I found myself arrived to this place from Madikeri side. However, while returning we took the Mysore road (that is thru Piriyapatna > Hunsur > Mysore) and we reached Mysore much faster than previous day, I could see those two deviations on the way that I took previous day That stretch is good, you can easily maintain close to 100KPH except a few patches where road construction is going on and a couple of villages enroute.. I actually tracked my return journey with my GPS receiver, but could not export it as I came to know that GPS2GE that I had on the phone was expired and I could not export the kml file out of it :( I wish I had highway maps like mapmyindia on my PPC!!! I'm still looking for a good navigator s/w and set of highway maps that I can use in India... Last edited by Ketan : 29th May 2007 at 12:55.
	() Thanks

29th May 2007, 13:24	#33
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	I think the Hunsur route is best, but no signboards mean that you need to ask frequently. When we went to Orange country, we took a wrong road due to an incorrect signboard. After that I used a compass to navigate(Tried going towards west) and finally hit the correct road.
	() Thanks

29th May 2007, 13:39	#34
rjstyles69 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bengalooru.. Posts: 4,343 Thanked: 842 Times View My Garage	LOL Ketan that was a bummer dude. You went all the way to Madikeri via Virajpet and then came back to Nisargadhama . Well I just got back from Coorg yesterday. Route taken to reach coorg : Bangalore-- Mysore--Hunsur--Gonikoppa--Virajpet-- Madikeri. Return journey : Madikeri--Suntikoppa--KushalNagar--Periyapatna--Hunsur--Mysore--Bangalore.(roughly 20 odd kms of bad roads) edit : tsk the route to Mercara is pretty well marked now. Last edited by rjstyles69 : 29th May 2007 at 13:44.
	() Thanks

29th May 2007, 14:16	#35
Ketan Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,002 Thanked: 442 Times View My Garage	Yeah, it was man! I guess I did not go all the way to Madikeri, but took some weird route to reach Nisargadhama,, I never went to Madikeri, I might have got the right direction from someone to reach nisargadhama before I reach madikeri. Once when I was standing at the gate of the checkpost that goes to Virajpet, I thought going that route; the road to Virajpet thru that forest area would have been a sheer joy to drive,, but then i was already late (coorg was not at all in the plan when we left home) and wanted to reach Nisargadhama by 2 in the noon at least..
	() Thanks

29th May 2007, 15:38	#37
rajshenoy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: bangalore Posts: 2,885 Thanked: 2,230 Times View My Garage	Hey ketan, I have heard about staying in nisarga dhama. can you shed some light on it? how we are suppose to book this place? any website? is the place really worth it? i have been to this place 4 years back just for few hrs picnic. is it worth staying there?
	() Thanks

29th May 2007, 19:21	#39
saurabh711 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 100 Thanked: 0 Times View My Garage	@RJ: Coorg! again?? a marriage ceremony again or you are just simply madly in love with that drive??
	() Thanks

5th August 2007, 23:50	#43
rjstyles69 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bengalooru.. Posts: 4,343 Thanked: 842 Times View My Garage	* bump * Anyone traveling to coorg, don't even think of doing this route(Mysore--Hunsur-- PiriyaPatna--KushalNagar--Madikeri). The roads are bad for about 40 odd kms. Cross Hunsur and then its a battle field which has had its share of the rain fury. Car is bound to take a sound beating if you choose to do this route. Heck go to Coorg now , its raining non-stop. No jeep or 4x4 will suffice for adventure and the adrenaline rush. Rivers and streams are running full in and around Napoklu and Bhagmandala. Absolute mayhem with landslides everywhere. Take the alternate route via Gonikoppal--Virajpet to reach coorg. Plan your trips accordingly and trek now,leeches are in plenty.
	() Thanks