[ampere]

More than hotels one would need break areas, so that if one was ladies travelling they will need rest rooms. That is the only one major requirement.

[ajitkumarlb]

Sorry I should have been specific. Yes Hiriyur is the place. The hotel with public rest rooms (with plenty of water and 'fairly' clean) was about 1km before the right turn to Bellary. Note that NH4 is fensed so will have to watch for the first exist as you approach Hiriyur (that's before a flyover) and use the service road and have to go under the NH flyover to the other side (not so good road 1/2 km) over to the other side of the NH. They will help you get to the otherside of the NH with an opening in the NH (yes you read it right ).

Even for the right turn to Bellary there is 1 board just before the exist so need to watch for that as well.

Once on Bellary road Excpet for the town I mentioned rest is all villages and I don't remember seeing any hotels/restrooms in the town.

[ampere]

Thanks for the update. That would really help!

[Ferrari1976]

Here is my update. I followed the NH4-NH13 combination. This was the worst drive of my life, period!! The last 70 odd kilometeres before reaching Hospet are as bad as it can get for a offroader, forget normal city cars like Linea.

My advice to everyone who wants to go to Hampi. Please do not use your vehicle unless it is a SUV. OR. use the road suggested by cannonguy. Unfortunate that I read his post late.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Ferrari1976

Here is my update. I followed the NH4-NH13 combination. This was the worst drive of my life, period!! The last 70 odd kilometeres before reaching Hospet are as bad as it can get for a offroader, forget normal city cars like Linea.

My advice to everyone who wants to go to Hampi. Please do not use your vehicle unless it is a SUV. OR. use the road suggested by cannonguy. Unfortunate that I read his post late.

Somehow NH13 has been a thorn all around. Not sure why the authorities do not do anything about it.

[ajitkumarlb]

Originally Posted by Ferrari1976

Here is my update. I followed the NH4-NH13 combination. This was the worst drive of my life, period!! ...

Ferraire1976: Please accept my apologies! I did see another post as of 15th Nov on the NH13 road condition and made a correction, perhaps it was tool late.

Originally Posted by ajitkumarlb

please note - may be my earlier post needs a correction: I read on another thread posted on 15th Nov that NH13 is not good between Chitradurga & Hospet, however same is the route between Bellary to Hospet as well may be someone who has done both recently can comment.

[ampere]

As @Canon guy mentioned, the SH option from Hiriyur is the best. Nh13 is strict no no.

[ssbiitm]

Folks,Over the past (nearly) one and half years since I have seeing with quite some amusement the one constant issue that NH13 from Chitradurga to Hospet is an eminently avoidable road! I am very curious to try and check if there was at all any time in the recent or forgotten past that someone had found the stretch to be reasonable (to the extent of recommending it). The answer from most queries appears to be a big NO! So, I thought I will recount two encounters with NH 13 over the past 30 years. The first came on 15th February 1980, when I went to Hampi for the first time from Bangalore. I remember the date well as it was one day before the total solar eclipse that went over Karnataka as well the sun temple of Konark!) We drove in my dad's friend's Amby (my parents, my little sister, two of Dad's friends and I - sounds like a lot, but we were actually comfortable). The road maps available those days suggested NH13 as the (only) option. After a great drive to Chitradurga from Bangalore (the NH 4 was good even in those days), NH 13 unfolded before us and took revenge on our comfort! It was a pain going down that road (if you could call it one by looking at the portions between potholes!). Of course, the Amby being Amby (a Mark II car, if I remember correctly) took everything beautifully in its stride. We reached Hospet in the evening, quite shaken and stirred after a 12 hr ride! Stayed at the Tourist Lodge at the end of Tungabhadra dam. Saw the total eclipse on 16th while sitting in the grass in front of the King's balance, the stone chariot inside the temple just behind us - doubt if there could be a better place on earth to watch such an unearthly phenomenon! On 17th early morning, the big question was how to minimise the travel on NH 13! No other option seemed viable. So, on the return we turned off at Kudligi and joined NH 13 via Ujjini and Jagalur. A much narrower but somewhat better road. Made better time than what we would have had we stuck to NH 13 all the way.The next encounter was in December 2009 when we (my daughter, wife and I), on our drive-around-Karnataka-trip in our six month old i10 Asta, came in to Hampi on the way to Bangalore. We had already had glimpses of NH 13 near Hospet when we drove in from Gadag/Hubli en route from Murudeshwar. The little stretch of NH 13 (where it runs combined with SH 63) looked in a far worse shape than I had imagined. Enquiries revealed that this stretch was a pleasant dream compared to the nightmare that lay beyond from Hospet to Chitradurga. Thanks primarily to HVKumar's advice as well as that of others at Hampi I took the Bellary - Challakere - Hiriyur option. (Everyone that we asked at Hampi were unanimous over the point that NH 13 was to be avoided.) Challakere-Hiriyur was a wonderful drive - in fact, we were given a somewhat different and scenic route direct from Hampi to the Bellary ring road (and not through Hospet), which was an added bonus. Of course the road sections at Bellary were not so good, but from there on it was a breeze. Having started from Hampi around 10, we entered Bangalore a litle after 4 with a long lunch break before Hiriyur. Almost 30 years spanning the two drives and yet the road condition of NH 13 seems to be the same! Wow, talk about constancy!! I wonder if anyone at all has had a good thing to say about NH 13. Is it purely a coincidence that its the number 13 that has to go with something bad - a jinx? I dont believe in such stuff, but with NH 13 I guess I may just have to make an exception! Perhaps someone may have something nice to say about it! But, when it comes to a Bangalore - Hampi drive, I would anyday recommend the Hiriyur - Challakere option, unless we hear something to the contrary with solid proof.Cheers,ssbiitm

[Fauji]

Dont worry.You drive after another ten years and it will remain same!!

[sanjaykk]

Originally Posted by canonguy

I had been to Daroji and Hampi just a fortnight back. The best combo is:

NH4 upto Hiriyur
SH19 from Hiriyur to Bellary outskirts (this is a fantastic, well marked, two laned road with sparse traffic. You can easily maintain good average speed. Total distance between Hiriyur to Bellary outskirts is 146 kms. Take this road and you'll not regret one bit!)

NH63 - from Bellary outskirts to Hospet (This stretch is not very good and you'll be travelling at 60-70 kph max)

From Hospet you can turn right and continue to Hampi.

For more details check this out:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2130905

You'll find in the above link many guys have taken this combo (NH4-SH19-NH63) and found it to be best under present circumstances. I agree NH63 is bad but the real bad stretch is between Guntakal and Bellary. Between Bellary and Hospet it is bad but not horrible.

Hi canonguy,

Where do you take the turn off to Hospet from Bellary outskirts - any place name, landmarks?

[canonguy]

As you continue on SH19 from Hiriyur, just before Bellary you'll see a railway crossing which will be parallel to the road, which means you'll have to turn left to cross the tracks. Once you do that the road will immediately turn right and take you to the "BANGALORE BYPASS ROAD", which is a four lane 12 km long road.

This road ends when it meets NH63. Turn left there and you'll be headed towards Hospet.

Give me time till evening, I'll check if I have marked the turn off from SH19 in my log book.

[canonguy]

Originally Posted by sanjaykk

Where do you take the turn off to Hospet from Bellary outskirts - any place name, landmarks?

After you leave NH4 and turn right into Hiriyur note down the odo reading. The turn off towards the railway tracks, which I mentioned in my above post, will come up in 134 kms. (+/- 1 km). According to the notings in my log book this turn off is 27 kms after Rampura.

[sanjaykk]

Originally Posted by canonguy

After you leave NH4 and turn right into Hiriyur note down the odo reading. The turn off towards the railway tracks, which I mentioned in my above post, will come up in 134 kms. (+/- 1 km). According to the notings in my log book this turn off is 27 kms after Rampura.

Thanks, canonguy. Appreciate your help.

I will update the route conditions after my trip this weekend!

[sanjaykk]

Originally Posted by sanjaykk

Thanks, canonguy. Appreciate your help.

I will update the route conditions after my trip this weekend!

Update:

First of all - big thanks to canonguy.

Took the NH4-SH19-NH63 route to Hospet.

• NH4 - absolute pleasure to drive; after you spot sign boards indicating Hiriyur, you have to take the service road at the second overbrige and go under the bridge to take a right turn to SH19.
• SH19 - very good roads
  • two laned most of the way - four lanes in some places
  • you will encounter rumble strips before and after each village on this way;
  • be careful if you are driving on this road in the night; NOBODY dims their headlight for you.

• Connecting road between SH19 and NH63
  • as canonguy mentioned, you can bypass Bellary by taking this road. good road all the way (12kms; toll Rs. 12)
  • from SH19, you have to take a detour onto this road. Attached is a pic at the end of the post that shows the railway crossing that canonguy mentioned. After Rampura, you cross Oblapuram railway station and go a couple of kilometers further before you can spot this crossing.
• NH63 - this 50 odd kilometers doesn't promise you a relaxed drive. But still it is doable. I could do it in my M800 in 1.5 hours.
  • But the good news is that repair work is going on on this road. Attached some pictures at the end of the post. Though the patch work wont promise you a rattle-free ride, it will definitely reduce travel time.

My total travel time was as follows:

Bangalore [5am] <> Hospet [12:30pm]
Return Hospet [3pm] <> Bangalore [11pm]

Now the pictures:

Take this bypass that connects SH19 to NH63



Repair work being done on NH63 between Bellary and Hospet

[Fauji]

Whatever route you take but don't take NH 13 between Chitradurga and Hospet. It is a misery.