[madhav]

akj123, I'm not very familiar with these routes. I just went with the suggestions that Ampere and Thunderbird provided. The route I took was fine except for the patch that I've mentioned where work is going on. Now I'm not sure how this is going to be during monsoon, but the bad patch is not too much so I presume it should be fine. Otherwise the roads are good and you will enjoy the drive and the scenery.

Guess folks who frequent these router will be able to suggest the best route during the monsoon.

Sorry if this post leaves you with the same unanswered question!

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by akj123

Madhav,

I am planning B'lore - Bekal for first week of June and looking for route suggestions. Since i expect monsoons to come in by then, would prefer routes which don't have much (or any) ghat section, and also, not a desolate route.

Can you suggest if the above route is suitable, or should I look at alternatives ? I was thinking of going through Mangalore as that is main highway, but there will be a ghat section there.

Thanks in advance for suggestions!

You cannot avoid ghat section at all. The effect of ghat section will be least in M'lore highway. You can either come down to M'lore pumpwell circle and come to Kasaragod or take deviation at Uppinagadi and come to Bekal via Puttur - Vittal -Cherkala - Poyinachi.

Thanks
rajesh

[Fauji]

Any idea how is the road between Madikeri - Sullia now? Is Bangalore - Madikeri - Sullia - Kasargod a good option via SH 55 ? I am Travelling on Saturday and just wanted to check the road condition.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Any idea how is the road between Madikeri - Sullia now? Is Bangalore - Madikeri - Sullia - Kasargod a good option via SH 55 ? I am Travelling on Saturday and just wanted to check the road condition.

Sir, a post that may help is here on the Mangalore/Udupi thread.
Where are you off to this time if I may ask ?
Drive safe and have fun!

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Any idea how is the road between Madikeri - Sullia now? Is Bangalore - Madikeri - Sullia - Kasargod a good option via SH 55 ? I am Travelling on Saturday and just wanted to check the road condition.

I have the same question as Fauji sir . I was taking help from Ampere, and he pointed me to this thread too. I would be interested in taking the Bangalore - Mysore - Hunsur - Madikeri - Sullia - Kasargod route. Pointers on road conditions in that last stretch would be really helpful.

[akj123]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

I would be interested in taking the Bangalore - Mysore - Hunsur - Madikeri - Sullia - Kasargod route. Pointers on road conditions in that last stretch would be really helpful.

I used this two weeks ago. The road is bad for about 20-30 km or so, after Madikeri (and I guess before Sullia). Still I won't say it is a deal-breaker, as this route I believe is nearly 100 kms shorter than the shirdi ghat-m'lore route. We decided to come back through same road ...

[ampere]

Originally Posted by akj123

I used this two weeks ago. The road is bad for about 20-30 km or so, after Madikeri (and I guess before Sullia). Still I won't say it is a deal-breaker, as this route I believe is nearly 100 kms shorter than the shirdi ghat-m'lore route. We decided to come back through same road ...

How does this road compare against :

Hunsur-Periyapatna-Siddapur-Virajpet-Iritty-Taliparambha-Cheruvathur ?
Any reason, why you did not think about this as an option?

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by ampere

How does this road compare against :

-Iritty-Taliparambha-Cheruvathur ?
Any reason, why you did not think about this as an option?

Iritty - thalipparamba via Sreekantapuram is in very bad shape at Chengalayi. We need to take Iritty- Mattannur- Kannur - Pazhayangadi - Payyanur - Cheruvathur for better roads, but there will huge traffic at Kannur during day time

[akj123]

Originally Posted by ampere

How does this road compare against :

Hunsur-Periyapatna-Siddapur-Virajpet-Iritty-Taliparambha-Cheruvathur ?
Any reason, why you did not think about this as an option?

I did not know about this option, and anyway was not driving in this trip .

[ampere]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

Iritty - thalipparamba via Sreekantapuram is in very bad shape at Chengalayi. We need to take Iritty- Mattannur- Kannur - Pazhayangadi - Payyanur - Cheruvathur for better roads, but there will huge traffic at Kannur during day time

Thanks. That explains the fact, NH17 would be highly traffic prone. So instead surely the option via Jalasoor should be better

[khan_sultan]

I drove from Bekal to Madikeri on the 21st of June and the road is excellent in sections. There are bad patches in between but the excellent patches make up for it, especially considering that the semi-ghat/curved section of this route is very well tarred. If you are driving a car like the T-Jet, you will love some sections.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

I have the same question as Fauji sir . I was taking help from Ampere, and he pointed me to this thread too. I would be interested in taking the Bangalore - Mysore - Hunsur - Madikeri - Sullia - Kasargod route. Pointers on road conditions in that last stretch would be really helpful.

The road between Sampaje and Jalsoor (where you take a left towards Kasargod) is in horrible condition. Please avoid it. If not, you need to drive very carefully here. You are also aware of the traffic conditions between Bangalore and Mysore. Then there are lot of speed breakers between Mysore and Madikeri.

If you still wish to take this route to Kasargod, then follow this route - After you cross Sampaje, travel for 10 km where you'll get a very small place called Goonadka. The stretch between Sampaje and Goonadka is manageable. At Goonadka, you can see a narrow road towards right. Take that road which leads to Jalsoor - Subramanya road through Markanja. This stretch passes through some really dense forests and is far better than Goonadka - Sullia stretch. Once you reach Jalsoor - Subramanya road, take left towards Jalssor. They have re-laid this stretch just last month. Once you reach Jalsoor, take the road towards Kasargod. Jalsoor - Kasargod is in pristine condition and your T-Jet will absolutely love this stretch.

I had to travel to Kasargod two weeks back but I didn't take any of the above routes. I took a totally different route and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Head towards Bangalore - Mangalore highway. Now its 4 laned almost until Hassan. Just after Shiradi ghat, you'll get a place called Gundya. Take left towards Subramanya. The Gundya - Subramanya is in excellent condition. Just 1 km before Subramayna, take a right which goes towards Bellare. The Subramanya - Bellare section will be the point of interest to you. Its once of the best curved roads I have ever driven. Very smooth tarmac and dense forests with minimal traffic. Once you reach Bellare town, take a left which goes to a place called Sonangeri in Subramayna - Jalsoor road which I mentioned above. Bellare - Sonangeri is in good condition but you have to be careful about a 500 mtr narrow stretch where you should not let your wheels go out of the road. Once you reach Sonangeri, take a right which goes towards Jalsoor. (There is a Y-fork at Sonangeri and you need to take right at the fork)

It'll be an additional 40 km if you take the above route to Kasargod from Bangalore but the drive will be very pleasant. I didn't encounter a single pothole other than some in Shiradi ghat. You may reach faster than Mysore road.

If you are bored with Shiradi ghat and if you are just going on a fun drive, I have one more suggestion which will be an additional 60 km . At Hassan, take a right towards Belur. At Belur, head towards Mudigere. Just before Mudigere, take a left towards Kottigehara, Charmadi ghat (NH-234) which goes to Mangalore. After descending the Charmadi ghat, you'll pass through Ujire, Belthangady and after that you'll get a place called Guruvayanakere where you should take left towards Uppinangady in Bangalore - Mangalore highway. At Uppinangady, head towards Puttur. At Puttur, take a left towards Jalsoor, Sullia. Then head to Kasargod.

Road conditions:
Hassan - Belur: Excellent
Inside Belur: Potholes
Belur - Mudigere - Kottigehara - Charmadi ghat entrance (NH-234): Good
Charmadi ghat (NH-234): Chikmagalur section- Good, Dakshina Kannada section: Excellent
Charmadi - Ujire - Belthangady - Guruvayanakere(NH-234): Excellent
Guruvayanakere - Uppinangady: Good
Uppinangady - Puttur: Average
Puttur - Jalsoor: Excellent (two rough sections in between)

You can do justice to your T-Jet's handling capabilities only if you take the above route. I took the above route to reach Sullia around a month back and everyone over there thought that I have gone mad .

[ampere]

Originally Posted by khan_sultan

I drove from Bekal to Madikeri on the 21st of June and the road is excellent in sections. There are bad patches in between but the excellent patches make up for it, especially considering that the semi-ghat/curved section of this route is very well tarred. If you are driving a car like the T-Jet, you will love some sections.

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

The road between Sampaje and Jalsoor (where you take a left towards Kasargod) is in horrible condition. Please avoid it. If not, you need to drive very carefully here. You are also aware of the traffic conditions between Bangalore and Mysore. Then there are lot of speed breakers between Mysore and Madikeri.

Contrasting views? Is it the same Jalasoor-Sulya-Cherkala road ?

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by ampere

Contrasting views? Is it the same Jalasoor-Sulya-Cherkala road ?

Let me put it in this way so that there won't be any confusions. The route is like this if one goes from Madikeri side: Madikeri - Sampaje - Sullia - Jalsoor - Mulleria -Kasargod.

Madikeri - Sampaje: Excellent
Sampaje - Sullia: Worst
Sullia - Jalsoor: Average
Jalsoor - Mulleria - kasargod: Excellent

They are trying to repair Sampaje - Sullia stretch but the work is so shoddy that if it looks average today, tomorrow it'll be in complete horrible condition.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

Let me put it in this way so that there won't be any confusions. The route is like this if one goes from Madikeri side: Madikeri - Sampaje - Sullia - Jalsoor - Mulleria -Kasargod.

Madikeri - Sampaje: Excellent
Sampaje - Sullia: Worst
Sullia - Jalsoor: Average
Jalsoor - Mulleria - kasargod: Excellent

They are trying to repair Sampaje - Sullia stretch but the work is so shoddy that if it looks average today, tomorrow it'll be in complete horrible condition.

That helps. Karthik other day was asking about this section for Bekal. Hence I pointed him to this thread. Then I was also curious to know how is this stretch.

Also from Cherkala, I think one does not need to go to Kasargod for Bekal right? In that case how is Cherkala-Bekal? As per what @Khan mentioned, the roads seem to be good.