[Jammy70]

Originally Posted by sagarpadaki

To reach madikeri from Subramanya, you took the Subramanya -> Sulliya -> Madikeri route? How is the road condition?

Originally Posted by ampere

Dont tell me you took the Bisle ghats ! Or as Sagar said Sulya/Sampaje
Would like to know, if it was Bisle ghats, how was it?

Sorry to keep you waiting! Ampere, I am not sure if this is part of the Bisle Ghat, please enlighten me.

I took the following route - http://bit.ly/kukke-madikeri-route. In words: Subramanya - Elimale - Sampaje - Madikeri. In effect, we didn't touch Suliya, though that's what the drivers advised us to take. This route was courtesy Google and we just followed it!

Total distance of 74 km covered in a little less than 2 hours including a 15 minute tea break.

The road condition isn't great for the first 15-17 km, till Elimale, where road widening work is going on and you will find stretches where the road shoulders have been dug away (to lay fresh tarmac in level with the main road) and you have to be watchful. However, traffic is sparse and except for a few buses, there isn't much to worry. From Elimale turn-off, it is good except for a few patches (which were heaven for the City compared to the Shiradi 'patches'!). There are sections which make you fall in love with ghat driving - some good curves and mountain views interspersed with semi-dense reserve forest.

Once you hit SH88, the road is wider but there are patches of pot-holes and loose stones which appear from nowhere which messes your drive. This is till Sampije, from where it is pure bliss - smooth tarmac with clear markings and flowing bends which the City loved!

Overall, this was a much better drive than the Shiradi Ghat (and less stressful too) and though the total Kukke - Bangalore distance will be more by about 25-30km, it is worth the scenic drive you get most of the way. We clocked 314 km from Golden Enclave, Sarjapur Road to Kukke parking and on the return we did 351 km (which included a detour into Mysore for the stay on Saturday night). Your driving time would be a little longer not just because of the additional kilometers, but because of the longer ghat section.

We left Madikeri by about 6.15 pm and were in Mysore by 8.30 pm, but the Madikeri - Hunsur stretch was stressful due to the unmarked speed breakers! These guys have put signs for pedestrian crossing, hospitals, restaurants and whatever else, but speed breakers? Go find them yourselves!! At the end of a long day, this stretch can be very demanding especially after night falls; else the road is superb as ever.

Hope the above information is useful. Will try and help if you have any queries.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

Sorry to keep you waiting! Ampere, I am not sure if this is part of the Bisle Ghat, please enlighten me.

No its not Bisle.

Bisle is the following route :

Route Link

Instead of going via Sampaje you arrive at north of Coorg. That road is in shambles though.

[anand_saraf]

For anyone contemplating a drive through Bisle Ghat road to Subramanya, here's a brief update.

I drove through the Bisle Ghat road last week of May. I had been advised that the road hasn't been repaired but since no-one I knew had driven through recently; and since I had to visit my farm which is closer to the Bisle Ghat road, decided to take it and have a look.

To sum up, the road doesn't exist :-) - it's 17 kms of rock and gravel and a very slow drive through the forest. Luckily, it hadn't rained much. It took me about 2 hours+ to cross. In hindsight, it would have been better to go back to Sakleshpur and then across Shiradi Ghat to Gundya I think.

Shiradi Ghat has some pot holes now but is relatively decent. Gundya to Subramanya is excellent.

[NPV]

For anyone going to Kukke, there is a new hotel (opened few months ago) Vijay Comforts, seems like a good place to stay when in Kukke.
We stopped here for breakfast enroute Bekal and it was decent. Saw lot of guests at the hotel mostly on a visit to the Subrahmanya temple.

[dhuli]

@ampere and others - what is the best recommended route to drive from Kukke Subramanya to Madikeri? Would the Kukke-Suliya-Sampaje-Madikeri be better or the Bisle Ghat section via Kukke-Kudraste-Somwarpet-Madikeri recommended? A friend of mine is traveling in a Verna this Sunday. I appreciate any pointers to best route and road conditions.

This morning another friend went to Mangalore via Shiradi ghat (Hassan-Sakleshpur) and said the route is still open. I was under impression they will be closing it post December 15th 2014. Guess they are waiting for 2015 and everyone is left guessing!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by dhuli

@ampere and others - what is the best recommended route to drive from Kukke Subramanya to Madikeri? Would the Kukke-Suliya-Sampaje-Madikeri be better or the Bisle Ghat section via Kukke-Kudraste-Somwarpet-Madikeri recommended? A friend of mine is traveling in a Verna this Sunday. I appreciate any pointers to best route and road conditions.

Here is the road: Route Link



There is a shorter version too: Shorter Route

But you need to spot the exits correctly.

[gautam99]

I wanted to visit the Kukke Subramaniya Temple from Bangalore in February. Last when I went the Shirdi Ghat road was in shambles and was to be shut down for repairs and reopen in Feb March 2015. Has anyone recently been there and knows the current condition?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by gautam99

I wanted to visit the Kukke Subramaniya Temple from Bangalore in February. Last when I went the Shirdi Ghat road was in shambles and was to be shut down for repairs and reopen in Feb March 2015. Has anyone recently been there and knows the current condition?

Shiradi is closed now, going via Sampaje ghat is one option.

For more details check the Art of traveling to Managalore/Udupi thread.

[gautam99]

Thanks NPV. Do you have any information on when Shiradi is to open as I will go after that opens as it allows me to visit and return back the same day. Thanks for your prompt reply.

[yogee]

Originally Posted by ampere

...

There is a shorter version too...

I took this route on my return from Subrahmanya and it was really pleasing for first few kilometers with nice surface and zero traffic. But the second half of the road is in very bad condition, there is actually no tarmac at places, only loose gravel. I only saw jeeps and local bikes on this stretch and all those drivers were looking surprised to see a City on that road. I have taken pictures of the surface which are still in camera. I will upload it later.

Originally Posted by gautam99

I wanted to visit the Kukke Subramaniya Temple from Bangalore in February. Last when I went the Shirdi Ghat road was in shambles and was to be shut down for repairs and reopen in Feb March 2015. Has anyone recently been there and knows the current condition?

So i would suggest from Madikeri to go via Sullia instead of this Elimale route. Its 13 km more but you will save 20-30 minutes as the road is good upto Subrahmanya.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by gautam99

Thanks NPV. Do you have any information on when Shiradi is to open as I will go after that opens as it allows me to visit and return back the same day. Thanks for your prompt reply.

I think the plan is to open after 6 months sometime June/July but then you never know if it will get delayed
See this thread for more updates - here

[ampere]

Originally Posted by yogee

I took this route on my return from Subrahmanya and it was really pleasing for first few kilometers with nice surface and zero traffic. But the second half of the road is in very bad condition, there is actually no tarmac at places, only loose gravel. I only saw jeeps and local bikes on this stretch and all those drivers were looking surprised to see a City on that road. I have taken pictures of the surface which are still in camera. I will upload it later.

Quite surprised at this. I thought it was decent as per what I had read here. Sorry I pointed you to this. The longer route should have been better.

[yogee]

Originally Posted by ampere

Quite surprised at this. I thought it was decent as per what I had read here. Sorry I pointed you to this. The longer route should have been better.

No problems ampere. I have driven on worse roads and the route is really nice in terms of surrounding views and the small villages in between. In fact my wife was really happy initially till the road condition worsened.

The initial part of road.



The condition worsening.



Find the road surface now.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by yogee

I have driven on worse roads and the route is really nice in terms of surrounding views and the small villages in between. In fact my wife was really happy initially till the road condition worsened.

That road through Markanja was in a good shape until few years back. It worsened after the tippers started using it. There is a stone crushing facility near Markanja and the tippers ferry the crushed stones in this route for repairing/widening the SH-88.

[rkg]

How is Bisle ghat road to Kukke from Shanivarasante. It is shorter than going via Sullia.
Iam planning to go in the last week of March. From Kukke to Dharmasthala