[Divya Sharan]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

One can take his/her own vehicle to Tirumala via the ghat road. There are time restrictions for the onward and downward journey though. For the onward journey to Tirumala, the time limit is not less than 28 min.
For the downward journey, the time limit is not less than 40 min.

Originally Posted by ravib

No specific restrictions except for what is called out by suresh.
You have lot of parking space in Tirumala, so should comfortably take the car above and have darshan.

-Ravi

Thanks a lot for the info, much appreciated.

[haria]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

One can take his/her own vehicle to Tirumala via the ghat road. There are time restrictions for the onward and downward journey though. For the onward journey to Tirumala, the time limit is not less than 28 min.
For the downward journey, the time limit is not less than 40 min.

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

Thanks a lot for the info, much appreciated.

And this is STRICTLY enforced. I received a tongue lashing from the guard because I came in about 2 minutes earlier than I was supposed to reach. I saw a car being sent back again to the top of the hill to pay the fine for speeding - apparently they came in about 7 mins earlier. This was in last year. I presume the limits are still not changed.

I was wondering why so many people had stopped on the way down - near the dear park. Probably, they stopped to ensure that they don't arrive earlier. I didn't know this :-)

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by haria

I was wondering why so many people had stopped on the way down - near the dear park. Probably, they stopped to ensure that they don't arrive earlier. I didn't know this :-)

While driving down, one has the option to stop the vehicle at the deer park. Nice time to feed the deer and take snaps as well. Of course it helps in killing time so that we exceed the stipulated 40 min duration.

[concorde24]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

While driving down, one has the option to stop the vehicle at the deer park. Nice time to feed the deer and take snaps as well. Of course it helps in killing time so that we exceed the stipulated 40 min duration.

Just to add to suresh_gs comments
1) While climbing up the hill, you could possibly stop at Ganesha temple immediately after the toll booth, or one of the possible view points. Please watch-out your time, there are not much spaces to stop closer to the tollgate at the top.
2) If you are planning to go via Rs.300 ticket, you could possibly park at lot next to Lepakshi/India coffee house . Please not onward traffic is not allowed till CRO junction while going up and you need to take a left after tollgate (refer map) to reach parking, else it is compulsory right.
3) While coming down, you could also possibly stop at Hanuman statue (dedicated parking). This place also has clean rest-rooms. Further down, you will find the deer park (roadside parking).

Hope this helps.

[kavensri]

We are planning to drive to Nellore (via Tirupati) tomorrow. Starting Bangalore at around 9 in the morning, we are looking for a good hotel (on the highway) for the lunch. As per our calculation, we should be near Tirupati by 1pm. Hence, I would like to know any good vegetarian hotel around Tirupati, but strictly on the highway as we do not want to enter the city.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by kavensri

We are planning to drive to Nellore (via Tirupati) tomorrow. Starting Bangalore at around 9 in the morning, we are looking for a good hotel (on the highway) for the lunch. As per our calculation, we should be near Tirupati by 1pm. Hence, I would like to know any good vegetarian hotel around Tirupati, but strictly on the highway as we do not want to enter the city.

Bhimas/Mayura are the ideal places for a good heavy Andhra lunch! Both are close to bus-stand. Yes you will need to get into the town though. Not sure about the highway. There is Nandi Plaza just before Chitoor bypass. And there is Bans on the bypass.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by ampere

Bhimas/Mayura are the ideal places good heavy Andra lunch! Both are close to bus-stand. Yes you will need to get into the town though. Not sure about the highway. There is Nandi Plaza just before Chitoor bypass. And there is Bans on the bypass.

Thanks for your response. Reviews about Nandi Plaza are not good. If we do not find anything, then we will enter city and have lunch at Bhimas or Mayura as suggested by you. Thanks again.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by kavensri

We are planning to drive to Nellore (via Tirupati) tomorrow. Starting Bangalore at around 9 in the morning, we are looking for a good hotel (on the highway) for the lunch. As per our calculation, we should be near Tirupati by 1pm. Hence, I would like to know any good vegetarian hotel around Tirupati, but strictly on the highway as we do not want to enter the city.

If you are okay entering Chittoor town instead of Tirupati, I found a restaurant in Chittoor good. I stopped on way back from Tirupati 2/3 times. It is right in the middle of city called Vishnu Bhavan. Small place, but very good meal.
It is next to the clothes shop "Chandana bros" Not sure if the clothes shop got shifted around.

Just a side note, one of my friends from Blr, picked up rice from the rice shop next it after eating the meal there

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by sriturl

If you are okay entering Chittoor town instead of Tirupati, I found a restaurant in Chittoor good. I stopped on way back from Tirupati 2/3 times. It is right in the middle of city called Vishnu Bhavan. Small place, but very good meal.
It is next to the clothes shop "Chandana bros" Not sure if the clothes shop got shifted around.

Just a side note, one of my friends from Blr, picked up rice from the rice shop next it after eating the meal there

are you talking about this hotel Sri Vishnu Bhavan Hotel

https://goo.gl/maps/XrdHh9vztaN2?
please confirm, because if we do not find anything then we may as well go to this hotel.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by kavensri

are you talking about this hotel Sri Vishnu Bhavan Hotel

https://goo.gl/maps/XrdHh9vztaN2?
please confirm, because if we do not find anything then we may as well go to this hotel.

Yes, that is the place.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by sriturl

Yes, that is the place.

so as suggested by you, we had stopped at this place... now continuing our journey to Nellore... thanks again for the info.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by kavensri

so as suggested by you, we had stopped at this place... now continuing our journey to Nellore... thanks again for the info.

Great. Hope the quality is still good. I have visited it 2 years ago.

[itzvicky201]

Been to Tirupati for the Aug15 long weekend. Took the standard Bangalore-KRpuram-Hoskote-Chitoor-Tirupati. Road is not that great, its a 4 lane till around 90 kms. Good eateries around (Sree Saravana Bhavan, Maiyya's, Vasudev Adiga's), for the newer generation (Mac Donald's). Overall time will be 5 hours from Bangalore to Tirupathi.

[rish27]

Hello Everyone

I am travelling to Tirupati from BLR along with my family, starting tomorrow morning, say by 7. After taking travel cue from the forum, and closely following the write-ups from vnabhi, vinayrathod, suresh_gs and ampere, I reckon most of the things are answered.

But as an inquisitive citizen, I have a few questions. Request your help.

- Taking the regular route, but suresh_gs suggested a detour via Ardhgiri; is it a safe route, considering no signs of anybody travelling via that route, apart from one odd.
- Staying at Marasa Sarover for a couple of days, booked the 300/- darshan slotted for Monday 4:00 pm. Any advise etc.
- Has some one visited the 'Venkateswara Zoo', any other place which can be visited.
- Any clean eateries whilst returning; I would be returning on the Tuesday morning.

Any info will be of great help.

Thanks
Rishi

[cs_rajesh]

Originally Posted by rish27

Hello Everyone

I am travelling to Tirupati from BLR along with my family, starting tomorrow morning, say by 7.

- Taking the regular route, but suresh_gs suggested a detour via Ardhgiri; is it a safe route, considering no signs of anybody travelling via that route, apart from one odd.

- Any clean eateries whilst returning; I would be returning on the Tuesday morning.

I recently went with family, started around 7:20 AM, took the Kolar, Mulbagal, Palamner, Chittoor byepass, and so on and reached Chandragiri by 11:30 AM (to visit the Kodandarama temple and Kalyana Venkateswara Temple before going to Tiruchanur). I feel the regular route is better and no deviations.

BTW, by 4 pm, we could visit the above mentioned temples plus also Govindaraja swamy temple as well. However, mine was a Wednesday, a weekday.

Although I have not stayed at Marasa Sarovar, the Sarovar hotels (based on experience elsewhere), would be great.

No idea of the zoo. All that we saw were some deers from the tirumala down hill road and that's it.

Eateries: Food is good at Tirupati. Later it is tough to find good eateries for some distance. On our own return journey, we stopped by next to IOC COCO pump just after merging into bangalore highway from Chittoor Byepass.

location: IOC COCO PUMP

Next to this pump was a restuarant and we had light tiffin and coffee. The campus was big and had some lawns and toilets were neat.
Earlier, we used to enter Chittoor to have our lunch or dinner and they are usually good. On the way after Palamner, dont know exactly, you would come across McD and before kolar, on a straight road, you would cross woody's or some similar named restaurant, later after Kolar, you would cross Kamat.

hope this helps!

Rajesh