[Ajitsingh208]

Originally Posted by ampere

Totally agree you to you on that.

- Thats why I asked him, if visit to Gokarna temple is a must?
- Also why I did not suggest Nagarhole, was because I was not sure, if he could get his routes correctly. Mysore-Gundlupet is a much easier option.
- If he can manage via Nagarhole, nothing like it !

We aren't planning on visiting any temples in Gokarna. It was kept as a stop for the 2nd night while coming from Delhi.
We won't be having GPS, just Google maps to help us out. Although I guess we can navigate our way through with it.

Originally Posted by ampere

- Is there a need to visit Gokarna while coming via Goa or you are look it more from routing standpoint?
- Because, if not then a better way to hit Waynad would to go via Jog/Hassan/Mysore
- Its equally rewarding in terms of what I call "scenic quotient" ! (How is SQ for new abbreviation ! )
You can do : Panaji-Karwar-Ankola-Honnavar-Sagar-Shimoga-Tarekere-Chikkamagulur-Belur-Hassan-Mysore-Gundlupet-Waynad.
As you can see you have an equally good option view lot may places. Near Sagar you can see Jog. And then you also have Chikkamagulur/Belur etc.

- You can do the regular NH17 till Kuttipuram (Waynad - Calicut bypass - Kuttipuram)
.

We are skipping Goa and will be doing Daman-Pune-Kolhapur-Dharwad-Gokarna. We are aiming to hit NH66 at Gokarna.
Thanks for the alternate route, Jog Falls sounds like a good option. What if we take a detour from Honnavar, see Jog falls then from Shimoga turn towards Mangalore to get back on the West coast and stay at Kasargod/Vythri/Kozhikode depending upon the time we have at hand. That'll save us from the Bhatkal stretch. Does this look achievable?

Originally Posted by aargee

What is your destination & objective? If it's only drive & enjoy scenics I can suggest wonderful route that will stay evergreen in your memory. But if you're going towards a destination (like to attend a wedding or meet a friend with a purpose) then carry on to it.

The destination is Kanyakumari and the objective is to do Delhi-Kanyakumari in around 6 days with breaks at some scenic points. Please let me know about the alternate route.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by pariwar

I am planning a BLR - MUNNAR trip and was wondering on the best option to take?

Best route is Salem-Kangeyam-Dharapuram-Udumulupet-Chinnar WLS-Marayoor-Munnar Town.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...mra=pr&t=m&z=8

Originally Posted by Ajitsingh208

We are skipping Goa and will be doing Daman-Pune-Kolhapur-Dharwad-Gokarna. We are aiming to hit NH66 at Gokarna.
Thanks for the alternate route, Jog Falls sounds like a good option. What if we take a detour from Honnavar, see Jog falls then from Shimoga turn towards Mangalore to get back on the West coast and stay at Kasargod/Vythri/Kozhikode depending upon the time we have at hand. That'll save us from the Bhatkal stretch.

You could also do Shimoga-Mysore-Vythiri(NH212)-Kozhikode-NH17-Coastal route to Alleppey


Shimoga-Wayanad can be easily done in one day (around 400kms)You could take Gokarna-Honnavar-Jog-Sagar-Shimoga-Bhadravathi-Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan-Srirangapatna-Mysore-Nanjagud-Gundlupet-Bandipur WLS-Muthanga WLS-Sultan Batheri-Vyhtiri.

Very scenic route running throgh many WLS with greenery all around.Chikmagalur is home to the Cafe Coffee Day estates.Belur is home to the UNESCO protected temple,Srirangapatna is Tipu Sultan's place,Mysore Palace,From Gundlupet onwards you drive via the famed Bandipur WLS to enter Kerala from Muthanga.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...3,4,5&t=m&z=11

From Vythiri continue on NH212 till Kozhikode via Thamarassery ghats and connect to NH17 and continue all the way till Edappally where you connect to NH47 and continue all the way to Alleppey or Kumarakom whichever it is.Stay for a night or two.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...mra=pr&t=m&z=8

From Alleppey,take the NH47 again and go all the way via Kollam-Trivandrum-Kanyakumari.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...mra=ls&t=m&z=9

By the way do not look for NH66 etc on the roads(those are the new numbering scheme)on the ground the highways are all still referred to by their old numbers.NH66=NH17(old number)

[pariwar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Best route is Salem-Kangeyam-Dharapuram-Udumulupet-Chinnar WLS-Marayoor-Munnar Town.

Thanks Ranjit.

Any recent experiences on the Kangeyam - Dharapuram - Udumulupet - Chinnar WLS - Marayoor - Munnar Town road conditions??

Approximately what amount of time should be considered if say, I cross Sales @ 0800 hrs? Sedate driving skills - 60 - 100 kph based on road conditions.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by pariwar

Thanks Ranjit.

Any recent experiences on the Kangeyam - Dharapuram - Udumulupet - Chinnar WLS - Marayoor - Munnar Town road conditions??

Approximately what amount of time should be considered if say, I cross Sales @ 0800 hrs? Sedate driving skills - 60 - 100 kph based on road conditions.

Roads are good,nothing to worry about.

Salem-Udumulpet should take you around 3-4 hours to cover the 200+ kms

Udumulpet-Chinnar-Marayoor-Munnar should take you another 2 hours or a little more, depending on your driving style and the number of times you stop enroute.

You enter Munnar via Eravikulam National Park ( home to the Nilgiri Tahr) when you take this route.

[gadadhar]

[quote=pariwar;2910412]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Best route is Salem-Kangeyam-Dharapuram-Udumulupet-Chinnar WLS-Marayoor-Munnar Town.

Thanks Ranjit.

Any recent experiences on the Kangeyam - Dharapuram - Udumulupet - Chinnar WLS - Marayoor - Munnar Town road conditions??

Approximately what amount of time should be considered if say, I cross Sales @ 0800 hrs? Sedate driving skills - 60 - 100 kph based on road conditions.

Roads are bad for close to 10 kms after the TN checkpost at Chinnar, can be done at a slow pace

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Ajitsingh208

We are skipping Goa and will be doing Daman-Pune-Kolhapur-Dharwad-Gokarna. We are aiming to hit NH66 at Gokarna.
Thanks for the alternate route, Jog Falls sounds like a good option. What if we take a detour from Honnavar, see Jog falls then from Shimoga turn towards Mangalore to get back on the West coast and stay at Kasargod/Vythri/Kozhikode depending upon the time we have at hand. That'll save us from the Bhatkal stretch. Does this look achievable?

If that is the case there is no need to hit the Konkan highway. I also understand taking 4-lane via Bangalore strips off the scenic roads. What you can do is :

- Do Pune - Belgaulm - Hubli via NH4 and then take NH63 to Yellapur.
- At Yellapur take the SH to Sagar via Srisi
- And then as I mentioned earlier, continue via Chikkamagulur/Hassan/Mysore or Nagarhole to Waynad.

You can also stay at Yellapur and visit Magod and Sathodi falls. Around Sirsi, you can visit Yana too. Option beyond Jog, I have already mentioned.


Route Link

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Ajitsingh208

The destination is Kanyakumari and the objective is to do Delhi-Kanyakumari in around 6 days with breaks at some scenic points. Please let me know about the alternate route.

Do the legendary Chennai-Pondicherry-Chidambaram-Karaikal-Nagapattinam-Ramanadu-Keezhakarai-Turicorin-Tiruchendur-Kanyakumari; basically the entire ECR (East Coast Road) & then climb upwards towards North, from Kanyakumari-Colachel-Kollam-Alapuzha-Sherthala-Kochi-Muzhapalingadu-Bekal-Mangalore.

This is the entire Southern strip of coast. Beware it might take more than 6 days though. But you get a satisfaction that you did bottom most South Coast drive.

[deepclutch]

Those travelling between Ernakulam and Muvattupuzha especially in the evenings. I am taking below route to escape traffic and delay. there is no extra distance taking this route. condition of the route is "OK" enough except for some portions with gutters in kuzhikkad route.
Route:
Padma-Vyttila Hub-Erur-Thrippunithura-Refinary road-Kuzhikkad(Turn Right)-Varikoly(NH85)-Kolenchery-Muvattupuzha

G Maps:
http://goo.gl/maps/IsZR9

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

Those travelling between Ernakulam and Muvattupuzha especially in the evenings. I am taking below route to escape traffic and delay. there is no extra distance taking this route. condition of the route is "OK" enough except for some portions with gutters in kuzhikkad route.
Route:
Padma-Vyttila Hub-Erur-Thrippunithura-Refinary road-Kuzhikkad(Turn Right)-Varikoly(NH85)-Kolenchery-Muvattupuzha

G Maps:
http://goo.gl/maps/IsZR9

Another route would be via Kakkanad-Karimugal-Puthencruz. Road is traffic free.

Also did Ernakulam-Nadakkavu-Piravom-Kaduthuruthy-Ettumanoor-Kottayam during my last trip. Kaduthuruthy-Peruva is amazingly relaid and well marked. Peruva-Piravom is 90% completed. Overall, another alternate route though its narrow.

Nadakkavu-Piravom is also in excellent condition.

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Another route would be via Kakkanad-Karimugal-Puthencruz. Road is traffic free.

Also did Ernakulam-Nadakkavu-Piravom-Kaduthuruthy-Ettumanoor-Kottayam during my last trip. Kaduthuruthy-Peruva is amazingly relaid and well marked. Peruva-Piravom is 90% completed. Overall, another alternate route though its narrow.

Nadakkavu-Piravom is also in excellent condition.

But, in the evening traffic, there will be traffic blocks till Vazhakkala wasting even 40 minutes to reach from where I left(Eranakulam city). I used to take private buses(Limited Stop/FP) from Kaloor and even they need 1hour25min in average to reach Muvattupuzha.If I ever take Kakkanad route, I will continue driving through Kakkanad-Pattimattom-Muvattupuzha road which was quiet OK before monsoon.

Eroor-kuzhikkad route- a new "find" for Me - is comfortably wide enough though sometimes hilly, but considering the traffic chaos even up till Thiruvankulam(yesterday there was road works going on blocking the whole traffic towards Thrippunithura!), this route let us reach near Puthenkurish without touching Chambakkara,Petta,Thrippunithura,Thiruvankulam - You may be knowing the traffic at the evenings on this route which have increased multi fold.

EDIT: Note that I will recommend Vyttila-Thrippunithura-Kolenchery NH route in the working hours time because traffic is within comfortable limit. I am just suggesting new route for the evenings where the chaos around Thrippunithura is way too much. and we don't have Bypasses and road widening ever happening in eastern routes off Ernakulam city anytime soon.

[shantish]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Shimoga-Wayanad can be easily done in one day (around 400kms)You could take Gokarna-Honnavar-Jog-Sagar-Shimoga-Bhadravathi-Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan-Srirangapatna-Mysore-Nanjagud-Gundlupet-Bandipur WLS-Muthanga WLS-Sultan Batheri-Vyhtiri.

Very scenic route running throgh many WLS with greenery all around.Chikmagalur is home to the Cafe Coffee Day estates.Belur is home to the UNESCO protected temple,Srirangapatna is Tipu Sultan's place,Mysore Palace,From Gundlupet onwards you drive via the famed Bandipur WLS to enter Kerala from Muthanga.

I will be taking this route in november (waynad-shimoga). Can you give me some more clarity about this route with regards to -
the extent of ghat section,
roads with/without median,
No of lanes and
any interesting places to eat.

[Thilak29]

How is Panathur - Bhagamandala road condition now?
Also, How good is road to Ranipuram?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by shantish

I will be taking this route in november (Gokarna-Honnavar-Jog-Sagar-Shimoga-Bhadravathi-Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan-Srirangapatna-Mysore-Nanjagud-Gundlupet-Bandipur WLS-Muthanga WLS-Sultan Batheri-Vyhtiri.). Can you give me some more clarity about this route with regards to -
the extent of ghat section,
roads with/without median,
No of lanes and
any interesting places to eat.

-Some ghat sections in between Chikmagalur and Shimoga(not really a ghat nevertheless) and ghat section between Ankola & Hubli and and between Nipani and Kolhapur

-Between Wayanad and Shimoga there is no 4 laned section,hence no median

-There are plenty of restaurants between Wayanad and Sulthan Batheri,then at Gundlupet there is CCD and again plenty of wayside restaurants till you reach Mysore.Between Mysore and Hassan not many,inside Hassan town you have restaurants which you would pass on your way to Belur,then there is Hoysala Village Resort on Belur road,at Chikmagalur try the Benne Dosa at Town Canteen and also Coffee powder from Pandurange Coffee Works (www.pandurangacoffee.com).

[kala]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

How is Panathur - Bhagamandala road condition now?
Also, How good is road to Ranipuram?

Road condition isn't all that great, but can be easily negotiated by low GC vehicles also as long as you drive slow (At least that's how it was in the 2nd week of August).

The road is narrow, but a very scenic drive.

No idea about the Ranipuram road.

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by kala

Road condition isn't all that great, but can be easily negotiated by low GC vehicles also as long as you drive slow (At least that's how it was in the 2nd week of August).

The road is narrow, but a very scenic drive.

No idea about the Ranipuram road.

thanks! Are there Petrol bunks en-route?