[binand]

Originally Posted by treadmark

Folks, Need advice on road from Bangalore to Kolagappara (Wayanad). I will be visiting Wayanad tomorrow and planning to return on Sunday evening. I would like to explore both Gundulpet ~ Sulthanbathery and Mananthavady ~ Handpost routes. Please help me which one to use during to and fro travel.

Sunday evening Mysore-Bangalore is such a horror story that Team-BHP has a dedicated rehabilitation thread for sufferers. So I'd recommend you to return via Chamarajanagar-Kollegal.

In which case if you want to experiment with different outbound/return routes, go out via Mananthavady. I am also driving to Calicut tomorrow, and intend to take the Handpost-Mananthavady route - so we could keep an eye out for each other.

My planning's been in the Bangalore-Calicut thread, though.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

For 2 days stay in Wayanad, you can cover Kuruva dweep, Banasurasagar dam and lakkidi view point on day 1 and for day 2, Edakkal caves and soojippara falls. Will be hectic though.

Thank you Suresh! I'm not going to rush and cover places because there is always another time. Do you have any idea on road conditions after / during this monsoon.

Cheers!

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by treadmark

Folks, Need advice on road from Bangalore to Kolagappara (Wayanad). I will be visiting Wayanad tomorrow and planning to return on Sunday evening. I would like to explore both Gundulpet ~ Sulthanbathery and Mananthavady ~ Handpost routes. Please help me which one to use during to and fro travel. Appreciate your help in naming few tourist spots as well that can be covered in two days.
Thank you in advance.
Cheers!

Originally Posted by treadmark

Thank you Suresh! I'm not going to rush and cover places because there is always another time. Do you have any idea on road conditions after / during this monsoon.

Cheers!

Sorry Mate, Not been in that route for a while now. Other experts in this forum can comment on your query.

[kala]

Originally Posted by treadmark

Do you have any idea on road conditions after / during this monsoon.

No first hand information about the routes via Mysore (SH17, Mysore Gundlupet or Mysore-Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavady), but the NH209 route to Gundlupet (via Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajnagar - the return route that Binand recommended) remains good except for odd rough patches between Chamarajnagar and Gundlupet. Gundlupet to Bathery is also in good condition - but beware of road cuttings that have not been filled back near villages, and of course the 30-40 speed breakers inside the forest - a few of which are unmarked.

Reports are that SH33 between Mysore and Mananthavady is good as well and the relaying of roads in the 15 km stretch starting from the deviation at the Nagarahole WLS entrance is nearly done (This stretch was in extremely bad shape earlier).

Road conditions between Kolagappara and Mananthavady are very dicey. The Meenangadi-Varadoor-Pachilakkadu road was in pretty bad condition even before the monsoons, and I heard the same about the other shorter option - the Beenachi-Kenichira-Nadavayal-Panamaram road. So the safest way for Mananthavady-Kolagappara may perhaps be the slightly roundabout route via Kalpetta (or rather Kainatty which is very close to Kalpetta).

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by treadmark

Folks, Need advice on road from Bangalore to Kolagappara (Wayanad). I will be visiting Wayanad tomorrow and planning to return on Sunday evening. I would like to explore both Gundulpet ~ Sulthanbathery and Mananthavady ~ Handpost routes. Please help me which one to use during to and fro travel. Appreciate your help in naming few tourist spots as well that can be covered in two days.
Thank you in advance.
Cheers!

I traveled on the bathery route mid July. Roads were excellent. As binand mentioned, Mysore Bangalore will be a nightmare on a Sunday evening. Even more so because of the long weekend. So I'd suggest you go via hand post mananthavady and return via gundlepet, Ch nagar, kollegala, kanakpura.

[treadmark]

Originally Posted by binand

I am also driving to Calicut tomorrow, and intend to take the Handpost-Mananthavady route - so we could keep an eye out for each other.

My planning's been in the Bangalore-Calicut thread, though.

Sure mate, will have an eye for Team BHP sticker. By the way for Handpost - Mananthavady option also I'll be using Kanakapura - Kollegal - Chamarajnagar - Handpost route, had you planned to use this as well or Mysore? Since it is only till Wayanad I'm planning for 5:30AM start.

Originally Posted by kala

No first hand information about the routes via Mysore (SH17, Mysore Gundlupet or Mysore-Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavady), but the NH209 route to Gundlupet (via Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajnagar - the return route that Binand recommended) remains good.

That was really helpful and many thanks Kala, also the priority list on my visit is a drive till Adivaram at early morning, which will be the best time to start from Kolagaparra on Saturday morning?

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

I traveled on the bathery route mid July. Roads were excellent. As binand mentioned, Mysore Bangalore will be a nightmare on a Sunday evening. Even more so because of the long weekend. So I'd suggest you go via hand post mananthavady and return via gundlepet, Ch nagar, kollegala, kanakpura.

Thank you Rajeev! Though I have planned Manathavady ~ Handpost stretch irrespective of onward or return leg had planned to stay away from Mysore my only concern was how good the roads are between Handpost and Kollegal
through Nanjangud and Narasipura?

Cheers!

[binand]

Originally Posted by treadmark

Sure mate, will have an eye for Team BHP sticker. By the way for Handpost - Mananthavady option also I'll be using Kanakapura - Kollegal - Chamarajnagar - Handpost route, had you planned to use this as well or Mysore? Since it is only till Wayanad I'm planning for 5:30AM start.

My current plan is to go Bangalore-Malavally-Bannur-Mysore-Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavadi-Vythiri-Calicut. I plan to start from home between 5 and 5:30 AM (Marathahalli) and hope to reach home no later than 3 PM.

There is no (good) Ch. Nagar-Handpost route - as mentioned by BHPian Kala in the Bangalore-Calicut thread (you really should peruse the most recent few pages of it). Even if there were one, it would be a bit circuitous.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by binand

My current plan is to go Bangalore-Malavally-Bannur-Mysore-Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavadi-Vythiri-Calicut. I plan to start from home between 5 and 5:30 AM (Marathahalli) and hope to reach home no later than 3 PM.

Looking forward to your update after the trip. Couple of days back there was a big article in Malayala Manorama about the completion of the road works in the Bavali-Handpost stretch along with a nice picture of a freshly laid road.

[naveen.raju]

Kochi - Idukki:

Vytilla - Kolenchery - Muvattupuzha - Vannappuram - Cheruthoni - Idukki. Roads are good except for one hairpain section. Narrow roads but very less traffic. Do watch out for buses (private and KSRTC). Very few pertrol stations between Muvattupuzha and Cheruthoni and these do not operate 24 hours. You can find few stations in Muvattupuzha.

Recommended eatouts on route:
Pepper & Salt - Vannappuram
Pappens - Cheruthoni
Thattukada - Cheruthoni town center

[ampere]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Vytilla - Kolenchery - Muvattupuzha - Vannappuram - Cheruthoni - Idukki. Roads are good except for one hairpain section. Narrow roads but very less traffic. Do watch out for buses (private and KSRTC). Very few pertrol stations between Muvattupuzha and Cheruthoni and these do not operate 24 hours. You can find few stations in Muvattupuzha.

Does it mean the Theni option works for you for a Chennai ride? My take: If you can make it to Theni easily, this way is a way better option compared to Salem.

[Twiny]

Kuthiran Ghat section has developed many potholes; most of them are on the side towards to Thrissur. One might not expect them since after a smooth surface before the ghats.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by ampere

Does it mean the Theni option works for you for a Chennai ride? My take: If you can make it to Theni easily, this way is a way better option compared to Salem.

I guess this route will drastically slow me down. My return drive was after 10pm when I had gone to Idukki couple of days back and it was very foggy. So I have decided to go to Chennai using this. I hope this is what you recommend too.

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Ma...m0!1m0!1m0!3e0

[ampere]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

I guess this route will drastically slow me down. My return drive was after 10pm when I had gone to Idukki couple of days back and it was very foggy. So I have decided to go to Chennai using this. I hope this is what you recommend too.

Yes when going via Pollachi. I just wanted to know, how good is Theni side. But since you are saying its quite foggy and night drives are difficult, I guess back to Avinashi/Palladam/Pollachi.

[sreeku]

Did any one recently drive Bangalore - Guruvayoor?
Debating between Bangalore - Mysore - Wayanad - Guruvayoor (shorter, traffic, bad roads?)
and
Bangalore - Salem - Erode - Trissur - Guruvayoor (longer, may be faster, better roads?)

Scenic drive is not the objective - have driven through Wayanad many times in the past. Looking for road conditions and faster travel time.

Thanks in advance
Sreekumar

[B103]

Last weekend, I went to Thirunelli in Wayanad via HD Kotte.

Route from Bangalore to Thirunelli:
Bangalore -> Mandya -> Mysore -> Kozhikode rd -> change to Mananthavady rd inside Mysore -> HD kote -> Kattikulam -> Thirunelli. It is around 290 km from Bellandur in Bangalore. Roads are in good condition throughout. I remember, 3 years back this road via HD kote was a struggle to cover (17 kms) as it was in very bad condition. It is all fine now.

Tip for people using Google maps: Close to HD kote, Google maps would try and route you straight into the forest but road is blocked by forest department with a boom barrier. Take left here and keep going for a couple of kms following the newly laid road and GPS would re-latch again.

For return trip:
Thirunelli -> HD kote -> Mysore -> Bannur -> Malavalli -> Kanakapura -> Bangalore. Here Mysore - Bannur - Malavalli road ( approx 40 kms ) is in average condition. You will see gutters and bumps every 4-5 minutes but it is manageable if you are patient. From Malavalli, you will get NH209 to Bangalore ( total distance approx 105 km to Electronic city) which is in good condition. I preferred this because I was returning to Bangalore on a long weekend and Mysore road would be very crowded usually on Sundays in the Bangalore direction.