[srvm]

Folks, I plan to go to Horanadu from Bangalore sometime in April.
[This is my first time in that region. I have been to Chikmagalur once via Hassan-Belur, couple of years ago.]
GMaps is suggesting to take left at Belur (NH73), via Jannapura-Mudigere-Kottigehara to Kalasa-Horanadu. Is this a good route to take? Anybody has info on road conditions and places for break?

Thanks in advance.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by srvm

GMaps is suggesting to take left at Belur (NH73), via Jannapura-Mudigere-Kottigehara to Kalasa-Horanadu. Is this a good route to take? Anybody has info on road conditions and places for break?

Thanks in advance.

Definitely the standard road to take and overall conditions remain good.

Places to break before Hassan are aplenty. I am sure you can refer to the Bangalore Mangalore thread for the same.

After Hassan you can take a break at the Fresh bean cafe which is 13 Kms from Mudigere at Banakal. Absolutely clean rest rooms, quite a decent menu (3 families had lunch here last month when we were returning from Udupi) and is attached to IOCL station too.

Here's the location: Fresh Bean Cafe.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by srvm

Folks, I plan to go to Horanadu from Bangalore sometime in April.

You could also go via chikmagalur - aldur - balehonnur - magundi - balehole - hornadu. The only reason I love this route over the standard route via kottigehara is lack of traffic. The roads are great on both routes but the blissful drive via magundi - balehole make me want to take that route more often. Plus I love the twisties between Aldur - Balehonnur

I would suggest you drive up one way and drive down the other way. Also try and go to kyatanamakki when in hornadu. Details here - https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/trave...ml#post4550400 (Weekend wanderings to Kyatanamakki)

[srvm]

Originally Posted by srvm

Folks, I plan to go to Horanadu from Bangalore sometime in April.
......
Thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Definitely the standard road to take and overall conditions remain good.
......
After Hassan you can take a break at the Fresh bean cafe which is 13 Kms from Mudigere at Banakal.
.....

Originally Posted by procrj

You could also go via chikmagalur - aldur - balehonnur - magundi - balehole - hornadu. The only reason I love this route over the standard route via kottigehara is lack of traffic......

Thanks for the inputs Parag and procrj.

18th April: We left Bengaluru after voting at 9am from C V Raman Nagar. There was heavy traffic on Tumkur Road as well as Hassan highway (expected it since it was start of long weekend). All toll booths were jam-packed. Had lunch at Swati Delicacy (11.50am-12.55pm).
We took Hassan-Belur-Mudigere-Banakal-Kottigehara-Kalasa-Horanadu route. Took Tea break at Fresh Bean Cafe just after Banakal (4.30pm-5.00pm). Reached Horanadu at 6.45pm. Accommodation was booked at Bhadra Nivasa. Wonderful, clean facility with large parking area. Had splendid darsan on the same evening.

Road status:
Road inside Hassan (where Hotel Raama is located) is getting white-topped. So only half of the road is open for traffic.
Roads between Mudigere-Banakal stretch has lots of bad patches (culverts under construction/repair). Should be about 6-8 of them.
Kottigehara-Kalasa-Horanadu stretch is smooth but curvy. I liked driving here but my motion-sick dad hated it.


19th April: Left Horanadu towards Dharmasthala. Route taken was Horanadu-Kalasa-Kottigehara-Charmadi-Ujire-Dharmasthala.
Had a break at Kalasa to visit Kalaseshwara Temple and lunch (11.10am -12.10pm break).
My first time on Charmadi ghats. Roads are good to ok. Few impatient drivers trying to overtake KSRTC buses on steep hairpin bends
Charmadi-Ujire-Dharmasthala stretch is wide and smooth. Reached Dharmasthala at 2.50pm.
Had nice darsan at Dharmasthala on the same evening.

20th April: Left Dharmasthala after breakfast and fuel-topup (8.00am). Went to Kukke Subrahmanya through SH37 via Periashanthi. Beautiful smooth road through forest section. This must be even better after monsoon. Few shacks on the way selling Pineapples and Palmyra fruits. Reached Subrahmanya at 9.10am.

After darsan at Kukke Subrahmanya Temple, we started towards Bengaluru (12 noon). Took SH114 to Gundya which was again smooth and fantastic to drive. Thereafter took NH75 to Sakleshpur-Hassan-Nelamangala. Again my first time in Shiradi route, concrete section was smooth and wide. I can see why speed-breakers are required even in these concrete ghat sections - lots of impatient/bad drivers counting on pure luck while overtaking rashly on blind curves. The road stretch after concrete section (near Donigal and Manjarabad Fort) is poor. We had lunch and bio-break at Surabhi's Nx (as suggested by many BHPians) and food was good (1.35pm-2.20pm break). Sakleshpur-Ballepet-Hassan is 2-lane and overtaking slow-moving trucks was tricky at many places. Road widening work is ongoing at many places. Being Saturday, traffic was sparse after Hassan. Quickly reached Swathi Delicacy for a tea break (4.50pm-5.45pm break). Crossed Nelamangala at 6.40pm and reached home at C V Raman Nagar by 8pm.

[deadguy25]

Originally Posted by srvm

18th April: We left Bengaluru after voting at 9am from C V Raman Nagar. There was heavy traffic on Tumkur Road as well as Hassan highway (expected it since it was start of long weekend).. .

Thank you SRVM.

I plan to do: Bangalore -> Dharmasthala -> Kukke -> Coorg -> Bangalore.

I noticed you have mentioned about few bad patches and the presence of speed breakers. Could you please try and recollect if the bad patches had deep potholes and if the speed breakers were pretty high? Asking this because I drive a 2011 Fluidic verna which has very low ground clearance.
Any other information too would be of utmost help, thank you.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by deadguy25

I plan to do: Bangalore -> Dharmasthala -> Kukke -> Coorg -> Bangalore.

I noticed you have mentioned about few bad patches and the presence of speed breakers. Could you please try and recollect if the bad patches had deep potholes and if the speed breakers were pretty high? Asking this because I drive a 2011 Fluidic verna which has very low ground clearance.
Any other information too would be of utmost help, thank you.

If your intended circuit is as above, don't worry much about bad roads with deep potholes. The bad patches that srvm refers to doesn't fall on your route and is applicable only if you were headed to Dharmasthala via Charmadi Ghat which is not the case with you; standard route is via Sakleshpura and Shirado.

Also, the speedbreakers on the ghat sections are tiny and nearly like rumblers that you should be worried about GC issues. These are placed mainly on the concrete section of the ghats to warn drivers from being carried away that's all.

[deadguy25]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

If your intended circuit is as above, don't worry much about bad roads with deep potholes. The bad patches that srvm refers to doesn't fall on your route and is applicable only if you were headed to Dharmasthala via Charmadi Ghat which is not the case with you; standard route is via Sakleshpura and Shirado.

Thank you . Yes I plan to do it via Sakleshpura and Shiradi. Thank you very much, now I can plan peacefully without worrying about the road conditions.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by deadguy25

Thank you SRVM.

I plan to do: Bangalore -> Dharmasthala -> Kukke -> Coorg -> Bangalore.

I noticed you have mentioned about few bad patches and the presence of speed breakers. Could you please try and recollect if the bad patches had deep potholes and if the speed breakers were pretty high? Asking this because I drive a 2011 Fluidic verna which has very low ground clearance.
Any other information too would be of utmost help, thank you.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

If your intended circuit is as above, don't worry much about bad roads with deep potholes
........

Parag's observations in above post are 100% correct.
I'd like to add that the bad sections I was referring to in Post#289 does not have deep potholes - even in the middle of Charmadi ghats. It can be done in any low GC sedan if you slow down in time (easier in daylight).

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by srvm

I'd like to add that the bad sections I was referring to in Post#289 does not have deep potholes - even in the middle of Charmadi ghats. It can be done in any low GC sedan if you slow down in time (easier in daylight).

Charmadi did have super bad potholes only 2 months before it underwent a round of resurfacing at all the bad sections. Otherwise, the size of the potholes here were monstrous at few places. After this, the overall surface of the entire ghat became super good.

So yes, Charmadi can very well be done in a low GC Sedan except the work in progress sections between Kottigehara and Mudigere (stretch of 15+ Kms) where culverts are redesigned/expanded and there are small diversions.

[deadguy25]

Thank you Parag and srvm.
The roads were as described in your posts. There was not a place where I had to worry about.
Left Bangalore on Friday morning and reached Dharmasthala by 11:00 am. Had darshan and lunch there. Then left to Kukke. The roads were very good. Stayed the night at Kukke and then left for Coorg the next morning after darshan.
Looks like both the places have not had enough rainfall. The streams that we come across while going to both these places are almost dry.
Initially while planning for the trip, I was very skeptical about the roads, but after your posts here I was very confident that the roads are good.
Thank you both once again.

[Raaj*]

Am planning for a family trip to Sringeri, Uduppi and places around. Plan is to fly to Mangalore, hire a cab for 3 days and return from Bangalore/Mysore in train. Is there a cab in Mangalore which will pick up from Mangalore and drop in B'lore or Mysore? Please suggest.

[livyodream]

Any pointers for stay at Sringeri? Google search does not lead to any good/Decent hotel. Any recommendation would be much appreciated.

[supreddy77]

Originally Posted by livyodream

Any pointers for stay at Sringeri? Google search does not lead to any good/Decent hotel. Any recommendation would be much appreciated.

Please check with Sharath from travelmalnad.com. We used them twice for Thirthahalli and Shimoga. They are pretty good for homestays etc

[procrj]

Originally Posted by livyodream

Any pointers for stay at Sringeri? Google search does not lead to any good/Decent hotel. Any recommendation would be much appreciated.

That is because the temple run guest houses are what most pilgrims use. would suggest you try them if its a single night stay - rooms are basic but clean. Else you can try the following home stays:

1. Sri durga- https://goo.gl/maps/eEin2cna1t4864fh8
2. Bhide - https://goo.gl/maps/SLg4AjSbGMHZ28DNA
3. Panchvati - https://goo.gl/maps/FXLjRGm364YYUfTd9
4. Krushikoota - https://goo.gl/maps/xdhjcuQQRguyZova6

I haven't stayed in any of the above but have heard good reviews of all of the above.

Note: If you are going weekend, then the temple guest run guest houses might be packed and the main desk manager will say the same. Just hang around a little and push your case, especially if you have family with you, they will find a place for you. If this is your first time to Sringeri, then dont miss the super breakfast at Holla's (right on the main temple road) and the temple meal in the afternoon.

[prashkul]

Hi All,

We're planning to go to Sringeri next Monday for my daughter's and nephew's Aksharabhyasa. Please provide your inputs on route, road conditions and stay:

Bangalore e-city - Hassan - Belur - Chikkamagaluru - Aldur - Balehonnur - Jayapura - Sringeri.

Planning to rent from Zoomcar as we'll be six adults (including aged parents) and two kids. I have previously stayed in temple-managed acco at Sringeri, but not sure if it will be suitable for my aged parents. Any comfortable stay recommendations?

Once Aksharabhyasa cermony is done in Day-2 morning, plan is to drive to Horanadu for a quick darshan & prasada before returning home.

What is the route to be followed for Sringeri-Horanadu-Bangalore part?

How much time should be budgeted for onward & return drive?


Thanks,
Prashanth