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-   -   Bangalore - Goa : Route Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/29949-bangalore-goa-route-queries-68.html)

Why not the Karwar Shimoga route? That seems much better compared to the one you mention.

Guys, I am planning to drive to Goa this weekend clap:. I plan to drive overnight both ways.

I've been following this thread for a month now and seems to me that Belagaum - Sawantawadi route is the one with least surprises. I've been on Bangalore - Shimoga road a couple of times, but somehow I am not very comfortable driving there at night.

So people who have traveled recently, what do you suggest for a night drive to Goa?

Edit: The destination is Baga/Calangute.

@Ampere: I am taking this route because I need to take an overnight halt enroute - I cannot do the 600+ km stretch in one day given that I have a 1-yr old on board :) As far as I remember, there is no decent lodging on the Karwar - Honnavar - Shimoga route after Kamat (Honnavar) which would be too short a distance to cover for Leg-I. I have heard of a couple of good lodging options on NH4 around the Davengere/Harihar area.

Suggestions are welcome!

If you take Shimoga-Honnavar-Karwar route,
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There is Panduranga International near Kumta. It is on the nH17 itself.
some of my relatives had stayed there . It seems to be a decent hotel.
i do not have first had experience

If you take Davangere-Belgaum route
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Hotel Sankam in Belgaum. I have the first hand experience of this hotel, it is very good., they have excellent resturant, buffet breakfast, parking, nearby IOC fuel stations, near by ATMs of several banks etc.


you can also stay at Hubli depends on how much you want drive.

This is pertaining to my return (Goa - Bangalore) leg. I would not want to do more than 350-400 kms in a day and therefore, am deciding b/w the following routes:

a. Goa - Karwar - Honnavar - Shimoga (halt @ 330 km) - Tumkur - Bangalore (~620 km)

b. Goa - Londa - Khanapur - Kittur - Dharwad - Davenagere (halt @ 350 km) - Tumkur - Bangalore (~640)

Distance-wise these are more or less the same so yet to decide on which one to take.

Edit - I have shortlisted Genesis Retreat (Davengere Bypass) or Hotel Jewel Rock (Shimoga) as staying options. Any feedback on these would be welcome.

Guys
Any improvement on the Chitradurga-Haveri stretch & Tumkur bypass? Has the Ranebennur bypass been opened?

Relatively, yes. But more or less in the same condition.
Ranebennur bypass is still not open.

I have stayed twice @ Jewel Rock and I would gladly recommend it over any other hotel at Shimoga.

I did this stretch on 6 March 2010 during my Pune - Bangalore trip. It was a nightmare. No signages, no info, crude and big speed-breakers/humps/bumps touched my Fiat Linea's bottom twice each at Davangere and Tumkur BP. Ranebennur BP was not yet open. The work was progressing on a snail's pace. It is a blot on NHAI.

Just came back from Goa after a wonderful four day holiday. Instead of fyling in as usual, got inspired by this thread and decide to drive down.

For the journey onwards, took Hubli - Belgaum - Sawantawadi - Amboli - Calangute route. Started at 11:30PM and reached by 11AM with about an hour and haft of breaks enroute.

Bangalore - Nelamangala: Much much better than before. Easily manageable. Just be alert for unmaked road bumps.
Nelamangala - Tumkur : Good as usual.
Tumkur bypass - Again much better. Work is progressing fast. There's one nasty bump which scraped the underbelly both while going and coming back.
Tumkur - Chitradurga: Breeze.
Chitradurga bypass: Lot of progess since I was there last October. Quite easy to drive now.
Chitradugra - Davanagere: Good with a couple of diversions. No major complaints.
Davanagere - Ranibennur - Haveri: Quite a few bad stretches epsecially around Ranibennur. Fortunately didn't get stuck in traffic because I was driving late. Two railway crossings are the worst. Again, nothing bad enough to fret about as of now. But I would think twice before venturing there once the monsoons start. The whole road then will be one long slush pit.
Haveri - Hubli - Belgaum: Wonderful. I hope they widen Hubli - Dharwad BP also to divided four lane road. It could get quite messy in peak traffic.
Belgaum - Sawanthwadi-Goa: This was a dissapointment. The surface is undulating and all cracked up. Definately not worth extra 80 km from Belagaum.

On my return journey decided to take Ponda - Londa - Khanapur - Beedi - Kittur route. Started at 2:45PM and reach Bangalore by 2:30AM, again with about and hour and half of breaks.

Panjim - Ponda - Mollem: Good surface but a lot of mining truck traffic and dust aound Mollem National park. The oncoming lane was jammed for miles and there were trucks cutting lane every which way. Lost quite a bit of time.
Mollem - Anmod - Ramnagar: Exellent. No potholes even on the KA side.The patchwork is a bit rough for a couple of kilometer though.
Looking at the road condition I got ambitious and checked with the locals about the situation of the Ramangar - Alnavar - Dharwad road. Sadly there's no improvement. They said even the truck don't go that way anymore.
Ramnagar - Kananapur - Beedi: Good roads and great traffic disipline.
Beedi - Kittur: Broken up. Full of potholes and road shoulders have washed off. I am thinking one can make better time by going all the way up to Belguam and taking NH4 from there, even though it adds about 40km extra.

Another good news is that a Kamat Upchar has just opened bewteen Ranibennur and Davangere near Harihar. The restrooms are sparkling clean and food is good. Look out for a Reliance petrol pump left of the north bound lane. They said they close by 11:30PM.

Overall, it was a good experience. Good to see genuine progress on road works. I am waiting for a day when Hubli is just 4 hours from Bangalore :).

Good to hear work is going on.

Hubli bangalore 4 hours?? means an average speed of 100 kmph. therefore one would have to travel at 130 - 140. Not safe on our roads.
realistically it would be 75 average speed with about 4 hours to hubli

OK I get it. Choose which is best for the little one! By the way, I am on the same plane as you. I don't prefer driving more than 300-350 Km per day.

I guess you must have already traveled. Do let us know how was the experience.

Guys,
Am planning a trip to Calangute on April 9th.
Wife and 4 year old daughter will be coming.
Vehicle - Safari 2.2VTT 4wd.
My plan is to start at 6 AM and take the Sawanthwadi route. Budget 12 hours

While coming take the Karwar-Hubli route.

Some suggestions on decent places to eat/refresh will really help.
Also a few places for night stay if things get too late.

See my post above. Unless you have a reason to go to Sawanthwadi, it is not worth the detour. Just take NH4A from Belagaum or the usual Kittur - Beedi route. You may encounter truck traffic near Mollem but it is not too bad.

You could get refreshed at Kamat Upchar near Harihar. There is also a Ghar Dhaba just after Ranibennur. Hotel Sankam Residency in Belgaum is a good place to stop over if requited.

Thanks.
Is the Ramnagar - Ponda route OK for evening drive?
How much time do you expect it will take to reach Belgaum at normal driving speeds? I mean 80-90 kmph. I am starting from whitefield at 6 AM which means I will hit peenya road at around 6.45 AM.