[shavian]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Read my post just above this. It has the answers and addresses how to avoid the bad patch between Dharwad and Mollem.

So you do - Dharwad - Alnavar - Khanapur - Anmod - Mollem - Destination (Benaulim). Clean roads all the way.

Else Bankapura - Mungod - Yellapura - Ankola - Karwar - Benaulim is also a good option.

Thank you Paragsachania . Is the stretch between Alnavar and Anmod that bad? The pic you posted via forest route is too tempting to take that route.

Also, one more query, considering I am leaving around at 4~4:30 AM from Blr, is there a good breakfast place which I can reach around @ 9 AM in this route?

[pariwar]

Originally Posted by shavian

I am planning to leave around at 4 AM so that I could reach Goa by 1 PM.

Doable. Did exactly this to Varca, a few kms short of benaulim. You could target Kamat Upachar at Ranebennur for breakfast, should be there by 7.30 am, I guess (reasonably decent toilets).

Originally Posted by shavian

3) Bangalore - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Bankapur - Yellapur - Ankola - Karwar - Benaulim

The exact route that I took, you will enjoy the forest area of Bankapur - Yellapur and the torture is mild (just joking...not the best of roads but very doable in your vehicle without losing too much speed for a district road)

Suggesting Kamat Upachar Ranebennur as quite soon, you would be taking a left at Bankapur. If you are not taking the Bankapur route then a little further at Chatra is another Kamat Upachar (dirty toilets), but it is on the opposite side.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by shavian

Thank you Paragsachania . Is the stretch between Alnavar and Anmod that bad? The pic you posted via forest route is too tempting to take that route.

Also, one more query, considering I am leaving around at 4~4:30 AM from Blr, is there a good breakfast place which I can reach around @ 9 AM in this route?

1. Yes, Anmod Ramnagar is pretty bad to call it bad indeed

2. With a 0430 start, you can ideally break at Kamat, Ranebennur which will be 300 kms from Bangalore and will come within 3 kms after Chalagere Toll Plaza (95 INR) on your left hand side attached to a Reliance Fuel station. Before this you will also pass MAHYCO building on your left.

3. You also have a CCD at Shiggaon which is another 60 kms away from here, well marked and attached to Garuda Hotel on the left hand side. You won't miss this for sure and it comes after passing Shiggaon town on your right and a BPCL station on the left.

4. There is another Kamat but on the right hand side which is 20 kms away from this CCD (380 kms from Bangalore) and there is a break in the median just a few meters ahead where you can perform a U and enter this place. A tall post with KAMAT should hint you easily on its location

Based on the start time and the progress that you make, you can pick any of these and am more than sure one of them will be ideal for that pitstop.

(I am on mobile and hence passing this info without map URL)

EDIT- Refer this post for more details on Food and Fuel stops since the first 400 kms of the route is going to remain the same.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-eateries.html

[shavian]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

2. With a 0430 start, you can ideally break at Kamat, Ranebennur which will be 300 kms from Bangalore and will come within 3 kms after Chalagere Toll Plaza (95 INR) on your left hand side attached to a Reliance Fuel station. Before this you will also pass MAHYCO building on your left.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-eateries.html

Thank for your the detailed note. I will break at Kamat in Ranebennur for breakfast.

One query I have here is, is it better to continue on NH4 after Dharwad and go to MK Hubli and then take diversion towards Khanapur and then continue to Anmod, will this be faster than taking diversion at Dharward and then going towards Khanapur? Not sure how is the stretch between MK Hubli and Khanapur.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by shavian

Thank for your the detailed note. I will break at Kamat in Ranebennur for breakfast.

One query I have here is, is it better to continue on NH4 after Dharwad and go to MK Hubli and then take diversion towards Khanapur and then continue to Anmod, will this be faster than taking diversion at Dharward and then going towards Khanapur? Not sure how is the stretch between MK Hubli and Khanapur.

MK Hubli - Khanapur is a mixed bag whereas Dharwad Bypass till Alnavar is a fantastic 2 lane toll road (with a diversion for a ROB).

Alnavar - Khanapur is again good.

Ideally, you can take both these options anyway, to reach Khanapur from NH4.

[null]

Kamat Rannebennur is not a great option really IMO. A better place to stop is after Chitradurga, just before the S Nijalingappa Memorial (Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, if you dont know who he is), called Mysore Cafe. They have pretty decent breakfast & decent restrooms. Had stopped twice in the mornings in recent times while plying this route.

location: https://www.google.co.in/maps/@14.25...76.3524751,15z

Drive a bit slowly after crossing Chitradurga (Land mark: Lake on your left, and a junction) and you will get this place on your left.

[creative420]

Don't know if it has been mentioned here, but people traveling through Ranebennur, I advise you to stop by at Deol Dhaba for amazing Punjabi food.

https://goo.gl/maps/a5gGGX9NQyq

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by null

Kamat Rannebennur is not a great option really IMO.

Well, There was Kamat before the Bypass and Ghar Dhaba after the bypass. Ghar changed hands and lost its glory while Kamat only got better. As of today, it still remains a good option for food and break mainly because of the time/distance factor for those starting from Bangalore at 4:00am. Chitradurga is too early for that break. If not for lunch, their Breakfast options are always fresh all the times.

A better place to stop is after Chitradurga, just before the S Nijalingappa Memorial (Former Chief Minister of Karnataka, if you dont know who he is), called Mysore Cafe. They have pretty decent breakfast & decent restrooms. Had stopped twice in the mornings in recent times while plying this route.

I recall Mysore Cafe and this is also a regular for KSRTC Airavath's too. In fact, that accident recently where 4 were killed after a KSRTC Volvo toppled happened very close to this place (27-28 Dec, 2015)

Originally Posted by creative420

Don't know if it has been mentioned here, but people traveling through Ranebennur, I advise you to stop by at Deol Dhaba for amazing Punjabi food.

https://goo.gl/maps/a5gGGX9NQyq

Soon after the Ghar Dhaba there was the Deol Punjabi Dhaba which otherwise was a typical Truckers dahaba Serving both Veg and Non-Veg Food until 3 years back when it became a full fledged typical Highway "Restaurant" and served Pure Vegetarian food. Till the Ranebennur Railway Overbridge came up, Deol Dhaba was a landmark as one would have to deviate to makeshift service lanes due to Bridge construction exactly after this point.

Thanks to the fact that it is run by a Sardarji and the food tastes super good. It is a regular stop for most of the buses and also houses AC Rooms for stay over too.

But for Breakfast - Kamat is a better option over lunch or dinner where Deol Punjabi Dhaba is better again.

[Sam.k]

Originally Posted by The Adventurer

And a Return Anjuna- Honnavara- Shimoga- Mysore- Coimbatore - Kochi.

Roads were in good shape except for a patch between mysore and the sathyamangalam forest. The roads within the forest were great. Goa to shimoga was smooth and is a route you can consider for Goa- Bangalore.

Karnataka police will keep bugging you for bribes at all check points though.

Hey Adventurer,we are doing coimbatore-Goa next week.Your return route seems more apt for us .How tiring was this route and hope the road surface wont be much of a bother.

Would you suggest the NH17 as well?How doable is it by day? or night?

Thanks

[The Adventurer]

Originally Posted by Sam.k

Hey Adventurer,we are doing coimbatore-Goa next week.Your return route seems more apt for us .How tiring was this route and hope the road surface wont be much of a bother.

Would you suggest the NH17 as well?How doable is it by day? or night?

Thanks

the roads were fine. (Except for a small patch post mysore and before the sathyamangalam forest)

Is it do-able in one day?
We started from Goa post breakfast and reached shimoga in the evening. But we spent some time around jog falls.(wasted time rather)

As for Shimoga coimbatore, we set off in the morning, detoured via sringeri to see the place, breakfasted there, left around 10 AM and reached coimbatore for dinner. But we lost 3-4 hours on different things.


It is do-able if you leave goa 5 AM. Breaking it would be more relaxed as the route is scenic.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Shiraz Shah

Thank you ampere! I have to go to North Goa so could you please tell me where exactly the "4-lane till Belgaum, and Chorla" fit in my aforementioned route (Chennai-Bangalore-Tumkur-Arsikere-Tarikere-Shimoga-Sagar-Honavar)?

Answered your query here on this thread.

Chennai-Krishnagiri-Bangalore - NICE road - Tumkur - Davanagere - Hubli - Belgaum - Chorla - Goa

(No Arsikere/Shimoga).

[Shiraz Shah]

Thanks a ton ampere! Please also tell why exactly are we choosing this instead of the Arsikere/Shimoga route? Again, for this journey I can compromise on the scenery around (will explore it on a lighter set of two wheels someday); all I need is less traffic and good roads.

Secondly, I had planned on staying overnight at Shimoga (doing only around 300-350 km per day). So if I take the Bangy-Chorla route where would you recommend I stop for a night stay? Should be between 300-350 km from Bangalore.

Thanks again,
Regards,
Shiraz

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Shiraz Shah

Thanks a ton ampere! Please also tell why exactly are we choosing this instead of the Arsikere/Shimoga route? Again, for this journey I can compromise on the scenery around (will explore it on a lighter set of two wheels someday); all I need is less traffic and good roads.

Thats because Chennai-Bangalore-Hubli-Belgaum is 4-lane all the way. As compared to that after Tumkur you are on 2-lane, if you take the NH206.

Secondly, I had planned on staying overnight at Shimoga (doing only around 300-350 km per day). So if I take the Bangy-Chorla route where would you recommend I stop for a night stay? Should be between 300-350 km from Bangalore.

Chitradurga or Hubli will make a good stop point depending on how far you can go. But given the 4-lane, you should be able to make it till Hubli by evening, if you start very early.

[shavian]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

MK Hubli - Khanapur is a mixed bag whereas Dharwad Bypass till Alnavar is a fantastic 2 lane toll road (with a diversion for a ROB).

Alnavar - Khanapur is again good.

Ideally, you can take both these options anyway, to reach Khanapur from NH4.

Thank you for all your help.
I did Bangalore -> Benaulim over the last weekend.
While going too the below route.
Ecity -> Nice road -> Tumkur exit -> Ranebennur -> Dharwad-Hubli bypass -> Alnavar -> Khanapur -> Anmod -> Goa

Left Bangalore at 5:30 AM.
We took the breakfast break at Kamath Ranebennur. Food was good, toilet was not great. But as expected it is very difficult to get the best of both in one place on highways.
We were at Kamath by 9 AM.

Got some traffic block at Hubli bypass as a truck had toppled and we lost around 45 minutes there.

Took diversion at Alnavar towards Khanapur and then came down to Anmod. Khanapur - Anmod stretch is very scenic with almost no vehicles. Roads are narrow and expect some 2 wheelers to come on right side of the road at blind spot curves. I think the local people there do not expect much of traffic on that route so they relax and use the entire road.

Only bad thing was one branch from a tree fell on my car when I was negotiating a huge branch which was fallen on the road. Luckily no damage to the vehicle and we continued.

Reached Benaulim by 3 PM and had lunch at a local restaurant.

Tarmac all good throuh out. Could have reached by 2 PM if we were not stuck due to traffic in Hubli bypass.

On return we took the below route.

Goa -> Anmod -> Alnavar -> Hubli-Dharwad Bypass -> Tumkur road -> Nice road -> Ecity.
Yes this time we did not go via Khanapur, wanted to check the road between Amod - Alnavar, checked with the police at Karnataka check post and he said it is fine now.
And that was not a bad decision as the road was ok. Don't expect smooth tarmac, but easily can do it at 80's.
We left Goa at 9:30 AM and was in Bangalore by 7 PM with 1 hour 30 minutes break. That was 610 kms in 8 hours. Loved the road.

Once again thanks for all the help provided for this memorable trip.

[Sam.k]

How safe are the roads from Hubli/Belgaum/Dharwad towards Goa safe at night. Are there enough chai or food joints though the night on NH4?I will be starting this evening from Coimbatore towards Candolim.

Other option is Shimoga-Sagar-Karwar at night.Advise please
Thanks