[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by luckystryker

I will be taking the Mysore Road and bypassing it @ Srirangapatna (BLR >Srirangapatna >Hunsur >Gonikoppal >Virajpet).

Or should I be taking some other route?

I would suggest you to avoid this byepass now. Work is going on this road now and not a good idea to take this route. Instead of this, take the Mysore ring road and exit towards Madikeri. (Take right at the first signal after Srirangapatna (u can see Columbia Asia Hospital diagonally opposite on ur right side) and again exit to right at the second signal towards Madikeri (here you can see a Honda 2 Wheeler showroom simillar to the earlier hospital) )

[smrtdvl]

Hi all will be visiting coorg for a couple of days during my daughter's pooja holidays. The places to visit in my list are elephant camp, Tibetan monastery, Abbey falls and Talakaveri. Is there any other place worth visiting in or nearby coorg? And please do suggest me the best route to take from Coimbatore. TIA

[NPV]

Originally Posted by smrtdvl

The places to visit in my list are elephant camp, Tibetan monastery, Abbey falls and Talakaveri. Is there any other place worth visiting in or nearby coorg? And please do suggest me the best route to take from Coimbatore. TIA

I think a good route for you would be - Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Sathyamangalam-Chamrajanagar-Nanjangud-(Mysore)-Hunsur-Madikeri

Chamarajanagar-Nanjangud may not be great surface but manageable.
Nanjangud-Mysore there may be work in progress for road widening so Nanjangud-Hullahalli-Hunsur may be an alternate to avoid Mysore.

On places to visit - you can also make a quick visit to Cauvery Nisarghadhama also but Dubare elephant camp may be better for Elephant rides.

At Madikeri you can also visit the Omkareshwara temple, Rajah Seat (almost next to each other) and the Fort.

[adimicra]

I just came back from Coorg. It's a wonderful place.
The roads are good throughout. Take the Hunsur route.

Took me 6 hours from Marathalli, Bangalore to Club Mahindra, Madikeri including 40-45 mins break. So, driving time is 5-5.5 hours.

Best place in Coorg is Mandalpatti. But, you need a 4*4/Jeep to go there. But, don't miss it at any cost.

Other than that, definitely visit the Tibetan monastery at KushalNagar.
Raja's seat and Abbey falls are good spots within the town. Abbey falls has good amount of water at this point.

Dubare is a lot of fun if you have kids.

You can skip Nisargadhama and TalaCauvery.

[smrtdvl]

Originally Posted by NPV

I think a good route for you would be - Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Sathyamangalam-Chamrajanagar-Nanjangud-(Mysore)-Hunsur-Madikeri

Thanks for the suggestions. I will stick to the above route while going.

Originally Posted by adimicra

Best place in Coorg is Mandalpatti. But, you need a 4*4/Jeep to go there. But, don't miss it at any cost

I'll skip Nisargadhama but Talacauvery is in wifeys must see list. I'll be visiting Dubare as well since my 4yr old Angel loves elephants. Can I take her also to mandalpatti if I rent a 4*4?

While returning back can I take the Nagargole route to Mysore as I'll be staying in Mysore for a night and return to Coimbatore the next day? Are the any safaris in Nagarhole? Since this is my first visit any pointers on this will be helpful.

[adimicra]

Originally Posted by smrtdvl

Thanks for the suggestions. I will stick to the above route while going.






I'll skip Nisargadhama but Talacauvery is in wifeys must see list. I'll be visiting Dubare as well since my 4yr old Angel loves elephants. Can I take her also to mandalpatti if I rent a 4*4?

While returning back can I take the Nagargole route to Mysore as I'll be staying in Mysore for a night and return to Coimbatore the next day? Are the any safaris in Nagarhole? Since this is my first visit any pointers on this will be helpful.

I just shared my opinion. Obviously, making wife happy is the number one priority for all of us. May be keep your expectations a bit low for Talacauvery.

You can take your kid to Mandalpatti in the jeep. Even I had a kid though slightly older.Just make sure you hold her tight during the last 3-4 km journey.You will love this place I can assure.

Nagarhole route is fine but little deserted. Safaris are there but you need to make arrangements before if possible else you can be disappointed. You have to either do safaris through Jungle lodges or through Forest department. Try to get in touch with them. Do not expect to see lot of animals in safari now as it has been raining a lot.

[luckystryker]

Hey folks,
Did the trip and used Google, RajeshK, NPV, adu, luvurride and mpksuhas' excellent intel/insight into the routes and places to visit. Had an amazing trip.
A big to you guys!
Here is a quick and dirty review of the car, resort and the vacation. I will try to do a fuller travelogue if it helps the group.

Car(zoomcar rental) - Nano Twist XT done 27K
I rented from Bengaluru and did the round trip to Coorg and the local sightseeing in this. Terrible brakes which screamed in protest all the time and seemed to follow a binary logic (No brakes or full brakes. Nothing in between!). Took me a while to figure that the car jack was not fully secured in the back storage, causing it to clang like a bag of broken bottles. Once that was fastened, quieter times. Within the twisty roads of the Coorg Ghats, the Nano was a total boss. Easily took on and put several bigger and faster cars to shame, given the Nano needed a much smaller window for a safe overtaking maneuver. Had a total blast driving around in Virajpet, Madikeri and Kushalnagar/Bylakuppe. Roads were by and far decent, so the short wheelbase was not entirely uncomfortable. It was on the highway that the Nano finally started getting beaten by the big guns. No problems there, since I was not in a race there and drove comfortably in the slow lanes. Best case scenario would have been a large hatch/sedan on the BLR to Coorg drive and a Nano/4x4 in and around Coorg. @ 5300 for the 4 day rental and with Zoomcar's fuel reimbursement, it was a great value for money deal. Rating the car experience at 4.0/5.0

Club Mahindra, Virajpet - I had a corporate fun days redemption through my employer so my expenses were only room services and resort activities (every single one of them got billed!). So in that sense great value for money. Took the 1 Bedroom unit and it was well appointed. Sadly only a dry kitchenette, with no cooktop/hotplate. Had a microwave, toaster, grill and utensils/cutlery though. Resort food was above average but quite expensive. A good idea would be to pack in an induction stove/ hot plate and bring in some store bought provisions for some quick and easy meals. The resort provided a 1 day jeep safari with driver, covering a few of the more difficult to access spots @ 4K + tax (about 4800 bucks). Picked up that option and saw Tadiyandamol Peak, Chelavara falls, Chomakund Peak and Nalkanad Palace. Tad bit expensive but given I was staying for free, felt cheap for the trip! Nice pool and plenty of activities for kids, but everything (except the pool thankfully) charged. So we ended up using the resort for only the evening unwind after the whole day's sightseeing. All in all 4.5/5.0 for the resort stay/facilities.

Trip Itinerary
Day 0 - Chennai to Bengaluru via Shatabdi > Picked up Zoom car @ Garuda mall > Checked into nearby hotel for overnight stay (Sairam Residency - Decent biz accommodation. Small room, but hot water and comfy beds are all we needed and got them, so no complaints)
Day 1 - Bengaluru > Mysore (for provisions shopping) >Golden Temple, Bylakuppe > Club Mahindra Virajpet Checkin
Day 2 - Tadiyandamol peak > Nalkanad Palace > Chomakund Hill > Chelavara Falls
Day 3 - Dubare Elephant Camp > Vintage Car Display (ripoff! wouldn't recommend) > Chillin' at the pool @ Club Mahindra > Tamara Coorg for the anniversary dinner (the best night time drive I ever had. Bad directions from google, rain, fog, sharp hill climbs. Total blast! I will highly recommend a trip to Tamara Coorg for an evening coffee when there is still daylight. The place is too beautiful. Pity we showed up late at night on a rainy day when we could only imagine its beauty! They have a glass dancefloor over a natural waterfall for cryin' out loud! Dinner for two was excellent and a surprisingly affordable 2K on a pre-fixe menu, including generous tips.)
Day 4 - Plantation walk @ Club Mahindra (good fun for city kids. Wife has a proper farm in Kerala so nothing new for us. The guide was a bright young chap who kept us entertained) > Raja's Seat @ Madikeri > Return to Bengaluru by 8:30 PM > Off to Chennai by the 10:40 night train

Totally a great trip and much needed unwind time. 5.0/5.0 rating!

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by luckystryker

Hey folks,
Did the trip and used Google, RajeshK, NPV, adu, luvurride and mpksuhas' excellent intel/insight into the routes and places to visit. Had an amazing trip.
A big to you guys!

Pleasure! The fact that you had an amazing trip on your anniversary brings a smile!

Originally Posted by luckystryker

Tamara Coorg for the anniversary dinner (the best night time drive I ever had. Bad directions from google, rain, fog, sharp hill climbs. Total blast! I will highly recommend a trip to Tamara Coorg for an evening coffee when there is still daylight. The place is too beautiful. Pity we showed up late at night on a rainy day when we could only imagine its beauty! They have a glass dancefloor over a natural waterfall for cryin' out loud! Dinner for two was excellent and a surprisingly affordable 2K on a pre-fixe menu, including generous tips.)
5.0/5.0 rating!

I should have mentioned this, my bad! Even we had trouble finding the turn-off to the Tamara. I should've also explained why I recommended a lunch/evening tea rather than a dinner! Anyway, you now have a reason to come back!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by luvurride

I should have mentioned this, my bad! Even we had trouble finding the turn-off to the Tamara. I should've also explained why I recommended a lunch/evening tea rather than a dinner! Anyway, you now have a reason to come back!

Not sure if many know, Tamara does not allow kids under 12. They clearly mention it at their site. They attribute it to the steep gradient of the terrain where the property is located.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by ampere

Not sure if many know, Tamara does not allow kids under 12. They clearly mention it at their site. They attribute it to the steep gradient of the terrain where the property is located.

You are right, they don't! They want to keep the place strictly romantic!

Even when us, a bunch of guys turned up whilst on our annual bachelor trip, they were skeptical in letting us in. Probably the way we behaved at the reception might've given them the confidence!

[adu]

Will be traveling from Balehonnur to Virajpet over the weekend. Can anyone suggest the best route to take? In the past, I have taken the route via Chikmagalur-Hassan-KR Nagar-Hunsur to get to Thithimathi (just before Gonikoppal).

Google maps shows the route via Mudigere-Somwarpet-Siddapur, but have never used this and want to check if it makes sense and is in motorable condition.

[shifu]

Hi guys,

I need some help with planning a trip to Coorg, and accommodation options in Shimoga. Below is the itinerary -

I have booked my train tickets from Hyd to Bengaluru for 2nd week of Jan. I'll be hiring a self-drive car from Bengaluru and drive to Coorg. We are 6 adults and one 4 year old. I am hoping an Innova will be comfortable and will fit in all our luggage. Zoomcar has XUV, but no Innova. Mylescar has Innova though.

I wanted to stay in a homestay in Coorg, but others in the family are very skeptical. Somebody somewhere had some bad experience, and hence they don't want to take any risk, given that we have our 4 year old. We'll probably book a resort, like Club Mahindra. I’ll also have to visit a Jain temple in Shimoga.

So the plan is this -

Day 1 – Start from Bangalore. Drive to Bylakuppe. Visit golden temple. Go to Resort. Chillax.
Day 2 - Early morning, go to Dubare Elephant Camp. After lunch, Mandalpatti and Abbey falls. Go back to Resort. Chillax.
Day 3 - Around 9, start to Shimoga. Reach there by 4pm or so. Get some accommodation in hotel/homestay/resort.
Day 4 - Morning, go to Jain temple. Later, go to Jog falls. Go back to hotel/homestay/resort. Chillax.
Day 5 - Morning, visit shravanabelagola on the way to Bangalore. Reach Bangalore by evening.

Any suggestions for accommodation in Shimoga? Does the above plan look good? Anything else I should add to the plan?

Thanks in advance!

[NPV]

Originally Posted by shifu

Day 1 – Start from Bangalore. Drive to Bylakuppe. Visit golden temple. Go to Resort. Chillax.
Day 2 - Early morning, go to Dubare Elephant Camp. After lunch, Mandalpatti and Abbey falls. Go back to Resort. Chillax.
Day 3 - Around 9, start to Shimoga. Reach there by 4pm or so. Get some accommodation in hotel/homestay/resort.
Day 4 - Morning, go to Jain temple. Later, go to Jog falls. Go back to hotel/homestay/resort. Chillax.
Day 5 - Morning, visit shravanabelagola on the way to Bangalore. Reach Bangalore by evening.

Any suggestions for accommodation in Shimoga? Does the above plan look good?

Day 2 - Not sure about Mandalpatti + abbey falls if it's doable after lunch,
Day 5 - Plan this properly since you don't want to reach when the sun is shining bright as you need to climb the steps up the hill,
Rest looks ok.

Shimoga - Royal Orchid is good, Jewel Rock is an older hotel you may want to check that too.

[Klub Class]

Originally Posted by shifu

Any suggestions for accommodation in Shimoga?

Ashoka Grand and Green View Boutique in Shimoga

Regarding homestays, we had a great experience staying in Honey Valley, Yavakapady. There are lots of good home stays in Coorg. Just have a look at the reviews online before you go ahead with booking

[LazyGunner]

Hello,

I am planning a ride to Coorg on 19th and 20th of this month from Bengaluru. After my first ever ride to Chikkamagaluru on my 2-months old classic 350 last month, my heart is craving for another ride. Hoping Dec would be a right time to visit this beautiful place, we are all set for, what I'm sure will be a great experience.

Here's what we want to do:
If nobody drops out of the plan, we will be 6 people on 2 classic 350s and a unicorn - all guys. Most important agenda would be to ride, making the whole experience better by visiting some awesome spots - so no trekking or any activity demanding physical effort. A waterfall and/or a place to spend some time playing in the water would be nice. Less-explored, less-crowded places would be perfect. I have visited Kaveri Nisargadhama, Bylakuppe, Raja seat, Dubaare when I came to Coorg last time around in 2009.

We have planned to start late night Friday the 18th, stealing some sleep in Maddur coffee day during early morning. Idea is to reach Coorg by 10am. (all of us being lazy, leisure and non-pro riders, there will be a lot of breaks and we might reach even later). After having breakfast, will try and visit Dubaare (don't know current water level but hoping it will be fun). Will have late lunch and continue to ride towards Madikeri/Shuntikoppa in search of a place to stay overnight. Preferably a reasonably priced place with a campfire or something of sorts, if not a regular hotel to get the much needed sleep after the long day.

The reason to go and stay near Madikeri/Shuntikoppa is the most important thing of this trip - ride to mandalpatti early in the morning. I have heard we can ride till the peak which has a great view. More than the view, I'm interested in riding to the top. Have always wanted to visit Bhagamandala but don't know if it can be accommodated. After that, finish lunch and ride back to namma Bengaluru and reach by 10pm.

I would need some suggestions on:
1. If Dubaare can be skipped in favor of a similar place, or a small stream where we can safely get into water.
2. Any decent homestay/hotel close to Mandalpatti to stay for the night of 19th.
3. Any less-crowded place with historic value on our way that we can visit by spending very little time.
4. And correction to anything that is wrong in the above plan.

Thanks in advance!
Bhushan