[The Adventurer]

Thanks for the detailed route. Exactly what I needed.

I explored the Shimoga, Sringeri, Bhadravati, Nagarhole area a month back. Loved it. Couldnt make it to jog falls though.

[samigo]

Hi,

I'm doing a road trip with family from Pune to Thalassery (Kerala) to attend a friend's wedding and to do some site seeing. This is the first time I'm travelling towards south india and beyond Goa. Have done long drives to northern India several times. Since, this is my first drive to South, I need some guidance below:

a) Is NH17 via NH4 the best highway to drive considering it's proximity to Sea coast. I wish to feast on sea-food en-route. If yes, which NH4-NH17 bypass to take (except the ones within MH and Goa)

b) Can I complete this in single day specially with wife and 4 year old kid? I have done Pune - Udaipur single day without halt before.

b) Point of Interests en-route?

c) Best site seeing in/around Thalassery?

My travel plan: Leave early morning Saturday, attend wedding on Sunday, site seeing on Monday. Leave early morning Tuesday for Pune.

Many thanks in advance!

[@Chaand]

Good plan.
You can do this in a single day but is not advised and you would not enjoy it as well.
You can take the route of Pune - Hubli - Ankola - Mangalore - Thalassery, if you want to satisfy your cravings for sea food.

Not sure of the NH4 route beyond Hubli.

At Thalassery, there are a few places to see, i.e beach, a cave and a few temples.
Don't miss the paratha and mushroom curry at Paris Presidency if at all you plan to stay at Thalassery.

[pjbiju]

A few questions to all:

I am planning to drive to Kerala (Kochi) around Chistmas from Pune and return to Pune in the first week of Jan. Car would be my Swift Petrol. I will have my wife and son with me.

Pune - Kochi
- Day 1 : Pune - Bangalore (NH4) - NICE Road - Hosur (Halt for the night). Starting from Pune at 4:00 a.m. This would be on a Saturday.
- Day 2 : Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Omalur - Salem (Bypass) - Avinashi - Palladam - Pollachi - Nenmara - Vadakkencherry - Chalakudy - Home. Start from Hosur at 5:00 a.m. This would be on a Sunday.

Kochi - Pune (naming them as Day 3 and Day 4)
- Day 3 : Home - Vadakkencherry - Pollachi - Palladam - Avinashi - Salem (Bypass) - Krishnagiri - Hosur - NICE Road - Bangalore - Tumkur or Chitradurga. Halt at Tumkur/Chitradurga. Starting at around 5:00 a.m. Day would be a Saturday.
- Day 4 : Tumkur/Chitradurga - Pune (NH4). Starting at around 5:00 a.m. Day would be a Sunday.

Now the questions:
1. Will it be possible to travel beyond Hosur on day 1 assuming that I reach NICE road by 4:00 p.m.? I have driven to Bangalore earlier in 12 hours (when NH4 was still not completed at some of the places in KA.).
2. If yes, which place after Hosur would be a better place to stay for the night? And what are my stay options? I am not very keen on driving beyond 6:30/7:00 p.m.
3. If I decide to stop at Hosur, are there any other stay options at Hosur other than Sarovar Portico? Need a clean place with some food options nearby. Not really interested in spending more than about 2k for the night.
4. Is the route plan for Day 2 (Hosur to Kochi) and Day 3, the best option at present or should I consider Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Home?
4. Any recommended places to stay at Tumkur & Chitradurga?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

- Day 1 : Pune - Bangalore (NH4) - NICE Road - Hosur (Halt for the night). Starting from Pune at 4:00 a.m. This would be on a Saturday.

Perfect. Works well to stay in Hosur than Bangalore.

- Day 2 : Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Omalur - Salem (Bypass) - Avinashi - Palladam - Pollachi - Nenmara - Vadakkencherry - Chalakudy - Home. Start from Hosur at 5:00 a.m. This would be on a Sunday.

Dont need to take the Palladam route now. The regular 4-lane seems to be doing very good now.

- Day 3 : Home - Vadakkencherry - Pollachi - Palladam - Avinashi - Salem (Bypass) - Krishnagiri - Hosur - NICE Road - Bangalore - Tumkur or Chitradurga. Halt at Tumkur/Chitradurga. Starting at around 5:00 a.m. Day would be a Saturday.
- Day 4 : Tumkur/Chitradurga - Pune (NH4). Starting at around 5:00 a.m. Day would be a Sunday.

Again stick to 4-lane. Tumkur should be good.

1. Will it be possible to travel beyond Hosur on day 1 assuming that I reach NICE road by 4:00 p.m.? I have driven to Bangalore earlier in 12 hours (when NH4 was still not completed at some of the places in KA.).

Its not worth it. You dont gain much. People start early from Bangalore only to beat the exit traffic. You are already out. So stick to Hosur.

2. If yes, which place after Hosur would be a better place to stay for the night? And what are my stay options? I am not very keen on driving beyond 6:30/7:00 p.m.

There is one in Krishnagiri called Alps

http://alpshotelkrg.com/

3. If I decide to stop at Hosur, are there any other stay options at Hosur other than Sarovar Portico? Need a clean place with some food options nearby. Not really interested in spending more than about 2k for the night.

There is a TTDC but stick to Sarovar.

4. Is the route plan for Day 2 (Hosur to Kochi) and Day 3, the best option at present or should I consider Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Home?

Stick to 4-lane. Thats better I think these days and most tend to take that route.

4. Any recommended places to stay at Tumkur & Chitradurga?

Naveen Regency has hotels in both Tumkur and Chitradurga.

http://www.naveenregency.com/

[couswheels]

Originally Posted by ampere

Naveen Regency has hotels in both Tumkur and Chitradurga.

http://www.naveenregency.com/

Have stayed in Naveen Regency Tumkur recently and the hotel doesn't have any restaurant due to renovation. Rooms are very decent.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by couswheels

Have stayed in Naveen Regency Tumkur recently and the hotel doesn't have any restaurant due to renovation. Rooms are very decent.

Thanks for that update. Best part would be if there is a decent place along Bangalore-Tumkur highway. But I have not seen any. And Chitradurga is another 150km further up.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by ampere

...
There is a TTDC but stick to Sarovar.
.....

Thanks a lot ampere for your inputs. Very helpful for my planning. Any feedback/idea about Yashoda Towers at Hosur? Sarovar seems to be like 4k for a night.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Thanks a lot ampere for your inputs. Very helpful for my planning. Any feedback/idea about Yashoda Towers at Hosur? Sarovar seems to be like 4k for a night.

I just noticed while looking at trip advisor, Cenneys just opened a property in Hosur. I have stayed at their Salem hotel and it was very good. You can check it out.


http://hotelcenneys.com/fortuna/


I dont know about Yashoda towers.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by ampere

I just noticed while looking at trip advisor, Cenneys just opened a property in Hosur. I have stayed at their Salem hotel and it was very good. You can check it out.


http://hotelcenneys.com/fortuna/


I dont know about Yashoda towers.

Thank you again. Another query, do you know of reliable fuel stations between Hosur and Kochi - do we have a link to that somewhere like Parag has done for the Bangalore-Mumbai route?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Thank you again. Another query, do you know of reliable fuel stations between Hosur and Kochi - do we have a link to that somewhere like Parag has done for the Bangalore-Mumbai route?

No link as such.

Some COCO Bunks which I am aware off:
- Shoolagiri A2B
- Thoppur A2B
- Salem A2B (after the NH47 exit)

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Thank you again. Another query, do you know of reliable fuel stations between Hosur and Kochi - do we have a link to that somewhere like Parag has done for the Bangalore-Mumbai route?

Originally Posted by ampere

No link as such.

Some COCO Bunks which I am aware off:
- Shoolagiri A2B
- Thoppur A2B
- Salem A2B (after the NH47 exit)

There is a BP COCO outlet after you exit Coimbatore bypass. Make sure to fill there as Petrol is considerably cheaper ( Around Rs 4/-) in Tamil Nadu than Kerala. Fuel in Kerala is costlier than Karnataka these days.

Originally Posted by pjbiju

A few questions to all:

I am planning to drive to Kerala (Kochi) around Chistmas from Pune and return to Pune in the first week of Jan. Car would be my Swift Petrol. I will have my wife and son with me.

Pune - Kochi
- Day 1 : Pune - Bangalore (NH4) - NICE Road - Hosur (Halt for the night). Starting from Pune at 4:00 a.m. This would be on a Saturday.
- Day 2 : Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Thoppur - Omalur - Salem (Bypass) - Avinashi - Palladam - Pollachi - Nenmara - Vadakkencherry - Chalakudy - Home. Start from Hosur at 5:00 a.m. This would be on a Sunday.

Kochi - Pune (naming them as Day 3 and Day 4)
- Day 3 : Home - Vadakkencherry - Pollachi - Palladam - Avinashi - Salem (Bypass) - Krishnagiri - Hosur - NICE Road - Bangalore - Tumkur or Chitradurga. Halt at Tumkur/Chitradurga. Starting at around 5:00 a.m. Day would be a Saturday.
- Day 4 : Tumkur/Chitradurga - Pune (NH4). Starting at around 5:00 a.m. Day would be a Sunday.

As Ampere suggested, stick to NH7 - NH47 route. This is faster now. Pune to Hosur should take around 14 hours. No point in pushing further as you will reach Chalakkudy by 12:30 - 1:00 PM if you start from Hosur at 5:00 AM.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

There is a BP COCO outlet after you exit Coimbatore bypass. Make sure to fill there as Petrol is considerably cheaper ( Around Rs 4/-) in Tamil Nadu than Kerala. Fuel in Kerala is costlier than Karnataka these days.

As Ampere suggested, stick to NH7 - NH47 route. This is faster now. Pune to Hosur should take around 14 hours. No point in pushing further as you will reach Chalakkudy by 12:30 - 1:00 PM if you start from Hosur at 5:00 AM.

Originally Posted by ampere

No link as such.

Some COCO Bunks which I am aware off:
- Shoolagiri A2B
- Thoppur A2B
- Salem A2B (after the NH47 exit)

Thank you both again. I started from Pune from 4:00 a.m. and reached Hosur by 5:30 p.m. With two breakfast (yes two!) stops and one lunch stop (1 hour 30 minutes in total). After Kolhapur, for a few kilometers, there was a dense fog that slowed everyone down. Refueled at Reliance Pumps twice. Most of them have started operations again.

Again, started from Hosur at 4:10 a.m. and reached home by 12:15 p.m. today (477 km from Hosur) with a 1 hour break for breakfast/refuel after Salem at the A2B. Had a bit of traffic at Kuthiran. Stuck to 80/90 after entering Kerala. There was some fog after leaving Hosur for a few kilometers that again slowed down people a bit. Will add more details later on.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Again, started from Hosur at 4:10 a.m. and reached home by 12:15 p.m. today (477 km from Hosur) with a 1 hour break for breakfast/refuel after Salem at the A2B. Had a bit of traffic at Kuthiran. Stuck to 80/90 after entering Kerala. There was some fog after leaving Hosur for a few kilometers that again slowed down people a bit. Will add more details later on.

Great! Let us know if you stayed at Cenneys. If yes, do write about the place. I expect it to be good. But it would be great to hear from personal experience.

[pjbiju]

Originally Posted by ampere

Great! Let us know if you stayed at Cenneys. If yes, do write about the place. I expect it to be good. But it would be great to hear from personal experience.

No. I did not stay at Cenneys. I stayed at Victoria Hotel which is a budget hotel with decent rooms and a restaurant with a few veg/non-veg dishes. They also have secured car parking and it is next to the highway. I saw Cenneys a little ahead of Victoria hotel on the right hand side while going towards Salem.