[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by deehunk

It takes me less than 2 hours to reach SR Patna.

I will be heading to Ooty coming Sunday and I will be starting early morning from Yashwantpur/RT Nagar.

Which route would you suggest ?

Usual : Yashwantpura - NICE - Ramanagara - Mandya - Mysore
Option 1 : Yashwantpura - Kunigal - Hulirayadurga - Maddur -
Mysore (https://goo.gl/maps/5eSXeHEwSwS2)

Option 2 : Yashwantpura - Nagamangala - SR Patna - Mysore ( https://goo.gl/maps/iJUvPuWvmyC2)

I will be driving with a small kid and expectedly will be taking frequent breaks to entice him, so I am hoping Option 1&2 is good for such stopovers and road condition is good throughout in both cases.

Please advise.

Originally Posted by NPV

try to take the route when you go to Ooty from Gudalur, the experience is worth it.

Thanks NPV

I will be starting early morning from Yashwantpur/RT Nagar.

Which route would you suggest ?

Usual : Yashwantpura - NICE - Ramanagara - Mandya - Mysore

Option 1 : Yashwantpura - Kunigal - Hulirayadurga - Maddur -
Mysore (https://goo.gl/maps/5eSXeHEwSwS2)

Option 2 : Yashwantpura - Nagamangala - SR Patna - Mysore ( https://goo.gl/maps/iJUvPuWvmyC2)

I will be driving with a small kid and expectedly will be taking frequent breaks to entice him, so I am hoping Option 1&2 is good for such stopovers and road condition is good throughout in both cases.

Please advise.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

I will be heading to Ooty coming Sunday and I will be starting early morning from Yashwantpur/RT Nagar.

Since it is early morning start, you can go via Mysore Road. You will also have options for food / rest rooms if required.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

I will be starting early morning from Yashwantpur/RT Nagar.

Which route would you suggest ?

Usual : Yashwantpura - NICE - Ramanagara - Mandya - Mysore

You're constrained by the fact that you need to break as well as have options for food, etc which leaves you with almost only one option of regular Mysore road route. I don't know how early you plan to start, but there will be good traffic even if you start at 4am since this is a long weekend.
Though Mysore road route has many restaurants, most open only at 6:45am or later, do keep that in mind too.

If you can manage with fewer break options, then consider the Nelamangala-Bellur cross-Nagamangala route too. Now there are more options right after Nelamangala like shark food court, Kamat, Swathi, Adigas, Halli Mane, etc
Once you turn off towards nagamangala, not too many options maybe just Thotada Mane.

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by NPV

consider the Nelamangala-Bellur cross-Nagamangala route too.

Thanks NPV. I frequent Hassan highway enroute my native (Puttur). I have taken Nagamangala route earlier this year to Melukote. Overall it was good driving experience. However, I am just bit concerned about unexplored part of nagamangala to S R Patna., I hope this is in shape.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Yashwantpura - Nagamangala - SR Patna - Mysore

This has been my standard route now for Mysore/Ooty over the last year primarily because I dont have to deal with the mad traffic on Mysore road. Again a lot of stops on this Route till the deviation before Bellur Cross + the 2L after Nagamangala is a peaceful ride and you will find a lot of places where you can just park by the side of the road and take a breather amidst green fields or trees.

Do you plan to drive up via Masinagudi or Gudalur? Masinagudi is faster but Gudalur is more scenic.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

I hope this is in shape.

Nagamangala to SR Patna in very good shape where in a lot of broken patches etc have a new layer of good tarmac on the entire road - not just in patches.

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by procrj

Do you plan to drive up via Masinagudi or Gudalur? Masinagudi is faster but Gudalur is more scenic.

Thank you procrj. I will consider this route for sure.

My stay is at Gudalur ( I was not sure if my kid will bear night stay in chill ooty). I will shuttle between Gudalur and Ooty/Coonoor before heading to Wayanad. I believe I should explore both Masinagudi & Gudalur route for the experience sake. Any word of caution/advise to note ?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Any word of caution/advise to note ?

Would suggest you ignore Masinagudi route for now and stick to Gudalur - Ooty - Coonor as Gudalur is your base. Do be mentally prepared for traffic in Ooty - would suggest you avoid the usual tourist haunts like botanical gardens and lake etc. Instead try and visit Emerald lake, Fern Hill palace and other relatively tourist free spots.

Ooty - Coonor will again have a lot of traffic. Instead you might want to drive to Kotagiri and can include Doddabetta visit on the way. Ooty - Kotagiri is beautiful winding roads and some stunning valley views.

[nityaya]

Planning to go from Mangaluru to Ooty on the 24th of December. Google maps is showing this route. Is it ok? Please guide. Thanks.

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Ma...11.4064138!3e0

[Rajeevraj]

Headed to Coonoor over the weekend. Google Maps indicates to deviate from Avinashi towards Annur-Mettupalayam. Is this the best option or better to deviate earlier some place earlier? (Apart from Thoppur-Mettur-Mettupalayam route)

Note: Not planning to take Mysore route as my destination is before Coonoor.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Is this the best option or better to deviate earlier some place earlier? (Apart from Thoppur-Mettur-Mettupalayam route)

This should be fine.
From Avinashi bypass on NH47/544, turn towards Annur, then head to Mettupalayam and onwards to coonoor.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Headed to Coonoor over the weekend

Why not Kollegal - Dimbam - Sathy? heard the roads are very good and you will not have to deal with the infamous tolls.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Headed to Coonoor over the weekend. Google Maps indicates to deviate from Avinashi towards Annur-Mettupalayam. Is this the best option or better to deviate earlier some place earlier? (Apart from Thoppur-Mettur-Mettupalayam route)

Note: Not planning to take Mysore route as my destination is before Coonoor.

If its Conoor, this is far better an option than Mysore/Ooty. Start early 3:30/4 to break Bangalore exit traffic (for the long weekend) and you will be on Conoor by 10:30/11 easily.

Take the last Avinashi bypass exit, head back to Avinashi town, and then get on to the Annur road onto Mettupalayam and there on to Ooty road. I would any day suggest this option over Mysore or NH209 for a fast hassle free drive. (In fact even I did the same a year back during 2016 X-Mas). All I had to do was to beat the Bangalore exit crowd and there on it was easy sail and Fastag for help.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by procrj

Why not Kollegal - Dimbam - Sathy? heard the roads are very good and you will not have to deal with the infamous tolls.

Thanks. Considered this, but with family and kids and lack of stopping options, did not want to go this way. In addition, I start from Sarjapur Road, so going Sarjapur/Attibelle/Bagalur is easier.

Also, have a fastag that has seen no action in nearly 6 months because all my drives have happened to be on non-toll roads. So want to try that out and how much it helps.

Originally Posted by ampere

If its Conoor, this is far better an option than Mysore/Ooty. Start early 3:30/4 to break Bangalore exit traffic (for the long weekend) and you will be on Conoor by 10:30/11 easily.

Thanks. 4 am start looks doubtful. But let me try

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Thanks. 4 am start looks doubtful. But let me try

On a long weekend you better start early! Else you risk crowd at all tolls and not just Attibele and Krishnagiri. In spite of starting at 4, I ended up seeing a km long queue at Thoppur. I thought, I was through when I went past Krishnagiri. Only to realize the battle to reach the toll counter was still on!

Fastag helped, but given its 2-laned per side beyond Krishnagiri, it becomes utter chaos with buses and trucks coming at you from all sides.

So if you start by 4, you are just OK! If I remember NPV mentioned, some one started at 5 during that X-mas weekend, and reached only Salem by 10!