[Fauji]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I called up TN tourism dept information center today to know about TTDC hotel reservations in Mudumalai. Here is what I found out.
mudumalai wildlife sanctuary is closing down from 01-Mar-2012 for a period of about 2 and half months. All kinds of safaris are closed during this period. There'll be no permission provided from TN Forest Dept to venture inside the forest area. However the Mysore - Ooty road will be open to vehicles as usual. Any T-Bhpian planning on a trip to Mudumalai in these 2-3 months , please check with TN Tourism Information Center [ B'lore City Rail Station office ; ph number - 080-22286181 ]

O.T. - My weekend holiday plans for seconf week of March is now in jeopardy. A friend suggested to visit Nagarhole instead. Is it a good idea? Anyone?

There are reports of huge forest fire in Nagarahole in the last few days and the authorities are stuggling to contain it. In all possibilities, it may be closed for safaris as well.

As a matter of fact there will not be any safaris in these sanctuaries during summer time due to the risk of forest fire. We faced the same issue when we went to BR Hills last March.

Try out Wayanad and call up guys in Jungle Retreat, Wayanad and they may help you. There are threads on experiences in this beautiful place by Countdracula. Talk a look at his TL

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...r-wayanad.html

[asdon]

I don't know if this will sound funny or not, after staying in Bangalore for 5 yrs, and driving almost 80K kms arround TN,KA,KL,MH,GA,GJ,RJ & AP I find myself in a situation that I am yet to visit Ooty. I have been hearing about those 36 hair pins for long time and searching for snaps in internet but not much success. I have driven in some of the toughest ghats but have a small scare about Ooty hair pins, can anyone post some pictures of these?

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by Fauji

There are reports of huge forest fire in Nagarahole in the last few days and the authorities are stuggling to contain it. In all possibilities, it may be closed for safaris as well.

I read in a kannada daily that Nagarahole safari would be closed from 1-Mar.

Prasad

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by asdon

I don't know if this will sound funny or not, after staying in Bangalore for 5 yrs, and driving almost 80K kms arround TN,KA,KL,MH,GA,GJ,RJ & AP I find myself in a situation that I am yet to visit Ooty. I have been hearing about those 36 hair pins for long time and searching for snaps in internet but not much success. I have driven in some of the toughest ghats but have a small scare about Ooty hair pins, can anyone post some pictures of these?

Asdon,
Just go ahead. It is not as tough as it is made out to be. I have done in 800, indica as well as Fiesta earlier. Don't worry. It can be done easily.

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Asdon,
Just go ahead. It is not as tough as it is made out to be. I have done in 800, indica as well as Fiesta earlier. Don't worry. It can be done easily.

I second Fauji and I too have done this in M800 and Honda City. In M800 I had scare climbing the last hairpin bend as I just about managed to clear it in 1st gear. No problems what so ever with City.

If you are coming down the same route (by greasing cops, who say its one-way) some caution is advised.

BTW, which ghats in South India does the BHPians think to be the toughest. While growing-up I was told it was Charmadi, but never thought so (may be ghats are easier now due to good cars we are seeing in the last 10yrs are so).

Prasad

[asdon]

Originally Posted by prasad14

BTW, which ghats in South India does the BHPians think to be the toughest. While growing-up I was told it was Charmadi, but never thought so (may be ghats are easier now due to good cars we are seeing in the last 10yrs are so).

Prasad

Try Tilari Ghat near Tilari Nagar in Maharashtra, while comming from Panaji to Belgaum. I did it in my Alto though with 5 adults in. Try searching Tilari Ghat in google, you will find my Alto imgae there too.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Fortunately, a new hotel - Gokul - has started in Kanakapura which looked good looking at the cars parked outside.

Thank you Fauji Sir !
We tried this on our way to Shivanasamudra and found the food to be decent. It is owned and managed by the same folks who have 5 other restaurants in Bangalore (Gokul Kuteera on CMH Road, Indiranagar and Gokul Veg. in Gandhi Bazaar are two of them that we've tried).

Location: In Kanakapura town, the NH209 has a median separating the oncoming lanes. Look for a big building called S.B. Complex on the right side that also houses State Bank Of India. Gokul is in the basement of the same building. You will have to make a U-turn when going from Bangalore to Kanakapura.
Here's a picture for reference.

[alexgv]

Hi,
As per new reports Nagarhole is also closed due to the fire that broke out.
Dont see the exact article online.
below link gives some details.
Forest fire report reveals all - South India - Bangalore - ibnlive

[maheshramaling]

Hi all,

Planning to drive to Ooty this month with family (alongwith 7 months & 6 years old kids) in my new Paj! Wanted to figure out if following route will make sense or not. Ideally will take 1 for onward and 1 for return.

• Blr-Mysore (via ring road)-Nanjangudu-Gundlupet-Masinagudi-Ooty: 288 kms
• Blr-Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajanagar-Gundlupet-Masinagudi-Ooty: 281 kms

Is it safe to assume - that we can do this in 6 to 7 hours?

Onward: Plan to start around 2PM from Bangalore with family.
Return: Start around Noon.

Since - it will be late evening, would it be better to go via Nanjangudu route instead of Kollegal route?

Anything else to be kept in mind? Pls. suggest.

P.S: This is the first time I am driving through this route (though been driven once in a mini van sometime in 2006).

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Blr-Mysore (via ring road)-Nanjangudu-Gundlupet-Masinagudi-Ooty: 288 kms

• Blr-Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajanagar-Gundlupet-Masinagudi-Ooty: 281 kms

Is it safe to assume - that we can do this in 6 to 7 hours?

Onward: Plan to start around 2PM from Bangalore with family.
Return: Start around Noon.

Since - it will be late evening, would it be better to go via Nanjangudu route instead of Kollegal route?

Anything else to be kept in mind? Pls. suggest.

P.S: This is the first time I am driving through this route (though been driven once in a mini van sometime in 2006).

I'd suggest you go through Nanjangud for both your onward and return drives.Better facilities on this route.Budget for a 7hour drive.

[maheshramaling]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

I'd suggest you go through Nanjangud for both your onward and return drives.Better facilities on this route.Budget for a 7hour drive.

Thanks!

I wanted to try an alternate road - that's the only reason why I chose a different route. Just because of facilities you suggest Nanjangud road or is it because the Kankapura route roads are not great? Also - would it take longer than 7 hours if I take the Kanakapura route?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Thanks!

I wanted to try an alternate road - that's the only reason why I chose a different route. Just because of facilities you suggest Nanjangud road or is it because the Kankapura route roads are not great? Also - would it take longer than 7 hours if I take the Kanakapura route?

The Nanjagud road is in far better shape than Kanakpura road.Time wise I dont think it should make any major difference,maybe an hour at the maximum.I would suggest you pm Fauji for more details,as he is quite a regular on this route.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

The Nanjagud road is in far better shape than Kanakpura road.Time wise I dont think it should make any major difference,maybe an hour at the maximum.I would suggest you pm Fauji for more details,as he is quite a regular on this route.

That's incorrect. Bangalore-Gundlupet via Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajnagar is in excellent condition all through except for the odd rough patch here and there (totalling probably 2 or 3 kms in the 200 kms of total distance).

As to which route one would select for the Bangalore-Gundlupet journey, I'd say it depends entirely on the person's outlook. If you're one who wants to stop once every 2 hours at restaurants that are posh looking with neat toilets etc and driving on a 4 laned highway is more important to you in spite of having monster speedbreakers every 3-4 kms and about 20 times more traffic, the obvious choice would be the the SH-17 - Nanjangud combo.

But for people like me who care more about the drive being less stressful (without speed maniacs trying to overtake you from left, right and center), and don't mind using the open countryside for emergency toilet breaks and not-so-fancy restaurants for a coffee break, it would be NH209 every time. I've been using that route for the past year or two once or twice every month and don't even think about taking SH17.

As for driving time it doesn't make much of a difference, it depends more on where you start from in the city - since I'm closer to Kanakapura road, I find that it takes me less time overall if I go via NH209, it may be the other way round if getting to SH17 is faster for you.

And as for thoughts on whether one would prefer SH17 during evenings/early night, I'd still choose NH209 mainly because of the terrible traffic on the Mysore-Bangalore stretch during evening hours, especially if it's a Sunday. The traffic on SH17 during those times virtually drives me crazy !!

[NPV]

Originally Posted by kala

That's incorrect. Bangalore-Gundlupet via Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajnagar is in excellent condition all through except for the odd rough patch here and there (totalling probably 2 or 3 kms in the 200 kms of total distance).

@maheshramaling : +1 to what kala said. NH209 is in good condition, it's 2 lane though and passes through many villages but you can have a much more relaxed drive with good scenic route. Of course you have much better facilities on the SH17 but I've heard too many speed breakers have come up recently and add to that there is dense traffic. Timing is a very important factor to beat traffic. As others have suggested, take NH209 one way and SH17 the other way and decide which one you like

[pramodpk]

I will be driving to Ooty on March 10th. Wpould be taking the SH17 for the onward journey and NH 209 for the return.

Would it be possible to return via Masinagudi? Read somewhere in the same thread that it is a one way.