[nileshch]

Originally Posted by 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.

You can return via the same route. I think the restriction is in the times of the day when it is open. Avoid evenings. Preferably cross the stretch in the mornings/afternoons.

[pramodpk]

Drove from Bangalore (Brookefields, Kundalahalli) to Ooty on March 11th. Took the Bangalore->Mysore ORR-> Gundlupet -> Masinagudi-> ooty.
Total distance 304 KM. Started at 6:30 AM and reached Ooty at 2:00 PM with breaks of around 1.5 hours in between.

Gundlupet - Mudumalai has some bad strecthes ( upper part of tar has gone) but very much manageable.

Drove from Ooty to Bangalore on March 12th. Route Ooty->Masinagudi->Mudumalai->Gundlupet->CharmarajNagar->Kanakapura->Bangalore.
Started from Ooty at 9:15 AM and reached home at 4:15 PM with breaks for around 1 hour 15 mins.


Road Condition

Gundlupet- Chamarajnagar - Surface not great. Could do 80 - 100 KM/H
Chamarajnagar - Kanakpura - Was able to do 100-120 KM/h. Occasionaly touched 140 KM/H.

Kanakpura - Bangalore - Was able to do 70-90 KM/H

Had lunch at Hotel Gokul at Kanakpura. Decent place with A/C restaurant and reasonable rates. It's on the LHS while coming towards Bangalore.

[sriturl]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

Drove from Ooty to Bangalore on March 12th. Route Ooty->Masinagudi->Mudumalai->Gundlupet->CharmarajNagar->Kanakapura->Bangalore.
Started from Ooty at 9:15 AM and reached home at 4:15 PM with breaks for around 1 hour 15 mins.


Road Condition

Gundlupet- Chamarajnagar - Surface not great. Could do 80 - 100 KM/H
Chamarajnagar - Kanakpura - Was able to do 100-120 KM/h. Occasionaly touched 140 KM/H.

Kanakpura - Bangalore - Was able to do 70-90 KM/H

Had lunch at Hotel Gokul at Kanakpura. Decent place with A/C restaurant and reasonable rates. It's on the LHS while coming towards Bangalore.

Does Kanakapura still have that nasty one way etc.?
Its been long time that I drove towards Kanakapura. How is it to enter and exit Kanakapura?

thanks

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by sriturl

Does Kanakapura still have that nasty one way etc.?
thanks

I haven't taken Kanakpura road for the onward journey but while coming back it is straight forward. The road is 4 lane inside the town and you can cross the town easily.

[kala]

Originally Posted by sriturl

Does Kanakapura still have that nasty one way etc.?
Its been long time that I drove towards Kanakapura. How is it to enter and exit Kanakapura?

No, all those are things of the past. Passing Kanakapura is very straight forward now. As you're entering the town (when going from Bangalore) you need to take the right fork and just follow the 4-lane road from thereon till the end of the town.

[rkrpxz]

I am planning to drive to Ooty from Bangalore (Malleswaram) during the second week of May. I have a few questions.
1. Will it be unbearably crowded? Somebody told me that, if you take your own car, you will not be able to find parking when you do local sightseeing and that the locals will fleece you with steep parking charges.
2. How long is the ghat section (in km)? Does it start from Masinagudi or Gundlupet itself?
3. What are some good resorts / hotels to stay in and around Ooty? Budget of between Rs.2000-5000/night.

Thanks in advance,
Swaroop

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rkrpxz

I am planning to drive to Ooty from Bangalore (Malleswaram) during the second week of May. I have a few questions.
1. Will it be unbearably crowded? Somebody told me that, if you take your own car, you will not be able to find parking when you do local sightseeing and that the locals will fleece you with steep parking charges.

For local sighseeing it is always better to hire a local cab and go around.
That also saves you the hassle for finding parking.

2. How long is the ghat section (in km)? Does it start from Masinagudi or Gundlupet itself?

Plan about 1 to 1.5 hours of drive up the 36 hairpin bend.

3. What are some good resorts / hotels to stay in and around Ooty? Budget of between Rs.2000-5000/night.

Sherlock is nice place. They charged about 4k a year back. They might have hiked the
prices. For sightseeing:

1. Keep one for Ooty.
2. One day for Conoor and the train ride.
3. An additional day if you want to visit the lakes in upper Bhavani. (Emerald/Avalanche)

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by rkrpxz

I am planning to drive to Ooty from Bangalore (Malleswaram) during the second week of May. I have a few questions.
1. Will it be unbearably crowded? Somebody told me that, if you take your own car, you will not be able to find parking when you do local sightseeing and that the locals will fleece you with steep parking charges.
2. How long is the ghat section (in km)? Does it start from Masinagudi or Gundlupet itself?

Thanks in advance,
Swaroop

May would be crowded and since it is season, rates would also be higher. I drove to Ooty last weekend and did not take my car to Botanical Garden since finding a parking lot would have been a problem.

The ghat section starts after Masinagudi. There are 36 hairpin bends. It will take you around 1 hour.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by rkrpxz

I am planning to drive to Ooty from Bangalore (Malleswaram) during the second week of May. I have a few questions.
1. Will it be unbearably crowded? Somebody told me that, if you take your own car, you will not be able to find parking when you do local sightseeing and that the locals will fleece you with steep parking charges.
2. How long is the ghat section (in km)? Does it start from Masinagudi or Gundlupet itself?
3. What are some good resorts / hotels to stay in and around Ooty? Budget of between Rs.2000-5000/night.

Thanks in advance,
Swaroop

To add what Ampere has already mentioned.

You can look at the properties of litlle Earth group. Sherlock which is part of the group is mentioned by Ampere. You can also look at cute Kings Cliff and beautiful Destiny Farm house by the same group. Another nice place to stay is Red Hills Nature resort and Acres Wild. Another nice place will be Wallwood garden by Neemrana hotels group and Fernhill palace annexe. Google for details.

Ooty town will always be crowded during the holidays and during this time which is the season. Ooty is beautiful when you go out of the town and explore it.

[ampere]

To add to what @Fauji said, Red Hills is best of all as per me. A beautiful location.
Ideal for folks who have been to Ooty multiple times and those who dont want to go anywhere else. Beautiful place.
So is Destiny Farm stay (which is a part of the Little earth group).

Some details of stay available in this thread:

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

[maheshramaling]

Quick Query: Travel restrictions in bandipur forest - is it 9pm to 6am or 6pm to 6am?

If travel restriction begins at 6PM: will I be able to cross the check post if I leave Bangalore (stay near Sarjapur Road) around 2PM this Thursday & take Nice road - Kanakapura (NH 209) - Kollegal - Chamrajnagar route?

Anything else to be kept in mind since I will be crossing the 36 HPB's in the night?

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Quick Query: Travel restrictions in bandipur forest - is it 9pm to 6am or 6pm to 6am?

If travel restriction begins at 6PM: will I be able to cross the check post if I leave Bangalore (stay near Sarjapur Road) around 2PM this Thursday & take Nice road - Kanakapura (NH 209) - Kollegal - Chamrajnagar route?

Anything else to be kept in mind since I will be crossing the 36 HPB's in the night?

It is 6 PM to 6 Am.

Night traffic ban at Bandipur extended from 9 to 12 hours

Difficult. You need to leave early to cross the check post. You may cutting too short.

I do not advise driving on the ghat section at night. It is no fun at all. This stretch has witnessed wild elephants at night and some time may be dangerous. This stretch has amazing views which you will miss out at night. Suggest go via gudalur and return via the ghat road.

[kala]

Originally Posted by maheshramaling

Quick Query: Travel restrictions in bandipur forest - is it 9pm to 6am or 6pm to 6am?

If travel restriction begins at 6PM: will I be able to cross the check post if I leave Bangalore (stay near Sarjapur Road) around 2PM this Thursday & take Nice road - Kanakapura (NH 209) - Kollegal - Chamrajnagar route?

Anything else to be kept in mind since I will be crossing the 36 HPB's in the night?

It is 9 PM to 6 AM. So a 2PM start would be fine. (In fact if you're starting from the NICE road / Kanakapura Rd junction by 2PM, you should be able to pass the forest checkpost before 6PM if you're a reasonably fast driver)

Nothing much to worry on the 36 Hairpins, crossing it during the night would be just fine. The only advice would be to drive slow on the Bandipur-Masinagudi stretch, dusk is that time of the day when you're very likely to be able to spot some wildlife in the area.

Edit : Fauji sab, I think that Nov 15, 2011 notification was never implemented as far as I know. I passed through the forest at around 8PM even last month.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by kala

It is 9 PM to 6 AM. Fauji sab, I think that Nov 15, 2011 notification was never implemented as far as I know. I passed through the forest at around 8PM even last month.

Thanks Kala. You know the best as you travel frequently on this stretch

[flyingkolors]

I have a simple query. How is the Gudalur route to reach Ooty? One of my friend who has been to Ooty many times suggested that though it may take an hour more via this route, its much less stressful and very scenic. Is that true?

Also how is the road condition in this route?