[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Any idea how the Safari is organized in Bandipur now a days? I have heard that only Govt safaris are allowed; no private ones. Can anyone share his/her recent experience ? Also, safari and accommodation wise which one is better - Bandipur or Mudumalai ?

Can someone please help me with this ?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Can someone please help me with this ?

Not sure if this is of any help - here is a link to a recent travelogue that has some information about safaris in Mudumalai.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...bangalore.html

Also, for Bandipur from my experience I would suggest going with safari organised by Jungle Lodges if possible (not sure if they'd do this if you don't stay there).

[ankan.m.blr]

Any idea about the road condition to Kurumbapatti Zoological Park? Last I heard, it was in terrible condition. Found this link in net :
The Hindu : NATIONAL / TAMIL NADU : Battered roads lead to Kurumbapatti Zoological Park


Edit : Mistakenly updated wrong thread. Mods, please delete this post.

[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I hope I am posting this query in the right thread. Some friends were discussing a day trip to Ranganathittu bird sanctuary when somebody mentioned that the sanctuary is closed due to some construction work going on.
Is this information correct? Has anybody visited the place recently ?

Any inputs, please?

[rameshnanda]

Guys, can anyone tell me the road condition of Bangalore-Mysore road via Kanakapura? Does this road will also have lot of unmarked speed brakers? Which route will be better? Ramanagara or Kanakapura?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Guys, can anyone tell me the road condition of Bangalore-Mysore road via Kanakapura? Does this road will also have lot of unmarked speed brakers? Which route will be better? Ramanagara or Kanakapura?

Both roads are good.The BLR-MYS State Highway has better options for food,so if your drive involves a lunch or a breakfast stop,then I would suggest that you take this route.Not much of savings in time in between the two routes.

[kala]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Guys, can anyone tell me the road condition of Bangalore-Mysore road via Kanakapura? Does this road will also have lot of unmarked speed brakers? Which route will be better? Ramanagara or Kanakapura?

The number of speedbreakers would be much less on the route via Kanakapura. I haven't travelled on the Malavalli-Bannur-Mysore sector in the recent past, but based on what I read here a few days back the road in that sector is also quite decent except for a short stretch around Bannur.

But as Ranjit said food options are pretty limited on the that route, and in my experience the time taken would be slightly more as well (when compared to the SH17 during low traffic situations) since the distance is about 10-15 kms more.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Guys, can anyone tell me the road condition of Bangalore-Mysore road via Kanakapura? Does this road will also have lot of unmarked speed brakers? Which route will be better? Ramanagara or Kanakapura?

Hi Ramesh,

The kanakpura road, when compared to Ramnagara route, has very very less number of speed breakers. Also, if you are traveling in peak traffic times, then via Kanakpura would be faster, as traffic is sparse, especially trucks.

However, if travel time is early morning (less traffic) then, Ramnagara route should be faster.

[ankan.m.blr]

I'll be driving to Bandipur & Mudumalai this Saturday from Bangalore. I am planning to take SH-17 as we need a breakfast stop. We'll start at 6:30 AM (family & friends not willing to get up early :frustrati: ) and considering the traffic, I think I'll reach Mysore Columbia Asia hospital signal at around 10:30 AM. Is it advisable to go through the city or should I take left and go via the ring road. Any landmark on the turns I need to take on the ring road?

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I'll be driving to Bandipur & Mudumalai this Saturday from Bangalore. I am planning to take SH-17 as we need a breakfast stop. We'll start at 6:30 AM (family & friends not willing to get up early :frustrati: ) and considering the traffic, I think I'll reach Mysore Columbia Asia hospital signal at around 10:30 AM. Is it advisable to go through the city or should I take left and go via the ring road. Any landmark on the turns I need to take on the ring road?

Hi Ankan,

If you start from Bangalore in the Morning, and even if you drive slow and sedate, you'll reach Mysore by about 9:00 - 9:30 tops. And, NO, by passing Mysore is not worth it. You don't have traffic blocks like in Bangalore, and you can cut the city straight without any issues. Ask for Mysore bus stand, from where you have sign boards.

- Dhanush

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I'll be driving to Bandipur & Mudumalai this Saturday from Bangalore. I am planning to take SH-17 as we need a breakfast stop. We'll start at 6:30 AM (family & friends not willing to get up early :frustrati: ) and considering the traffic, I think I'll reach Mysore Columbia Asia hospital signal at around 10:30 AM. Is it advisable to go through the city or should I take left and go via the ring road. Any landmark on the turns I need to take on the ring road?

As Dhasush said, even if you start by 6:30, and plan to have an half an hour break,
you should be at Mysore in 3 hours at the max. At the columbia signal keep going straight, ask for the bustand which is close to Palace. Once you reach, you would be guided by Nanjangud sign-boards.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by ampere

As Dhasush said, even if you start by 6:30, and plan to have an half an hour break,
you should be at Mysore in 3 hours at the max. At the columbia signal keep going straight, ask for the bustand which is close to Palace. Once you reach, you would be guided by Nanjangud sign-boards.

If you need to, please ask specifically for KSRTC bus-stand or just follow a KSRTC bus from Columbia signal till it enters the bus-stand. Mysore has a relatively big city bus-stand as well but you may lose the direction if you get diverted towards the same in case anyone directed you there. But, I think asking for Nanjungud or Ooty road itself, and that too auto-rikshaw drivers, would be simple enough and straight-forward to be directed correcly. You may see more sign-boards to Ooty than Nanjangud, I think !

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I'll be driving to Bandipur & Mudumalai this Saturday from Bangalore. I am planning to take SH-17 as we need a breakfast stop. We'll start at 6:30 AM (family & friends not willing to get up early :frustrati: ) and considering the traffic, I think I'll reach Mysore Columbia Asia hospital signal at around 10:30 AM. Is it advisable to go through the city or should I take left and go via the ring road. Any landmark on the turns I need to take on the ring road?

I always used to get confused/had to ask for directions whenever I was driving to Kerala through Mysore. Although I made the trip several times this kept happening . Ultimately the last time I went I followed a set of simple instructions which was posted in this thread somewhere and was able to get through without any help. Putting my version down here again

(there may be faster ways, but I felt this was the most simple)

1. After Columbia Asia keep going straight. Dont make any turns at any junctions (there are a couple of circles with Y roads, keep taking the left fork of the Y
2. Ultimately you will end at a T junction in front of a large gate (Experts, Is this the palace back gate?)
3. Here you will mostly see a board indicating Ooty to the left. Dont take left, take a right and then take the next immediate left. This is the bus stand road

4. After the Bus stand the road curves to the left (goes straight also, but that is a one way). After the left curve, take the next right.
5. Keep going straight. I think at the 2nd circle you will see the left road towards Ooty (This is clearly marked)

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

(there may be faster ways, but I felt this was the most simple)

1. After Columbia Asia keep going straight. Dont make any turns at any junctions (there are a couple of circles with Y roads, keep taking the left fork of the Y
2. Ultimately you will end at a T junction in front of a large gate (Experts, Is this the palace back gate?)
3. Here you will mostly see a board indicating Ooty to the left. Dont take left, take a right and then take the next immediate left. This is the bus stand road

4. After the Bus stand the road curves to the left (goes straight also, but that is a one way). After the left curve, take the next right.
5. Keep going straight. I think at the 2nd circle you will see the left road towards Ooty (This is clearly marked)

I suppose this is the most simple and even faster of the alternatives. I always wondered why people are reporting a tough time crossing Mysore (But then, I'm born and brought-up in Mysore!!).

Some more tips:
1. If steps 1-3 appear tedious, simply follow any KSRTC bus from Colombia Asia junction, upto the bus-stand. There'd be plenty of them at any point of time.

2. In Step 4 above, after you take the right turn, you'd hit a very well known circle called "Hardinge circle". Its an intersection of 6 roads and you need to go straight (this is the 3rd road from both left and right). The majestic Mysore Palace appears on your right and the Dasara exhibition grounds to your left. (if you are in doubt, keep asking for Hardinge circle or Palace or Exhibition grounds).

3. A 100-150mtrs after the palace, the road curves right, but you need to keep left and this indeed in Nanjangud road which takes you to Ooty and Waynad.

Trust me its really very easy to cross Mysore. Except for 200-300 mtrs stretch on either side of the bus-stand the traffic is free flowing (except ofcourse during Dasara).

Prasad
PS: The big gates mentioned in Step 2 by RajeevRaj is not that of the Palace.

[coolclouds]

Planning to do Bangalore - Ooty this Saturday, 6am start from Silk Board.

The route planned is: Bangalore-(meet a person at Mysore) - Gundulpet - Masinagudi -Kalhatty - Ooty

Return: Ooty - Gundulpet - Chamarajanagar - Kollegal - Kanakpura - Bangalore.

Recent travelers, please update road conditions.

Thanks,