[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by RGP

I will be part of the herd that will depart from Bangalore tomorrow morning for a long weekend. Could not stop for diesel today evening because of traffic jams caused by rain.
Is there any risk of pumps being closed tomorrow due to the state holiday? If so, will need to head out and top up at night. I have just about enough to get to Mysore.

I checked with the pump next to my home (Bangalore) and they are open tomorrow. The pumps on Mysore road also should work as usual.

[kala]

Originally Posted by RAINMAKER

Take this road... The total kilometes are almost same as the highway (a single toll at the Karnataka border - saving you almost 350 ruppes in tolls - not a concern but this needs to be mentioned), but this route is awesome...

This looks to be new ?? I don't recall ever paying any toll at the border checkpost on NH209.

[RAINMAKER]

Originally Posted by kala

This looks to be new ?? I don't recall ever paying any toll at the border checkpost on NH209.

Not exactly a toll. This was at the Tamilnadu forest checkpost if I recall..

[fundagenie]

Originally Posted by rkrpxz

We returned from Ooty / Destiny Farm yesterday evening. Here's a quick recap of our trip.

We left Bangalore at about 5:45am on Thursday [25th Oct]. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I took Chord Rd -> Magadi Rd -> Outer Ring Rd -> BMIC Expwy -> NICE -> Kanakapura Rd [NH 209]......... ghat section that we had come on [the one with 36 hairpin turns]. Instead, we were on some road that went past Pykara Lake/Dam towards Gudalur.

Thanks to everybody who responded to my questions about the route to Ooty.

Hi

Am planning to do a trip to Ooty this weekend with my family consisting of a 3yr old. After reading through the threads I have decided to take the following route
- Nice road as I would be starting from Electronics city.
- Turn at Malavalli and continue via Kollegal - charmarajanagara to Gundlupet
- From Gundlupet to Ooty via Theppakadu - masanagudi

So how are the roads currently. Also is the 36 HPB on the Masanagudi route or is it on the Thepakadu-Gudalur-Ooty route.
Approx what time will it take to reach ooty with normal driving.

Would be driving in my 2 month old XUV. The brakes are not up to my mark and there are some other small issues that would be taken care only during 1st service, which will happen only after this trip. Hence, I dont want to take a route that is risky as I am still not confident with the vehicle in it current state.

Also off topic: planning to stay at Lakeview hotel at Ooty. Had shortlisted it based on some good reviews online as well as the rates. So anyone who has stayed in this place, pls provide reviews.

FundaG

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by fundagenie

Hi



So how are the roads currently. Also is the 36 HPB on the Masanagudi route or is it on the Thepakadu-Gudalur-Ooty route.
Approx what time will it take to reach ooty with normal driving.

Would be driving in my 2 month old XUV.

FundaG

The 36HPB drive is indeed thru Masinagudi. I suggest you take this route to reach Ooty and take the Gudalur route on the way back given that you are not too happy with the brakes.

It should take about 6-6.5hrs via Masinagudi and about 30-45mins more via Gudalur.

Please note that there aren't too many good eating options on the Kollegala route.

Prasad

[shankar.balan]

The Road from Bangalore to Ooty and back via Ramnagaram, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, Mysore, Gundlupet, Bandipur, Mudumalai, Masinagudi is in perfect condition.
One can do some nice speeds and enjoy driving this road now that its surface is very nicely maintained.

We went on Thursday in convoy with a friend. Total 7 hours journey time with a couple of peaceful stops for Breakfast and pit stop etc. Also 30 minutes stop because my pal had a flat tyre.

Got back today using the same route. Left Ooty at 1015am, did a couple of stops on the way - pitstops and lunch etc. Back at home at sharp 430pm.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by fundagenie

Hi

Am planning to do a trip to Ooty this weekend with my family consisting of a 3yr old. After reading through the threads I have decided to take the following route
- Nice road as I would be starting from Electronics city.
- Turn at Malavalli and continue via Kollegal - charmarajanagara to Gundlupet
- From Gundlupet to Ooty via Theppakadu - masanagudi

So how are the roads currently. Also is the 36 HPB on the Masanagudi route or is it on the Thepakadu-Gudalur-Ooty route.
Approx what time will it take to reach ooty with normal driving.

Would be driving in my 2 month old XUV. The brakes are not up to my mark and there are some other small issues that would be taken care only during 1st service, which will happen only after this trip. Hence, I dont want to take a route that is risky as I am still not confident with the vehicle in it current state.

Also off topic: planning to stay at Lakeview hotel at Ooty. Had shortlisted it based on some good reviews online as well as the rates. So anyone who has stayed in this place, pls provide reviews.

FundaG

I stayed in Lake View Hotel in 2010 and it was indeed a good experience. No major complaints, except for minor inconveniences but they are negligible. They allow only families to stay in the hotel. Its a good hotel for the price that too not too far from downtown. Food is okay there and you get north indian food. If you want tasty but bit expensive food, goto Nahar Nilgiris near charring cross.

-Ravi

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ravib

If you want tasty but bit expensive food, goto Nahar Nilgiris near charring cross.

Nahar also serves very nice wood fired pizza. Definitely worth a try. But it's good to take an auto or walk to the place. Parking sometimes becomes difficult.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by fundagenie

Also off topic: planning to stay at Lakeview hotel at Ooty. Had shortlisted it based on some good reviews online as well as the rates. So anyone who has stayed in this place, pls provide reviews.

Lake View is easily accessible - as soon as you reach Ooty you need to take a right turn that leads to one side of the lake (where the smaller 'honeymoon' boat house is).
Lake View is good, they have cottages in small lanes inside their campus, ask for one that is close to the main building if you plan to eat at their restaurant (if it's full expect slow to no room service so if you're far away from the main building it's a long trek up, will be especially painful if it rains).

[fundagenie]

Originally Posted by ravib

I stayed in Lake View Hotel in 2010 and it was indeed a good experience. No major complaints, except for minor inconveniences but they are negligible. They allow only families to stay in the hotel. Its a good hotel for the price that too not too far from downtown. Food is okay there and you get north indian food. If you want tasty but bit expensive food, goto Nahar Nilgiris near charring cross.

-Ravi

What are options for decent eating places enroute from bangalore to ooty. Planning to take the Malavalli-kollegal-charmarajanagara-gundlupet route.

FundaG

[kala]

Originally Posted by fundagenie

What are options for decent eating places enroute from bangalore to ooty. Planning to take the Malavalli-kollegal-charmarajanagara-gundlupet route.

The ones that you'll encounter before Gundlupet are :

Hotel Gokul - Kanakapura (Opens only at around 11 AM - no breakfast service)
Hotel Nandini - Kollegal
Hotel Annapoorna - Kollegal (About 200-300 meters off the NH. The road leading to it from the Bus stand side seemed to be blocked when I passed through there a couple of weeks ago - so might need to park your car somewhere near the bus stand and walk)
Hotel Mayura Rajadhani - Chamarajnagar
Nijaguna Residency - Chamarajnagar


At Gundlupet you have Cafe Coffee day, and a Udupi Upachar, but to get to either one you'll need to travel a small distance towards mysore from the junction where you join the Mysore-Ooty road.

[rkrpxz]

It's been a really long time (approx. 3-4 years) since I drove to Mysore from Bangalore. For various reasons, we have been opting to go by train. This weekend (on Saturday morning), we are planning to drive up to Mysore via the regular route (Ramnagaram-Chennapatna-Maddur-Mandya-S'Patna).

Can somebody please tell me the best restaurants to stop at for breakfast (and snacks on the way back)? I used to drive quite regularly to Mysore earlier and our favorite stops were at Kamat Lokaruchi or the McDonald's. I understand that Adiga's now has a restaurant, too. Are there others? We're looking for hygienic, vegetarian cuisine.

Thanks in advance.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by rkrpxz

It's been a really long time (approx. 3-4 years) since I drove to Mysore from Bangalore. For various reasons, we have been opting to go by train. This weekend (on Saturday morning), we are planning to drive up to Mysore via the regular route (Ramnagaram-Chennapatna-Maddur-Mandya-S'Patna).

Can somebody please tell me the best restaurants to stop at for breakfast (and snacks on the way back)? I used to drive quite regularly to Mysore earlier and our favorite stops were at Kamat Lokaruchi or the McDonald's. I understand that Adiga's now has a restaurant, too. Are there others? We're looking for hygienic, vegetarian cuisine.

Thanks in advance.

The BLR Mysore road now is a 100km long food court!So many restaurants-imo impossible to reccomend one over the other.All are good-Kamat,Adiga,CCDs,Mcdie,Kadambam.Theres even a Corner House on the road now Mandya!My personal favourite has been Kadambam to your left before Mandya.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

personal favourite has been Kadambam to your left before Mandya.

Absolutely right! However, to enjoy good service and peace and quiet while you are eating, you have to get there quite early. Say around 730-745 would be perfect.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

The BLR Mysore road now is a 100km long food court!So many restaurants-imo impossible to reccomend one over the other.All are good-Kamat,Adiga,CCDs,Mcdie,Kadambam.Theres even a Corner House on the road now Mandya!My personal favourite has been Kadambam to your left before Mandya.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Absolutely right! However, to enjoy good service and peace and quiet while you are eating, you have to get there quite early. Say around 730-745 would be perfect.

What I have realized is if one can go down further, the crowd "some what" reduces. Given the fact that there are more than one hotels of the same
brand too, one will definitely not miss a passing hotel, because there would be one fast approaching!

Multiple Kamats, literally innumerable CCDs, McD, Barista, Kadambam, Adigas ... the list is endless.