[lancer_rit]

Originally Posted by ravib

Are the roads to Upper Bhavani via Manjoor route better? The road via Avanalanche was not good when i went there.

-Ravi

W/o a doubt. I didn't go the last 6-7km, and the 2-3km in the forest were somewhat rough (driveable in 2nd gear at 30-40km easily). But all the rest was awesome. As the photo I posted above clearly shows. Best of all, hardly any traffic at all - i am comparing with the usual Emerald/Avalanche route which is one of my favourites - but the Lovedale-Kundah dam-Manjoor-UB route is another level.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by lancer_rit

W/o a doubt. I didn't go the last 6-7km, and the 2-3km in the forest were somewhat rough (driveable in 2nd gear at 30-40km easily). But all the rest was awesome. As the photo I posted above clearly shows. Best of all, hardly any traffic at all - i am comparing with the usual Emerald/Avalanche route which is one of my favourites.

And the best part while going toward the Avalanche forest guest house is:

You would be seeing tea estates one instant and suddenly it would have changed into dense forest. The open lands at a whisker converted thick forests on both sides of the road!

[ravib]

Friends,

Planning for a trip to Kabini. Any idea how is current road condition from

Malavalli-Bannur-Mysore-Kabini route?

I know from B'lore till Malavalli, the roads are good. Don't want to take regular SH17 to mysore this time. Tired of too much speed breakers !

Thanks
-Ravi

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ravib

Planning for a trip to Kabini. Any idea how is current road condition from
Malavalli-Bannur-Mysore-Kabini route?

Decent roads with some repair work reported around Bannur. Should be done by now.

[prabhuferrari]

Am planning for a trip to coonoor from Bangalore on a Vento with my family. Wanted to check
1. What is the best route? Is it advisable to go via Kollegal and chamrajanagara? In case yes, do I go via Gundlupet or take the route via mettupalayam to coonoor?
2. Are there any good eateries available on the kollegal route. Advantage of Mysore road is multiple options for food. My son is 1 year and 3 months and my parents are bit old as well. Cant risk with food options
3. From Gundlupet are there any good alternative routes to reach coonoor directly without touching Ooty?

Please do share your inputs

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

1. What is the best route? Is it advisable to go via Kollegal and chamrajanagara? In case yes, do I go via Gundlupet or take the route via mettupalayam to coonoor?
2. Are there any good eateries available on the kollegal route. Advantage of Mysore road is multiple options for food. My son is 1 year and 3 months and my parents are bit old as well. Cant risk with food options
3. From Gundlupet are there any good alternative routes to reach coonoor directly without touching Ooty?

Please do share your inputs

I would reccomend that you stick to the Blore-mysore road.Plenty of eating options.Start early and traffic wouldnt be a problem at all.If you take the Kollegal route,then go via Gundlupet-Bandipur-Thepekadu-Mudumalai-Kalhatty-Ooty-coonoor(via the 36 hairpins) or else gundlupet-bandipur-thepekadu-gudalur-pykara-ooty-coonoor.

AFAIK there are no options to reach Coonoor bypassing Ooty unless you are coming from the other direction of Mettupalayam.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Am planning for a trip to coonoor from Bangalore on a Vento with my family. Wanted to check
1. What is the best route? Is it advisable to go via Kollegal and chamrajanagara? In case yes, do I go via Gundlupet or take the route via mettupalayam to coonoor?
2. Are there any good eateries available on the kollegal route. Advantage of Mysore road is multiple options for food. My son is 1 year and 3 months and my parents are bit old as well. Cant risk with food options
3. From Gundlupet are there any good alternative routes to reach coonoor directly without touching Ooty?

Please do share your inputs

Although Kollegal route is good, Since you have a baby and elderly parents and can't take chances for food, better go via regular Bangalore-Mysore SH17 instead of Kollegal route.

Don't think you can reach Coonoor without touching Ooty. Alternate route via Mettupalayam (if u take Kollegal/Chamrajnagar route) is not worth it because anyway you end up going via Dimbham ghats. Instead, better take Masinagudi route which is quicker to reach Ooty and then go down hill to coonoor.

Check with Kala & Ampere who may have better suggestions.

-Ravi

[Neha]

Originally Posted by ravib

Friends,

Planning for a trip to Kabini. Any idea how is current road condition from

Malavalli-Bannur-Mysore-Kabini route?

I know from B'lore till Malavalli, the roads are good. Don't want to take regular SH17 to mysore this time. Tired of too much speed breakers !

Thanks
-Ravi

@Ravi:

Not sure about route from bannur to mysore, heard some construction was going on earlier.... but if you can skip mysore, then mallavi-T Narasipura-Kabini is a good route.

[Neha]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Am planning for a trip to coonoor from Bangalore on a Vento with my family. Wanted to check
1. What is the best route? Is it advisable to go via Kollegal and chamrajanagara? In case yes, do I go via Gundlupet or take the route via mettupalayam to coonoor?
2. Are there any good eateries available on the kollegal route. Advantage of Mysore road is multiple options for food. My son is 1 year and 3 months and my parents are bit old as well. Cant risk with food options
3. From Gundlupet are there any good alternative routes to reach coonoor directly without touching Ooty?

Please do share your inputs

Hi,

While going from Bangalore to Ooty, we took this route:

Bangalore-Shravanbelgola-Mysore-Gundelpet-Bandipur-Masinagudi-Ooty (as we wanted to cover shravanabelgola and Mysore.

The route is good with mostly good road conditions except for a patch in the Masinagudi where 2 vehicles can not pass together on the dambar road (one vehicle always has to step down). Also the road between Masinagudi and Ooty has 36 hair pin turns, which is fun to drive on but can be little uncomfortable for people not used to hilly drives.

On our way back, we took:

Ooty-Gudalur-Theppakadu-Bandipur-Gundelpet-Chamrajanagara-Kollegal-Kanakpura-Bangalore

This was a good idea as we got to see a competely different scenery compared to Masinagudi route, and also the Pykara lake is on this route. Gundelpet has some eating joints including CCD (which may not always be well stocked). However, yes as Ravi mentioned- between Gundelpet and Bangalore you wont find stops or eating joints, but the route is much quicker as the Mysore-Bangalore bumpy hilly ride is avoided. We covered this in around 3.5 hours without any break.

And, there is no real way to avoid Ooty on the way to Coonoor, but its not much trouble anyway.

Have a safe trip

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Neha

@Ravi:

Not sure about route from bannur to mysore, heard some construction was going on earlier.... but if you can skip mysore, then mallavi-T Narasipura-Kabini is a good route.

Thanks Neha.

I can skip Mysore. That means, my route would be via Mallavalli-T Narasipura-Nanjangud-Kabini as per below GMaps link which skips Bannur? Have you travelled in this route recently? Appreciate your inputs.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...&via=2&t=m&z=9

-Ravi

[kala]

Originally Posted by Neha

Not sure about route from bannur to mysore, heard some construction was going on earlier.... but if you can skip mysore, then mallavi-T Narasipura-Kabini is a good route.

Originally Posted by ravib

I can skip Mysore. That means, my route would be via Mallavalli-T Narasipura-Nanjangud-Kabini as per below GMaps link which skips Bannur? Have you travelled in this route recently? Appreciate your inputs.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...&via=2&t=m&z=9

@Neha : Have you or anyone you know travelled this route recently ? I did the T.Narsipur-Nanjangud route about a year ago and about 10 kms on that road was pretty bad then. (I had taken the Malavalli-Bannur-Somnathapura-T.Narsipur that time as some locals mentioned that that road is better than the one that ravi has marked).

Also I haven't seen any reports here on the status of the Nanjangud-Sargur-Hampapura road, so that would be an unknown as well (Never travelled that way, so no idea how good/bad it is)

I think a less risky option would be Malavalli-Bannur-Mysore (byepass by the side of Race course)-Nilgiri road-Mysore Ring road-Mananthavady Road -HD Kote-Kabini. Should be good roads all the way through except for small stretches around Bannur and then bad roads near Kabini which you can't avoid anyway.

[Neha]

@ravi ....no I have not been through T.Narsipur-Nanjangud route recently but my friend visited Kabini last month (8th April 2013) by Mysore ring road - HD kote - Kabini (as kala mentioned) and that is good road throughout except after reaching Kabini (there is no road after that).

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Am planning for a trip to coonoor from Bangalore on a Vento with my family. Wanted to check
1. What is the best route? Is it advisable to go via Kollegal and chamrajanagara? In case yes, do I go via Gundlupet or take the route via mettupalayam to coonoor?
2. Are there any good eateries available on the kollegal route. Advantage of Mysore road is multiple options for food. My son is 1 year and 3 months and my parents are bit old as well. Cant risk with food options
3. From Gundlupet are there any good alternative routes to reach coonoor directly without touching Ooty?

Please do share your inputs

Route(s):
Bangalore- Mysore-Nanjangud-Gundlupet-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Theppakadu- Gudalur- Ooty. Nice peaceful, scenic and enjoyable drive.
Else, you might have to go from Mudumalai to Masinagudi and up to Ooty via the Sigur Ghat as the season has begun and they prefer sending vehicles up via Sigur and down via Gudalur. Sigur is a steep climb so be careful while driving up.
The roads are good throughout except for a short stretch between Mudumalai and the foothills while gping on the Sigur Route and it is bad in patches on the Gudalur route.

Stay:
There are literally zillions of options and I would recommend that you check out the following for a comfortable, safe, predictable and enjoyable experience.
1. Gem Park, Fernhill Palace, Sullivan Court, Sherlock, Kings Cliff, Willow Hill, Lymond House,Club Mahindra Derby Greens and Monarch in Ooty.
2. Velan Ritz, MacIver's Retreat or Neemrana in Coonoor.

I always recommend that you spend just a little more on your accommodation, so as to make your trip truly memorable and hassle free.

For a Toy Train trip park your car in the Hotel and ask them to arrange a drop to the Station and a pick up when you come back. That is absolutely ideal. Distances within Ooty and Coonoor are negligible but on account of the Summer rush the traffic is bad.

I was there on a visit with a bunch of old pals the whole of last week and can vouch personally for all that I have said above.

Enjoy, don't litter, drive safe, give way to up-hill traffic, go easy on your horn, use your gears for efficient engine braking, be kind to Wildlife and Nature and do please help to keep our lovely Blue Hills as pristine as they have always been!

!

[bsdbsd]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Route(s):
Bangalore- Mysore-Nanjangud-Gundlupet-Bandipur-Mudumalai-Theppakadu- Gudalur- Ooty. Nice peaceful, scenic and enjoyable drive.
Else, you might have to go from Mudumalai to Masinagudi and up to Ooty via the Sigur Ghat as the season has begun and they prefer sending vehicles up via Sigur and down via Gudalur. Sigur is a steep climb so be careful while driving up.
The roads are good throughout except for a short stretch between Mudumalai and the foothills while gping on the Sigur Route and it is bad in patches on the Gudalur route.

Stay:
There are literally zillions of options and I would recommend that you check out the following for a comfortable, safe, predictable and enjoyable experience.
1. Gem Park, Fernhill Palace, Sullivan Court, Sherlock, Kings Cliff, Willow Hill, Lymond House,Club Mahindra Derby Greens and Monarch in Ooty.
2. Velan Ritz, MacIver's Retreat or Neemrana in Coonoor.

I always recommend that you spend just a little more on your accommodation, so as to make your trip truly memorable and hassle free.

For a Toy Train trip park your car in the Hotel and ask them to arrange a drop to the Station and a pick up when you come back. That is absolutely ideal. Distances within Ooty and Coonoor are negligible but on account of the Summer rush the traffic is bad.

I was there on a visit with a bunch of old pals the whole of last week and can vouch personally for all that I have said above.

Enjoy, don't litter, drive safe, give way to up-hill traffic, go easy on your horn, use your gears for efficient engine braking, be kind to Wildlife and Nature and do please help to keep our lovely Blue Hills as pristine as they have always been!

!

I absolutely second Mr. Shankar's post. Its just spot-on and I couldn't have said it better.

Please climb up and climb down using Gudalur route. This time, my wife did the driving duties, and it was very peaceful. The weather on the hills is phenomenal. As Mr. Shankar has put it, please go easy on horns. During climbing and descending, use second gear. Switch off air conditioners without fail. The roads are in superb shape, through and through - except two or three bad patches after 10 kms into TN border, before Gudalur.

I was there last week and my fuel indicator malfunctioned on the way back. I suspect the petrol bunk in Ooty (on the way up - supposed to be a good one), wherein the attendant may have been overzealous in his duties and may have messed up with the sensors (not sure how - but this is my theory). So, just mentally cross check the distance traveled Vs fuel position based on your average history.

I stayed in Club Mahindra, and as always, its outstanding.

[ravib]

Back from a trip to Kabini JLR. Awesome experience. Was lucky enough to spot 3 tigers, numerous tuskers & elephants, and usual animals like wild boar, Gaur, Deer, Sambar, peacock etc....

Took SH17 both ways instead of Malavalli route, because it was raining heavily the day we we went and also my friends preferred it due to food options (particularly Kamat). Tiring speed breakers every now & then. Guess in next 10 years, entire Bangalore-Mysore stretch will be full of restaurants,shops and everything else with more speed breakers and end up like driving in a city traffic.

The last 15 kms to Kabini is still not good, but little better than what i read and imagined. The work is on to make it better, but its a slow process.

-Ravi