[john.gt]

I had taken the route kala gave

http://goo.gl/4ChvkU

It was a really nice drive. Good roads and a new route for me
Till coonoor it was around 300km. Google maps did ditch me in between, but some local guys helped me out after they saw me struggling with GM
Couldn't see many animals in Bandipur though, except a couple of deers.
The return was via mettupalayam. The road is really good, except that its a boring drive.

[sandsun7]

Any latest update on the condition of Ooty-Pykara-Naduvattom-Gudalur road? I will be in Ooty next weekend and may have to use this road while coming back. There seems to be significant difference in distance between the Ooty-Bandipur-Mysore-Bangalore route and the Ooty-Coonoor/Kothagiri-Mettupalayam-Bannari-Dhimbam-Chamrajnagar-Bangalore route, hence inclined towards the former.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Any latest update on the condition of Ooty-Pykara-Naduvattom-Gudalur road? I will be in Ooty next weekend and may have to use this road while coming back. There seems to be significant difference in distance between the Ooty-Bandipur-Mysore-Bangalore route and the Ooty-Coonoor/Kothagiri-Mettupalayam-Bannari-Dhimbam-Chamrajnagar-Bangalore route, hence inclined towards the former.

For the Mettupalayam route, probably would be better off to take the Avinsashi-Salem-Bangalore route instead of dimbam-chamrajnagar. You will get the benefit of 4 Lane from Avinashi to Bangalore. Would take same or even less time than the Gudalur route although distance is much more. Time at tolls may be an issue if you are returning during peak hours

Also assume you know of the bridge closure near Kollegala. So taking the chamrajnagar route means you need to go via T.Narsipura-Talakkad-Malavalli-Bangalore

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

For the Mettupalayam route, probably would be better off to take the Avinsashi-Salem-Bangalore route instead of dimbam-chamrajnagar. You will get the benefit of 4 Lane from Avinashi to Bangalore. Would take same or even less time than the Gudalur route although distance is much more. Time at tolls may be an issue if you are returning during peak hours

Would prefer the greener scape of the chamrajnagar route to the 'dry' 4 lanes, hence not considering the Avinashi-salem-route. Thinking of Mettupalayam-Sathyamangalam-Athani-Mettur-Mecheri-Dharmapuri-Rayakottai-Hosur also. This route I heard is in excellent condition and is devoid of tolls too.
My first preference will be Ooty-Kalhatty-Masinagudi route. If the ooty-Gudalur road is at least patched up and decent will take that if downhill vehicles are stopped from going down Kalhatty ghats. Else will consider the options via Kothagiri-Mettupalayam

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Also assume you know of the bridge closure near Kollegala. So taking the chamrajnagar route means you need to go via T.Narsipura-Talakkad-Malavalli-Bangalore

Yes, know that. Will be taking T-Narsipura-Talakkad-Purigali-Malavalli route. Babu sir (kala) had provided the details in another thread.

[mroptimist]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

If the ooty-Gudalur road is at least patched up and decent will take that if downhill vehicles are stopped from going down Kalhatty ghats. Else will consider the options via Kothagiri-Mettupalayam

Yes sandsun7 the Ooty-Gudalur is patched up and beautiful. From Gudalur towards Ooty some ten kms is slightly bad and narrow after that it's wider with fresh tarmac without any potholes. I travelled last week. You can safely take this option.

Regards.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by mroptimist

Yes sandsun7 the Ooty-Gudalur is patched up and beautiful. From Gudalur towards Ooty some ten kms is slightly bad and narrow after that it's wider with fresh tarmac without any potholes. I travelled last week. You can safely take this option.

Regards.

Thanks a lot for this update! Nice to hear that road is finally in good shape. So my return will be through this route.

Any idea about Theppekadu-Gudalur forest stretch? That section had some terrible patches last when I traveled a year or so ago.

[SunnyBoi]

So I was at the usual viewpoint close to the top of Chamundi Hills when I saw a pristine strip of black tarmac running across the horizon with very few vehicles plying on it. I wondered if the Ring road between T Narsipura and Nanjangud road opened.

I headed down Chamundi Hills via the Nanjangud road and as I got down I could see the ring road run in parallel. I charted the entry point for the ring road in the map below. The road isn't completed 100%.

The tarmac is pristine! For the first 500 meters or so, only one side of the 6 lane roads were open but post that its just fresh tarmac, with no humps or ditches or road blocks anywhere!

The ring road after T Narsipura road to Bannur Road isnt completed, the road is laid down but it ends abruptly after ~700 meters. I went in and had to drive back the way I went in.

I have marked the road section which is complete and open below. Google maps doesnt show any roads yet on this stretch so marked it using my l33t MS paint skills

[spiritual]

Originally Posted by kala

Both these are shown correctly on the map link that I had posted - i.e http://goo.gl/4ChvkU .

I returned back from Ooty to Bangalore last weekend using the route suggested by Kala and it was excellent. Except for about 1KM of bad road between Talakadu and Malavalli, the roads are in excellent shape and hardly any humps either.

While going from Bangalore to Ooty I took the Mysore-Nanjangud-Gundulpete route and this was terrible. There is a lot of road work being done between Nanjangud and Gundulpete and the amount of traffic is also very high. This route is best avoided until the road work is completed.

[Caffeinated]

I am planning to drive to Ooty next weekend, using the above Blr-Malavalli-Chamrajnagar route. Anyone aware of any average breakfast/restroom places enroute?

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

I am planning to drive to Ooty next weekend, using the above Blr-Malavalli-Chamrajnagar route. Anyone aware of any average breakfast/restroom places enroute?

Nijaguna residency at chamrajnagar. You need to head around 100mtrs on the road towards satyamangalam after the signal where you need to take the sharp right towards gundlepet. Nice place.

Hope you are aware that the bridge near kollegal is closed and you need to take malavalli talakkad t narsipura chamrajnagar route.

[philjo]

I am planning to drive to Ooty, this Friday. Which is the best route to an easy climb-up between Masinagudi-Kalhatty-Ooty and Gudalur-Naduvattom-Pykara-Ooty? Looks like no one has choosing the latter option even though it is bit higher in distance. Any thoughts?

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by philjo

I am planning to drive to Ooty, this Friday. Which is the best route to an easy climb-up between Masinagudi-Kalhatty-Ooty and Gudalur-Naduvattom-Pykara-Ooty? Looks like no one has choosing the latter option even though it is bit higher in distance. Any thoughts?

Easy climb-up certainly would be the Gudalur-Naduvattam-Pykara route. That route is like a Highway (or I guess it is a national highway already). It also offers some good view points near Pykara lake etc. The route via Masinagudi, is like you have to climb up and cover a hair pin bend every odd kilometre. May be tire some. Coming down may be the easier option.

[kala]

Originally Posted by philjo

I am planning to drive to Ooty, this Friday. Which is the best route to an easy climb-up between Masinagudi-Kalhatty-Ooty and Gudalur-Naduvattom-Pykara-Ooty? Looks like no one has choosing the latter option even though it is bit higher in distance. Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Easy climb-up certainly would be the Gudalur-Naduvattam-Pykara route. That route is like a Highway (or I guess it is a national highway already). It also offers some good view points near Pykara lake etc. The route via Masinagudi, is like you have to climb up and cover a hair pin bend every odd kilometre. May be tire some.

People coming from Bangalore side prefer the Masinagudi route because the forest road between Theppekkadu and Gudalur has been in pretty bad shape for a very long time now, and it adds about 30kms+ to the distance. The Kalhatty ghat road even though steep isn't all that difficult to traverse - especially in the uphill direction.

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Coming down may be the easier option.

Actually the descent is very likely to be more difficult than the ascent for people who aren't used to driving on ghat roads. One needs to make sure that you descend only using low gears using engine braking and avoid excess use of brakes. One of the reasons why the cops at the checkpost don't allow you to take that route when going downhill during times of high traffic, and force you to go via Gudalur instead.

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by philjo

I am planning to drive to Ooty, this Friday. Which is the best route to an easy climb-up between Masinagudi-Kalhatty-Ooty and Gudalur-Naduvattom-Pykara-Ooty? Looks like no one has choosing the latter option even though it is bit higher in distance. Any thoughts?

The 36 hairpin bends is an awesome experience. If you live to drive,you should do it. Also the drive through Bandipur is just amazing. I did this route a couple of weeks ago. Must warn you that the road condition between Nanjangud and Gudulpet is poor. There are bridges being built and you have frequent diversions for 15 Kms and another 15kms they are widening the road. Should take you an hour to cover this 30 Kms. In the end felt the 1 hour of bad road was worth the drive.

Left Bangalore at 6am and was in Masinagudi by 12 pm.Ooty should take you an hour from there. Have a good trip. We stayed at Masinagudi for 2 days and did another 2 days at Ooty,

[kala]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

Must warn you that the road condition between Nanjangud and Gudulpet is poor. There are bridges being built and you have frequent diversions for 15 Kms and another 15kms they are widening the road. Should take you an hour to cover this 30 Kms. In the end felt the 1 hour of bad road was worth the drive.

If you aren't too picky about wanting lots of high quality restaurants on the way and don't mind driving on 2 lane country roads, you can always go via Kanakapura-Malavalli-Chamarajnagar to Gundlupet. Excellent roads all through and sparse traffic. My typical timing is around 3 hours from NICE road/Kanakapura road junction to Gundlupet, which means you should reach Masinagudi in under 4.5 hours with relaxed driving.

Google Maps link for this route is in one of the messages above in this thread itself.