[prasad14]

Originally Posted by skdking

Thanks, guys.

Since my destination is Mysore, and not beyond, I better stick to your advocated option. I think for my kids I will stop at 'Wonder La', which I am told is on this highway, on either the to or the fro leg. Is it feasible?

Thanks again.

I second Kala, do stick to the 4-lane road.

WonderLa is doable but would need atleast 4-6hrs to do justice. Once you get down from the NICE road to Mysore highway, you get a diversion to the right after about 15kms or so. Alternatively, you can also try GRS Fantasy Park in Mysore itself, which might give you little more flexibility in planning. Do note that WonderLa has more options and you can see their websites and decide.

Welcome to Mysore.

Prasad

[dinu2506]

Any update on Ooty travel in view of the Cauvery agitation? Would it be better to take the Kanakpura route? I have a plan for Ooty on the 19th Friday this month. Appreciate your feedback.

[ankan.m.blr]

As per the reports in the newspapers, the road-block is more there in Mandya. Though the protest is still going on, the organizers are saying they'll be 'peaceful'.
From ToI today :

Mandya back to normal

TIMES NEWS NETWORK


Mandya: After bearing the brunt of the agitation for 25 days, Mandya district is slowly returning to normal. However, farmers will continue token protests till the Cauvery River Authority headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh changes its earlier directive.
“We’ll decide the future course of action after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the state’s petition on October 12,’’ said Cauvery Hitarakshana Samithi president G Made Gowda, who will continuehisdharna tillthen.
Karnataka has requested CRA to stay its September 19 order asking the state to release 9,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu daily till October 15 and keep it in abeyance till the decision was reviewed.
In Mandya city, the ground zero of the agitation, the situation was calm. Though there was fear and anxiety, there was anger too against Tamil Nadu and state’s politicians among farmers and pro-Kannada activists.
Bus services between Bangalore and Mysore resumed much to the relief of daily commuters. Business establishments, schools and colleges reopened after a long break.
On Tuesday morning, farmers blocked the Mysore-Bangalore road for a short while demanding early review of the Cauvery River Authority decision. But they withdrew it after Made Gowda went to the protest venue at Visvesvaraya statue and announced they would explore legal options against Tamil Nadu.
PEACEFUL AGITATION G Made Gowda, former MP from Mandya who is heading the agitation, said that they would continue the stir peacefully till October 12 when the Supreme Court would take up the matter.
“We will not stop trains or buses,’’ he said.

[VindyWheels]

Hi,

I went to Calicut last Friday and returned yesterday. Tried the 4 lane Bangalore-Mysore route on Friday 5th Oct, but had to take a deviation before Mandya to reach Malvalli and then take NH 209 till Gundlupet. Lost around 1.5 hours going through some really bad interior roads to till Malvalli.

While returning we took the NH 209 all through.

My suggestion is to take NH 209 - Kanakpura-Malvalli-Kollegal-Chamarajnagar-Gundlupet always if you are driving during day time. Except the last 20 km before Gundlupet being patchy this is a beautiful smooth drive.

Even if the strike is calledoff we will take this route henceforth since its totally stress-free and enjoyable and you actually reach gundlupet faster (unless you are travelling very early in the morning like 4:00 am)

Cheers

Vindy

[ankan.m.blr]

@Vindywheels, Can you please give a little more details about the 20KM patchy road before Gundulpet? Is it pothole ridden? Is it do-able in a small car? How long it should take in a small car from E-City NICE road to Gundulpet?

[VindyWheels]

Hi,

It is very much doable in any car, just that it wont be as smooth as the rest of the journey.

You should take less than 3.5 hrs during the day time with sedate driving and a 15-20 mins break.

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

@Vindywheels, Can you please give a little more details about the 20KM patchy road before Gundulpet? Is it pothole ridden? Is it do-able in a small car? How long it should take in a small car from E-City NICE road to Gundulpet?

[Night_Hawk]

Originally Posted by SatishBalaram

... now I realize that driving on hairpin bends requires more knowledge than just normal driving skills and experience.
Thanks to the people and companies who installed the railings on these dangerous bends.
-Satish

Glad you and family are safe.
During my recent trip while going up I drove through 36 HP bends. However, while returning, i came via Gudalur.
The route via Gudalur, IMHO, is more scenic as well as safer while coming down from Ooty.
Keep Driving Safely.
Cheers!
NH

[nilanjanray]

Good to know that Satish and his family escaped without any mishap. It has been reiterated over and over to use engine braking while coming down the Kalahatti Ghats, to use appropriate lower gear etc. Any hill driving newbie wanting to tackle the ghats, especially while coming down: please do your research beforehand. The ghats are no big deal, doable in any vehicle (years back I used to do in my petrol Indica), but just follow certain guidelines - for overtaking, coming down, giving way, not tailgating, testing your brakes (if you need to) on the bridge near the waterfall, being ready for animal sightings etc.

While the Gudalur route is more scenic, one can save a lot of time through the Kalahatti route.

[rakirank]

I have weekend (20th Oct) travel plan to Srirangapatna.

Can some one please let me know about the condition of the road from Malavalli to Bannur to Srirangapatna if I were to use NH209.

Also, could you please advise on the road conditions from Maddur to Malavalli, just in case I use SH17 as it provides multiple options for a break and then need to avoid Mandya.

[kala]

Originally Posted by rakirank

I have weekend (20th Oct) travel plan to Srirangapatna.

Can some one please let me know about the condition of the road from Malavalli to Bannur to Srirangapatna if I were to use NH209.

Also, could you please advise on the road conditions from Maddur to Malavalli, just in case I use SH17 as it provides multiple options for a break and then need to avoid Mandya.

Malavalli-Bannur : Average, quite a few broken stretches closer to Bannur - a few unmarked speedbreakers too.

Bannur-Baburayanakoppal (very close to Srirangapatna on SH17) : Decent road, sparse traffic. Slightly narrow in some village stretches on the way, but quite OK otherwise.

Maddur-Malavalli : Not sure how the condition is now, was reportedly quite bad till a few months back. So Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli would certainly be the recommended option.

[Tempelhof]

Originally Posted by SatishBalaram

Unluckily I am seeing these posts only now though I read some of these other pages before my trip.
-Satish

Another golden rule to remember is: "Never overtake in curves / bends, while going up or down hill in the ghat roads, however slow the vehicle in front of you goes."

[dinu2506]

Am planning Bangalore to Ooty this Friday, Kanakapura route. Can someone please advise on breakfast. Plan is to leave at 5:30am, so planning a breakfast break at Malavalli. Are there some good eating joints here?

[lloydofcochin]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

Am planning Bangalore to Ooty this Friday, Kanakapura route. Can someone please advise on breakfast. Plan is to leave at 5:30am, so planning a breakfast break at Malavalli. Are there some good eating joints here?

Don't know about any b'fast joints in Malavalli but there are breakfast joints at Kollegal. It is only 140-150km from Bangalore and you should reach in 2.15-2.30hrs depending on the speed you drive at.

[rkrpxz]

What is the best way to reach NH209 from Malleswaram (Brigade Gateway)? Should I just get on to ORR and turn on Kanakpura Rd (which I assume becomes NH209)? Or, is there a better route than that? Also, is the Bangalore->Malavalli->Bannur->Mysore route easy to follow or are some places where we could potentially take the wrong fork/deviation/turn?

Thanks in advance for any tips/assistance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rkrpxz

What is the best way to reach NH209 from Malleswaram (Brigade Gateway)? Should I just get on to ORR and turn on Kanakpura Rd

One option is to take the Chord road all the way till Mysore road. Continue on ORR and at at PES college take the BMIC road till NICE intersection and there on take the Kanakpura road exit.