[hvkumar]

Wat is the condition of the Kadur-Sakrepatna-Chickmagalur road? It used to be very bad some months ago.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Wat is the condition of the Kadur-Sakrepatna-Chickmagalur road? It used to be very bad some months ago.

I did CKM-Sakkarepatna some time back in Oct-2010, and it was pretty decent (concrete road extended on both sides by tar) This is about 20-22 km.

Sakrepatna to Kadur would be about 15 km. I am not aware of that.

Attached are the links to the some snaps and some more updates:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...lur-kadur.html

EDIT: I also see a Sakkarepatna to Bannavar route. But I am not sure how is that route.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ampere

Initially I was thinking that going via Lepakshi/Hindupur is big help to by-pass Bangalore from NH7 to NH4. But looking at NH207, I realized its not helping much. Since the Bagepally-Lepakshi-Hindupur road is not that good.

The NH207 by-pass via Devanahalli to Dobbaspet is much better.

Plus another thing is if you go via Kadur towards CKM (Kadur road branching off from NH206), you land at Taj directly without getting into CKM town (I was hoping you would go to Taj! )

hehe,yes its the taj alright

• So this means,I would come till Devanahalli and then turn right towards Tumkur.Do i take this right from the NH7 or is the deviation from inside the town?Any landmarks for the turn?

• Also at Tumkur from the point where the NH207 touches the town,how do I get onto the CKM road?What do I need to ask for?

• Are there any good eating places on the route after Devanahalli till CKM?Bcos I would need to stop some place for lunch.

• From Devanahalli to CKM what do you think is the approximate driving time considering road conditions etc?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

hehe,yes its the taj alright

• So this means,I would come till Devanahalli and then turn right towards Tumkur.Do i take this right from the NH7 or is the deviation from inside the town?Any landmarks for the turn?

• Also at Tumkur from the point where the NH207 touches the town,how do I get onto the CKM road?What do I need to ask for?

• Are there any good eating places on the route after Devanahalli till CKM?Bcos I would need to stop some place for lunch.

• From Devanahalli to CKM what do you think is the approximate driving time considering road conditions etc?

- NH207 turning is on the NH7 itself at Devanahalli. (You can a see a turn near a hillock with a temple on top which says turn right for Doddaballpur).

- It would go via Doddaballpur and join NH4 at Dobbaspet which is between Bangalore and Tumkur (infact between Nelamangala and Tumkur). So you directly join the "race-track" NH4 after the Nelamangala traffic.

- Immediately after you get on the NH4 at Dobbaspet, you have Kamat (on both sides of NH4) and CCD (on your side). You can choose. (This is within 5-6 Km I think).

- At Tumkur you should get on to NH206. I am not sure where exactly is the turning (I think its before the NH4 Tumkur by-pass. Others can comment). Drive till Kadur, where you have the turning for CKM via Sakkarepatna.

- I remember Addy mention a hotel beyond Tumkur on the NH206 . But think there is no place like CCD/Kamat after Tumkur. Addy can confirm.

PS: I knew you were a Taj fan

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ampere

- NH207 turning is on the NH7 itself at Devanahalli. (You can a see a turn near a hillock with a temple on top which says turn right for Doddaballpur).

- It would go via Doddaballpur and join NH4 at Dobbaspet which is between Bangalore and Tumkur (infact between Nelamangala and Tumkur). So you directly join the "race-track" NH4 after the Nelamangala traffic.

- Immediately after you get on the NH4 at Dobbaspet, you have Kamat (on both sides of NH4) and CCD (on your side). You can choose. (This is within 5-6 Km I think).

- At Tumkur you should get on to NH206. I am not sure where exactly is the turning (I think its before the NH4 Tumkur by-pass. Others can comment). Drive till Kadur, where you have the turning for CKM via Sakkarepatna.

- I remember Addy mention a hotel beyond Tumkur on the NH206 . But think there is no place like CCD/Kamat after Tumkur. Addy can confirm.

PS: I knew you were a Taj fan

Thats quite a bit of info.thanx.

And supposing I am able to reach Devanahalli turnoff by 9-10 in the morning,I should be able to reach CKM by 4pm taking the said route?

PS:If Taj offers discounts who am I to say no .I am a big time off season traveller!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Thats quite a bit of info.thanx.

And supposing I am able to reach Devanahalli turnoff by 9-10 in the morning,I should be able to reach CKM by 4pm taking the said route?

PS:If Taj offers discounts who am I to say no .I am a big time off season traveller!

- 4PM is definitely possible. But then only issue is, you have to break for lunch too soon.
Because beyond Tumkur, I have not heard many good places for break on NH206.

- Count me in for the off-season stuff! I have done the same many times!
In fact I hope you are already an inner circle member. If not, good to become one. Very useful.

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Wat is the condition of the Kadur-Sakrepatna-Chickmagalur road? It used to be very bad some months ago.

Though not many potholes, as it's a concrete road it's rough road all the way till CKM.
I had taken this road almost a month back.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Are there any good eating places on the route after Devanahalli till CKM?Bcos I would need to stop some place for lunch.
From Devanahalli to CKM what do you think is the approximate driving time considering road conditions etc?

Well whenever I travel towards Shimoga from Blr, the Clean places where I prefer to eat are either Coffeeday / Kamath just after Dobbespete.

Originally Posted by ampere

- At Tumkur you should get on to NH206. I am not sure where exactly is the turning (I think its before the NH4 Tumkur by-pass. Drive till Kadur, where you have the turning for CKM via Sakkarepatna.

Yes just after the toll both is over(before Tumkur), make sure you take a road leading towards Tiptur - Kadur, else you'll have to go thru Tumkur town.
Last time when I took the Bye - pass, some part of the stretch was good n the rest was with rough road n potholes.
While you enter Kadur, you need to take left for CKM, it's well marked.
Road is good, but not very good all the way till CKM.
Just beware of sudden potholes, Road humps from Tumkur till Arasikere, from thereon it's in good condition.
Just keep speed below 80kmph in this road.

Originally Posted by ampere

I remember Addy mention a hotel beyond Tumkur on the NH206 . But think there is no place like CCD/Kamat after Tumkur. Addy can confirm.

Yes no other CCD till you reach Chikmagalur
About the hotel, It's in Kibbanahally Cross , Matha hotel, I don't prefer it.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

And supposing I am able to reach Devanahalli turnoff by 9-10 in the morning,I should be able to reach CKM by 4pm taking the said route?

If you reach Devanahally by 9am, then Tumkur-10am ,Kadur -12pm CKM - 1 - 1.30pm.

Originally Posted by ampere

PS: I knew you were a Taj fan

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

PS:If Taj offers discounts who am I to say no .I am a big time off season traveller!

Well I don't think they offer any discount during Summer,
It's around 5K/day @ Taj Gateway CKM.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

Well I don't think they offer any discount during Summer,
It's around 5K/day @ Taj Gateway CKM.

I think if you accumulate points, you can redeem then with good discounts. Taj offers an inner circle program for the same.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

Though not many potholes, as it's a concrete road it's rough road all the way till CKM.
I had taken this road almost a month back.


Well whenever I travel towards Shimoga from Blr, the Clean places where I prefer to eat are either Coffeeday / Kamath just after Dobbespete.


Yes just after the toll both is over(before Tumkur), make sure you take a road leading towards Tiptur - Kadur, else you'll have to go thru Tumkur town.
Last time when I took the Bye - pass, some part of the stretch was good n the rest was with rough road n potholes.
While you enter Kadur, you need to take left for CKM, it's well marked.
Road is good, but not very good all the way till CKM.
Just beware of sudden potholes, Road humps from Tumkur till Arasikere, from thereon it's in good condition.
Just keep speed below 80kmph in this road.


Yes no other CCD till you reach Chikmagalur
About the hotel, It's in Kibbanahally Cross , Matha hotel, I don't prefer it.


If you reach Devanahally by 9am, then Tumkur-10am ,Kadur -12pm CKM - 1 - 1.30pm.


Well I don't think they offer any discount during Summer,
It's around 5K/day @ Taj Gateway CKM.

With some excellent homestays in CKM, Taj seems to have lost its charm. This doesn't mean that the property is not good which is Taj anyway. I am not sure whether i can mention some of these homestays in the forum as i am still learning the nuances of BHP.

The Tumkur bye-pass is in good condition and they have covered potholes. Look out for the sign - To Shimogga - to your left after the toll and take the bye pass. Lest, you will enter the town.

As Sushrutha rightly says, there are no good places to eat on this route which is sad though. You can eat in the hotel opposite Arasikere Bus stand - dont rememebr the name - which has decent stuff. Run by a guy from Udupi for the last 40 years.

When in CKM, dont froget to gorge on "Benne Masale Dose" (Butter Masala Dosa) in "town canteen" which is possibly the best you can get anywhere. I am saying this after eating the stuff many times in Vidyarthi, MTR, CTR, UKB and NMH in Bangalore.

[ranjitp1]

Thanx a ton Sushrutha & Fauji.

As for Homestays,I really do not prefer them just a personal dislike towards them.I think I would prefer a bad hotel to a so called good Homestay.I have had only not so good experiences and the biggest compromise you need to do when staying in a home stay is that the hosts feel you are obligated to be sweet to them and talk to them etc etc.Even the Taj is not so great in some places.The smaller hotels of Taj are always excellent bcos they are not plastic and robotic in their service.Try going to the bigger ones and the precision is robotic to the point of being irritating!

Thanx a ton Fauji for the Benne dose tip.We shall go looking for that for sure.If you do happen to drive to Mysore some time,then do stop at the Mylari Hotel next to the palace,the dosas there are out of the world dosas and the chutney is all the more heavenly.There is a "duplicate" mylari hotel on the Blore-Mysore road now and there is also a hotel with a name "Original" Mylari Hotel bang opposite the Mylari hotel.So much for trivia on Mylari hotels and dosas!

I think I would prefer the Kamat or the CCD for the eat part of the drive,else shall get something packed from these places in case we reach there early.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Thanx a ton Sushrutha & Fauji.

As for Homestays,I really do not prefer them just a personal dislike towards them.I think I would prefer a bad hotel to a so called good Homestay.I have had only not so good experiences and the biggest compromise you need to do when staying in a home stay is that the hosts feel you are obligated to be sweet to them and talk to them etc etc.Even the Taj is not so great in some places.The smaller hotels of Taj are always excellent bcos they are not plastic and robotic in their service.Try going to the bigger ones and the precision is robotic to the point of being irritating!

Thanx a ton Fauji for the Benne dose tip.We shall go looking for that for sure.If you do happen to drive to Mysore some time,then do stop at the Mylari Hotel next to the palace,the dosas there are out of the world dosas and the chutney is all the more heavenly.There is a "duplicate" mylari hotel on the Blore-Mysore road now and there is also a hotel with a name "Original" Mylari Hotel bang opposite the Mylari hotel.So much for trivia on Mylari hotels and dosas!

I think I would prefer the Kamat or the CCD for the eat part of the drive,else shall get something packed from these places in case we reach there early.

I agree that some of the home stays are overbearing due to "Unduly caring hosts" and there is lack of privacy. Some are good as well.

I have had dosa in Mylari in recent times but was disappointed. People say it is not the same old Mylari. Let me know your feedback on "town canteen"

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by ampere

There are two options I can think off:

One via Lepakshi/Hindupur/Korategere/Tumkur

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh to Chikmagalur, Karnataka - Google Maps


I had driven through Tumkur-Korategiri-Gauribidanur section some time back. It was decent with little traffic. This should get you to Tumkur by bypassing Bangaore. I know your timings. You generally reach Bangalore by 11-12. Which tells me that you should be able to hit Bagepally by about 9:30.

The other option via Dobbaspet (NH207 via Devanhalli).

Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh to Chikmagalur, Karnataka - Google Maps


Comfortwise NH 207 is much better I would say.

I am not sure how good it would be to go via Bellary/Bhadra to CKM with roads being so bad on that sector.


EDIT: I am sure you would already be aware of these routes !

Ranjit, you could try this route.

Hyderabad-Gooty-Guntakal-Bellary-Challakere-Chitradurga-Bhadravathi-Tarikere-Lingadahalli-Chikmagalur

I do not know the road conditions between Gooty and Bellary, but after that, Bellary-Challakere-Chitradurga seems to be good (I had read somewhere). According to a friend of mine who is from Bhadravathi, the Chitradurga-Bhadravathi road (approx 100 kms) is good. After Bhadravathi, the road is decent all the way to Chikmagalur

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by Fauji

With some excellent homestays in CKM, Taj seems to have lost its charm. This doesn't mean that the property is not good which is Taj anyway. I am not sure whether i can mention some of these homestays in the forum as i am still learning the nuances of BHP.

Fauji, there's no harm in mentioning the homestays/hotel which you prefer.
We already have a thread running on Accomodation & rates here
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ion-rates.html

When in CKM, dont froget to gorge on "Benne Masale Dose" (Butter Masala Dosa) in "town canteen" which is possibly the best you can get anywhere. I am saying this after eating the stuff many times in Vidyarthi, MTR, CTR, UKB and NMH in Bangalore.

Yes Dosaey here is good.
Also Hotel Ashok, adjacent to Planter's court also serves good masala Dosaey
Good thing about both the hotels is they serve dishes to your vehicles.

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

After Bhadravathi, the road is decent all the way to Chikmagalur.

I agree, I had done this stretch almost 15 days back it's in good condition and most of the potholes have been filled and some stretch has been tarred very recently too.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Ranjit, you could try this route.

Hyderabad-Gooty-Guntakal-Bellary-Challakere-Chitradurga-Bhadravathi-Tarikere-Lingadahalli-Chikmagalur

I do not know the road conditions between Gooty and Bellary, but after that, Bellary-Challakere-Chitradurga seems to be good (I had read somewhere). According to a friend of mine who is from Bhadravathi, the Chitradurga-Bhadravathi road (approx 100 kms) is good. After Bhadravathi, the road is decent all the way to Chikmagalur

Thanx Addy for this info.Gooty-Bellary is almost all the time bad thanx to all the iron ore trucks.I think I will stick to the NH7-NH206(via Tumkur) combo,atleast I am assured of a fast drive till Tumkur.I dont think I would save on time by coming via Guntakal.

[ranjitp1]

Guys,did this drive last week and it was a great one indeed.Fauji thanx for the Benne Dose tip.We just made it on time to Town Canteen,was quite an experience indeed.So were the jamuns there!

Bought our share of coffee from Panduranga Coffee (www.pandurangacoffee.com).

Stayed at the Gateway.Loved the place and the staff.the food could have been better but the place was memorable indeed,they made it special with their bonfires etc.

Did Halebid,Belavadi,Belur.Days were extremely warm as expected since the place is at an elevation,nights were relatively cooler at around 14-15degrees.

Went and returned via Bangalore,so did not divert at Devanahalli.NH48 4 laning is done till the 1st CCD after Kunigal.Kunigal Bypass still not open.Both the CCDs on the route did not have water in their washrooms.Did a lunch & a breakfast at the Kamat,Hassan.Food was yummy and so was their service.They have renovated their washrooms so everything is looking great at the moment,except for the flooring which is in progress.We did drive a fair bit on the Kadur road it got progressively worse,decided its not worth it driving on that section.We drove on the Belur-Banvara section as well,and havent seen a narrower road ever,theres just about space for one vehicle to be on the road at any given time.We diverted off the road and went to Belavadi from Halebid and back to CKM,hence triangulating between CKM-Belur-Halebid-CKM.

Hassan-Belur is line an airport tarmac-wide and excellent.So much for the trip report!Thanx to everyone here for their tips,each and every single tip did come in handy.many thanx