[Buffetfan]

Update - I am back in Hyderabad and the Chikmagalur-Hyderabad route I took this time was Chikmagalur, Karnataka, India to Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India - Google Maps

Total distance close to 750 kms,

Started at 0930 AM and reached home at 07:45 PM.

Total time taken 10 hours 15 minutes with a couple of breaks totaling 1:15 hours. No difficult roads encountered. Did not encounter a single stretch longer than 100m or so that was extremely difficult (read drive below 60 kmph). The much maligned road between Sakharayapatna and Banavar was in fact very motorable and we did average nearly 60 kmph on this road.

Drove an Innova and maybe some of the stretches might be a bit slower or faster depending on the car you are driving.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

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.

What is the status of this by-pass today (Tumkur Ring Road).
Has there been any improvements or it status quo?

[himavanth_m]

You have made a right choice by taking your route rather than Penukonda route which is much worse.
I think the extra 80 odd kms is totally worth.

[himavanth_m]

I need help on route suggestions for my return journey for my trip.
I will be leaving from Kudremukh to Hyderabad

What is the best route possible route?

I do not want to the road via Chitradurga and Bellary. It was horrible when I did this last february.
I also do not want to do the route via Hubli - Raichur or Hubli - Gulbarga as I will be taking my onward journey through these routes. I do not want to retrace my tracks and take the same route.

So Options I am considering:
Kudremukh - Chikmagalur - Touch NH206 at Kadur - Take Interior roads to Sira - Touch NH7 at Anantapur - Kurnool - Hyd on NH7.
For this, I am not sure which are the best route to take. Say for example, I see in google maps, no big higway between Sira and Anantapur. Also I will be in this stretch at night. So any bad road conditions is a strict no No.

Option 2: Kudremukh - Chikmagalur - Tumkur - Bengaluru - Hyderabad
The problem with this option is it is just very long. About 100kms longer.

I am open to alternate suggestions. Kudremukh is starting point and Hyderabad is ending point. Even if the route does not pass through Chikmagalur, I am fine.

This drive will be done in a single stretch. I will be leaving Kudremukh at around 12 Noon.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

So Options I am considering:
Kudremukh - Chikmagalur - Touch NH206 at Kadur - Take Interior roads to Sira - Touch NH7 at Anantapur - Kurnool - Hyd on NH7.
For this, I am not sure which are the best route to take. Say for example, I see in google maps, no big higway between Sira and Anantapur.
Also I will be in this stretch at night. So any bad road conditions is a strict no No.

This route is not that majorly different from the one via Dobbaspet/Devanahalli from a length point of view.

Option 2: Kudremukh - Chikmagalur - Tumkur - Bengaluru - Hyderabad
The problem with this option is it is just very long. About 100kms longer.

I am open to alternate suggestions. Kudremukh is starting point and Hyderabad is ending point. Even if the route does not pass through Chikmagalur, I am fine.

This drive will be done in a single stretch. I will be leaving Kudremukh at around 12 Noon.

This becomes the option, because you would be starting at noon. You dont want to be in the interiors in the evening times.
Tumkur-Madhugiri is a good SH (Madhugiri-Gauribidanur-Chikkaballapur is now a NH, but not all that great.)

So best I can think off is:

Kudremukh-Mudigere-Belur-Hassan-Nelamangala-Doddaballapir-Devanahalli-Hyderabdad.

The best part is:

You can cover up to Nelamanagala very fast as you get best roads (Hassan-Nelamangala: 4L), Belur-Hassan is also a belter.
Then once you have by-passed Bangalore via NH207, you are back on 4L.

Now that gives a total of 900km which is longer. But given the fact that you are 4L for the later part, it should be easy for road stress.

Route link

[gajadonga]

Last time I travelled between Shravanabelagola to Hyderabad I had taken this route.
Belur cross-Kunigal-Solur-Dobbaspet-Dodballapur-Devanahalli-Hyderabad.
The roads are in good condition.
Only at Dobbaspet you have to ask for directions towards Dodaballapur.
As I avoided Banglore traffic I could do this stretch in 10hrs.

[himavanth_m]

Originally Posted by ampere

Kudremukh-Mudigere-Belur-Hassan-Nelamangala-Doddaballapir-Devanahalli-Hyderabdad.

Originally Posted by gajadonga

Last time I travelled between Shravanabelagola to Hyderabad I had taken this route.
Belur cross-Kunigal-Solur-Dobbaspet-Dodballapur-Devanahalli-Hyderabad.
The roads are in good condition.
Only at Dobbaspet you have to ask for directions towards Dodaballapur.
As I avoided Banglore traffic I could do this stretch in 10hrs.

Thanks a lot ampere and gajadonga. I think I will follow the route via Hassan and Nemangala.

However I have one question. How is the road condtion of NH234.
I am thinking - Mudigere - Halebeedu - Sira - Chikbalapur.
This complete stretch is on NH234 which I have never done. So if the road condition on this is good, I will most probably take this just for the fact that I have done Bangalore Hasan road earlier.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

Thanks a lot ampere and gajadonga. I think I will follow the route via Hassan and Nemangala.

However I have one question. How is the road condtion of NH234.
I am thinking - Mudigere - Halebeedu - Sira - Chikbalapur.
This complete stretch is on NH234 which I have never done. So if the road condition on this is good, I will most probably take this just for the fact that I have done Bangalore Hasan road earlier.

I am aware of road conditions till Banavara, where the NH234 crosses NH206. Mudigere-Belur-Halebeedu-Banavara to Sira.

The NH234 between Mudigere and Belur (via Gonibeedu and Cheeknally) is in very bad shape. Instead of taking this road, take the road which goes through Mudigere town and reach Belur via Gendehalli. This is an interior road with not much diversions (and signboards). This road is a single road and broken in places, but this is far better than the NH 234. You will rejoin the NH 234 at Belur.

The Belur-Halebeedu-Banavara stretch is supposed to be decent. I have not traveled recently, but a friend of mine who traveled recently (about a couple of months back) said it is in decent shape and should not be a problem. Belur to Halebeedu has a 2 lane road and IIRC, the Halebeedu-Banavara stretch is narrow at places.

2 weeks back I had read in the local paper that this stretch was to be widened. I don't remember when work would start though.

Even if you do take the Mudigere-Hassan-Nelamangala road, you will have to pass through Belur, so better avoid NH234 between Mudigere and Belur

Btw, since NH234 is a newly form NH, you may not see English boards apart from the ones put up by Karnataka Tourism.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

However I have one question. How is the road condtion of NH234.
I am thinking - Mudigere - Halebeedu - Sira - Chikbalapur.

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

The NH234 between Mudigere and Belur (via Gonibeedu and Cheeknally) is in very bad shape. Instead of taking this road, take the road which goes through Mudigere town and reach Belur via Gendehalli.

Even if you do take the Mudigere-Hassan-Nelamangala road, you will have to pass through Belur, so better avoid NH234 between Mudigere and Belur

I agree with Addy. Dont touch Mudigere - Belur via Gonibeedu. At Mudigere town ask for directions to Gendehalli and then go to Belur.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gajadonga

Only at Dobbaspet you have to ask for directions towards Dodaballapur.
As I avoided Banglore traffic I could do this stretch in 10hrs.

The only catch is one needs to know which fly-over NOT to go over!
At that speed, its highly possible that one may pass through Dobbaspet easily.
The best way to remember is that there is a Kamat on the left while one is driving towards Bangalore.
Dobbaspet is about 2-3 km after that. A flyover bypasses the town.
One needs to get off the highway and below the flyover and turn left right after one reaches below the flyover.

On turning left, one would see a Y fork. Left of the Y leads to Koratagere/Madhugiri.
The right side of the fork is NH207 which leads to Doddaballapur/Devanahalli.

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

However I have one question. How is the road condtion of NH234.
I am thinking - Mudigere - Halebeedu - Sira - Chikbalapur.
This complete stretch is on NH234 which I have never done. So if the road condition on this is good, I will most probably take this just for the fact that I have done Bangalore Hasan road earlier.

For trying a new road it would fun. But since you have a long distance to drive, it would be better to be on good roads. As Addy said NH234 just got its NH status. So don't expect good roads and even sign-boards.

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by Fauji

I agree with Addy. Dont touch Mudigere - Belur via Gonibeedu. At Mudigere town ask for directions to Gendehalli and then go to Belur.

Yeah, even this road has gone for a toss now ...
But still managable

[ranjitp1]

Halebidu-Banvara is very very narrow at most places.I drove through it a few months back and it was so frustrating and time consuming,At times we had to stop and get off the road for even a rickshaw to pass.Best avoided.

[himavanth_m]

As suggested, my return journey is now on this route. Please let me know any tweaks that need to be made on this route

Kudremukh - Mudigere - Gendehalli - Belur - Hassan - Nelamangala - Doddaballapur - Devanhalli - Hyderabad.

I am expecting this to be covered in 16 hours. Is this doable without any stops?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

I am expecting this to be covered in 16 hours. Is this doable without any stops?

It all depends on the first 400km (till Bangalore).
If you are not fatigued out by then, I think you should be able to pull.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

As suggested, my return journey is now on this route. Please let me know any tweaks that need to be made on this route

Kudremukh - Mudigere - Gendehalli - Belur - Hassan - Nelamangala - Doddaballapur - Devanhalli - Hyderabad.

I am expecting this to be covered in 16 hours. Is this doable without any stops?

We did belur-blr in 5hours.blr-hyd in 8hrs,so you should be able to do it but beware of fatigue setting in.