[Chevy_lover]

Thank you so much Abhi Ji and Kumar Ji! I am so thankful for such a detailed route description from both of you.

Kumar Ji, I think I should take the NH 7 via Thenkasi and Madurai. What if I take the Nagercoil - Madurai route? There are no ghats there and the roads are silky smooth!

I had travelled to Velankanni also during my last trip to Kerala. I found that the roads in TN are much better than Kerala and Karnataka. When I came via NH 47, it took me an awful lot of time to cross some bad stretches. I could not keep up speeds of more than 90 km/hr.

So I feel it is better to take the NH7 route via Madurai - Salem - Bangalore to Pune. What is your opinion?

I heard from my brother-in-law that the road widening work is only in some stretches. But it should be easy to cover during day time!

I will avoid Bangalore, taking the route Abhi mentioned. It sounds good!

Is my choice wise???

[hvkumar]

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS South India, May 2003
The above has log book for Trivandrum-Nagercoil-Tirunelveli-Madurai route

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Dec 2002
The above has log book for Madurai-Dindigul-Karur-Namakkal-Salem-Bangalore route

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS South India, Jan 1997
The above has log book for Madurai-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-Trivandrum route.

Problem with NH47 (Trivandrum-Nagercoil) and NH7 (Nagercoil-Madurai-Salem-Bangalore) is:
- Heavy traffic beween Trivandrum and Nagercoil
- Road widening work, but no major dislocation, beween Panagudi and Madurai
- Bad roads (18 kms) beween Nagercoil and Madurai, and thereafter in some sections till Krishnagiri.

Road from Trivandrum to Tenkasi goes via Nedumangad, Palode, Tenmala, Aryankavu, Schencottah.

[Chevy_lover]

Thank you so much, Kumar Ji.

I will be leaving for Pune tomorrow morning! I will post a detailed travelouge soon.

Thanks to all who guided me!!!

[spadival]

Originally Posted by Chevy_lover

We took NH 4 upto Hubli and then took the NH 63 through Yellapur. It is good in stretches, but still in pretty bad condition. The unmarked bumps and rolling strips will surely kill your suspension!!!

I missed the first bump and had a terrible jump. But luckily, no damage was done! There are bumps before each and every village en-route!

. I had warned you about the humps. Lucky for me, I missed the worst sections of NH17 after Udupi, as I had to take a diversion in Udupi

Originally Posted by spadival

Another thing to watch out for on NH63 - the numerous unmarked road humps before and after every village. My car literally flew over one on my return trip. I had to slow down from around 90kmph with just a few meters to spare - the brakes were squealing like mad and the fact that the car literally flew over the hump rather than bottoming out probably saved my car's a**.

[Chevy_lover]

Originally Posted by spadival

. I had warned you about the humps. Lucky for me, I missed the worst sections of NH17 after Udupi, as I had to take a diversion in Udupi

Thanks again Spadival. I was alert because of your warning. But the rumbling strips were so well disguised!!! I managed a jump @20 km/hr , as I did not want to come to a screeching halt!

I am back in Pune now. I will post a travelouge with some beautiful pics of potholes!

[Dhanasekaran]

I will always suggest taking the following route:

Pune-Kolhapur-Belgaum-Hubli-Chitradurga-Bangalore-Salem-Namakkal-Dindugal-Madurai-Tenkasi-Kollam-TVM

Route from Pune till Tenkasi is a breeze. You will face some problems in Haveri till Chitradurga.

Take nice road to bye-pass Bangalore. Bangalore till Tenkasi could be a breeze again.

HVK sir, let me know your suggestions...

[hvkumar]

I agree, the Tenkasi route is a nice choice to get to TVM since you can skip the busy NH47 (via Kochi) by day. However, facilities after Madurai are limited, and you have to take ghat roads after Schencottah, which can also see elephants on road at some times.

[shreeps]

Hi All,

I am planning a trip to Udupi/Mangalore from Pune during the weekend of May 15. Can someone tell me the best route?
I understand the following 2 routes are there:

Pune -> Kolhapur -> Belgaum ->Hubli -> Sirsi -> Kumta -> Kundapura -> Udupi -> Mangalore
Pune - Belgaum - Hubli - Ankola - Udupi - Mangalore

Which of these is better? Are there any other options? What avbout the (in)famous mining trucks?

My plan is to start on Friday Afternoon from Pune and take a halt at night. Would Dharwad be a good stopping point and if so, can anyone reccomend any good hotels? I am traveling with wife, parents and small baby. So need a good place to stay.

Subsequently the plan is to resume on saturday morning after an early breakfast and reach Udupi late afternoon.

Does this sound doable?

Guys please help.

Mods, I coudn't find any more recent threads hence posting here. Please move to appropriate place if there is more suitable thread to post.

[ampere]

Take the second route. Hubli-Ankola is very good (NH63).
Plan to stay in Hubli instead of Dhrawad. You will have more options.

If you start early say 5AM from Hubli, you should be in Udupi by 2-3PM.

Lunch can be at Kamat at Ankola. I think you need to go back towards
Karwar for some distance to reach Kamat once you hit NH17.

[MX6]

Originally Posted by ampere

Take the second route. Hubli-Ankola is very good (NH63).
Plan to stay in Hubli instead of Dhrawad. You will have more options.

If you start early say 5AM from Hubli, you should be in Udupi by 2-3PM.

Lunch can be at Kamat at Ankola. I think you need to go back towards
Karwar for some distance to reach Kamat once you hit NH17.

Take the Hubli- Ankola - NH17 route. I travelled 3 times that route in the last 4 months from Pune to Udupi and back. Tried various combinations in the 6 legs. Hubli - Ankola - NH17 is the best.
No going back towards Karwar for Kamat. The place where NH63 joins NH17, just turn towards udupi. 2 kms from your turn, on the right you find Kamat. Drive slow once you turn so that you don't miss the Kamat. Do not go towards Karwar in search of Kamat.

If you leave Hubli at 5 AM, you will be in Udupi by 12.
Hubli to Ankola is 3 - 3.5 hours. So leave Ankola after breakfast, you are in Udupi for early lunch. Voila!

I stayed at hotel Ambesh in Hubli once. Other times I just went non stop! Ambesh was ok hotel. 500 - 600 for a double room. You leave pune by afternoon, you are in Hubli for night halt for sure. Which car are you driving?

Have a look at this travelogue for ideas.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...runelveli.html

[ampere]

Now I remember the mystery of turning back. While going to Bangalore from Karwar the bus used to the Karwar-Ankola-Hubli-BLR route. Hence I think we had to go on NH17 to hit Kamat and come back to take the NH63.

Thanks for clarification MX6. I have not gone there for quite some time!

Originally Posted by shreeps

Would Dharwad be a good stopping point and if so, can anyone reccomend any good hotels?

Hotel Hoysala, Opposite Kittel College, Pune-Bangalore Road, Dharwad.
Tel: +(91) (836) 2445627/28/29
Good budget hotel. You have to go into Dharwad to reach this place.

[MX6]

Getting in to Dharwad is not a good option. Will lose time. Get in to Hubli using the NH63. Go over to the Hubli busstand. You find Kamat hotel (restaurant only) there. Good place for dinner. And 200 meters on the hubli dharwad road, you find hotels starting. I stayed in Ambesh. You want costlier accomodations, there's a Hans hotel. Rooms costs in the range of 2 - 3K there.

[shreeps]

MX6, Ampere and Ravi, thank you so much for your answers. Would you be ok if I PMed you for more info?

[ampere]

By all means.
Do let us know if you need anything more.