[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by deepak_misra

I am planning to drive down to Kutta on 24th morning. Route details on this thread seem to be dated.
What is the best way to reach there given current road conditions??

Deepak

Deepak,

I don't have the latest update on the road condition. There are 2 options

1. Bangalore - Hunsur - Hunsur Town (Turn left at Bus stand, Petrol Pump) - (After Hunsur, turn right at the 'Y' junction after you see a small river at ur right) Nagarhole Park - Kutta. In this road the Park will be closed between 05:30pm and 6am. You may need to start latest by 2pm from Bangalore to cross this.

2. Bangalore - Hunsur - Gonikuppa - (Take left at Gonikuppa)Kutta. Road is open 24hrs, but Hunsur - Gonikkuppa is not in good condition.

Feel free to PM me if you need any specific information

Thanks
Rajesh

[kala]

Option (1) mentioned by Rajesh is probably the fastest way to get there. Roads from Hunsur to the Nagarahole WLS entrance is pot-hole ridden, but managable. The road through the sanctuary is better, but not that smooth. It's narrow, with speed breakers every 100 metres or so, but you get to see a lot of wildlife on the way, so it's an enjoyable drive.

The Hunsur-Gonikoppa road is reported to be in terrible condition, so I wouldn't even consider option (2).

There's another route - SH33 via HD Kote/Kabini, but it's probably longer and you have a 10-15 kms diversion from the main road that goes through several villages whichis quite slow. So it wouldn't really be worth the trouble.

So if I were you, I'd take the route through the Nagarahole Sanctuary - just make sure your travel timings are between 6 AM and 6 PM.

P.S. Don't be tempted by the 10 kms or so that you would save by going through the short-cut from Srirangapatna to Eliwala when going from Bangalore to Hunsur. You'd save a little bit of time and your car would be much happier if you proceed further towards Mysore and go via the Mysore ring road to join the Mysore Hunsur road.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by kala

P.S. Don't be tempted by the 10 kms or so that you would save by going through the short-cut from Srirangapatna to Eliwala when going from Bangalore to Hunsur. You'd save a little bit of time and your car would be much happier if you proceed further towards Mysore and go via the Mysore ring road to join the Mysore Hunsur road.

Well said! I have done both and believe me, the option via Mysore ring, is worth it. Smooth hassle free drive. Hit the ring road signal, take right, see the signboard for Hunsur road and exit there on to a silky smooth SH.

[RajeshK]

Originally Posted by kala

There's another route - SH33 via HD Kote/Kabini, but it's probably longer and you have a 10-15 kms diversion from the main road that goes through several villages whichis quite slow. So it wouldn't really be worth the trouble.

Is this Mysore - HD Kote Town - Take left at the Village office (??) and Nagarhole Park route?? I hv travelled in this road few years back. The road from HD Kote to park gate was not good for the first 2kms, afterwards it was very smooth. After the gate (closes at 5:30pm), this will join the road from Hunsur side just before the Elephant camp.

Thanks
Rajesh

[kala]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

Is this Mysore - HD Kote Town - Take left at the Village office (??) and Nagarhole Park route?? I hv travelled in this road few years back. The road from HD Kote to park gate was not good for the first 2kms, afterwards it was very smooth. After the gate (closes at 5:30pm), this will join the road from Hunsur side just before the Elephant camp.

The route I was referring to was the one that goes past Kabini JLR (Karapur) towards Mananthavadi (you don't actually touch HD Kote town, but pass through about 3-4 kms south of it through Handpost Junction), and taking a right turn at Kattikkulam to get to Kutta through Tholpetty. The road is good all along except for the 10+ kms detour at the Nagarahole WLS entrance which forces you to go through some villages on pretty bad roads. But this route would be longer by at least 15-20 kms.

Now I notice that Google maps does show another road that branches off from this somewhere past Kabini and reaches Nagarahole (And as per GM this is only 2 kms longer than the Hunsur route) . I have never travelled this way, and have no idea about the conditions. ( In fact I don't recall seeing such a diversion either even though I travelled through SH33 twice in the past 2 months or so). This might be the road you're referring to ?

[deepak_misra]

Originally Posted by RajeshK

Deepak,

I don't have the latest update on the road condition. There are 2 options

1. Bangalore - Hunsur - Hunsur Town (Turn left at Bus stand, Petrol Pump) - (After Hunsur, turn right at the 'Y' junction after you see a small river at ur right) Nagarhole Park - Kutta. In this road the Park will be closed between 05:30pm and 6am. You may need to start latest by 2pm from Bangalore to cross this.

2. Bangalore - Hunsur - Gonikuppa - (Take left at Gonikuppa)Kutta. Road is open 24hrs, but Hunsur - Gonikkuppa is not in good condition.

Feel free to PM me if you need any specific information

Thanks
Rajesh

I am just back. I did option 1) both ways. Due to very heavy traffic and slow driving I took almost 6.5 hours to reach kutta but made the return journey in 6 hours with a stop for lunch and terrible traffic on Mysore road.

The roads are by and large good except for a short stretch immediately after Hunsur and also around Kutta.

On the return journey, it is ver easy to miss the turning to nagarhole. There is a big road which goes left and the smaller right goes to Nagarhole. This is about 4 kms before the park and just after Bee Cee Bar, so watch out for it.


Deepak

[ampere]

Originally Posted by deepak_misra

On the return journey, it is ver easy to miss the turning to nagarhole. There is a big road which goes left and the smaller right goes to Nagarhole. This is about 4 kms before the park and just after Bee Cee Bar, so watch out for it.

Thats where tracklogs by GPS devices make all the difference. You can never miss road at least on the return journey as the device will highlight the route you would have taken to reach the place! Really very helpful.

[rohanjf]

I am going to Irpu this weekend. Any suggestions on homestays?
I have stayed in Irpu Home Stay since 4 years, but that place is good only for bachelors, and I no longer am one.

[DWind]

Do check out the Spice Garden home stay if they are available. This is owned by my house owner when I was staying in Mysore. I had also tried their neighbor Hermitage Hermitage Holiday Home 3 years back. Both these home stays are close to Kutta / Nagarhole / Irpu in South Coorg.

[gadadhar]

You can try High Falls Coorg Homestays . I stayed there 2 years back, good food, decent rooms, good owners, very near to Iruppu falls and Nagerhole. They were building some new cottages when we were there, should be complete by now.

[deepak_ms]

reopening the old thread...

we are travelling to Kutta this weekend. need information about road condition to Kutta? what time do they close vehicle's traffic in Nagarhole.

[arun_josie]

Anyone went to Kutta recently from Bangalore? If so, what is the suggested route and road condition?
I am fine with a longer route for better road condition or if it is scenic.

[DragonHawk]

Arun, last year I went to Kutta via Gonikoppal, road was good and you need to bear the usual traffic till Gonikoppal if coming via Mysore.
This was the route I took
- Bangalore-Mysore-hunsur-Gonikoppal-Ponnampet-Kutta

For scenic, you have below 2 routes
- Bangalore-Mysore-Hunsur-Nagerhole Tiger Reserve-Kutta
- Bangalore-Mysore-Hampapura-HD Kote-Kattikkulam-Tholpetty-Kutta

I don`t have the latest update on this route, but mind you these 2 roads are closed between 6pm -6am.

EDIT: As per update from BHPian Kala in the Wayanad thread http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3978628

Road till Kattikkulam is excellent but Kattikkulam-Tholpetty-Kutta is just about average.

[blorebuddy]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

- Bangalore-Mysore-Hampapura-HD Kote-Kattikkulam-Tholpetty-Kutta

Have anyone taken this road recently? Google Map shows it as closed.

[gopikb]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thats where tracklogs by GPS devices make all the difference. You can never miss road at least on the return journey as the device will highlight the route you would have taken to reach the place! Really very helpful.

Ampere, Do you have the latest update on the road conditions from Hunsur to Kutta / Wayanad through Nagarhole forest. The last I drove this stretch was 12 years ago and tat time the road was a complete neglect inside Karnataka border. Kerela side the roads were in excellent condition.

Driving to Wayanad tomorrow and hence wanted to know the road condition. Thank you for your help