[condor]

If coming from BLR, there is space to take a U-turn at the Toll and come back to the Dhaba.

Else you can always park across the road like the truckers do & walk over.

Food is nice & simple. Specify if you dont want it spicy .. as they would normally prepare it spicy in line with local preference.

Nice masala tea too.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by condor

If coming from Bangalore, and if we take a U-turn to the bunk - is is possible to come back to the highway and continue towards Gooty / belum ?

My update is as of last year, hence there may be change in the scenario.

While driving from Bangalore towards Hyderabad, just before the toll booth there is a cut in median from where you can take a U turn and head to the BP COCO bunk.

From the bunk, have seen trucks and tractors driving on the shoulders on wrong side.

What we did was to drive towards Bangalore ~ 500 meters and take the break in median near Ravi Teja/ A1 Plaza for a U turn and proceed towards Hyderabad / toll booth.

[condor]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

My update is as of last year, hence there may be change in the scenario.

From the bunk, have seen trucks and tractors driving on the shoulders on wrong side.

What we did was to drive towards Bangalore ~ 500 meters and take the break in median near Ravi Teja/ A1 Plaza for a U turn and proceed towards Hyderabad / toll booth.

@Suhas, one of the uses of having a discussion thread is to keep adding information with time

Most of what you say holds good even now. The only point I am not able to confirm is the cut in the median near RaviTheja hotel.

Also, this toll booth has that gap in median before the toll booths start. Hence it is possible to back-track from the edge of the road (driving in the wrong direction). There is also one part a few meters from the end of the median where vehicles have crossed over - and this is actually very close to the toll booth.

How ever, I dont see any need for one to drive on the wrong side. We can always park on the left side of the highway, and walk across to the Dhaba.

[adimicra]

Need some help, guyz.

I am travelling to Coorg from Hyderabad next month.
For the onward journey, I plan to halt at Mysore and check out a few places like the wonderful palace and may be the zoo (for my daughter).

Here are the questions I have -

1> How much time I should budget for Hyderabad to Mysore? I am assuming 11 hours with 1 hour lunch break plus 2 short 15 min break. (driving time 9-9.5 hours)

2>Restrooms - this is the most important thing for me. Between Hyderabad and Bangalore, are there any places which have clean restrooms? Also, same for Mysore and Banaglore

3> Bypassing Bangalore - Google maps is showing this route. Is it the best option or anything better?




4> Lunch - Plan to start early morning around. Hope to cross Bangalore by 12-12:30 PM. So, I am thinking to have lunch once I hit the Mysore Highway. Please suggest some good options with a clean restroom.

5>Mysore - what to see? I will be in Mysore for 1 and half days. What all should I cover? I am not too keen on seeing the most number of places as I want it to be a comfortable trip.

6>Hotel in Mysore - As per tripadvisor reviews, I am thinking of Radisson Blu or Fortune JP Palace. Any other suggestions?

[Krishnan V G]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Need some help, guyz.

1. Have driven several times Hyderabad Bangalore Hyderabad and Bangalore Coorg Bangalore. Your driving time appears to be optimistic. Depending on the time of leaving, and proximity to Hyderabad Bangalore highway, you may require about 6,5 to 7 hours to reach Bangalore. Bangalore to Mysore by the highway would take at least 3.5 to 4 hours. Total of about 10 to 11 hours of driving time.
2. Rest rooms: Hyderabad to Bangalore - we have always used the rest rooms at the BP petrol pump just near the toll booth close to Gooty. This is a massive petrol pump where large trucks park and many jeeps park to rest and have their food. There could be others as well but not too many clean ones. Between Bangalore to Mysore almost all the restaurant/cafe chains have clean rest rooms. Ex. Kamat Lokaruchi (near Ramnagara on the right side while you drive from Bangalore to Mysore), Vasudeva Adigas (near Maddur again on the right hand side while driving to Mysore), Cafe Coffee Day (multiple outlets). Have given you places where you can have wonderful vegetarian food right through the day till almost ten in the night. Bangalore Mysore highway has too many options for you to choose. Nothing to worry.
3. Bangalore to Mysore highway is very good except for the traffic, speed breakers and barricades. Have no idea about other routes to reach Mysore from Bangalore though have read about them in our forum. Someone might suggest you a route to connect with NICE road to reach Mysore road without getting into Bangalore city from Hyderabad Bangalore highway.

[Arjun Reddy]

Hyd-Blr should take you around 6-7 hours.
Blr- Mysore the time depends on the day of the week. If it's weekend you will take anywhere between 3-4 hours. If a week day around 2 and half hours.
The Google route is fine if you hit Blr in peak hours. Or else drive through the city.
Mysore I personally like the Windflower resort and Silent shores. See if you can book yourself into these.
Vaishali restraunt before Maddur is a nice place to stop for lunch. Good food and also has clean restrooms.

Just after Vaishali you have a McDonald's. It has a COCO bunk. Best place to tank up on that road.

Places to see.
Palace, zoo, KRS do it in the evening.
The following morning drive up to Chamundi temple if you are the religious type.

[adimicra]

Thanks, guyz. I am travelling on a Saturday.
So, bypassing Bangalore as per the route map given above seems to be the best option.

I budgeted for a 11 hour drive from Hyderabad to Bangalore including breaks. I think it's better to increase it to 12 hours. Still, If I leave Hyderabad by 5:30, I should be able to reach Mysore by 6 PM.

I will checkout Windflower in the tripadvisor reviews.

For lunch, Kamat seems a nice option as it is pretty close to Bangalore.
Plan in Mysore -
Saturday, checkin to hotel at 6 PM, crash in hotel bed.
Next day morning, go to the Zoo. Back to hotel for lunch or some local restaurant.
If anyone has any suggestions about good local restaurant in Mysore, do suggest please.

Afternoon, visit the palace. In the evening, check out the palace lighting and some local shopping/street food may be.

Monday morning, visit to Chamunda Hills. We are not the religious types. Just want to go there for the drive and the view.
Is it advisable to go in the early morning or evening. Is it worth it? Will there be lot of crowd for the temple? We will just see the temple from outside, no plans to go inside.
Leave for Coorg after breakfast by 9:30 AM. Plan to reach Coorg by lunch time Monday morning.

Does the plan sound good?

[Arjun Reddy]

Sounds good. The Palace is also a must visit. Chamundi hills will be better early morning.
There is a place called Planet X where you could do some go karting in the evening.
Try Parklane or RRR for lunch in Mysore. They are next to each other. Mylari for breakfast is very popular.
If you are late and hungry there is an A2B a few kilometres from Devanhalli toll on to your left on the service road. Decent place to stop for a quick bite.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by adimicra

Need some help, guyz.

I am travelling to Coorg from Hyderabad next month.
For the onward journey, I plan to halt at Mysore and check out a few places like the wonderful palace and may be the zoo (for my daughter).

Here is what I would suggest if you haven't already decided:

1. Hyd airport 5AM - Blr airport 12noon
2. Lunch at Nandini before airport
3. Blr airport - NICE road 2pm (see route below)
4. NICE road - Royal Orchid Brindavan gardens 5pm
5. Spend time in the gardens (evening and mornings when it is empty is the best)
6. Mysore day trip, wrap it with lunch. Just do Palace and skip the rest.
7. Mysore 1pm - Coorg (Taj Madikeri is a good option) 4-5pm

Here are the questions I have -

1> How much time I should budget for Hyderabad to Mysore? I am assuming 11 hours with 1 hour lunch break plus 2 short 15 min break. (driving time 9-9.5 hours)

HYD airport to BLR airport: 6hrs
BLR airport to Mysore road exit off NICE road: 1 - 2hrs.
NICE Mysore road junction to Mysore: 3-4 hrs
Mysore to Coorg: depends on where you are going but assume 50kmph avg speed

2>Restrooms - this is the most important thing for me. Between Hyderabad and Bangalore, are there any places which have clean restrooms? Also, same for Mysore and Banaglore

Hyd - Blr stretch has very few places to stop so plan in advance. Before Kurnool there is a BP COCO place but on the opposite side. Reliance A1 again on the other side. Near Gooty there is another BP COCO on the same side. Mark these 3 locations on the map and do the necessary U-turns if required. Closer to Bangalore you have BP COCO 50KM before airport on the opposite side, Nandini restaurant 10KM before Airport, Prestige Golfshire (slow service) 10KM before airport, etc. Look them up on the map and see what is convenient.

Blr - Mysore has tons of good places. Coffee days, Adigas, Kamat Lokaruchi are some of the popular ones.

3> Bypassing Bangalore - Google maps is showing this route. Is it the best option or anything better?

Unfortunately there is no way to avoid BLR traffic if you are coming from Hyd. Also be very alert about directions, if you miss an entry/exit on toll roads, you will lose lot of time. The route suggested by you is the shortest but has a railway gate with lot of truck traffic. Being a local, I usually take this route (Columbia Asia Hebbal > CPRI > Yeshwantpur > NICE Road). Take the elevated express road > pay the toll at the end of the elevated road > take the first exit (with in few 100 mtrs) after you pay the toll > enter NICE road.

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Co...12.8954391!3e0

4> Lunch - Plan to start early morning around. Hope to cross Bangalore by 12-12:30 PM. So, I am thinking to have lunch once I hit the Mysore Highway. Please suggest some good options with a clean restroom.

Pretty ambitious plan. Crossing Bangalore needs 2hrs budgeted. Drive leisurely.

5>Mysore - what to see? I will be in Mysore for 1 and half days. What all should I cover? I am not too keen on seeing the most number of places as I want it to be a comfortable trip.

Skip Mysore, just drive past the palace :-)

6>Hotel in Mysore - As per tripadvisor reviews, I am thinking of Radisson Blu or Fortune JP Palace. Any other suggestions?[/quote]

http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Revi...Karnataka.html

This hotel is so-so but the location and access to the garden makes it a great choice especially for people heading to Coorg.

[adimicra]

^^

Thanks androdev.

I think I am going to change the plans given that the Hyderabad-mysore drive can be a bit tiring and I also have a kid.

Plan is just to drive to Bangalore on Saturday and relax.
Sunday early morning start for Mysore. Reach Mysore before noon - checkin.
In the afternoon, check the palace. Evening go to Brindaban gardens.
Monday morning, check out the zoo (not sure). Leave for Coorg either after breakfast if we skip the zoo or after lunch if we go for the zoo. Any feedback about the zoo? Is it really worth? Other plan might be to skip the zoo and go to Chamunda Hills on Monday morning.

Please suggest.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by adimicra

^^

Thanks androdev.

I think I am going to change the plans given that the Hyderabad-mysore drive can be a bit tiring and I also have a kid.

Plan is just to drive to Bangalore on Saturday and relax.
Sunday early morning start for Mysore. Reach Mysore before noon - checkin.
In the afternoon, check the palace. Evening go to Brindaban gardens.
Monday morning, check out the zoo (not sure). Leave for Coorg either after breakfast if we skip the zoo or after lunch if we go for the zoo. Any feedback about the zoo? Is it really worth? Other plan might be to skip the zoo and go to Chamunda Hills on Monday morning.

Please suggest.

Zoo is going to take a lot of time and is going to tire you out.If you have seen the Hyderabad zoo,no other zoo is going to impress you.Chamundi hills is a nice place to go to and take the customary photograph with Mahishasura.

No restrooms available that you want to enter between Hyd and Bangalore.Nature is best.

[adimicra]

Thanks everyone.
Considerable change in plans. I am ditching Mysore.
Instead, I am planning to visit Kabini/Nagarhole.
Yet to finalize the resort. All resorts in Kabini is damn expensive.

Checked in Jungle lodges - 2 adults + 1 kid - coming out to be almost 20000 per night I wonder who pays so much.

Any suggestions for resort in Kabini which is less expensive? Is there a thread on Kabini ?

[adimicra]

A quick update - Confirmed my booking in Red Earth Kabini.
It's no doubt expensive but I could not find any decent options in Kabini which are less expensive. Serai/Bison/Waterwoods are even more expensive and so is Jungle Lodges.

Hopefully, it should be worth the money. Holidaying in India is becoming real expensive.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by adimicra

olidaying in India is becoming real expensive.

Completely agree with you.

Regarding your Hyderabad - Bangalore leg. Roughly, Hyderabad airport to Bangalore airport takes ~ 6 hours of drive time. This is the average timing my cousin takes in his regular trips.

For restroom you can stop at BP COCO soon after Gooty toll booth when coming from Hyderabad side. It is the usual Ghar Dhaba set up and difficult to miss on the left side.

Be careful of speed guns and few speed breakers as you enter KA and while nearing Bangalore airport.

I see you are planning of taking NICE road to connect to Mysore road after reaching Bangalore. Do make sure of the route as you reach Hebbal junction.

For Kabni there is another thread, anyways since you have already made the booking it may not be required. Link


There is another route also mentioned in the same thread. I guess it is best you stick to your earlier decided Bangalore - Mysore route to avoid confusion.

[Arjun Reddy]

As you are passing Nandi Upachar hotel at Devanhalli slow down to 80 kmph. There will be a speed gun just 500 mts from that point. From there stick to 80 all the way Hebbal flyover. Never know on this stretch where you will get flagged down.