[jairaj]

hi,
it's been a couple of weeks, and i have been rather addicted to this site. it started off, with reading a few threads (thanks google!), about routes, and then every free minute has been dedicated to this site. well, after reading practically every thread, i guess i have managed to confuse myself even more! so have patience with my questions, as i am sure parts of them if not all of it, has been covered wholly or partially in some other threads. so here goes.

1) i am driving from mumbai, on the 24th of october (fri), with my wife and kid, in our couple month old innova (bought specifically for driving holidays), headed towards kabini (wildlife resort). i plan on taking the mumbai bangalore route (NH 4). for all practical purposes, i do not need to reach bangalore, as i would like to spend the entire day of the 26th(sun), looking around mysore (our first time). so that leaves me with about 1.5 days to get to mysore (starting from 24th morning, and getting to mysore on the 25th hopefully by the afternoon). like every thread advises, i will leave mumbai by about 4.00a.m. how should i chart my trip? best stopover on the first day? great hotel(not a budget hotel) would be a real bonus! i have looked at chitradurga (hotel amogh, aishwarya international,thanks hv kumar, in another thread) , davangere, as possible options. what do you guys think? possible best roads at this time of the year? bad roads (been reading about the real bad roads around ranibennur, chitradurga on older threads. are they still bad?)

2) places of interest in mysore? palaces (any one in particular?), brindavan gardens? zoo? anything else? remember, i have an intrepid 8 year old with me. best hotel in mysore (lalita mahal, metropole, ginger? facilities and distance from sights would be an advantage.

3) best road from mysore to kabini? best time to travel from mysore to kabini on the morning of 27th(mon)?

4) after 3 days in kabini, we plan to start our return journey to mumbai, with an intention of stopping for a full day at mangalore (my ancestral place). any tips for driving from kabini to mangalore?

5)from mangalore to mumbai either with or without a stopover at pune,any roads that are must sees or must misses?

i hope not to drive after sunset, and we usually carry all our food, except look out for clean toilets (A1 plazas, as advised on other threads/ any others?)
i am sorry about the length of the post. please put it down to my excitement of my first real driving holiday!
a sincere thanks to all contributers.
jairaj

[hvkumar]

Jairaj,

You can go to Mysore directly without touching Bangalore via Harihar, Shimoga, Traikere, Chanarayapatna and K R Pet.

But since you have decided to go via Bangalore, here is a log book that has teh exact route that you want:

Bombay-Pune-Kolhapur-Belgaum-Hubli-Davangere-Chitradurga-Tumkur-Bangalore-Mandya-Mysore.

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Bombay to Bangalore & Ooty, Dec 2006

Check out the above link, went to Ooty from Bombay via Bangalore and Mysore.

Well, you can do Bombay-Bangalore teh same day, but if you wish to have overnight halt before Bangalore, Chitradurga is a good place - add also Hotel Mayura Palace. In case you get badly delayed and reach only Davangere, try Hotel Pooja International in Davangere town.

Kabini is close to Mysore, I am sure Bangalore tbhpians will have lots to contribute on that.

To go from Kabini to Mangalore, you also have the option of going via Madikeri (Coorg) and Puttur to Mangalore.

You can trace the Madikeri-Mangalore route in this link below:

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS, Karnataka, Aug 2002

From Mangalore to Bombay, you have the choice of sticking to NH17 and coming via Goa or turn off NH17 at Ankola and come via Hubli and Belgaum on NH4.

Both these routes can be traced on the file attached, where I have done Bombay-Udupi via Pune, Kolhapur, Belgaum, Hubli, Ankola and returned via Karwar, Goa, Chiplun.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by jairaj

hi,

2) places of interest in mysore? palaces (any one in particular?), brindavan gardens? zoo? anything else? remember, i have an intrepid 8 year old with me. best hotel in mysore (lalita mahal, metropole, ginger? facilities and distance from sights would be an advantage.

3) best road from mysore to kabini? best time to travel from mysore to kabini on the morning of 27th(mon)?

4) after 3 days in kabini, we plan to start our return journey to mumbai, with an intention of stopping for a full day at mangalore (my ancestral place). any tips for driving from kabini to mangalore?

5)from mangalore to mumbai either with or without a stopover at pune,any roads that are must sees or must misses?

i hope not to drive after sunset, and we usually carry all our food, except look out for clean toilets (A1 plazas, as advised on other threads/ any others?)
i am sorry about the length of the post. please put it down to my excitement of my first real driving holiday!
a sincere thanks to all contributers.
jairaj

In and around Mysore, you have Brindavan Gardens which could be clubbed with a visit to Srirangapatna & Rangannathittu (not sure if you would have enough birds this time of the year though). In Mysore you could visit the Palace, Zoo and Chaumundi Hills.

The road from Mysore to Kabini would take you via HD Kote, Antharasanthe, please beware the road once you enter the National Park limits which is about 65 kms from Mysore if my memory serves correct the road is extremely bad, your Innova could just about manage. I assume you must be staying either in Cicada or JLR which is about 20 kms from the park entrance.

When you come back from Kabini you would have to come back upto HD Kote, from there take a detour to Hunsur and then onto Kushalnagar, Madikeri, Sullia, Puttur and Mangalore.

Hope this helps you.

Cheers

Srikanth

[jairaj]

Hi and truly appreciate all the help that these contributers have made with time and effort.

Hv kumar,

Thanks for the detailed answers and invaluable directions. I have zero interest in visiting Bangalore this time around. My focus is mysore and then kabini. Getting to Bangalore, is only a way of getting to mysore. If I can get to mysore on day one, I will be only too happy. If not, are there places to stay with good accommodation, on the harihar, shimoga, traikere… etc., route? I know Davangere is an option. Or is getting to mysore very possible on day one? What is the above harihar, shimoga… route/ road conditions like? Are they anything like the NH4 or are they busy, narrower roads? Most importantly, what do you suggest? My question I guess, is which is the best bet, as far as road conditions, traffic etc., Bangalore-mysore or harihar-mysore?

Any detailed instructions about getting from kabini to mangalore. Best route/road? Not necessarily shortest but one with the most driving satisfaction? How long will this journey take me?

I can skip Mangalore completely, if those roads (NH17 etc.,) are not worth my while! After kabini, I have no real must do”s! I hope to be back on the golden quadrilateral, via the turnoff at ankola, [if i do go to Mangalore], after which I guess I will be on NH63 (is this the road that has agsur, sunksal, ramanguli, idgundi, yellapur, kirvatti, kalghatgi, hubli?) what is the condition of the mangalore – ankola road ? most importantly, if I start early in the morning (6 a.m.) from mangalore, how much time will it take me to get to hubli on the NH17 first and then on the NH63? The distance I guess is about 360 kms, but I have no idea about these roads and conditions. I depend on you for these. Is it a better option to do Kabini-Mangalore, mangalore -Goa, Goa -Bombay? Road conditions are crucial in my decision making process.

Hey srikanth

Thanks for all the tips and tidbits.
any detailed directions about getting on the H.D. Kote road for kabini. Any “do not miss” landmarks? thanks for the instructions on the last few kilometers before kabini, being a tough drive. Plus it has been raining for the past 2 days in this area, so things should only be getting more interesting along the way.

Thanks for the directions for the kabini – mangalore roadtrip. Once I am back on H.D.Kote road from kabini where exactly do I turn off for Hunsur etc., how is the road from hunsur, kushalnagar, madikere etc.,
A real heartfelt thanks to both of you.

jairaj

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by jairaj

any detailed directions about getting on the H.D. Kote road for kabini. Any “do not miss” landmarks? thanks for the instructions on the last few kilometers before kabini, being a tough drive. Plus it has been raining for the past 2 days in this area, so things should only be getting more interesting along the way.

Thanks for the directions for the kabini – mangalore roadtrip. Once I am back on H.D.Kote road from kabini where exactly do I turn off for Hunsur etc., how is the road from hunsur, kushalnagar, madikere etc.,
A real heartfelt thanks to both of you.

jairaj

Hi Jairaj, the driving directions to HDKote would depend on your stay in Mysore, if you are staying in Mysore then ask anyone for HDKote road or Mananthavady road they would guide you. In the event you are skipping stay in Mysore but still go towards Kabini via Mysore then you would have to take a right at the Ring Road Jn. just before you enter Mysore city. Keep going until you find the turnoff to HDKote which is well marked. Keep going on that road, if you find Chitravana resorts a few kms afte the turn off then you are on track.

Once you come back to HDKote you will find a 4 road Jn. You will have to take a left in that Jn. to go to the Hunsur road, its a narrow single lane road in most stretches. Once you reach Hunsur you hit the Mysore-Madikeri state highway. I am not sure of the current road condtions though but, upto Virajpet I think the road has been done up last year so should hold good.

The other alternative for you is to retrace the road upto Channarayapatna (Mysore - KR Pet), the one referred by Kumar and then turn onto Hassan and proceed towards Mangalore but the Sakleshpur ghats is in bad condition so it may not be the right choice.

[jairaj]

thanks guys
almost ready to leave in a couple of days. any other ideas, inputs, hotels, decent toilets along the NH4 routes, would be welcome additions.

any innova owners/drivers who have a piece of advise for me, as it is my first time in my new 2 month old car.

i hope to pay back with my own information on this route once i am back.

i think i have enough information to help me along the way.

jairaj

[Suneet]

Dear Jairaj ,
In December I will be doing a similar trip from Mumbai - Mysore Masinagudi-Wayanad- Mysore -Mumbai in my still young and faithful Qualis the conquerer of roads from Ladakh to Kerala. Please give me the latest on the road condition, lunch/ snack /overnight halts, Petrol Pumps, Hotels as I too will be travelling with my 9 year old son but also 13 year old daughter and 12 year old niece. 5years ago I had travelled from Mumbai to Udipi in 15 hrs using the Kolhapur- Belgaum- Ankola route. Do you think Mum- Mysore is a viable distance for a single day's travel? If not, can you suggest an appropriate overnight halt. I will be a single driver drive.
RGDS
SUNEET

[Suneet]

Dear Kumar,
I am plannig a similar trip in Dec 2008 starting from Vile Parle to Masinagudi, I found your log very informative. I will be driving single and will be travelling with my wife and kids aged 9 & 13. Is it advsable to to leave early and reach mysore on the same day. I plan to take the new ring road and bypass b'lore. I have done mumbai Udupi via Belgaum and Ankola 3years ago in 15 hours and I am in much better physical condition now. I your log you do not seem to have taken any long breaks in your entire drive. how did you manage that? you have also averaged 80 Km/hr. At what speeds were you driving? how many people drove the car on that journey? On our way back form Mysore I will be leaving Mysore pretty late in the morning [9 am] where do you su8ggest I take a night halt.
We have done alot of road trips and we keep similar logs and will do so this time too but will also post the same for the benefit of others. Your logs should be put up on the BP & WIAA website so that other car enthu's can benefit from it thanks.
RGDS SUNEET

[hvkumar]

Suneet,

If you have an early morning start (say, 4-5 am), you can make it to Mysore by late night (say, 9 pm), assuming you stop for 2-3 times for food breaks and don't get stuck in Bangalore traffic.

As you must have read, you can take the NICE Road immediately after Nelamangala (instead of going all the way to Dasarahalli/Yeshwantpur) and be spared some bad traffic.

In case you are delayed, then depending on your speed, you could ideally halt in Chitradurga for the night.

You can also go directly to Mysore without touching Bangalore by going via Harihar-Shimoga-C R Patna or Chitradurga-Bhadravati-C R Patna.

It will be difficult to reach Masingaudi the same day - please bear in mind that there are forest check posts in that area where roads are closed between 8 pm and 6 am, although if you have a hotel reservation, I am sure you will be let through.

On the return journey, the best place to stop would be Belgaum, where I can recommend Hotel Sankam Residency.

On my drives, I normally drive non-stop but for refuelling halts, each not lasting more than 5 minutes. I keep cruising speeds of 120 kmph, which explains my high average speeds. I carry my food on board, which avoids the necessity to stop for food breaks. I drive solo, with family and also friends.

Thanks for all the praise!

[Suneet]

Dear Kumar,
Thanks once again. My local friend in bangalore he has adviced me that I drive upto the outskirts of Bangalore and then take the ringroad which will connect me from the Tumkur to the Mysore exit within 15-20 mins and avoid all the Bangalore traffic. How is the other road[ mileage, condition and time] from Dhavangere or Chitradurga to Mysore? I plan to stay in Mysore and then drive to Masinaguda in the morning. After reading all the post on Team BHP I feel I could comforatbly reach Mysore in a day. Initially I was plannning to stay in Chitradurga or Dhavangere [any suggestions] on my way to Mysore. like you suggested I will do an overnight halt in Belgaum.
What other journeys have you done by road? I have a very supportive family and a very reliable car who has been with us on many adventures? we plan to continue our road travels in future too.
cheers: RGDS
SUNEET

[hvkumar]

The NICE Road (not the ring road) comes 12 kms after passing Nelamangala Jn (where NH48 to Mangalore starts). For further indication, the NICE Road (to go to Mysore) comes 4 kms after passing the Himalaya Drug Co.

The condition of the Haveri-Chitradurga road has been discussed extensively in the forum, problems are (a) south end of Haveri bypass, (b) Haveri-Ranebennur road which is under construction, (c) rutted Harihar-Davagere bypass and (d) lots of turn offs and deviations in Davangere-Chitradurga section, all of which can slow you down by 30-45 minutes overall.

I last went on this Bombay-Bangalore road last month.