[Resfeber]

Originally Posted by NPV

Monsoons are a great time to drive to these places but now it is almost ending so I don't think there will be too much rain.

Last year, I stayed for 4 days during mid-August at Madikeri and it rained heavily for all 4 days. Can't really guess the climate in this region from May-September.

[sajanjohn]

@ampere - planning a trip to Madikeri. From budigere cross / old madaras road which route do you propose? Mysore road or Nelamangala?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by sajanjohn

@ampere - planning a trip to Madikeri. From budigere cross / old madaras road which route do you propose? Mysore road or Nelamangala?

Some of your options are:
1.Mysore road-Mysore/Srirangapatna-Hunsur-Madikeri (Bangalore-Mysore can be pain if you don't start early, say by 5am). If you take Mysore route, once in Mysore, turn right near Columbia Asia hospital onto Mysore Ring road to go towards Hunsur. There is a nice restaurant called Kalyani where you can stop for breakfast.
2.Tumkur Road-Nelamangala-Channarayapatna-Holenarasipura-Arklagud-Shanivarasanthe-Somwarpet-Madikeri (Good roads, scenic and some nice twisties on Somawarpet-Madikeri via estates)
3.Tumkur Road-Nelamangala-Bellur Cross-Nelligere-Srirangapatna-Hunsur-Madikeri

Since you're at Budigere Cross/Old Madras Road which is on eastern side of Bangalore, getting to Mysore Road or Tumkur Road means there is no good bypass like NICE Road so start early and drive via the city.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sajanjohn

@ampere - planning a trip to Madikeri. From budigere cross / old madaras road which route do you propose? Mysore road or Nelamangala?

- I think there is no option to bypass Bangalore city starting from Budigere Cross.
- I would suggest take the Nelamangala-CR Patna option. That would be much faster.
- Start early and go through the city and go via Nelamangala/Kunigal/CR Patna.

That I think is the best option.

[kanishka_27]

Thanks for all of your inputs in the planning phase. I leave for Coorg on 28th (this Friday) and plan to start by 5 - 5.30 am. Enroute I intend to see the Tibetan Monastery and the Nisargadhama. Hence I plan to take the Bangalore Mysore Road and then via Hunsur towards Kusalnagar.
Onward Route

Can someone please confirm about the condition of 2 stretches on the above route:
1) The Mysore Bypass which starts after Srirangapatna. Is this a recommended route or should I just touch Mysore ORR and then take the exit towards SH88

2) What is the condition of the Hunsur - Periyapatna - Kushalnagar stretch

[NPV]

Originally Posted by kanishka_27

Can someone please confirm about the condition of 2 stretches on the above route:
1) The Mysore Bypass which starts after Srirangapatna. Is this a recommended route or should I just touch Mysore ORR and then take the exit towards SH88

2) What is the condition of the Hunsur - Periyapatna - Kushalnagar stretch

From a recent post, if I remember correctly , the Srinrangapatna bypass via Ilwala is not in great condition.
If you start early from Bangalore, go via Mysore ORR, there is a restaurant on the way called Kalyani that can be your breakfast stop. Then proceed towards Bylakuppe.

I think Hunsur-Kushalnagar is pretty good, no worries.

Also consider visiting the Dubare elephant camp which is close to Kushalnagar, I think Nisargadhama can be skipped, just my opinion.

[kanishka_27]

Thanks NPV. Based on your input I modified the route. Hope this looks good now.

Modified Route

Also, I plan to visit both Nisargadhama as well as Dubare primarily because of my 3 year old son. I think he will love the animals. But yes, in case of a time crunch and if I have to choose between the two then I will surely take your advice and choose the latter.
Thanks again.

[sajanjohn]

Originally Posted by NPV

Some of your options are:
2.Tumkur Road-Nelamangala-Channarayapatna-Holenarasipura-Arklagud-Shanivarasanthe-Somwarpet-Madikeri (Good roads, scenic and some nice twisties on Somawarpet-Madikeri via estates)

Since you're at Budigere Cross/Old Madras Road which is on eastern side of Bangalore, getting to Mysore Road or Tumkur Road means there is no good bypass like NICE Road so start early and drive via the city.

Originally Posted by ampere

- I would suggest take the Nelamangala-CR Patna option. That would be much faster.
- Start early and go through the city and go via Nelamangala/Kunigal/CR Patna.

That I think is the best option.

Thanks guys. Let me try this route. Two more questions.

1. Any recommendation for breakfast? I will start at 6:00 Am from Budigere cross.
2. From Arklagud I am considering a deviation -> Arklagud - Ramanathapura - Hebbale - Kudige - Kushalnagar - Suntikoppa - Madikeri. Is the road okay? Bad idea? Google Route here

[NPV]

Originally Posted by sajanjohn

1. Any recommendation for breakfast? I will start at 6:00 Am from Budigere cross.
2. From Arklagud I am considering a deviation -> Arklagud - Ramanathapura - Hebbale - Kudige - Kushalnagar - Suntikoppa - Madikeri. Is the road okay? Bad idea?

*If you take the Mysore ORR route, then Kalyani is a nice place to break.

If you're taking the CR Patna route and starting at 6am, it would be ideal to stop at Swathi Delicacy (about 100Km from Bangalore) after Kunigal and near Yediyur. This on right side and there is a break in the median just ahead to make a U-turn. Nearby there is also an Adigas Grand though I've never tried that. Few more kms from here you have Mayura on left side at Bellur Cross. Once past CR Patna you don't have many good options.

I'm not sure about the Arkalgud-Ramanathapura route, but do lookup previous posts there may be a recent update. Also, from CR Patna to Holenarasipura you can take the route via Agrahara which has good roads as well as scenic with windmills and hills.

[sajanjohn]

Originally Posted by NPV

Also, from CR Patna to Holenarasipura you can take the route via Agrahara which has good roads as well as scenic with windmills and hills.

This sounds fun! Thanks NPV. I will try this route.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by sajanjohn

This sounds fun! Thanks NPV. I will try this route.

See this post and others on another thread for details - Link

[kanishka_27]

Came back after a weekend trip from Coorg.

Took Bangalore-Mysore ORR - hunsur - madikeri route in both directions. Good roads all through

[naut]

Folks,

Which of the below is a better route for a trip to Suntikoppa, Madikeri?

1. Bangalore-Kunigal-C R Patna-Holenarsipura-Arakalgud-Ramnathapura-Hebbale-Kushalnagar-Suntikoppa,Madikeri

or

2. Bangalore-Mysore-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Kushalnagar-Suntikoppa,Madikeri

Starting on the 27-Sep (Sunday) morning 7-8 am and returning on 29-Sep Tuesday (leaving from there ~11-11:30 am).
Google maps recommends the former. Any other suggestions are welcome too.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by naut

Which of the below is a better route for a trip to Suntikoppa, Madikeri?

1. Bangalore-Kunigal-C R Patna-Holenarsipura-Arakalgud-Ramnathapura-Hebbale-Kushalnagar-Suntikoppa,Madikeri

or

2. Bangalore-Mysore-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Kushalnagar-Suntikoppa,Madikeri

Take #2 if you can start by 5-5:30am. If you do take this, stop for breakfast after you get onto Mysore ORR by turning right at Columbia Asia. This way you'd have crossed Mysore. You can stop at Kalyani for breakfast which is on this road.

If starting later, I'd suggest you take #1, again I'm not sure of the conditions for Arkalgud-Ramanathapura-Kushalnagar.
You can stop at Swathi Delicacy for breakfast near Yediyur, on right side. There is Adigas Grand as well nearby.
Or stop at Mayura, Bellur Cross (on service road, left side).

[SR71-Blackbird]

We had been to Victorian Verandaz near Madikeri this July.
When going we took the usual route via Mysore road - Srirangapatna (took the bye-pass from here) - Hunsur, Periyapatna - Kushal Nagar - Madikeri.
Though it was a Wednesday, the drive on the mysore road with it's collapsible barriers and speed humps was irritating and horrible with the cabbies and busses making last minute lane changes to cross the barriers first. The barriers seem to be more dangerous than the humps with the kind of traffic and drivers on this road.
Also, there were huge speed humps at every break in the median(atleast every one km) in the two laned section of the mysore hunsur SH.

We returned back to Bangalore on a Saturday and decided to take the Madikeri - Kushalnagar - Kudige - Ramanathapura - Arklagud - Holenarasipur - CR Patna - Nelamangala route.

This roads on this route were very good except for a short 1 km section inside one of the towns.
The route was very senic as well and the traffic was sparse too.
It joins the 4 laned Bangalore - Mangalore NH at CR patna after which the drive becomes even smoother.
Though the distance is longer compared to the Mysore road, it was a very relaxing drive and took almost the same time.
I highly recommend this route for anyone staying in North or East Banglaore.

As the ghat roads towards Mangalore from Sakleshpur was closed for repairs at that time, we saw a lot of KSRTC volvo buses towards Mangalore take this route to Madikeri as well instead of using the Mysore road!