[Max]

Originally Posted by Figopian

I would recommend nipani -> sankeshwar -> gadhinglaj -> ajra -> amboli. It has always been a good road, the road via uttur had some bad patches. Time wise it wouldn't affect you much.

Is this road safe in the night time? Last time while I drove on this road, it was empty like ghost town!

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Max

Is this road safe in the night time? Last time while I drove on this road, it was empty like ghost town!

There are no safety issues. However, there are no petrol pumps open at night, so make sure you refuel at Kolhapur before setting off

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by Max

Is this road safe in the night time? Last time while I drove on this road, it was empty like ghost town!

Yup. It is safe like a Rock. have done it night a couple of times. No issues. Just drive through .

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by Max

Is this road safe in the night time? Last time while I drove on this road, it was empty like ghost town!

I would rather say this is the most safe ghat road that goes down from kolhapur. No issues with night driving, though, you need to be careful in the amboli ghat, there are some nasty turns out there.

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by ppr

I will not get Udupi Hebri at all. This will go Bantwal - Moodabidri - Karkala - Tirthahalli. Any idea about this road, anyone?

Thanks
ppr

Did you take this route ? i need to take Bantwala to Harihar route sometime next week, any info on road condition is highly appreciated.

[Thilak29]

Originally Posted by ampere

I dont know how is Karkala-Agumbe. But Udupi-Hebri is a rough stretch of about 30km.

Agumbe ghats are minimal. Thirthahalli-Shimoga is very good roads. Some bad stretches around Shimoga-Harihar.

Do you happen to know latest road condition of Karkala/Hebri to Harihar?

[TaurusAl]

Leaving Mumbai tomorrow morning around 3 am. Can anyone suggest decent stops and how to spot em. ? I am not looking for full meal stops but just a tea/coffee break with a decent and clean loo where my female friends will feel comfortable.

I plan to take 3 short stops of 10 minutes each around Satara, Kolhapur and Belgaum.

Will appreciate your suggestions.

[honeybee]

At Karad there's a decent hotel 'Sangam' if I remember correctly. Skip the flyover that goes through the city and this hotel is right under the flyover on the left. Plenty of parking, good ambience and food and clean toilets. Plus you hardly waste any time in going through city traffic. This is the closest to the highway that I can think of.

[ppr]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Did you take this route ? i need to take Bantwala to Harihar route sometime next week, any info on road condition is highly appreciated.

Spoke to a taxi driver. He asked me to take the coastal road. He said that 2 stretches were bad on that road. Shimoga Tirthahalli and one other. So I avoided it.

[udiboy]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

Leaving Mumbai tomorrow morning around 3 am. Can anyone suggest decent stops and how to spot em. ? I am not looking for full meal stops but just a tea/coffee break with a decent and clean loo where my female friends will feel comfortable.

I plan to take 3 short stops of 10 minutes each around Satara, Kolhapur and Belgaum.

Will appreciate your suggestions.

Hi TaurusAl,

I am just back from my Goa trip yesterday - If you are leaving Mumbai at 3 AM (panvel), then you will reach Talegoan at 4 AM, Khed Shivpuri at 4:30 (Both McDonald restaurants are closed at this time) - You will be at Satara Bypass by 6:15, and alas you wont find breakfast till atleast 8:30 AM here. Your best bet is Kolhapur, which I think you can make by 7:30 to 7:45. Here right after the toll, you can get chai and some snacks on roadside shacks or you can drive along for some more time and near Nippani you have Amar hotel on the right (the guy also has a proper parking area for cars).
Beyond this, I am not sure as I took a right at sankeshwar.

[Figopian]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

Leaving Mumbai tomorrow morning around 3 am. Can anyone suggest decent stops and how to spot em. ? I am not looking for full meal stops but just a tea/coffee break with a decent and clean loo where my female friends will feel comfortable.

I plan to take 3 short stops of 10 minutes each around Satara, Kolhapur and Belgaum.

Will appreciate your suggestions.

Hotel sangam at Karad as suggested above or Sai international just before kolhapur would be good for your breakfast. Just for breaks, there is one a hushed immediately after the khambataki ghat or mile stone at satara. You may get breakfast at mile stone if it's not too early.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Thilak29

Do you happen to know latest road condition of Karkala/Hebri to Harihar?

Hebri-Agumbe-Thithahallis pretty decent roads overall. Karkala-Hebri: Not sure.

[honeybee]

Anyone travelling on this route: specially Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur areas: beware of the sugarcane farmers' agitations. The Mumbai B'lore highway has been jammed up and there have been news reports of stone pelting and vehicle burning.

[abirnale]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Anyone travelling on this route: specially Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur areas: beware of the sugarcane farmers' agitations. The Mumbai B'lore highway has been jammed up and there have been news reports of stone pelting and vehicle burning.

As per local news and FB updates, the protests shall continue until Friday evening. There is 48 hrs voluntary bandh request called by farmers and some political parties. Although they have been targeting only specific roles and ministers and MLAs, it's likely that NH4 would be blocked for some time or so. Yesterday in belgaum a sugarcane farmer committed suicide and there was tension in air too. Today it seems to be relieving slowly. But Satara and Karad are the nucleus of agitation in Maharashtra. And sangli, kolhapur being largest sugarcane grower districts, agitations are severe there.

[udiboy]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

There are no safety issues. However, there are no petrol pumps open at night, so make sure you refuel at Kolhapur before setting off

Kumar sir - I happened to come across 2 pumps at Amboli (HP and IOC; the HP one looks well maintained and state of the art). I filled up at IOC and checked if they are open 24x7 - they guy responded in affirmative; he also said "sir hum card bhi lete hain" - much to my delight