[ampere]

Originally Posted by pallis

Q: Where should I break my journey? I plan to leave on a Saturday morning from Mumbai (unlikely to be too early, with the kids, say 9am) and wish to reach the lodge by lunch time on Sunday. Is that feasible?

You can choose Belgaum or Hubli. Belgaum is about 500 Hubli would be another 100/120 more. Depending on how much you can do on day 1, you can decide.
Belgaum has hotel Sankam. Hubli : Clarks and Hans.

Day 2: Hubli-Harihar-Shimoga-Bhadra. You come out of 4-lane at Harihar and take the SH to Shimoga.

Bhadra to Madikeri:
via Tarikere, Chikmagalur, Belur, Arehalli, Kodlipet
(Planning to stay at Rainforest Retreat for three nights)

Google Maps tells me it is about 4.5 hours. Is that accurate? I plan to leave at 10am and reach the retreat post-lunch.

Assume about 5 hours.

Madikeri to Mumbai:
I wanted to drive via Goa on the return (spend a day or two at a beach resort - not decided yet). The Coorg - Goa thread suggests a drive via Mandya, Tumkur, Hubli and Ankola to Panaji. Is it possible to do this in a day (10-12 hrs)? Or would we need another night break somewhere else?

Go back the way you came to Shimoga and continue on the NH to Honnavar which is on NH17. And there on you are on NH17 to Goa. Its definitely possible in 10-12 hours. Buts its good if you start early.

[pallis]

Originally Posted by ampere

You can choose Belgaum or Hubli. Belgaum is about 500 Hubli would be another 100/120 more. Depending on how much you can do on day 1, you can decide.
Belgaum has hotel Sankam. Hubli : Clarks and Hans.

Thanks Ampere; Looks like I will choose Hubli for my first stop so that I can get as close to the destination on Day 1. Pricing for Hans appears more reasonable for the few hours night stop.

Day 2: Hubli-Harihar-Shimoga-Bhadra. You come out of 4-lane at Harihar and take the SH to Shimoga.

Assume about 5 hours.

That should get us to Bhadra in time for the afternoon safari at 4.30pm.

Go back the way you came to Shimoga and continue on the NH to Honnavar which is on NH17. And there on you are on NH17 to Goa. Its definitely possible in 10-12 hours. Buts its good if you start early.

Looks like a stretch, but it should be exciting. Goa in the summer will not be too pleasant but hotel rates seem to be low as a result

While the trip is still almost 3 months away, I am spending a lot of time preparing for it. I will probably create a new travelogue thread to share some of the preparation elements, including choice of hotels and activities for the kids/family.

[krdeshmukh]

Originally Posted by pallis

Thanks Ampere; Looks like I will choose Hubli for my first stop so that I can get as close to the destination on Day 1. Pricing for Hans appears more reasonable for the few hours night stop.



That should get us to Bhadra in time for the afternoon safari at 4.30pm.




Looks like a stretch, but it should be exciting. Goa in the summer will not be too pleasant but hotel rates seem to be low as a result

While the trip is still almost 3 months away, I am spending a lot of time preparing for it. I will probably create a new travelogue thread to share some of the preparation elements, including choice of hotels and activities for the kids/family.

Hi pallis,
I am also planning to take the same route on may 10th to may 17. If you have been able to gather more info on the route and hotels please do share.
cheers

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pallis

Looks like a stretch, but it should be exciting. Goa in the summer will not be too pleasant but hotel rates seem to be low as a result

Summer has its own fun as I found out last year. As you rightly said, got an amazing deal for stay. The days consisted only about eating lazing in the pool/beech sleeping, eating and the cycle continued.

The place is very addictive and one can easily see time just go by. I am sure you would it a nice experience even in summer!

[kala]

Originally Posted by ampere

Summer has its own fun as I found out last year. As you rightly said, got an amazing deal for stay. The days consisted only about eating lazing in the pool/beech sleeping, eating and the cycle continued.

The place is very addictive and one can easily see time just go by. I am sure you would it a nice experience even in summer!

When in Goa, "eating lazing in the pool/beech sleeping, eating" doesn't complete the cycle.. quenching your thirst has to come somewhere in between

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by kala

When in Goa, "eating lazing in the pool/beech sleeping, eating" doesn't complete the cycle.. quenching your thirst has to come somewhere in between

He quenched his thrist in the pool

[pallis]

Originally Posted by krdeshmukh

Hi pallis,
I am also planning to take the same route on may 10th to may 17. If you have been able to gather more info on the route and hotels please do share.
cheers

I have not yet decided about the stop-over hotels. However, we have booked the places at bhadra and coorg. We are staying at the River Tern lodge (bhadra) and the Rainforest lodge (coorg). Am contemplating extending the trip to add Kabini River Lodge too. To compensate for the two extra nights at Kabini, plan to drop Goa on the return and use the normal route via Hubli.

Have been a bit busy recently, so planning has slowed down... I anticipate that it will pick up pace towards the end of April (we leave Mumbai on May 18 ).

[pallis]

Originally Posted by krdeshmukh

Hi pallis,
I am also planning to take the same route on may 10th to may 17. If you have been able to gather more info on the route and hotels please do share.
cheers

Just checking in on your preparations for this route: have you finalized any hotel in Hubli?

All the suggested Hubli hotels (Hans, Clarks, Naveen/Gateway) appear to be on the Dharwad-Hubli highway, and away from NH4. I am not sure how good or bad the traffic within Hubli would be, in the evening (Saturday) to get in and in the morning (Sunday) to get out.

The route seems pretty clear based on the earlier messages: I have done a Google Maps of the route (assuming Hotel Hans is the halt in Hubli).

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by pallis

Just checking in on your preparations for this route: have you finalized any hotel in Hubli?

All the suggested Hubli hotels (Hans, Clarks, Naveen/Gateway) appear to be on the Dharwad-Hubli highway, and away from NH4. I am not sure how good or bad the traffic within Hubli would be, in the evening (Saturday) to get in and in the morning (Sunday) to get out.

The route seems pretty clear based on the earlier messages: I have done a Google Maps of the route (assuming Hotel Hans is the halt in Hubli).

If you are looking for a budget hotel, try Hotel Ayodhya which is just 3 kms from the Karwar Road exit (frm where you enter Hubli from NH4 Hubli bypass), next to the KSRTC bus stand. No traffic issues.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pallis

Just checking in on your preparations for this route: have you finalized any hotel in Hubli?

All the suggested Hubli hotels (Hans, Clarks, Naveen/Gateway) appear to be on the Dharwad-Hubli highway, and away from NH4. I am not sure how good or bad the traffic within Hubli would be, in the evening (Saturday) to get in and in the morning (Sunday) to get out.

Clarks is just about 3-4 km for the Ankola road bypass exit on the NH4. Its not that far. I have stayed there and also used that road to get on to NH4. Its quite easy.

[pallis]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

If you are looking for a budget hotel, try Hotel Ayodhya which is just 3 kms from the Karwar Road exit (frm where you enter Hubli from NH4 Hubli bypass), next to the KSRTC bus stand. No traffic issues.

Thanks, but the reviews at TripAdvisor didn't give me too much confidence about the hotel; since I am with family/kids, I don't want to take a chance.

Originally Posted by ampere

Clarks is just about 3-4 km for the Ankola road bypass exit on the NH4. Its not that far. I have stayed there and also used that road to get on to NH4. Its quite easy.

Clarks looks good, although I have just booked The Hans hotel based on availability/rates that I got for the onward & return journey. Appears from both your responses that traffic should not be much of an issue to get into the city.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by pallis

Thanks, but the reviews at TripAdvisor didn't give me too much confidence about the hotel; since I am with family/kids, I don't want to take a chance.

Forget tripadvisor. Many of our friends have stayed there, they have been very happy, that is what matters. Do not be prejudiced about hotels just because they have budget rooms.

Clarks looks good, although I have just booked The Hans hotel based on availability/rates that I got for the onward & return journey. Appears from both your responses that traffic should not be much of an issue to get into the city.

BTW, Hans has terrible reviews from many of our friends who stayed there. Since you have already booked there, I do not wish to comment further. We stopped recommending this hotel to our fiends long ago.

If you wish to know more, maybe you can PM lukeskywalker for a honest review of how bad this Hans is. And he is not the only one.

[pallis]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Forget tripadvisor. Many of our friends have stayed there, they have been very happy, that is what matters. Do not be prejudiced about hotels just because they have budget rooms.

I agree, perhaps I was a bit prejudiced when I ruled it out; however, since this is the first time we are going on such a long drive + holiday, I was a bit cautious about my choices.

BTW, Hans has terrible reviews from many of our friends who stayed there. Since you have already booked there, I do not wish to comment further. We stopped recommending this hotel to our fiends long ago.

If you wish to know more, maybe you can PM lukeskywalker for a honest review of how bad this Hans is. And he is not the only one.

While I have 'booked' Hans, it is tentative and can be changed. Unfortunately, I cannot PM yet and cannot contact lukeskywalker directly. Since ampere had mentioned Hans and Clarks in the post above, I just decided to pick one of the two. Would you recommend Clarks, then? Thanks!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by pallis

While I have 'booked' Hans, it is tentative and can be changed. Unfortunately, I cannot PM yet and cannot contact lukeskywalker directly. Since ampere had mentioned Hans and Clarks in the post above, I just decided to pick one of the two. Would you recommend Clarks, then? Thanks!

I would definitely recommend Clarks. Its very good and I think one of the best in Hubli.

[msk016]

hello guys, this is my very first post/query on team-BHP. i am glad i have the option for it.
I am planning a 15-20 day road trip with my wife through Karnataka and Kerala. i have searched for any threads for the route that i want, but could not find what i wanted, and more over the posts and replies are quite old.
so there it goes: Mumbai(dombivili)-coorg-kodaikanal-munnar-Thiruvananthapuram-kanyakumari-kochi-Goa-Mumbai(dombivili)
any inputs about routes, stop over options road conditions, etc are welcome.
I am sailing right now and have limited access to the internet. this might have limited my search options and hence i would like some help from team-BHIians
i would be signing off in the 2nd week of october and would like to start the trip within a week of getting home.
P.S: The wife is working on the sightseeing and accommodation front.