[ampere]

Originally Posted by msk016

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.

May be a better sequence ?

Mumbai-coorg-kodai-kanyakumari-TVM-Kochi-Munnar-Goa-Mumbai

you keep Kodai and munnar between two different legs of journey


Mumbai-Coorg
Mumbai-Hubli-Hiriyur (you exit 4-lane here)-Huliyar-Neligere-Srirangapatna-Mysore-Hunsur-Coorg


Coorg-Kodai

Coorg-Mysore-Nanjangud-Chamarajanagar-Sathyamangalam-Annur-Karumathampatti-Palladam-Dharapuram-Palani-Kodai


Kodai-KK :

Kodai-Batlagundu-Dindigul-Madurai-Tirunelveli-Kanyakumari


KK-TVM-Kochi : Self Explanatory.

Kochi-Munnar : NH49 all the way.


Munnar-Goa :
I understand you may want to drive through coastal highway, but I would say not worth it. Its good to go via 4-lane.

Munnar-Udumalpet-Dharapuram-Perundurai-Salem-Bangalore-Hubli-Goa
Hubli-Goa depends where you plan to stay in Goa. If south Goa, then Hubli-Ankola-Karwar-Goa. Else you can take the Chorla or Amboli ghat options as well.

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

Nice! Already in an "exotic" drive and planning for another!

[msk016]

Originally Posted by ampere

Nice! Already in an "exotic" drive and planning for another!

well, this is an exotic ride as you say. having a main engine that can churn out 125 thousand Bhp, is actually exciting.
but again, the responsibility of work takes the fun away sometimes. apart from that this is just like a bus carrying 9 thousand 20 feet containers.

[S_U_N]

I have a plan to reach Coorg on 17th November afternoon.
My journey starts around 7 AM on the previous day from Pune.

Now, Pune to Coorg is 900 KM, and I estimate 15 hours, so I would like to drive for 10 hours and cover the remaining distance for the next day.

Hence I would like to break the journey into two parts.

1. Pune --> Halt by evening after 10 hours of driving.
2. Resume and go to Coorg (reach by 2 PM just in time for the hotel checkin).

From the route map, Harihar, Shimoga, Bhadravathi and Chikmagalur seem to be options.

Can someone suggest where I can halt near the highway for the night with family?
Hotel recommendation (safe and clean place with parking) is all we need for the night.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

7 AM on the previous day from Pune.
Now, Pune to Coorg is 900 KM, and I estimate 15 hours, so I would like to drive for 10 hours and cover the remaining distance for the next day.

Where in Coorg would you be heading to ?

1. Pune --> Halt by evening after 10 hours of driving.
2. Resume and go to Coorg (reach by 2 PM just in time for the hotel checkin).

From the route map, Harihar, Shimoga, Bhadravathi and Chikmagalur seem to be options.

If you want end to end good roads all the way :
- Drive till Chitradurga on Day 1. (A decent place is Naveen Regency)
- Day 2 : Chitradurga-Hiriyur-Huliyar-Neligere-Pandavpura-Sringapatna-Mysore bypass-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Madikeri.

Its 100km longer, but you cant go wrong with this route. And the commute on this route. End to end good roads.

Route Link


If you plan to visit Chikkamagulur, then its a different equation.
Another option : Since you are this route you can cover Srirangapatna also if you want.


PS : Another member planning similarly! Saw this after I posted.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3269333

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by ampere

Where in Coorg would you be heading to ?

Thanks @ampere.
I am going to be at Club Mahindra, Coorg.

If you want end to end good roads all the way :
- Drive till Chitradurga on Day 1. (A decent place is Naveen Regency)
- Day 2 : Chitradurga-Hiriyur-Huliyar-Neligere-Pandavpura-Sringapatna-Mysore bypass-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Madikeri.

Its 100km longer, but you cant go wrong with this route. And the commute on this route. End to end good roads.

I am not sure about going 100 KM extra (typically 1 hour extra driving).
If the Google suggested default route is good, then I can go with that.

Pune -- Harihar -- Honnali -- Shimoga -- Tarikere -- Shankaraghatta -- Chikmagalur -- Belur -- Somwarpeth -- Club Mahindra, Coorg.

Any ideas about the bad roads on this route?


So far, I have not planned out where to go from Coorg, but Ooty or Nagarhole are on the list. I am looking for some more suggestions with scenic beauty (and possibly less commercialized places).
Visiting temples and palaces is not really on the agenda for this trip, so Mysore area will perhaps be skipped.
I will prefer wildlife (more specific, tigers (somewhere) and elephants - Dubare camp).

[ampere]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Pune -- Harihar -- Honnali -- Shimoga -- Tarikere -- Shankaraghatta -- Chikmagalur -- Belur -- Somwarpeth -- Club Mahindra, Coorg.

Harihar-Shimoga : Quite patchy roads
Shimoga-Tarekere : Very good
Tarekere-CKM-Belur : Good to Average
Belur-Somwarpet (via Kodlipet): Unknown factor for me. Mostly roads are quite pathetic.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Thanks @ampere.
I am going to be at Club Mahindra, Coorg.

Pune -- Harihar -- Honnali -- Shimoga -- Tarikere -- Shankaraghatta -- Chikmagalur -- Belur -- Somwarpeth -- Club Mahindra, Coorg.

Any ideas about the bad roads on this route?

I know for a fact that Shanivarasanthe-Madikeri is decent. So the only unknown factor would be that of Belur-Shanivarasanthe. That too, if you are driving an SUV/MUV, should not pose much of a problem.

[S_U_N]

So, bumping up this thread since, I am leaving for Coorg tomorrow morning.

Will probably halt somewhere near Shimoga for the night and the leave next day (Sunday) for Coorg.


Route
Pune - Harihar - Honalli - Shimoga

Shimoga-Bhadravathi-Tarikere-Birur-Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur-Biccodu-Belagodu-Bage (Turn left)-Ballupet (Turn right)-Magilu (3 kms bad) --- Kodlipete - Shanivarsanthe - Somwarpet - Madikeri

Alternative route:
Shimoga - Arasekere - Hassan - Gorur - Arkalgud - Mallipatna - Shanivarasante - Somawarapet - Madikeri

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

So, bumping up this thread since, I am leaving for Coorg tomorrow morning.

Will probably halt somewhere near Shimoga for the night and the leave next day (Sunday) for Coorg.


Route
Pune - Harihar - Honalli - Shimoga

Shimoga-Bhadravathi-Tarikere-Birur-Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur-Biccodu-Belagodu-Bage (Turn left)-Ballupet (Turn right)-Magilu (3 kms bad) --- Kodlipete - Shanivarsanthe - Somwarpet - Madikeri

Alternative route:
Shimoga - Arasekere - Hassan - Gorur - Arkalgud - Mallipatna - Shanivarasante - Somawarapet - Madikeri

I would suggest you stick to Route1 as I've tried the Arakalgud route in July and was horrible. It is highly unlikely that they'd have fixed it now.

[S_U_N]

Back from a 2600 KM trip covering Madikeri, Masinagudi, Ooty, Mysore and Bangalore - then back to Pune.

I don't remember all the bad routes that we encountered, but the route from
Pune - Harihar = Good
Harihar - Shimoga = Average
Shimoga -Bhadravati - Kadur = Good
Kadur - Banavara - Average
The road towards Arsikere was reported as bad from a local taxi fellow.
He suggested going via Halebeedu towards Hassan.
We followed that route and it is under construction. Good patches and unpaved roads, both. Scraped the underbelly twice on the 1 foot tall bumpers.
From Hassan, there is a road which goes via Arkalagud. Asked two local guys, they said do not take this route, instead take the 40KM longer route via
KR Nagara - Hunsur -- Periyapatna - Makikeri. This route is good.

Hope this helps someone.

[msk016]

Hello guys,
Leaving tomorrow for a 8 day trip to Chikmanglur & madikeri. Planning to take the below route. Please suggest if better option possible.
Mumbai- pune- harihar ----- night stay
Harihar- honnali- shimoga- bhadravati- tarikeri- shankaraghatta- Chikmanglur.
Will stay in Chikmanglur for 2 nights then proceed to madikeri.
Chikmanglur- belur- balupet- kodlipet- shanivarasanti- somwarpet- madikeri.
Will also check local news and the road updates thread for any disturbances on the NH4 for sugarcane farmers protest.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

From Hassan, there is a road which goes via Arkalagud. Asked two local guys, they said do not take this route, instead take the 40KM longer route via
KR Nagara - Hunsur -- Periyapatna - Makikeri. This route is good.

This is what I was saying before your started your drive. If one plans on going via Hunsur, it is always easier to drive via Chitradurga-Hiriyur-Huliyar-Neligere-Nagamangala-Srirangapatna-Mysore-bypass-Hunsur-Coorg.

Distance wise it would at max 30km more but you get perfect roads. And that extra distance you would easily negate with 4-lane driving.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Kadur - Banavara - Average
The road towards Arsikere was reported as bad from a local taxi fellow.

Considering the fact that Hassan-Arasikere has been bad since a couple of years, Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan (~100 kms) would make sense today.

He suggested going via Halebeedu towards Hassan.

We followed that route and it is under construction. Good patches and unpaved roads, both. Scraped the underbelly twice on the 1 foot tall bumpers.

This could be the Banavara-Javagal-Halebidu- (Either via Salagame or Hagare) - Hassan route and the first bit is now declared as National Highway and would be experiencing some expansion work now.

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by ampere

This is what I was saying before your started your drive. If one plans on going via Hunsur, it is always easier to drive via Chitradurga-Hiriyur-Huliyar-Neligere-Nagamangala-Srirangapatna-Mysore-bypass-Hunsur-Coorg.

Distance wise it would at max 30km more but you get perfect roads. And that extra distance you would easily negate with 4-lane driving.

Yes. On hindsight, that could have been better (though longer) option. But since we already were at Shimoga, we had no choice but to continue ahead through the interior routes.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Considering the fact that Hassan-Arasikere has been bad since a couple of years, Kadur-Chikmagalur-Belur-Hassan (~100 kms) would make sense today.

Another option, but not sure how much of bad roads, unless some brave soul decides to share first hand experience.

This could be the Banavara-Javagal-Halebidu- (Either via Salagame or Hagare) - Hassan route and the first bit is now declared as National Highway and would be experiencing some expansion work now.

Yes. That section.

What I have learnt is that in India, you need an SUV if you don't want to think too much about the road ahead. Hopefully my next vehicle will be one.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Another option, but not sure how much of bad roads, unless some brave soul decides to share first hand experience.

I am quite regular in this section. The roads from Kadur to Chikmagalur and then Belur-Hassan are indeed good. In fact its the Hassan-Arasikere section that is very bad.