[NPV]

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.

Not really sure if this helps at all - the Channarayapatna-Arsikere road was in good condition few months ago and I took this alternative to avoid Hassan-Arsikere

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by NPV

Not really sure if this helps at all - the Channarayapatna-Arsikere road was in good condition few months ago and I took this alternative to avoid Hassan-Arsikere

Yes, this is an option too as its gone better but then you will hit CR Patna from where you may head towards Arkalgud side bypassing Hassan completely.

[anarkanu]

Hi, Looking to go on long road trip from Madikeri to Mumbai via Goa. Google Maps suggests to go either via NH4 via Mangalore or thru chikmangalur - shimoga-honnavar(either thru Somwarpet-shanivarsanthe-belur on to kadur or thru arkalgud-hassan-banavara). Kindly advise which would be the best since I need to reach the same day.
Will leave by 5 am and hope to reach by 3 PM. Doable? Also which is the best to take in keeping with the road conditions.
regards,
gaurav
.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by anarkanu

Hi, Looking to go on long road trip from Madikeri to Mumbai via Goa. Google Maps suggests to go either via NH4 via Mangalore or thru chikmangalur - shimoga-honnavar(either thru Somwarpet-shanivarsanthe-belur on to kadur or thru arkalgud-hassan-banavara). Kindly advise which would be the best since I need to reach the same day.

From a road conditions point of view I would say :

Madikeri-Hunsur-KR Nagara-Holenarasipur-Hassan-Arsekere-Honnavar-Goa-Sawantwadi-Amboli-Sankeshwar-Kolhapur-Pune-Bombay

Thats the best option I would say.

[anarkanu]

Originally Posted by ampere

From a road conditions point of view I would say :

Madikeri-Hunsur-KR Nagara-Holenarasipur-Hassan-Arsekere-Honnavar-Goa-Sawantwadi-Amboli-Sankeshwar-Kolhapur-Pune-Bombay

Thats the best option I would say.

Thanks a lot ampere! I was hoping you'd reply since you seem to know the latest update on these roads. So taking these extra 60 KM thru Hunsur-KR Nagara-Hole Narasipur-Hassan-Arsikere should be able to save me time in keeping with road conditions I am guessing. This could be done in 10-12 hours I hope.

Just a confirmation of the route as given by gmaps as advised would be this i think?
http://goo.gl/7NFmK9

[ampere]

Originally Posted by anarkanu

Thanks a lot ampere! I was hoping you'd reply since you seem to know the latest update on these roads. So taking these extra 60 KM thru Hunsur-KR Nagara-Hole Narasipur-Hassan-Arsikere should be able to save me time in keeping with road conditions I am guessing. This could be done in 10-12 hours I hope.

Yes it does help from good roads point of view esp because you would be driving long.

Just a confirmation of the route as given by gmaps as advised would be this i think?
http://goo.gl/7NFmK9

One correction. And sorry for my mistake: I think you should do Holenarasipur-CR Patna-Arsekere. See @NPV and Parag's comments. So the route becomes:

Route Link

[anarkanu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Yes it does help from good roads point of view esp because you would be driving long.



One correction. And sorry for my mistake: I think you should do Holenarasipur-CR Patna-Arsekere. See @NPV and Parag's comments. So the route becomes:

Route Link

Ok great! This is what i'll take. Hoping to do my first travelogue too this time round. thanks again ampere!

[anarkanu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Yes it does help from good roads point of view esp because you would be driving long.



One correction. And sorry for my mistake: I think you should do Holenarasipur-CR Patna-Arsekere. See @NPV and Parag's comments. So the route becomes:

Route Link

Hi Ampere, Looking to start at night itself. Hope this route all the way to Honnavar would be okay to do art night also. Read in quite a few threads about less traffic on NH 206 at night. Also best place to have breakfast near jog falls maybe.( that is if i reach there by 7 or so)

thanks

[ampere]

Originally Posted by anarkanu

Hi Ampere, Looking to start at night itself. Hope this route all the way to Honnavar would be okay to do art night also. Read in quite a few threads about less traffic on NH 206 at night. Also best place to have breakfast near jog falls maybe.( that is if i reach there by 7 or so)

thanks

The route may be good for night, but some how I am not in for night driving. A very early morning drive would be much better an option.

[horabonny]

Hi, I am not a very regular on team-bhp, but consider it as a Bible for the amount of knowledge and wisdom stored here. I have just been back to Mumbai from a 3k km road trip from Mumbai to Coorg - Ooty - Mysore - Tumkur - Mumbai. Since Google Maps shows the route to Madikeri via Sakleshwar and now that I have been on the route, I would like to warn others not to. The correct route is shown on the pics attached. Any one else who wants more details on same is welcome.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by horabonny

Hi, I am not a very regular on team-bhp, but consider it as a Bible for the amount of knowledge and wisdom stored here. I have just been back to Mumbai from a 3k km road trip from Mumbai to Coorg - Ooty - Mysore - Tumkur - Mumbai. Since Google Maps shows the route to Madikeri via Sakleshwar and now that I have been on the route, I would like to warn others not to. The correct route is shown on the pics attached. Any one else who wants more details on same is welcome.

A better option is :

Chitradurga-Hiriyur (Exit 4-lane here)-Huliyar-Neligere-Nagamangala-Srirangapatna-Hunsur-Madikeri

Good two lane roads all the way.

[alto99]

Originally Posted by horabonny

The correct route is shown on the pics attached. Any one else who wants more details on same is welcome.


Attachment 1247061

I had been to Madikere/Wayanad/Sakleshpur and Chikmagalur from Pune last week. I had been through this thread earlier but did not plan the route on Sygic and then, while on the move, did not remember which roads were better and took blindly what Sygic suggested and wasted a lot of time on bad roads.

On way to coorg from Shimoga, route suggested by Sygic passes through Haliebeedu(which I was not planning to visit but the town appeared as a surprise!). The road is at its worst for multiple sections. The road from Halibeedu to Hassan is also not the best.

The route also in correct route above passes through a town Arkalgud (not appearing in the map above but is one the way). I don't remember how the road from Hassan to Arkalgud was as the next section from Arkalgud to a few (~50 - don't remember exactly) kms before Kushalnagar is worst and best avoided.

On the way to Sakleshpur from Wayand I did not want to go through Coorg and overrode Sygic suggested route. But unknowingly yet again took section of the same road from Perriyapatna to Arkalgud. The whole route from Perriyapatna to Arkalgud is in very bad shape for multiple stretches. I was later suggested that I should have taken Perriyapatna - Kushalnagar - Somwarpet - Shanivarsanthe - (right turn before Magalu) - Sakleshpur.

Having said that almost all roads that I took in Wayanad/Coorg districts were in excellent condition.
Later from Sakleshpur (actually Jenukallu) I took inner roads to Mudigere - Chikmagalur and those roads were excellent too (although they had only one lane).

While joining back to NH4 from Shimoga I heard from a fellow traveller that the road to Ranebennur is also good. Probably he meant from Honnalli to Ranebennur instead of Harihar. I took some weird routes this time too based on my instincts and ended up in another set of worst roads somewhere between Masur and Ranebennur. \
Saving grace was all this circus happened in Innova. I dread to think what would have happened had I taken my Civic.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by alto99

Saving grace was all this circus happened in Innova. I dread to think what would have happened had I taken my Civic.

Thats precisely the problem. GPS devices should be used to find what you want to look and not look what you want to find!


You always should plan the high level route and the use GPS to find the local details. In other words GPS only implements what you plan. It does not invent on its own. So even in case, it suggests some thing bad, it would be corrected at the next point that you would have planned on the higher level. This way you are at least globally taken care off.


As far as routes to Coorg are concerned, there are two ways:

1. Via Shimoga. For this you can exit the 4-lane at Ranebennur.
The route is : Ranebennur-Shimoga-Arsekere-Channarayapatna-Holenarasipur-Arkalgud-Shanivarsanthe-Somwarpet-Madikeri

2. Via Mysore. For this you exit at Hiriyur. A bit longer route, but you cannot go wrong with this option.

Hiriyur-Huliyar-Neligere-Nagamangala-Pandavpura-Srinrangapatna-Hunsur-Periyapatna-Madikeri.

[DrivingDreamz]

Hello everyone,

We (my husband, our 5 month baby and me) will be driving down in WagonR (petrol), from Mumbai to Coorg (booked 3 nights at Chingaara estate, Yevakapady and Club Mahindra for 3 nights), in the middle of August. This will be our very first such long distance driving holiday My husband will be driving throughout the trip. Our plan is to leave early, around 4-5 am, from Mumbai, drive till before sunset and take a night halt. Mumbai to Yevakapady is approximately 1050-1100 kms depending on which route we take.

After reading through the threads, I understand that there are 3 routes mainly.

Route 1: Mumbai -> Harihar -> Shimoga -> Tarikere -> chikmagalur -> Belur -> Kodlipet-> Somwarpet -> Madikeri -> Napoklu -> Kabinakkad Junction.

Route 2: Mumbai -> Ranebennur -> Shimoga -> Arsekere -> Channarayapatna -> Holenarasipur -> Arkalgud -> Shanivarsanthe -> Somwarpet -> Madikeri -> Napoklu -> Kabinakkad Junction.

Route 3: Mumbai -> Hiriyur -> Huliyar -> Neligere -> Nagamangala -> Pandavpura -> Srinrangapatna -> Hunsur -> Gonikoppal -> Virajpet -> Kabinakkad Junction.

I have read that in the past the route going through arkalgud and arsekere were not in good condition.

I would like to know:

1. which route will be faster and better considering the road conditions during rains and safety ofcourse ? It would be great if experts can help me with the latest road conditions on these routes.

2. how much distance ideally we should cover on Day 1? We plan to cover 800 kms. Is it possible?

3. where should we take our night halt (to and fro) enroute? Please suggest a decent accommodation with clean bathrooms.

4. some good restaurants/dhaba with clean loos on the way. Plan to take short halts every 3 hours.

5. if each of these routes have good petrol pumps at regular distance? Any particular patch where they are infrequent?

6. must visit places during this time of the year.

Thank you all in advance. Please let me know anything else which I am missing in planning this road trip.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by DrivingDreamz

Route 3: Mumbai -> Hiriyur -> Huliyar -> Neligere -> Nagamangala -> Pandavpura -> Srinrangapatna -> Hunsur -> Gonikoppal -> Virajpet -> Kabinakkad Junction.

1. which route will be faster and better considering the road conditions during rains and safety ofcourse ? It would be great if experts can help me with the latest road conditions on these routes.

The second option would have been ideal. (Route 2: Mumbai -> Ranebennur - Shimoga -> Arsekere -> Channarayapatna -> Holenarasipur -> Arkalgud -> Shanivarsanthe -> Somwarpet -> Madikeri -> Napoklu -> Kabinakkad Junction.)

But I would suggest you stick the third one. Reason: Its the best in road conditions. There are more breaking options available. That would required as you have an infant on board.

2. how much distance ideally we should cover on Day 1? We plan to cover 800 kms. Is it possible?
3. where should we take our night halt (to and fro) enroute? Please suggest a decent accommodation with clean bathrooms.

If you start by 4AM from Mumbai, I think you should be able to make it to Hubli by late evening. Thats about 600km.

The next day would be about the same distance. The best place in Hubli is Clarks Inn.

4. some good restaurants/dhaba with clean loos on the way. Plan to take short halts every 3 hours.

Mumbai-Pune: I dont even need to tell you I guess. You will know better than me!
Annapurna : Karad (before the bypass begins. Parag has a high opinion about this one)
Pune-Kolhapur: Sai International about 30km before Kolhapur
MacDonalds : Kolhapur bypass
Sankeshwar : Kamat

After Hubli :
Ranebennur : Kamat
Neligere : Coffee Day, Mayura, (Please note this on NH48 which you would cit through. If you need to get to these hotels, you will need to drive some distance on NH48, instead of heading straight toward Srirangapatna/Mysore)
Mysore Outer Ring Road bypass : Kalyani
Hunsur: Cafe Coorg
Periyapatna: Coffee Day

5. if each of these routes have good petrol pumps at regular distance? Any particular patch where they are infrequent?

Just after Kolhapur bypass: Konduskar BP
Just at the end of Hubli-Dharwad bypass : MRPL (They charge higher but are good)