[cnaganathan]

Am planning to drive to Kudremukh, Sringeri and surrounding areas during the last week of Dec 09 for about 6-7 days. My tentative Plan is like this

24 Dec: Chennai to Bangy
25 Dec: Bangy to Kudremukh
26 Dec & 27 Dec: Stay at Kudremukh and visit places around there
28 Dec: Visit Sringeri
29 Dec & 30 Dec: Visit Mangalore
31 Dec: return to Bangy
1 Jan or 2 Jan: Bangy to Chennai.

I have a few queries though
1. How is the weather in these parts of K'taka in Dec?
2. Is Kudremukh a good place to stay? Any good Resorts?
3. Are there alternate places where I can stay and move about for 3-4 days. Wifey and I prefer resorts / homestays away from the crowd rather than hotels in crowded places.
4. How are the roads in these areas?

[s3va]

Refer below link..
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...udremukha.html

Calendar seems to be a good place..

i was there in Kudremukh last year, since we went without our faimiles, we stayed at the Forest Reserve. It is an excellent place with lush greenery around, options for trekking etc.

[deepakhon]

There was a thread talking about a resort called Vedanta. Please search for Kudremukh thread. You will definitely find it.

I tried Silent Valley when I was there about 2 months back. Honestly, I did not like it so much. Since it was a holiday when I went, there was a huge troop from Bangalore which was there, and it was anything but silent. Their festivities went past 2 am.

Kudremukh is a wonderful place to be in, if you admire nature. There is nothing much to see as such, but the pristine beauty of that place is very mesmerising. I loved it. You could try Hanumanagundi falls. Horanadu is a beautiful place.

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

I have a few queries though
1. How is the weather in these parts of K'taka in Dec?
2. Is Kudremukh a good place to stay? Any good Resorts?
3. Are there alternate places where I can stay and move about for 3-4 days. Wifey and I prefer resorts / homestays away from the crowd rather than hotels in crowded places.
4. How are the roads in these areas?

1.In december it will be quite cold Particularly in western ghats(Malnad) region.
2.,3 Kudremukha is a decnt place to stay. Try Silent valley resorts at kalasa, Bhagavathi nature camp, Upasane etc.
4. Roads are in decent condition as of now in this region

[cnaganathan]

@s3va - Thanks. Wrote to Upasana only to hear back that they are already fully booked for that period. Have written to a couple of others. Let me see what they come back with.

@deepakhon - have written to Silent valley. But the time I am planning is also holiday season. Not sure if I will have a better experience than yours.

@sushrutha - thanks.

[sureshurs]

I have been to Silent Valley resorts in Kalasa in 2002. I hated the place for the noisy crowd and the resorts encouraged day trippers to stop for BF/Lunch. So not much has changed.

I would suggest Taj Garden Retreat/Serai resorts in Chikmagalur if you are fine with going on a higher budget.

[cnaganathan]

Originally Posted by sureshurs

I would suggest Taj Garden Retreat/Serai resorts in Chikmagalur if you are fine with going on a higher budget.

I read reviews about them as well as saw the pix - no doubt they seem to be the best. But Taj Garden / Serai is way out for my budget.

I have got response from 2 home stays and they seem to be good - Streams of Joy near Dharmasthala and Coffee Village Retreat near Mudigere. Will be confirming one of them tomorrow (24 Nov).

[Haque]

Slightly offtrack... apologies for the same.

Have heard about another place around Kudremukh..closer to Kadur, i believe.
Anybody been to Shivgiri Hills around YemmeDoddi Forest? Supposed to be very good according to the Outlook's 52weekend breaks from Bangalore.

-Haque

[s3va]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

I read reviews about them as well as saw the pix - no doubt they seem to be the best. But Taj Garden / Serai is way out for my budget.

I have got response from 2 home stays and they seem to be good - Streams of Joy near Dharmasthala and Coffee Village Retreat near Mudigere. Will be confirming one of them tomorrow (24 Nov).

For better understanding isnt Streams of Joy near Dharmasthala & Coffee Village Retreat near Mudigere way off from Kudremukh ?

[cnaganathan]

Originally Posted by s3va

For better understanding isnt Streams of Joy near Dharmasthala & Coffee Village Retreat near Mudigere way off from Kudremukh ?

Yes. you are right. But there don't seem to be many around Kudremukh. Chikmagalur seems to have many in the neighborhood - Checking out Athithi, Devigiri and a few more in that area.

[cnaganathan]

Accomodation booking done. After a lot of mails and a few phone calls zeroed in on Koffeewoods homestay in Mudigere. Bookings confirmed. Planning starts now. At least this year I should do justice and write my travelogue also after the trip.

[cnaganathan]

Folks,

Here is the route plan from Whitefield, Bangy to Banakal (12 Kms from Mudigere and 2 kms before Charmadi Ghats is what my host says).

Whitefield - ORR - Hebbal - Yeshwantpur - Nelamangala - Kunigal - Hasan - Belur - Mudigere (need not go into the town) - Banakal.

Bad patches to be expected between Nelamangala and Kunigal, outskirts of Hasan, and between Belur and Mudigere.

Hope I got it right.

My plan is to start from Whitefield at around 6.30 AM on 25th Dec. I am sure Holiday traffic would have picked up by then - but can't leave earlier. Hope to reach Banakal somewhere in the region of 2.00 to 2.30 PM. Is it too ambitious a target or is it doable - my ride is an Indigo XL DiCOR.

On this route which is the best place for Break fast say around 8.30 AM? Are there any good places for lunch at Hasan or Belur? We are veggies and would prefer a veggie hotel.

Any other suggestions regarding the route are most welcome.

Regards
Chandru

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by cnaganathan

Folks,

Here is the route plan from Whitefield, Bangy to Banakal (12 Kms from Mudigere and 2 kms before Charmadi Ghats is what my host says).

Whitefield - ORR - Hebbal - Yeshwantpur - Nelamangala - Kunigal - Hasan - Belur - Mudigere (need not go into the town) - Banakal.

Bad patches to be expected between Nelamangala and Kunigal, outskirts of Hasan, and between Belur and Mudigere.

Hope I got it right.

My plan is to start from Whitefield at around 6.30 AM on 25th Dec. I am sure Holiday traffic would have picked up by then - but can't leave earlier. Hope to reach Banakal somewhere in the region of 2.00 to 2.30 PM. Is it too ambitious a target or is it doable - my ride is an Indigo XL DiCOR.

On this route which is the best place for Break fast say around 8.30 AM? Are there any good places for lunch at Hasan or Belur? We are veggies and would prefer a veggie hotel.

Any other suggestions regarding the route are most welcome.

Regards
Chandru

The route you have stated is straight forward and the shortest route. No problems on that front.

You can reach Banakal by 2.30-3.00 pm depending on the traffic and stoppages.

If you do not care too much for ambience or fanciness, I'd suggest a couple of 'Thatte Idly' hotels in Kunigal. They are on the right side of the highway inside Kunigal town. There is Hotel Mayura just after Bellur Cross and there is a Kamat Upachar near Udayapura (after Channarayapatna).

For lunch, in Hassan, there is Hotel Suvarna Sagar, Hotel Sri Krishna, Hotel Kadamba and all are on the arterial BM road. There are also Hotel Southern Star and Hotel Hassan Ashok which are a bit on the expensive side.

I'm not aware of any good restaurants in Belur.

[subbarp]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

The route you have stated is straight forward and the shortest route. No problems on that front.

You can reach Banakal by 2.30-3.00 pm depending on the traffic and stoppages.

If you do not care too much for ambience or fanciness, I'd suggest a couple of 'Thatte Idly' hotels in Kunigal. They are on the right side of the highway inside Kunigal town. There is Hotel Mayura just after Bellur Cross and there is a Kamat Upachar near Udayapura (after Channarayapatna).

For lunch, in Hassan, there is Hotel Suvarna Sagar, Hotel Sri Krishna, Hotel Kadamba and all are on the arterial BM road. There are also Hotel Southern Star and Hotel Hassan Ashok which are a bit on the expensive side.

I'm not aware of any good restaurants in Belur.

Try Hoysala village resort (http://www.trailsindia.com) for breakfast stopover. It would be right after Hassan (5Km) if I remember correctly. It would be the most upmarket place you will find in this town. You can relax, spend some time and move on if you prefer.

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by subbarp

Try Hoysala village resort (http://www.trailsindia.com) for breakfast stopover. It would be right after Hassan (5Km) if I remember correctly. It would be the most upmarket place you will find in this town. You can relax, spend some time and move on if you prefer.

Yep,
If you wanna try some typical malnad food, try Hoysala village resort.
They have buffet in afternoon