[phreakv6]

Originally Posted by NPV

As you can see in previous post by @adi_gt, you can do Bangalore-Nelamangla-CR Patna-Ariskere-Shimoga-Ayanur-Hosanagar-Nagara-Nittur-Kollur-Byndoor. Excellent roads mostly.
If Kollur is not on your itinerary, then you can also do:
Bangalore-Nelamangla-CR Patna-Ariskere-Shimoga-Tirthahalli-Agumbe-Someshwara-Vandse-Kollur-Byndoor (the left turn to Byndoor is just a couple of kilometers before you hit Kollur town). Roads are excellent. This route is scenic and you can visit the Gajanur Dam, Sakrebyle elephant camp and Mandagadde bird sanctuary en route between Shimoga and Tirthahalli.

*Both routes have ghat roads, not sure if that is of concern with the child and dog on board.

Thank you so much for the prompt response. I have decided to take the second option you suggested since its scenic and passes through some places of interest. Also, how does this route compare with Bangalore -> Shirdi Ghat -> Mangalore -> Byndoor route? I hear its all national highways on that one but the distance is much higher. I am specifically looking for how it compares on comfort and travel time. Please help.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by phreakv6

Thank you so much for the prompt response. I have decided to take the second option you suggested since its scenic and passes through some places of interest. Also, how does this route compare with Bangalore -> Shirdi Ghat -> Mangalore -> Byndoor route? I hear its all national highways on that one but the distance is much higher. I am specifically looking for how it compares on comfort and travel time. Please help.

Shiradi ghat road is slated for opening on Aug 9 after concretization of a 13Km stretch. This is an NH route but not 4 laned and it was closed for 8 months due to work on the Shiradi ghat.
If you go via Mangalore, it will be longer and also traffic prone on Mangalore-Udupi section with some widening work as well (not too sure about this). Nothing scenic as well.

Not to confuse you, just listing more options
-Another option via Mangalore would be Bangalore-Nelamangala-CR Patna-Holenarasipura-Arkalgud-Shanivarasanthe-Somwarpet-Madikeri-Sampaje-Sullia-Mangalore-Udupi, but again you endure Mangalore-Udupi and longer. Madikeri-Somwarpet has winding, but scenic roads passing via estates.
-One more would be Bangalore-Mysore-Hunsur-Madikeri-Sampaje-Sullia-Mangalore-Udupi

The route I mentioned has excellent roads and low/medium traffic as well so it is much better.

[phreakv6]

If going via Mangalore makes no sense, I will skip that. I think Bangalore -> Nelamangala -> CR Patna -> Arsikere -> Shimoga -> Tirthahalli -> Agumbe -> Someshwara -> Vandse -> Kollur -> Byndoor route makes the most sense so will stick to that. If we leave at 4am from Bangalore, what would be a good stop for breakfast and lunch on this route? When can we expect to reach if we drive sedately, assuming two stops for breakfast and lunch.

[hallik9]

Originally Posted by phreakv6

If going via Mangalore makes no sense, I will skip that. I think Bangalore -> Nelamangala -> CR Patna -> Arsikere -> Shimoga -> Tirthahalli -> Agumbe -> Someshwara -> Vandse -> Kollur -> Byndoor route makes the most sense so will stick to that. If we leave at 4am from Bangalore, what would be a good stop for breakfast and lunch on this route? When can we expect to reach if we drive sedately, assuming two stops for breakfast and lunch.

Going via Mangalore doesn't make sense if your destination is Kollur.
Bangalore - CR Patna - Arsikere - Bhadravati - Thirtahalli - Agumbe - Someshwar - Haladi - Vandse - Kollur is the ideal route.

If you plan to leave by 4am, you could stop for breakfast in CRPatna(there are many decent restaurants here). You should be able to make it Kollur by 1pm(Including 3-4 stops)

[NPV]

Originally Posted by phreakv6

If going via Mangalore makes no sense, I will skip that. I think Bangalore -> Nelamangala -> CR Patna -> Arsikere -> Shimoga -> Tirthahalli -> Agumbe -> Someshwara -> Vandse -> Kollur -> Byndoor route makes the most sense so will stick to that. If we leave at 4am from Bangalore, what would be a good stop for breakfast and lunch on this route? When can we expect to reach if we drive sedately, assuming two stops for breakfast and lunch.

There is a Cafe Coffee Day near Arsikere and some other smaller places like Preethi canteen near Birur, etc (may not be open prior to 6:30am though). Or you can stop at Shimoga town, quite a few places on the Bus Stand road.
With a 4am start and stops en route at Gajanur Dam & Sakrebyle elephant camp you can reach near Tirthahalii by lunch time. Another 3 hours or so should get you to Byndoor. Look at some earlier posts with details of time taken by recent travelers.
With a 4am start, expect to be in Shimoga around 9am, finish breakfast break by 10am. If you spend about 2 hours at Gajanur and Sakrebyle camp and resume by 12pm, you can be in Tirthahalli around 1pm.

[phreakv6]

Thanks guys. Nice to know of the options for food along the way before setting out. Since I am not going to Kollur at all, will this route be better since it goes via Maravanthe to Byndoor? Shimoga -> Tirthahalli -> Agumbe -> Someshwara -> Halady -> Vandse -> Maravanthe -> Byndoor. Please take a look at what I have mapped out and let me know. Thanks again.

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Be...4077!3e0?hl=en

[hallik9]

From Neralakatte, take the Kundapur-Tallur-Kollur road.
You will reach the NH again and then proceed towards Marvanthe.
No need to goto Vandse or Hemmadi

[adi_gt]

Originally Posted by phreakv6

Thank you so much for the prompt response. I have decided to take the second option you suggested since its scenic and passes through some places of interest. Also, how does this route compare with Bangalore -> Shirdi Ghat -> Mangalore -> Byndoor route? I hear its all national highways on that one but the distance is much higher. I am specifically looking for how it compares on comfort and travel time. Please help.

The route which I took was the shortest possible route.The roads are basically good and this route is also scenic from Nagar to Byndoor all the way. Although I did not notice any waterfalls (apart from some rain streams ). I started from Bangalore at 5.30am and reached around 3pm to the Sai Vishram Resort. The total 134kms from Ayanur to Byndoor is not straight. It has winding curvy roads but the actual Ghat section is just before Kollur.
Avoid taking the Mangalore-Byndoor Route via NH17. It has heavy slow moving truck traffic.

[phreakv6]

Sounds good. I will skip Vandse since it looks like a unnecessary small detour. Thanks @hallik9

@agi_gt - If Nagara - Byndoor is scenic, maybe I can try that route on the way back. Byndoor - Kollur - Nittur - Nagara - Hosanagara - Ayanur - Shimoga. Will give me the best of both worlds. Thanks for your inputs on the Mangalore road. I have decided to not go through that route.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by phreakv6

Sounds good. I will skip Vandse since it looks like a unnecessary small detour. Thanks @hallik9

@agi_gt - If Nagara - Byndoor is scenic, maybe I can try that route on the way back. Byndoor - Kollur - Nittur - Nagara - Hosanagara - Ayanur - Shimoga. Will give me the best of both worlds. Thanks for your inputs on the Mangalore road. I have decided to not go through that route.

Its a good road over all. In fact both options are good:

1. Shimoga-Thirthahalli-Agumbe-Someshwar-Ampar-Vandse-Kollur-Byndoor
2. Shimoga-Ayannur-Ripponpete-Hosanagara-Nagara-Nittur-Kollur-Byndoor.

The road in the second option, though good are narrower compared to the first. And do avoid them at night. In fact good to cover all these regions, during day time. The other aspect: After Shimoga, it may be difficult to get a hotel. So I suggest plan your break at Shimoga.

[phreakv6]

Here are the pics again, attached in the same order. I am yet to get used to uploader here. It is a bit strange and I kept getting varnish cache errors.

Mandagadde bird sanctuary




Agumbe



Marvathe



My son on the beach at paduvari



My dog had fun at the beach too



My son again


Shiva temple at Murudeshwar


Murudeshwar


Jog falls


Jog falls panorama

[NPV]

Originally Posted by phreakv6

Here are the pics again, attached in the same order. I am yet to get used to uploader here. It is a bit strange and I kept getting varnish cache errors.

Superb pictures there !
So, what were your onward and return journey routes you finally took and how were road conditions, would appreciate if you could update ?

[phreakv6]

Originally Posted by NPV

Superb pictures there !
So, what were your onward and return journey routes you finally took and how were road conditions, would appreciate if you could update ?

While going, we started in Bangalore at around 4:40 am and took the Bangalore -> Nelmangala -> CR Patna -> Arsikere -> Shimoga route to reach Shimoga. Until CR Patna the route was bliss. After that as well, the roads were good but it was median-less oncoming traffic. The roads were patchy around Arsikere and for a brief period it was a bit narrow but the traffic was less. There were lot of rumble strips but not too many speed breakers on this route. We reached Shimoga around 10:00am and had a relaxed breakfast and left around 10:45am or so and took the Shimoga -> Thirthahalli -> Agumbe -> Someshwara -> Vandse -> Maravanthe -> Byndoor route. We made around 10 stops on this route for various reasons and reached Byndoor around 3:30pm. The route was very very scenic around Thirthahalli and Agumbe and has winding roads between Agumbe and Someshwara but still very beautiful. After that the roads were still good all the way till the junction that goes to Kollur (near Vandse). After that, we went towards Maravanthe and once we hit the coast, the traffic and roads were bad but we weren't bothered and stopped at Maravanthe beach and then went along slowly to reach Byndoor. The traffic gave an idea of what slow moving trucks along the Mangalore -> Udupi highway might have been, had we taken that route.

I took my mother to Kollur Moogambika on the second day and Byndoor -> Kollur was beautiful. Very winding with a turn every 5 seconds but zero potholes and OK traffic. It took 45 mins from the resort while going and 30 mins on the return as I decided to have fun with the car.

On our return, we went north from Byndoor, starting around 9:10am. The route we took was Byndoor -> Murudeshwar -> Honnavar -> Jog Falls -> Sagar -> Shimoga -> Arsikere -> CR Patna -> Nelmangala -> Bangalore. The roads from Byndoor to Murudeshwar has lot of really really bad roads but the distance is just 28kms and it took close to an hour to reach. It rained all the way as well. We had a long, almost 1.5 hour stop at Murudeshwar (around 11:40 am or so) and then took the road to Honnavar. Here as well the roads were very patchy but improved towards Honnavar. From Honnavar to Jog falls was the best, and I mean "the best" segment of roads on the entire trip. Winding, misty and lush green with lot of streams and waterfalls along the way with incessant rains. The roads were very good with no potholes and was very confidence inspiring. Since the route was scenic, we made a lot of stops. We reached Jog falls around 2:30pm and had another relaxed stop since there was absolutely no crowd (Monday) and we were able to take our dog with us to take in the views. Jog -> Sagar -> Shimoga was wider and good roads and we reached Shimoga, probably around 5:30pm or so and the town traffic was too much and it took us a long time to get out of Shimoga navigating through it. Once out, the two way traffic on dwindling light wasn't how I wanted to finish the trip so I decided I had to reach Arsikere by 7pm and pressed hard to do that and reached before bad light. From Arsikere to CR Patna, the traffic did thin down but the oncoming headlights made the drive a bit slow. I also noticed a LOT more speedbreakers on the return along with rumble strips than while going. I had a bad hit in one doing around 40 kms or so since i din't spot it in time in the dark. From CR Patna, I decided enough was enough and unleashed the 180 horses and did the last 170 kms or so in just 2 hours time to reach home at 10pm.

Hopefully this will be helpful for someone.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by phreakv6

Just got back from a Monsoon trip with my family of 3 adults, our infant son and our dog on the Octavia. Lovely drive amongst the ghats, the coast and the highways, amidst incessant rains and lush greenery.

Great pics Phreak and thanks for sharing. Just a quick question - when you went for this trip with your Lab, did you keep him in the boot with parcel shelf removed and was he confortable there or was he on the seat? (I also have a Lab and am fond of travelling and also have a Laura. Mine just refuses to go in the boot and hogs the whole rear seat instead.)

[phreakv6]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

Great pics Phreak and thanks for sharing. Just a quick question - when you went for this trip with your Lab, did you keep him in the boot with parcel shelf removed and was he confortable there or was he on the seat? (I also have a Lab and am fond of travelling and also have a Laura. Mine just refuses to go in the boot and hogs the whole rear seat instead.)

@Behemoth - We have never put her in the boot. She always takes the left rear window seat for herself and watches the world go by (I always travel with the windows closed). We travel quite regularly with her (every month for a distance of 250kms one way to my grandmas place) so she is quite used to the car. On this trip though, since it was longer and lot of winding roads, my mother sat next to her and my dog slept on her lap quite peacefully