[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by carlover98

I am planning to go to Kalpetta via Ernakulam. As discussed in this thread, I guess, it is better to take Cochin - Thrissur - Kecheri - Edappal - Kuttipuram - Calicut (By pass) - Thamaraserry - Vythiri - Kalpetta.
Which are the NHs we take along this route? Also can someone give a fair idea of distance between these towns / cities? Also give an idea about good restaurants along the way.

This is the route: Kuttipuram to Kalpetta, Kerala - Google Maps . You follow NH 17 towards Calicut and once you are about to reach Ramanatukara you need to keep following straight / left, right from there takes you to Calicut city after crossing Ramanatukara town.
The Straight / Left road is Calicut NH byepass, keep going through this road till you reach Malaparamb Junction, there is a traffic signal there from where you need to take right (NH-212). Watch out for speeding maniacs and also police speed guns on Calicut NH byepass. Speed limit is 70Kmph I guess.
Once you get on to NH-212 there is no scope of getting lost since no other major deviations are present on the road. You will pass through Adivaram(~35Kms from Calicut), Ghats, Lakkidi(~55 kms from Calicut), Vythiri and Kalpetta (70 Kms from Calicut). It will take slightly above 2hrs to reach Kalpetta from Calicut -Malaparamb Junction during day time.

Originally Posted by smekad

how is the traffic from bangalore to kanakpura during weekday. Plan is to start on a friday morning.

Traffic from Kanakpura to ORR junction will be slightly heavy, also please note that this is a two laned highway. Based on your luck or lack of it if you get stuck behind bus/ truck you may end up losing time. However being morning majority of traffic will be towards Bangalore. Watch out for maniac bus drivers. Had a close call last weekend while travelling through the same road.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by kala

I've been travelling regularly between Kalpetta and Bangalore through the NH209 - Gundlupet route for the past 18-20 months, and my average driving time has been around 4 hrs 30 minutes between NICE Road/kanakapura Rd junction and Kalpetta. This is with reasonably sedate driving, almost never exceeding 120 kmph. Could be about 15 minutes less if you're travelling early in the morning, 15 minutes more when I'm returning in the night.

Even for a 4 AM start, I'd recommend the same route anyday. You should be in Gundlupet before 7 AM, which means you wouldn't probably looking for a posh place for breakfast before that (which is perhaps the only reason one would want to try SH17)

So looks like a clear 1 hr benefit taking the Kanakpura route. I was under the impression that NICE Kanakpura- Gundlepet will take around 4 hrs. Will plan to try this route next month.

[kala]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

This is the route: Kuttipuram to Kalpetta, Kerala - Google Maps . You follow NH 17 towards Calicut and once you are about to reach Ramanatukara you need to keep following straight / left, right from there takes you to Calicut city after crossing Ramanatukara town.
The Straight / Left road is Calicut NH byepass, keep going through this road till you reach Malaparamb Junction, there is a traffic signal there from where you need to take right (NH-212). Watch out for speeding maniacs and also police speed guns on Calicut NH byepass. Speed limit is 70Kmph I guess.

I think your directions for Ramanattukara byepass junction is slightly confusing.

As you're coming from Kuttippuram the straight road is the Calicut byepass, Right turn at that junction takes you to Calicut Airport/Kondotti/Malappuram (and not Calicut City as you mention) and Left takes you to Ramanattukara town and Calicut City through the old NH17 (via Feroke-Meenchanda)

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by kala

I think your directions for Ramanattukara byepass junction is slightly confusing.

As you're coming from Kuttippuram the straight road is the Calicut byepass, Right turn at that junction takes you to Calicut Airport/Kondotti/Malappuram (and not Calicut City as you mention) and Left takes you to Ramanattukara town and Calicut City through the old NH17 (via Feroke-Meenchanda)

Thanks for pointing out. Yes, you are supposed to take right and not left. Left will take you to Calicut city.

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by kala

I think your directions for Ramanattukara byepass junction is slightly confusing.

As you're coming from Kuttippuram the straight road is the Calicut byepass, Right turn at that junction takes you to Calicut Airport/Kondotti/Malappuram (and not Calicut City as you mention) and Left takes you to Ramanattukara town and Calicut City through the old NH17 (via Feroke-Meenchanda)

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Thanks for pointing out. Yes, you are supposed to take right and not left. Left will take you to Calicut city.

I think you are talking about 2 different junctions here.
When coming from south, just after you enter Kozhikode district(about 2-3 kms before Ramanattukara), there is a junction where smaller/narrower left road is the actual NH-17 that goes to Ramanattukara town and then to Calicut City. The arrow-straight road is the NH-17 bye-pass that starts at this junction in the southern side. There is NO RIGHT TURN/ROAD here till last weekend

In about 2 kms on the bye-pass, you cross NH-213 where left takes you back to the actual NH-17 just at the centre of Ramanattukara town and then to Calicut City. Right takes you to Airport/Kondotty/Palakkad. This seems to be the junction kala mentioned.

Just after this junction, you get Kadavu resorts on your right, then the toll bridge over river Chaliyar. A few kms later, you have a relatively big junction at Pantheerankavu. Left takes you to Mankavu/City and right takes you to Mavoor/Edavannappara/Areekode.

The next major junction is the medical college road with traffic signal. Left takes you to City and right takes you to Medical College/Mavoor.

And the next one is the junction with NH-212 and now with traffic signal. Left takes you to City and right takes you to Wayanad/Mysore.

The bye-pass continues north-wards but I believe it is still under-construction-at-some-stretches to join back NH-17 back on the northern side somewhere near Elathur.

[venkateshs]

Folks,

I'm planning a 4 night/5 days trip to Wayanad from Bangalore this Sunday. Please let me know the road conditions and the best route to take. I'll be staying at Hiliya Resort in Kenichira near Sultan Bathery. Planning to leave Banglore by 5am.

Thanks.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by venkateshs

Folks,

I'm planning a 4 night/5 days trip to Wayanad from Bangalore this Sunday. Please let me know the road conditions and the best route to take. I'll be staying at Hiliya Resort in Kenichira near Sultan Bathery. Planning to leave Banglore by 5am.

Thanks.

Straight forward route.Bangalore-Mysore-Nanjangud-Gundlupet-NH212-Muthanga-Batheri.Should be a 5hr drive.Alternate route via Kanakpura road is also in good condition.

[venkateshs]

Thanks. By the way, I will be driving my Honda City iVTec, hope there are'nt huge speed breakers and pot holes. How is the Guldlupet- Bandipur - Batheri route compared to Gundlupet-NH212-Muthanga-Batheri...Please let me know.

[kala]

Originally Posted by venkateshs

Thanks. By the way, I will be driving my Honda City iVTec, hope there are'nt huge speed breakers and pot holes. How is the Guldlupet- Bandipur - Batheri route compared to Gundlupet-NH212-Muthanga-Batheri...Please let me know.

No point going via Bandipur-Gudalur. The road via Moolehole-Muthanga is shorter and in better shape.

No major potholes on the whole route, but drive slow in the forest stretch (Never safe to drive above 60 or say max 70 since chances of encountering wildlife on the road is high, and you don't want to be taken by surprise - and don't want to surprise them either).

As for speedbreakers, SH17 is full of gigantic ones - so be on the alert always if you don't want to be airborne off and on. Or take the two-lane NH209 which is in very good condition and has very few speedbreakers. (There are a couple of other threads with details on this route and the pros and cons of taking it - Checkout the threads http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ute-query.html and http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...re-sunday.html )

[ampere]

Originally Posted by venkateshs

Thanks. By the way, I will be driving my Honda City iVTec, hope there are'nt huge speed breakers and pot holes. How is the Guldlupet- Bandipur - Batheri route compared to Gundlupet-NH212-Muthanga-Batheri...Please let me know.

As Kala said, there is no need to go to Gudalur/Bandipur. The regular NH212 is from Gundlupet is very decent.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by venkateshs

Thanks. By the way, I will be driving my Honda City iVTec, hope there are'nt huge speed breakers and pot holes. How is the Guldlupet- Bandipur - Batheri route compared to Gundlupet-NH212-Muthanga-Batheri...Please let me know.

Beware of huge speed-breakers after Mandya till about Najangud.

No need going via Bandipur - Goodalur - Sulthan Bathery, it adds about ~50kms, and the road from Goodalur to Bathery is narrow, twisty and time consuming, though in good shape.

However, if you are a wildlife enthusiast, the extra 50+ kilometers you get are through the beautiful forests, and from Bandipur to Goodalur there is excellent chance of spotting one too many animals. Also, the time you reach there, about 9:00 is good. It would be a pleasant ride. I always enjoy it.

Also, regarding road conditions, they deteriorate once you cross the border to Kerala via Moolahole, till Kenichera.

[VindyWheels]

Hi,

I am travelling this sunday-monday from Calicut to Bangalore with family including my 1.5 yr old daughter.

We plan to start on sunday noon and stay in a hotel in Kalpetta.

I do not know about the route you mentioned. Could you give exact details as to how to take this route and reach Bangalore via kanakpura.

I havent travelled to Bangalore thru Kanakpura either, so some details on that front will help too including options for breaks if we start at 8:00am on Monday morning from the hotel.

And finally, any suggestion for the overnight halt?

Thank You

Vindy

Originally Posted by dhanushs

Beware of huge speed-breakers after Mandya till about Najangud.

No need going via Bandipur - Goodalur - Sulthan Bathery, it adds about ~50kms, and the road from Goodalur to Bathery is narrow, twisty and time consuming, though in good shape.

However, if you are a wildlife enthusiast, the extra 50+ kilometers you get are through the beautiful forests, and from Bandipur to Goodalur there is excellent chance of spotting one too many animals. Also, the time you reach there, about 9:00 is good. It would be a pleasant ride. I always enjoy it.

Also, regarding road conditions, they deteriorate once you cross the border to Kerala via Moolahole, till Kenichera.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

I havent travelled to Bangalore thru Kanakpura either, so some details on that front will help too including options for breaks if we start at 8:00am on Monday morning from the hotel.

This part is easy. What Dhanush might have meant is you don't need to go to Gudalur which is on the Ooty route. From Calicut its the straight highway via Kalpetta/Gundlupet.

At Gundlupet you have to get away from NH212 at the main town junction and catch the road to Chamarajanagar which is on NH209 (Kanakpura road).

There on its Chamarajanagar-Kollegal-Malavalli-Kanakpura-Bangalore.

For overnight stay on the highway, I hear Isaacs is a decent place at Bathery. (Do check with others too)

HOTEL ISSAC'S Regency

[VindyWheels]

Thank You Ampere,

I was actually interested in the Gudallur route. We have always been travelling thru the Muthanga route and love that aswell, but wanted to know if there is an even better option for a nice jungle drive provided the road is in good condition.

Since we are halting after the ghats, it also allows me to take that 50km detour if that is worth the time.

Thank you for helping out as usual

Vindy

[ampere]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

I was actually interested in the Gudallur route. We have always been travelling thru the Muthanga route and love that aswell, but wanted to know if there is an even better option for a nice jungle drive provided the road is in good condition.

Thats what even I was thinking Vindy. You travel on this route so much, how come you were enquiring about this !

Ideal route is Kalpetta-Meppadi-Gudalur which goes through all the tea estates. I have also seen a direct route to Gudalur
from Bathery (Remember seeing a board at Gudalur directing to Bathery). However even if you decide to drive via Gudalur,
there is no option for you but to come back to Gundlupet via Bandipur and then take the road to Chamarajanagar.

Now deviation to Gudalur from NH212 depends on where you plan to break (Kalpetta or Bathery).