[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by NPV

Check this out - I think it's the latest report of road conditions for this stretch - here

Thanks NPV. Did the trip through same route from Mysore to Tirunelli, but did a big mistake of taking SH17 on Oct 2nd morning. It took me 5.5 hours to reach Mysore with bumper to bumper taffic and got rear ended in Mandya (lucky that damage was minimal).

Raod repair is complete and it is excellent road (including the bad 3 kms mentoned in the other post) all the way till Kaattikulam.

[Akhilash95]

My friends and I are planning for a ride on March 15th to Chembra Peak. Which of these routes are in a better condition?
Onward journey -
1.Blr-mys-hunsur-nagarhole forest road -kalpetta or
2.Blr-mys-HD kotte-nisna-kalpetta

Return journey-
Kalpetta-sultan bathery- berambadi state forest - gudlupet-mys.
Hoping that this is a faster, shorter route. We will pass this route at around 5pm, does it close at 6pm?
PS- we are Ok with few potholes and bad roads but non existent roads will be hard on the RC riders of the group.

[kala]

Originally Posted by Akhilash95

My friends and I are planning for a ride on March 15th to Chembra Peak. Which of these routes are in a better condition?
Onward journey -
1.Blr-mys-hunsur-nagarhole forest road -kalpetta or
2.Blr-mys-HD kotte-nisna-kalpetta

Return journey-
Kalpetta-sultan bathery- berambadi state forest - gudlupet-mys.
Hoping that this is a faster, shorter route. We will pass this route at around 5pm, does it close at 6pm?
PS- we are Ok with few potholes and bad roads but non existent roads will be hard on the RC riders of the group.

Onward journey - Mysore-HDKote (Handpost)-Kabini-Bavali-Mananthavadi-Kalpetta is both shorter and in better condition than the road via Hunsur-Nagarahole.

The route for return journey which you have mentioned I assume is NH212 ? If so, the roads are in decent condition except for some roadwork in progress between the forest exit and Gundlupet / Nanjangud. Roads may be rough in patches at these locations, but very much drivable.

The forward route (via HDKote) has a forest section that is closed between 6PM and 6AM. But the closing times for the return route (NH212) is 9PM to 6AM, so it should be OK even if you're a little late in returning. However wild life presence is generally on the higher side after dusk, so better from a safety point of view if you can make it across before it gets too dark since you're on bikes.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by Akhilash95

Return journey-
Kalpetta-sultan bathery- berambadi state forest - gudlupet-mys.
Hoping that this is a faster, shorter route. We will pass this route at around 5pm, does it close at 6pm?
PS- we are Ok with few potholes and bad roads but non existent roads will be hard on the RC riders of the group.

Did this route en route Bangalore from Tirur yesterday. Work is on in full swing from a couple of kms after the forest exit (Maddur checkpost) almost all the way till a few kms before Nanjangud. There are plenty of diversions in place and the width of the diverted stretches are not too great. Bikers coming in the opposite direction of ours were finding it difficult to stay on the road literally! And it is dusty too. I strongly advice to avoid this route if you are riding. Roads are excellent from the forest check post to Kalpeta, though.
The best route in the current circumstance would be HD kote- bavali, but the forest stretch in that route remains closed between 6 PM and 6 AM. There is a ban on two wheelers on forest stretch of the Hunsur-Nagarhole-Kutta route .

[gadadhar]

My friend is planning Tirunelli through Hunsur - Nagerhole road during the weekend in his i20. Its been quite sometime since I have done this stretch and remember Hunsur to Kutta stretch was getting patchy during the last trip. It will help to have an update on the current situation.

[kala]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

My friend is planning Tirunelli through Hunsur - Nagerhole road during the weekend in his i20. Its been quite sometime since I have done this stretch and remember Hunsur to Kutta stretch was getting patchy during the last trip. It will help to have an update on the current situation.

As of beginning of March the road was quite rough. (My report here : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3659584). Haven't gone that way after that.

Unless some resurfacing has been done in March/April (unlikely) it could have only got worse due to the recent rains.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

My friend is planning Tirunelli through Hunsur - Nagerhole road during the weekend in his i20. Its been quite sometime since I have done this stretch and remember Hunsur to Kutta stretch was getting patchy during the last trip. It will help to have an update on the current situation.

Recommend him to take Mysore-Bavali-Kattikulam- Thetturoad route which is in excellent condition. But do note, the forest stretch in this route is closed between 6PM and 6AM.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by kala

As of beginning of March the road was quite rough. (My report here : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3659584). Haven't gone that way after that.

Unless some resurfacing has been done in March/April (unlikely) it could have only got worse due to the recent rains.

Thanks Kala, sounds like it is better to take HD Kote route

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Recommend him to take Mysore-Bavali-Kattikulam- Thetturoad route which is in excellent condition. But do note, the forest stretch in this route is closed between 6PM and 6AM.

Thanks Sandsun, will request him to stick to HD Kote route. I had done this in Jan and the surface was excellent.

[Silverfire]

Hi Guys,

Planning a trip to Vythiri in Wayanad this Saturday. Will be in a rented zoom car & leaving Bangalore at 8 am.

Needed 2 pieces of advice:

1. Seeing that it is august & raining heavily what route would you suggest?
2. What's a nice zoomcar to get for this drive. Should I be getting a SUV like the Ecosport or sedans are fine?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Silverfire

1. Seeing that it is august & raining heavily what route would you suggest?
2. What's a nice zoomcar to get for this drive. Should I be getting a SUV like the Ecosport or sedans are fine?

1.Route options:
a) Start early by 5am, take Mysore Road.
Mysore-Nanjangud-Gundlupet (Nanjangud-Gundlupet stretch has road widening work in progress). Then take the forest road - Sulthan Bathery-Kalpetta-Vythiri.
You can stop for breakfast at Kamat Madhuvan near Mysore Palace, there are several other places en route but may not be open before 6:45am

b) Start early by 5am, take Kanakapura Road.
Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajanagar-Gundlupet. Then take the forest road - Sulthan Bathery-Kalpetta-Vythiri
Stop for breakfast at Nijaguna, Chamarajanagar.

2.Car - not sure what you prefer and what your current ride is. I would try the XUV500 Should be fun to drive in the rain. Sedans should be able to do the route too, nothing treacherous.
*If you plan to stay at Vythiri Resorts, the approach path used to be a little rough and if you choose a low GC sedan, it may not be comfortable.

[reverse_gear]

Public transport question for the experts here.

What is the best way to get from Cochin airport to Wayanad (to be specific, Pozhuthana). Last leg from Kalpetta or Vythiri can be managed as a pick-up.

Issue is that we have a family get together planned for which most of us will be driving in from Bangalore. But one person is flying in to Kochi and it would be ideal if he can get to and from Wayanad by public transport. Flight arrival time is in the morning around 9am.

Alternatively, are there one-way taxi services that can be hired from the airport?

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by reverse_gear

Public transport question for the experts here.

What is the best way to get from Cochin airport to Wayanad (to be specific, Pozhuthana). Last leg from Kalpetta or Vythiri can be managed as a pick-up.

Issue is that we have a family get together planned for which most of us will be driving in from Bangalore. But one person is flying in to Kochi and it would be ideal if he can get to and from Wayanad by public transport. Flight arrival time is in the morning around 9am.

Alternatively, are there one-way taxi services that can be hired from the airport?

The nearest airport to Wayanad is Kozhikode. Will the person be able to get a flight to Kozhikode? Where is he coming from?

[reverse_gear]

Originally Posted by pramodpk

The nearest airport to Wayanad is Kozhikode. Will the person be able to get a flight to Kozhikode? Where is he coming from?

Flying in from Delhi. In fact, his booking was originally to Kozhikode, but our esteemed national carrier abruptly decided to terminate their service to Kozhikode leaving him high and dry. So now there is no reasonable connection that he can get to Kozhikode without staying overnight at either Chennai or Mumbai (which he cannot do).

So his original Kozhikode ticket has been rerouted to Kochi.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by reverse_gear

Public transport question for the experts here.

What is the best way to get from Cochin airport to Wayanad (to be specific, Pozhuthana). Last leg from Kalpetta or Vythiri can be managed as a pick-up.

Issue is that we have a family get together planned for which most of us will be driving in from Bangalore. But one person is flying in to Kochi and it would be ideal if he can get to and from Wayanad by public transport. Flight arrival time is in the morning around 9am.

Alternatively, are there one-way taxi services that can be hired from the airport?

Taxi should be easily available, but I assume you will need to pay the return fare and hence will be expensive.

Other option (assuming he gets out by 9am) is to take taxi to Thrissur Railway Station and catch the Jan Shatabdi to Calicut (needs reservation). Catch is that the train is scheduled at 10.30 am and I think Kochi airport to Thrissur Station will take 1hr -1hr15 min. So it will be touch and go. From Calicut take a bus again to Kalpetta.

Easiest option is to take taxi to Thrissur and take a pvt bus (there will be one every 15-30 min) or a KSRTC bus to Calicut and then another bus to Kalpettta

Also see that there is a Air india Express flight from Kochi to Calicut at 10am (Was this the one that was cancelled?)

[kala]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Taxi should be easily available, but I assume you will need to pay the return fare and hence will be expensive.

The distance being about 240 kms, I'd think they would charge somewhere around 5 to 6K at the very least.

Other option (assuming he gets out by 9am) is to take taxi to Thrissur Railway Station and catch the Jan Shatabdi to Calicut (needs reservation). Catch is that the train is scheduled at 10.30 am and I think Kochi airport to Thrissur Station will take 1hr -1hr15 min. So it will be touch and go. From Calicut take a bus again to Kalpetta

Better would be to try and catch the train at Alwaye Railway station. (Angamaly would be closer, but I'm not sure if Jan Shatabdi stops there). You should be able to get to Alwaye railway station in about 20 minutes if you take a cab - distance is around 12 kms. Jan Shatabdi timing at Alwaye should be around 9:45 or so if it's Trichur timing is 10:30. Or else one could take Parashuram Exp which should be around 11/11:30 AM or so from Alwaye.

Buses will be more frequent, but in my experience they are quite slow, will probably take a lunch break somewhere on the way and you might end up reaching Calicut at around the same time as Parashuram Exp.

From Kalpetta the distance to Pozhuthana should only be around 70 kms - so may be he could take a taxi. Buses generally take around 2 hours+ to Vythiri (the nearest point to deviate towards Pozhuthana)