[iridium]

Planning to drive from Bangalore to Satara (Kaas, Thosegar), Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Ganapatipule, Ratnagiri.
Starting from Bangalore on Oct 07, 10. Last date by which I need to be back in Bangalore is Oct 16, 10.
Me, wife and 8 year old son.

Thought a lot about in which car to make the trip. Choices were
1. Swift VDI (55k kms)
2. Honda Jazz (approx 5k kms).

Have finalized on the Honda Jazz due to interior space and luggage space.
Acceleration on the highways is a disappointment after having been used to Swift diesel.

Planning to start on Oct 07, 10 at 5:00Am.

Dreamdiesel who had recently been to places there, gave me a possible route. This is given below.

1 : Bangalore – Satara
Night Halt at Satara.

2 : Satara – Mahabaleshwar
Visit Kaas Plateau and Thosegar falls near Satara.
Night halt at Mahabaleshwar.

Day 3 : Mahabaleshwar/Panchgani
Visit Table Land, Sydney Point, Parsi Point and Mapro Garden at Panchgani.
Visit Venna Lake, Waterfalls and many viewpoints at Mahabaleshwar.

Day 4 : Mahabaleshwar – Chiplun – Guhaghar – Velneshwar
Visit Guhaghar Beach and Velneshwar Beach.
Night Halt at Velneshwar

Day 5 : Velneshwar – Ganapatipule – Ratnagiri
Visit Ganapatipule Beach and Temple at Ganapatipule
Visit Ratnadurg Fort, Thiba Point at Ratnagiri
Night Halt at Ratnagiri or Ganapatipule.

Day 6 : Ratnagiri – Tarkali
Visit Beach at Tarkali and Vengurla Beach.
Night halt at Tarkali (MTDC option available)

Day 7 : From Tarkali you have the option of returning back to NH4 via Sawantwadi or continue further south through Goa and then Karwarthen Yellapur and join NH4 at Hubli.

Any more options, places to see from folks who are from that area/visited places in that area.

I haven't done any booking so far. So flexible in my option.

[jeevmenon]

I will be looking out for the Honda Jazz. We shall be 2 hrs behind you on the same road. Hopefully we can catch up, Iridium.

[ampere]

Opening up an old thread. While having look at Kaas location I see that there is a route
from Kaas to Mahabaleshwar without touching Satara, Is this a good route to take?

I have no doubts that it would be scenic. Has anyone taken this route not taken?
Here is the link to the route in question:

Satara to Mahabaleshwar via Kaas,

[laluks]

Originally Posted by ampere

Opening up an old thread. While having look at Kaas location I see that there is a route
from Kaas to Mahabaleshwar without touching Satara, Is this a good route to take?

I have no doubts that it would be scenic. Has anyone taken this route not taken?
Here is the link to the route in question:

Satara to Mahabaleshwar via Kaas,

Yes, Ampere the route is fine,and is less dense in traffic terms.
Moreover Kaas to Mahabaleswar via Tapola is a also a nice road. I had taken that route ins September 2011, while on a Kaas, mahabaleshwar Hampi circuit. yet to log it

[ampere]

Originally Posted by laluks

Yes, Ampere the route is fine,and is less dense in traffic terms.
Moreover Kaas to Mahabaleswar via Tapola is a also a nice road. I had taken that route ins September 2011, while on a Kaas,
mahabaleshwar Hampi circuit. yet to log it

@Lalu. Sorry I meant the road via Tapola only. I think while posting the link, I just posted the other one.
I wanted to know about the road which snakes around the reservoir (The one you referred to )

Thanks. Definitely looks like a road to be enjoyed! Need to try it some day.

[sharekhan4]

Originally Posted by ampere

I wanted to know about the road which snakes around the reservoir (The one you referred to )

Reopening an old thread again as I'm going to do Bangalore-Mahabaleshwar in about 2 weeks. Googlemaps suggests this route which seems to be more direct to Mahabaleshwar. Ampere, I guess its not the same reservoir you mean is it? Have any of your been on this and what's your feedback? It seems to be SH-58 so I imagine it might be a decent road.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sharekhan4

Reopening an old thread again as I'm going to do Bangalore-Mahabaleshwar in about 2 weeks. Googlemaps suggests Have any of your been on this and what's your feedback? It seems to be SH-58 so I imagine it might be a decent road.

This is a different reservoir (as Google labels it as Kanher dam! Its not the Bamnoli location). Satara-Mahabaleshwar is the standard road taken when coming form South (SH58).
The road to Mahabaleshwar from Kaas/Tapola is pretty bad and locals advised against taking this road. So if you want to visit Kaas, you need to separately fork from Satara.

Here is a visual of the dam atop the Kaas road.

[airguitar]

Bump..

I'm doing a similar trip at the peak of the Monsoons ( Either the first week of July or the last week of July ). Mostly to savour rains, ghats , konkan and Malvani food and forts. It could be a single-driver trip mostly. Require expert advice / review of this plan as well as stay recommendations and corrections to make this more friendly as you feel appropriate


Day 1 : Bangalore - Belgaum - Amboli ( Stay at Amboli MTDC )

Day 2 : Amboli - Sawantwadi - Tiracol (Detour) - Vengurla

Day 3 : Vengurla - Kunkeshwar
( Visit : Redi/Sagartheerth/Velagar/Devgad Fort ; Stay recommendation required )

Day 4 : Kunkeshwar- Ambaghat ( Jungle Resort Amba )

Day 5 : Amba - Ratnagiri - Ganpati Pule ( Stay ) (Visit Ratnadurg fort, Tilak Museum, Thiba, Ganpati Pule temple, beach, and Malgund ).

Day 6 : Ganpati Pule - Mahabaleshwar/Panchgani ( Visit Pratapgarh )

Day 7 : Mahabaleshwar/Panchgani sightseeing/rest

Day 8 : Mahabaleshwar - Kaas - Kolhapur - Belgaum

Day 9 : Belgaum - Bangalore


Is this plan doable or foolhardy? Possible to throw in a dam ( e.g. Koyna ) or some wildlife places ( although would be a bad time to seek wildlife ). I had grander plans to visit places northwards of Pune ( Matheran, Malshej etc) but looked foolish to attempt everything in one go.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by airguitar

Is this plan doable or foolhardy? Possible to throw in a dam ( e.g. Koyna ) or some wildlife places ( although would be a bad time to seek wildlife ). I had grander plans to visit places northwards of Pune ( Matheran, Malshej etc) but looked foolish to attempt everything in one go.

- Koyna dam/region is further up to Kaas towards Bamnoli/Tapola
- Any plans to add Wai?

[NPV]

For Mahabaleshwar-Kaas, gmaps is suggesting this route:
Map link

1. How are the roads on this route ? Are there alternative routes to consider ?
2. With a 9am start from Mahabaleshwar, what time can one expect to be at Kaas ?
3. Any other places to visit en route without too much detour ?
4. Options for lunch/breaks on this route ?

OT:This thread seems to have gotten bumped every 1 or 2 years and my post blends with this pattern

[Dodge_Viper]

Originally Posted by NPV

For Mahabaleshwar-Kaas, gmaps is suggesting this route:
Map link

1. How are the roads on this route ? Are there alternative routes to consider ?
2. With a 9am start from Mahabaleshwar, what time can one expect to be at Kaas ?
3. Any other places to visit en route without too much detour ?
4. Options for lunch/breaks on this route ?

OT:This thread seems to have gotten bumped every 1 or 2 years and my post blends with this pattern

The route shown in gmaps, last I had heard it was offroad shortcut from Mahabaleshwar to Kaas. Few years back I had seen this route from Kaas side and it was a dirt track. Not sure about recent updates.

9AM start from Mahaby if taken the normal route - Mahaby-Panchgani-Satara-Kaas should be around approx 3 hours. Not much to see en route to Satara.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

For Mahabaleshwar-Kaas, gmaps is suggesting this route:
1. How are the roads on this route ? Are there alternative routes to consider ?

No. As @dodge_viper said, the only option is to come to back to Satara.

2. With a 9am start from Mahabaleshwar, what time can one expect to be at Kaas ?

3 hours is a good time

3. Any other places to visit en route without too much detour ?

Further down is Bamnoli. Or another route from Satara is Thoseghar.

4. Options for lunch/breaks on this route ?

Eat at Nivant. A good view from the hotel. Decent food and the place is on the Kaas road.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

Further down is Bamnoli. Or another route from Satara is Thoseghar.

There is a road via Ruighar (off the Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani road) leading to Bamnoli. Can we take this route then to do Mahabs-Bamnoli-Kaas, Thosegar can be done if time permits.

Map Link

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

There is a road via Ruighar (off the Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani road) leading to Bamnoli. Can we take this route then to do Mahabs-Bamnoli-Kaas, Thosegar can be done if time permits.

We were advised not to go there as well. We went quite up on that route beyond Bamnoli and returned. Any way we were not planning to go all the way till Mahabaleshwar. Hence did not press much on the exploration part.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

We were advised not to go there as well. We went quite up on that route beyond Bamnoli and returned. Any way we were not planning to go all the way till Mahabaleshwar. Hence did not press much on the exploration part.

Oh
Here's another one via Medha which is SH 58, is this route possible ? Or should one go all the way from Mahabaleshwar to Panchgani and Wai, then to Satara on the NH 4/48 and onwards to Kaas ? (seems too circuitous)
Map Link