[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by crossroads

Here is my plan.

Day 1 (Thursday) - Mangalore - Dharmastala - Sringeri (Night Halt at Sringeri)

Train reaches Mangalore at 5 AM. Catch a cab and reach Dharamastala. Book a room, freshen up and visit the temple. Have lunch at Dharmastala and start to Sringeri. If possible visit Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple and try to reach Sringeri by evening. Have a darshan in Sringeri and halt at Sringeri.

I suggest you include if possible Karkala in this route. there is a Gomateshwara + some old jain basadis in karkala.

Day 2 (Friday) - Sringeri - Kollur - Udupi (Night Halt at Udupi)

Visit VidyaShankar temple and other temples in Sringeri in the morning and start to Kollur. Have Darshan at Kollur and reach Udupi in the evening. Visit Krishna temple and other temples on Friday evening and spend the night in Udupi.

I suggest you to spend some time in agumbe, and then visit Kollur.
you can add maravanthe beach which is close to NH17-Kollur road intersection. I suggest you to stay at Kundapur which will help you cover Aanegudde temple the next day morning as it is on way from Kundapur to Udupi.

Day 3 (Saturday) - Udupi - Mangalore (Catch 9:30 PM train)

Visit Anegudde Ganapati temple, Maple beach, St. Mary's Island and any other tourist places? Start from Udupi around 6 PM and reach Mangalore to catch the train at 9:30 PM.

Is this a good plan? Please suggest any places that I might have missed or have I packed too many places in my iterinary?

I suggest you include Kaup beach on way from Udupi to Mangalore.
If you leave Udupi by 4:30 PM then you can spend couple of hours at Kaup beach say between 5 PM to 6:30 PM and then proceed to Mangalore.

[crossroads]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

I suggest you include if possible Karkala in this route. there is a Gomateshwara + some old jain basadis in karkala.



I suggest you to spend some time in agumbe, and then visit Kollur.
you can add maravanthe beach which is close to NH17-Kollur road intersection. I suggest you to stay at Kundapur which will help you cover Aanegudde temple the next day morning as it is on way from Kundapur to Udupi.



I suggest you include Kaup beach on way from Udupi to Mangalore.
If you leave Udupi by 4:30 PM then you can spend couple of hours at Kaup beach say between 5 PM to 6:30 PM and then proceed to Mangalore.

Thanks StarVegaBond. I have finalized your above plan. Now need to book a decent hotel in Udupi and check for accommodation in Sringeri.

[Revy]

Folks, my trip over the weekend was great ! Bangalore - Hasan - Chikmagalore - Sringeri - Agumbe - Vandse - Kollur on 20 Aug. Started from Bangalore around 6:30 AM, good roads till Chikmagalore. Hasan - Chikmagalore is a delight to drive. Though 2 lane, the surface is very good, low traffic. After Chikmagalore, it is lot of ups and downs, curves, ghat sections - still this route is somewhat ok. Drive on the Agumbe ghats is great experience, I loved the lush green forests there. Reached Kollur by 5 PM, I was taking breaks and relaxed style of driving.

Next day, went to Murudeswar from Kollur. It is only 60 KM, but the drive on NS 13 is a unique experience...On most parts, road is non existent.

PS : It is not a typo that I wrote "NS 13". I would rather call it "National Shame" than National Highway".

More about my return trip via Honavar - Jog falls - Shimoga - Thumkur - Bangalore in later posts.

Lohitrao/roamingrao - Thanks a ton for your detailed instructions, it was so valuable. I had a GPS device to assist, but your info was reliable than GPS always !

[roamingrao]

Originally Posted by Revy

Next day, went to Murudeswar from Kollur. It is only 60 KM, but the drive on NS 13 is a unique experience...On most parts, road is non existent.

NH17 and not as mentioned ( NH13 )

[ampere]

So what is the latest update on above subject?

If you are on NICE road, is it worth exiting to Magadi and joining beyond Kunigal or go all the way to Nelamangala and take the regular NH48?

[Revy]

Originally Posted by ampere

So what is the latest update on above subject?

If you are on NICE road, is it worth exiting to Magadi and joining beyond Kunigal or go all the way to Nelamangala and take the regular NH48?

I took the Magadi route last weekend. I think it saves lot of km for you and road is in good shape, except for few small stretches. Early mornings, you can zip past Magadi and join the Hasan road.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Revy

I took the Magadi route last weekend. I think it saves lot of km for you and road is in good shape, except for few small stretches. Early mornings, you can zip past Magadi and join the Hasan road.

Thanks. That helps a lot. How about return. I guess it would be the same.

[Revy]

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks. That helps a lot. How about return. I guess it would be the same.

I am not very sure of the return route..While coming back from Murudeswar, I took the Shimoga - Tumkur route. I was kind of exploring and when I found a diversion to Hebbal, I took that straight away and entered outer ring road, as Sarjapur road was my destination. I really had no clue how to get into NICE road while coming from Tumkur.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Revy

I am not very sure of the return route..While coming back from Murudeswar, I took the Shimoga - Tumkur route. I was kind of exploring and when I found a diversion to Hebbal, I took that straight away and entered outer ring road, as Sarjapur road was my destination. I really had no clue how to get into NICE road while coming from Tumkur.

That is pretty straight forward. You should see the NICE road exit.
What I was commenting upon was that Magadi would still be worth taking while coming back from Hassan.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by ampere

So what is the latest update on above subject?

If you are on NICE road, is it worth exiting to Magadi and joining beyond Kunigal or go all the way to Nelamangala and take the regular NH48?

If you are taking the NICE Road from South Bangalore, the best way to enter NH48 is via Magadi since this will be shorter and has good roads till NH 48. This holds good for the return journey as well. If you are exiting from North Bangalore (Yeshwantpur and beyond) it makes sense to take the regular Nelamangala route as it is way too long to go via Magadi.

The road condition is deteriorating inside Magadi town. It has become a pain to cross it nowadays. But, other than that, it is a smooth drive all the way to NH48.

Originally Posted by Revy

I am not very sure of the return route..While coming back from Murudeswar, I took the Shimoga - Tumkur route. I was kind of exploring and when I found a diversion to Hebbal, I took that straight away and entered outer ring road, as Sarjapur road was my destination. I really had no clue how to get into NICE road while coming from Tumkur.

Where exactly did you divert to Hebbal? The NICE road ramps are situated just after the Himalaya Drug Company in Makali village. Another landmark is the 'Bangalore International Exhibition Center (BIEC)'. The ramp is just after this.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

If you are taking the NICE Road from South Bangalore, the best way to enter NH48 is via Magadi since this will be shorter and has good roads till NH 48. This holds good for the return journey as well. If you are exiting from North Bangalore (Yeshwantpur and beyond) it makes sense to take the regular Nelamangala route as it is way too long to go via Magadi.

The road condition is deteriorating inside Magadi town. It has become a pain to cross it nowadays. But, other than that, it is a smooth drive all the way to NH48.

Thanks Addy for that. As long as the route provides a CCD (....)!

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by ampere

So what is the latest update on above subject?

If you are on NICE road, is it worth exiting to Magadi and joining beyond Kunigal or go all the way to Nelamangala and take the regular NH48?

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks. That helps a lot. How about return. I guess it would be the same.

I would still say take Magadi Road.
Last week took Kunigal - Nelmangala route and it was a biggest mistake once again, too many speed breakers + Traffic Jam. Once the flyover is open it's better to travel in this route.

Originally Posted by Revy

It is not a typo that I wrote "NS 13". I would rather call it "National Shame" than National Highway".

Originally Posted by roamingrao

NH17 and not as mentioned ( NH13 )

Not NS.....
As Samurai says it's NATIONAL HORROR -17

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks Addy for that. As long as the route provides a CCD (....)!

There are 2 CCD's. 1 in Bellur Cross, other at Udayapura.

[Samurai]

In the last 6 days, I have driven in Sampaje, Bisle and Agumbe ghats. I wouldn't suggest the Bisle to anybody as of now. The other two are manageable.

[funda2max]

I am traveling to Udupi next month on vacation about a week. We are planning to visit Sirsi, Sodhe and other near by places. I haven't traveled beyond Byndoor. Can someone suggest good places to visit and route to the above places?

Thanks

[HappyWheels]

Planning to do this trip on 10th September.

Thanks to the discussions below, I think I will stick to the route mentioned by RoamingRoa in the quoted post.

Originally Posted by roamingrao

Revy, Have a great drive and darshan ! wishing you a smooth ride throughout !

Important turns / points on the route :

Bangalore - Hassan - Belur : do not take Hassan byepass, enter and cross the crowded town and take right to Belur at tannirhalla. ( approx 3 kms from town centre towards Mangalore )

Belur - Chikmagalur : at belur town entrance junction, proceed straight towards Chikmagalur. At chikmagalur ( can be confusing ), ask for mudigere road, proceed 8 kms and turn right towards aldur / Balehonnur at Vastare.

Balehonnur - Sringeri : important to take left U turn at Jayapura town to proceed to Sringeri. At sringeri ( temple closes from 12 noon to 4 pm ), ask for road to agumbe.

Agumbe - Someshwara - Haladi - Vandse - Kollur : after descending agumbe ghats, turn right towards kollur / Kundapura ( prominent board ) at someshwara. From here on, kollur is a straight drive via vandse.

Hope this helps..

Originally Posted by Revy

roamingrao - thanks a lot for the update ! I am so excited of the trip, tomorrow early morning I will start from Bangalore. By 6:30 AM at least. Hope I will be able to reach Kollur by evening. My target is at least by 5 PM, hope that's possible without much risky driving and couple of short breaks in between.

@Revy: What is the total distance from Bangalore to Kollur? I have 3 days in hand, reckon, I will take one each for the drive and 1 day over there. Not planning too many visit to any other place over there; Kollur Mookambikai has been a plan-cancel kind of trip for some time now. Hope to make it this time.

Would appreciate any suggestions on a good place to stay.

Originally Posted by Revy

I am not very sure of the return route..While coming back from Murudeswar, I took the Shimoga - Tumkur route...

Did you do this drive over a single day or was there a stop over at some place? I reckon the route thru Shimoga is a beau to drive thru.