[hvkumar]

The printed maps are all very good.

[rk_sans]

I need to travel to Udupi next week. And i did not see anybody mentioning about the attached route(Specially between Shimoga to Udupi). Any suggestions.
Or Should i stick to Bangalore to Udupi thru Shiradi Ghat itself ?

[RaguHolla]

Originally Posted by rk_sans

I need to travel to Udupi next week. And i did not see anybody mentioning about the attached route(Specially between Shimoga to Udupi). Any suggestions.
Or Should i stick to Bangalore to Udupi thru Shiradi Ghat itself ?

If you intended to travel via Shimoga, then from Thirhalli, I propose
Thrithahalli -> Agumbe -> Hebri _ Udupi route! This is better route.

Again going to Udupi via Shiradi is bit long route, if you plan to hit NH17 via mangalore its a very bad idea, as NH17 isn't exists between Mangalore and Surathkal, and lots of pot holes till Udupi too!

If via shimoga required why not Bangalore -> Hasan -> Belur-> chikmaglur -> Agumbe -> Hebri -> Udupi route?

[rk_sans]

Originally Posted by RaguHolla

If you intended to travel via Shimoga, then from Thirhalli, I propose
Thrithahalli -> Agumbe -> Hebri _ Udupi route! This is better route.

Again going to Udupi via Shiradi is bit long route, if you plan to hit NH17 via mangalore its a very bad idea, as NH17 isn't exists between Mangalore and Surathkal, and lots of pot holes till Udupi too!

If via shimoga required why not Bangalore -> Hasan -> Belur-> chikmaglur -> Agumbe -> Hebri -> Udupi route?

Thanks for the info.
No other requirement except reaching Udupi.
So any info about the route you have specified that is Bangalore to Udupi via Chikmaglur.

[RaguHolla]

Originally Posted by rk_sans

Thanks for the info.
No other requirement except reaching Udupi.
So any info about the route you have specified that is Bangalore to Udupi via Chikmaglur.

Last month I did this route, you can find details here. I have been told distance difference between Bangalore ~Thirthahalli (via shimoga) and Bangalore ~ Agumbe (via Chikmaglur) is around 6~7km. StarVegabond did last month this route. His experience is here and here. Chikmaglur route is full of twists and turns (after Adlur till you reach Someshwara). I could do 70 Kmh in these turns, but not more.

[rajshenoy]

My journey plan from Bangalore to udupi is fixed, but on the return leg i need to take my little one to sringeri temple.

I have travelled on the Agumbe-Sringeri-chikmaglur-hassan-bangalore route many times but recently i am hearing people talking about bad stretches, esp between Hassan and bangalore

Or is it so bad that from sringeri i need to take diversion towards Shimoga side or join somewhere near arasikere to avoid Hassan-bangalore stretch(This will definitely add some km's to the distance) but i am more concerned about the time taken to reach destination.

[bullinb]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

recently i am hearing people talking about bad stretches, esp between Hassan and bangalore

Or is it so bad that from sringeri i need to take diversion towards Shimoga side or join somewhere near arasikere to avoid Hassan-bangalore stretch

Hassan - Bangalore stretch is much better than what it used to be six months back. A lot of the four laning work is now complete. I traveled to Udupi and back over the last weekend and had absolutely no problem here even at night. There are a few flyovers being constructed, one in Bellur cross and other in Yediyur (I think), and the diversions here are a bit messy but not worse than what we go through everyday in Bangalore's construction sites. The letdown actually is the Magadi road which has deteriorated badly in patches.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by RaguHolla

Again going to Udupi via Shiradi is bit long route

That is not true. Shiradi is one of the shortest path between Bangalore-Udupi and certainly the fastest.

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That is not true. Shiradi is one of the shortest path between Bangalore-Udupi and certainly the fastest.

Attachment 434962

I guess he meant going all the way to Mangalore to reach Udupi. The map Samurai showed is definitely one of the shortest distances to reach to Udupi

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by Samurai

That is not true. Shiradi is one of the shortest path between Bangalore-Udupi and certainly the fastest.

Agreed. That said, if one is headed to anywhere further north, say Kundapura AND given the current condition of NH17, I would recommend going via Agumbe, either through Shimoga/T'halli or C'magalur/Sringeri.

[rex_varghese]

I need to attend a funeral at Uthine(near Nelliadi) tomorrow morning at 11am.

What time I should start from Bangalore tomorrow morning, if I need to reach Uthine, in time for the function, considering the road conditions? Will 5am be ok?

Also, it would be helpful if I can get suggestions on some decent family accommodation in Mangalore for Friday/Saturday.

Regards
Rex Varghese

[lohithrao]

Rex, 5am should be fine.

Would suggest "Woodlands", good food, parking facility and decent rooms...vfm

[rex_varghese]

Thanks much, Lohit!

Infact, we started on Thursday night and halted at Sri Krishna Hotel in Hassan. Started at 8:40pm from Bangalore and reached the hotel around 12:20am. The road after the Nelamangala turn was in bad condition with too many diversions and heavy vehicles with high beams on, all the time. In my opinion, this stretch should be avoided during night, if possible. Some part of the road is good with four-laning work almost done.

We started from Hassan around 8am targetting to hit Udane by 9:30 or 10am. But, Shiradi ghat section was so bad that we took 2:30 hrs to cover 83 kms.

After the function, we decided to visit Mangalore. We drove to Summer Sands resort (I'll write a separate post on the resort later) in Ullal.That was another bad experience. We took NH48 all the way to the city till it meets NH17 and then took NH17 to reach Ullal. It was a mistake. Road from BC Road Junction to city and NH17 all through to Ullal is in very bad state.

On our return, we took University road (from Ullal/NH17) and reached Panemangalore/Melkar skipping the NH17 and NH48 bad stretches.

Now, the issue was whether to take the Shiradi Ghats back to Bangalore or take Sullya ghats to reach Bangalore via Madikeri.

At Mani, whomever we asked appears to be saying that both roads are good and many preferred Shiradi ghat route. A person from Summer Sands had suggested to take Sullya ghat route. So, finally with lot of thinking and for not wanting to take Shiradi ghat and to experience a new route we took the turn to Puttur from Mani at 6:30pm. I would say that road was not great, but was decent and did not disappoint us as much as Shiradi ghats. We reached Madikeri around 9:30pm coveing 100kms.

Left Madikeri at 10:30 hrs, after dinner and hit home in Bangalore at 2:35am Sunday.

Overall an interesting and tiring trip. But, would say the Madikeri route is anytime better, except that it's around 40kms extra distance compared to the Hassan route. But, when you look at the first class roads from Madikeri (except Kushal Nagar and few kms is Madikeri town) to Bangalore, I think it's worth it. I also came to know that many of the Mangalore-Bangalore Volvo buses take the Madikeri route too.

Regards
Rex

All Bangaloreans: We keep complaining about bad roads in Bangalore. If you want to know bad roads, drive up to Mangalore. I'm not sure whether I visited only the bad part (with respect to roads) of Mangalore. If that's the case, all Mangaloreans please pardon me. Else, I'm sorry for you guys.

Originally Posted by lohithrao

Rex, 5am should be fine.

Would suggest "Woodlands", good food, parking facility and decent rooms...vfm

[Samurai]

For people travelling to Mangalore, the Madikeri route only adds 30kms. But the Sampaje ghat is lot more twisty and can cause body ache.

BTW, I drove the Shiradi again yesterday, it is continuously bad, so it is predictable unlike the chikmagalur route which keeps throwing up booby traps.

[lohithrao]

Rex, unfortunately NH17 has become a horror through out, as Samurai calls it "National Horror" drive from mangalore and kundapura is like playing a game "miss the pot holes"! you will find in all sizes....