[ankan.m.blr]

Hi TBHPians, please help me out with a holiday route planning of Bangalore - Udupi - Gokarna - Karwar - Bangalore. I drive a petrol ritz and my wife & 7-month-old son will be travelling (son buckled in infant seat); so please suggest the best route in terms of road condition as well as restroom facilities. The plan is to start on 26-Jan morning from Bangalore.
Day 1 (26-Jan Thursday) : Bangalore - Udupi (overnight stay at Udupi). Please suggest the best route.
Day 2 (27-Jan Friday) : Udupi - Gokarna (overnight stay at Gokarna)
Day 3 (28-Jan Saturday) : Gokarna - Karwar (overnight stay at Karwar)
Day 4 (29-Jan Sunday) : Karwar to Bangalore return. Please suggest the best route for return.
Also kindly suggest of you know of any no-so-expensive accommodation options with safe parking facility.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Hi TBHPians, please help me out with a holiday route planning of Bangalore - Udupi - Gokarna - Karwar - Bangalore.

I would suggest one of these options:
1. Bangalore-Hubli on NH 48-left turn onto NH 52 towards Yellapur/Ankola-turn left onto NH 66 near Ankola and then turn right towards Gokarna. Roads are good on NH 48, mostly good on NH 52 and 66 as well.
*google maps also suggests the Mirjan-Ramnagar road via Madangeri to Gokarna, but I'm not sure about road conditions (this will help bypass Ankola).

2. Bangalore-Haveri on NH 48-left turn onto SH2 and proceed via Akki Alur, Yekkambi to Sirsi-then SH 69 to Kumta. Before you merge onto NH 66 near Kumta you will see a right turn, take that and it merges onto NH 66 towards Mirjan (otherwise you will end up going southwards on NH 66 towards Kumta and will need to make a U-turn ahead. The merge point is easily missed as it seems like the continuation of SH 69!)

Then from NH 66 you can turn off to Gokarna. Roads are good all the way, first 30Km of Haveri-Sirsi route has rumblers but easily manageable in day time.

From Gokarna, get back to NH 66 and proceed northwards to Karwar.

Maybe you can try both the routes, one for onwards and one for return.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Bangalore - Udupi - Gokarna - Karwar - Bangalore.

And I presume you have a reason to do Udupi and then head to Gokarna and Karwar unless you think that is the best route for Gokarna.

Day 1 (26-Jan Thursday) : Bangalore - Udupi (overnight stay at Udupi). Please suggest the best route.

Good route conditions, mediocre facilities post Belur:

Bangalore - Kunigal - Hassan - Belur - Mudigere - Kottigehara - Charmadi - Ujire - Belthangady - Guruvayanakere - Naravi - Karkala - Belman - Panjimar - Udupi

Mixed route conditions with current bad state of Shiradi Ghats, but better facilities:

Bangalore - Kunigal - Hassan - Sakaleshpur - Gundya - BC Road - Mangalore - Udupi

Day 2 (27-Jan Friday) : Udupi - Gokarna (overnight stay at Gokarna)

The usual coastal route via NH17 (now 66) : Udupi - Kundapura - Baindoor - Honnavara - Bhatkal - Kumta - Gokarna. No Brainer there. Roads are under construction (4 laning) more so beyond Kundapura and hence expect diversions frequently.

Day 3 (28-Jan Saturday) : Gokarna - Karwar (overnight stay at Karwar)

The usual route again through NH17.

Day 4 (29-Jan Sunday) : Karwar to Bangalore return. Please suggest the best route for return.

Easy with Kids and Family:
Karwar - Ankola - Yellapura - Kalhatgi - Hubli Bypass - Davanagere- Tumkur -Bangalore

Shorter but often lonely for an hour till you reach NH4
karwar - Ankola - Yellapura - Mungod - Bankapura - Davanagere - Tumkur- Bangalore

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

Hi TBHPians, please help me out with a holiday route planning of Bangalore - Udupi - Gokarna - Karwar - Bangalore.

Originally Posted by NPV

I would suggest one of these options:
...
Maybe you can try both the routes, one for onwards and one for return.

I missed the fact that you plan to visit Udupi, so as Parag has suggested, use the Shiradi (with caution) or Charmady routes for onward journey. You can do the Hubli route for your return from Karwar, or even Sirsi-Haveri.

[ankan.m.blr]

Originally Posted by NPV

I missed the fact that you plan to visit Udupi, so as Parag has suggested, use the Shiradi (with caution) or Charmady routes for onward journey. You can do the Hubli route for your return from Karwar, or even Sirsi-Haveri.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

And I presume you have a reason to do Udupi and then head to Gokarna and Karwar unless you think that is the best route for Gokarna.

Some friends visited Udupi last year and they always talk about a wonderful boatride to an island from Malpe beach (most probably St Mary's island). That's my primary interest to visit Udupi.

Based on both your suggestion, I am considering Hassan-Mudigere-Charmadi route. Some of the earlier posts in this thread mention an alternate route to Udupi via Madikeri - Sullia - Mangalore. I have been till Madikeri few times and enjoyed the drive. G-maps says its 40+ KM more that the Charmadi ghat route. Confusion again.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr

I have been till Madikeri few times and enjoyed the drive. G-maps says its 40+ KM more that the Charmadi ghat route. Confusion again.

No need to take the unwanted detour via Madikeri Sullya. Stick to Charmadi or Shiradi for now.

[raghavan]

Returned from a 4 day trip last night.

Day 1:

Leg#1 : Bangalore - Sringeri (6.5 Hrs with an hour break)

Bangalore (Girinagar - NICE - Tumkur Rd) - Hassan : Excellent roads, thin traffic, Empty Toll booths - 2.15 Hrs
Hassan - Belur Cross - Chikmagalur : Watch out for speed humps taking shade under a tree, and obviously no markings / indication about them
Chikmagalur - Sringeri : Little narrow road, with moderate to good road surface. Road has rough patches as we near Sringeri village.

Leg#2 : Sringeri - Udupi (via Agumbe) :
Newly laid tarmac and the fresh markings made the drive in the night (9PM - 10:45PM) quite easy
Was following a taxi for safety but not recommended for first timers.
The scenic beauty is missed in a night drive.

Day 2: Udupi (no driving around)

Day 3: Udupi - Mandarthi - Anegudde - Murudeshwara - Gokarna

Udupi - Kundapura : Very nice 4 laned road and you can just fly.

Kundapura - Gokarna : 4 laning in progess, Few rough patches, Passes through towns which will slow down the speed
Non stop to Gokarna would take 4.5 to 5 hours unless you are used to that road and can drive faster. Some cars crossed me and just disappeared.

Day 4: Gokarna - Sirsi - Haveri - C'Durga - Bangalore

Gokarna - Sirsi : Nice road surface with very little rough patches, thin traffic on ghats and very scenic all around, took 1.15 Hours

Sirsi - Haveri : Nice road surface with little rough patches, but the width and the surface becomes much better after hangal, watch for the umpteen speed humps (much needed for the villagers safety though).

Haveri - Bangalore : 4 laned, Tolled, mild undulations. C'Durga - Tumkur (and little beyond) 6 laned and you have to impose a limit for yourself. It took me 3.5 hrs from Haveri - Nice Road exit (on Tumkur Rd).

Didn't use either of the Ghats (Chamadi / Shiradi) in this trip, so can't comment about the condition.

Overall a very nice drive and a incident free trip.

Thank you guys for your guidance.

[DragonHawk]

4 Lane work is getting started in Hassan-Sakaleshpur and Gundya-BC Road stretch. Yesterday while my return journey to Bangalore, I could see trees are getting cut across this stretch. Expect this to cause a little congestion during weekend as they are blocking the traffic while clearing the logs fell in the road.

Surprisingly Google map is listing Gundya-Nelyadi stretch as closed and whoever is travelling in this stretch please note that it is not closed you can take this route albeit considering the above work in progress.

[_chikku]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

4 Lane work is getting started in Hassan-Sakaleshpur and Gundya-BC Road stretch. Yesterday while my return journey to Bangalore, I could see trees are getting cut across this stretch. Expect this to cause a little congestion during weekend as they are blocking the traffic while clearing the logs fell in the road.

Although road expansion is a good news, its very sad to see the trees being cut. Hasana - Sakaleshpura has a very nice tree line along the road. Wish they could have just built a road parallel road to this.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

4 Lane work is getting started in Hassan-Sakaleshpur and Gundya-BC Road stretch.

Along with construction of toll booths already near Alur. We are never late there .

Surprisingly Google map is listing Gundya-Nelyadi stretch as closed and whoever is travelling in this stretch please note that it is not closed you can take this route albeit considering the above work in progress.

This is a bigger problem with Googlemaps. Its so easily falls prey to Media reports and forgets the fact that it can still see (Track) those driving here on a road that it shows as "closed".

Last time also it showed this stretch as closed and I asked a BHPian (Klub_Class) to make correction to this and in was approved by google in a day and the road was shown open after that. Let me do that again.

[Gany]

I agree with @ Chikku. It is really sad to see the trees being cut. They are huge ones and we can never regrow them! Unfortunate that this huge trees will be replaced by some flowering bushes exposing the road to direct sun and increase local temperature!

After all this development we see morons driving recklessly, overtaking on blind curves etc! In my recent drive to & fro, seen many such incidents throughout the ghat section!

I heard they are closing the road sometime this month! Does anyone know if there is a plan to close the road for 6 months? I am planning to drive down sometime during this month!

[prathibha.pb]

Hello,

We would be doing road trip from Bangalore to Kota (Udupi). We have following route options. Please suggest which is better, from road conditions and safe to drive point of view. This is our first long road trip.

Option 1:
Bangalore -> Hassan -> Belur ->Mudigere -> Charmadi -> Belthangady -> Naravi -> Karkala -> Belman -> Panjimar -> Udupi -> Brahmavar -> Kota

Option 2:
Bangalore -> Hassan -> Sakaleshpur -> Gundya -> BC Road -> Mangalore -> Udupi

We would be driving our Jazz automatic.

Thanks,
Prathibha

[balechaparka]

Originally Posted by prathibha.pb

Hello,

We would be doing road trip from Bangalore to Kota (Udupi). We have following route options. Please suggest which is better, from road conditions and safe to drive point of view. This is our first long road trip.

Option 1:
Bangalore -> Hassan -> Belur ->Mudigere -> Charmadi -> Belthangady -> Naravi -> Karkala -> Belman -> Panjimar -> Udupi -> Brahmavar -> Kota

Option 2:
Bangalore -> Hassan -> Sakaleshpur -> Gundya -> BC Road -> Mangalore -> Udupi

We would be driving our Jazz automatic.

Thanks,
Prathibha

Option 1 is better.
Bangalore -> Hassan -> Belur ->Mudigere -> Charmadi -> Belthangady -> Naravi -> Karkala Bypass -> Jodurasthe -> Hiriyadka -> Manipali -> End point road->perampalli ,Then join NH highway -> Kota.

U can avoid Karkala city,Udupi city.No need to go via Pudubidri I believe.

[prathibha.pb]

Thank you so much. How is the road at Mudigere and Charmadi ghats?

[RaguHolla]

Well, Shiradi work won't happen anytime soon. Its postponed indefinitely as Contractor unable to start work! The whole process has to repeat, along with new contractor selection. Happy pot hole riding people. More here...

Question: Will road be drive able till monsoon hits? I sense this thread springing to life now on!