[revhappy]

Originally Posted by revhappy

Hi All,

It is that time of the year to make the road trip to Kundapura. We are travelling, tomorrow morning around 7am, in an Alto 800, from Bangalore to Kundapura. My car doesn't have fasttag. I live in Singapore and just came for vacation and applied for the fasttag but hasn't arrived yet. I guess long wait at the toll gates :(.

Can you guys please suggest the best route? Should I just follow the route prompted by Google maps? >> Hasan - Belur- balehonnur-hariharapura-agumbe-halady-Kundapura?

Thanks in advance!

Hi All,

I did the above route while coming to Kundapur. Although it was a nice drive. I am a bit sceptical about going uphill on the agumbe ghat.

Can you guys please suggest an alternative route to skip Agumbe ghat?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by ansumaan

Hello ,
I am planning to travel to Manipal from Bangalore this weekend . Google map suggests to take the Agumbe route via Belur--> Sringeri -->Agumbe-->Manipal.
Should I take this route or BLR--> Hasan-->Siradi--> Mangalore--> Manipal route ?

Well, I did both the above routes in the last one month. In fact, I also did Hassan-Shiradi-Dharmasthala-Ujire-Bajagoli-Karkala-Manipal. I would recommend this route.

Originally Posted by revhappy

I did the above route while coming to Kundapur. Although it was a nice drive. I am a bit sceptical about going uphill on the agumbe ghat.

I think you will like the alternatives even less, the nearest alternative is Hulikal ghat, that is not better than Agumbe.

Otherwise, you can go via Karkala to Ujire and then choose between Charmadi or Shiradi at Ujire.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by revhappy

I am a bit sceptical about going uphill on the agumbe ghat.

IMO uphills are easier than downhill, best would be to follow another car of similar size and easily climb up Agumbe. Other options are Karkala - Kudremukha - Kalasa - Belur OR Mudabidri - Charmady - Belur

[NPV]

Originally Posted by revhappy

Can you guys please suggest an alternative route to skip Agumbe ghat?

Agumbe isn't very steep, treacherous or long, just a few hair pin bends and surface is mostly good, only 2-3 hairpins are bit steep which should be manageable if you're in the right gears.

I'm assuming you took Agumbe ghat downhill, so you would have first hand experience.

[revhappy]

Originally Posted by procrj

IMO uphills are easier than downhill, best would be to follow another car of similar size and easily climb up Agumbe. Other options are Karkala - Kudremukha - Kalasa - Belur OR Mudabidri - Charmady - Belur

Originally Posted by NPV

Agumbe isn't very steep, treacherous or long, just a few hair pin bends and surface is mostly good, only 2-3 hairpins are bit steep which should be manageable if you're in the right gears.

I'm assuming you took Agumbe ghat downhill, so you would have first hand experience.

Yes, I took the Agumbe ghat downhill and it was a piece of cake. I guess because I haven't driven for a long time, makes me scared about the uphill and being stuck in a jam near the bends. I will take the same route for the return journey.

Cheers and thanks guys for the help!

[aithalsandy]

@Revhappy,

Hulikal is easier than Agumbe, the roads are wider and less traffic. But you will see some truck traffic as they can't take Agumbe - mostly petroleum and timber.

[ash_blore]

Did a trip last week to Udupi and back to Bangalore. Going to Udupi I took the charmadi route and on the return leg I took the Udupi - Mangalore - shiradi - BLR route. While the shiradi route (from Udupi) is longer by about 20Kms I took 6hrs travel time both ways.

My vote is definitely for charmadi route. It is way smoother than shiradi. There is proper smooth tarmac throughout.

The shiradi route doesnt have potholes as they have all been patched up. However, this means that the road is not smooth and there are patches everywhere from Mangalore to Hasan (except for the concrete ghat section which is awesome!!!). The ride till Hasan will be bumpy.

The other aspect in favor of charmadi is there is almost no traffic. I had a smooth and peaceful drive. Shiradi (probably due to the holidays) had way too much traffic. Plenty of idiots trying heroic overtaking !!

[SureshS]

Originally Posted by SureshS

Planning a trip to Hornadu the coming Sunday. Wanted to check on couple of things:
1. Is Mudigere - Kottigehara still the best route to get there? Any info on the best road, in terms of road conditions, would help
2. Are there are decent stay options in Horanadu? Planning to get there and check for temple acco. If not available, I need a backup


Thanks in advance

Did the trip yesterday and back home today. The road is great all the way through. Just a few places some road repair is going on and it is just around 20mts or so. Overall the road from Hasan to Belur Belugu to Mudigere/Kotigehara and thereon to Kalasa and to Hornadu is in great condition. Took me an hour from Belur to Kotigehara. From Kotigehara to Hornadu took me around 80 mins

[NPV]

Originally Posted by SureshS

Overall the road from Hasan to Belur Belugu to Mudigere/Kotigehara and thereon to Kalasa and to Hornadu is in great condition. Took me an hour from Belur to Kotigehara. From Kotigehara to Hornadu took me around 80 mins

Thanks for the update.

So just to confirm, from Kottigehara you took the Banakal-Kelagur-Kalasa-Hornadu route ?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by NPV

Thanks for the update.

So just to confirm, from Kottigehara you took the Banakal-Kelagur-Kalasa-Hornadu route ?

Isn't that the most preferred and sensible route to reach Kalasa and Horanadu when you are already at Kottigehahara? And Banakal is before Kottigehahara.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Isn't that the most preferred and sensible route to reach Kalasa and Horanadu when you are already at Kottigehahara? And Banakal is before Kottigehahara.

True, but I wasn't sure of road conditions and wondering if the detour via Balehole was needed - basis response to @suresh in my earlier post (The art of travelling between Bangalore - Mangalore/Udupi)

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

Agumbe isn't very steep, treacherous or long, just a few hair pin bends and surface is mostly good, only 2-3 hairpins are bit steep which should be manageable if you're in the right gears.

Originally Posted by revhappy

Yes, I took the Agumbe ghat downhill and it was a piece of cake. I guess because I haven't driven for a long time, makes me scared about the uphill and being stuck in a jam near the bends. I will take the same route for the return journey.

Both Hulikal and Agumbe are nice options to drive with little traffic.

To reach both these ghats, easy option is Thirthahalli.For Agumbe I would anyday prefer Thirthahalli to CKM due to the twisty CKM route (though nice!)

One can also take Hulikal via Shimoga/Ayanur/Ripponpete (One of the standard routes to Kollur). Another amazing option to drive. Though after Shimoga you dont have options to break.

[Neel]

Drove past shiradi last week. The stretch between Bangalore and Hassan is very good. Hassan to Sakleshpur is patchy but drivable, being repaired. Sakleshpur to the Dharmasthala junction - SH 37 thought shiradi is holding up well as a good drive.

[SureshS]

Originally Posted by NPV

Thanks for the update.

So just to confirm, from Kottigehara you took the Banakal-Kelagur-Kalasa-Hornadu route ?

Yes. That is route I took. It was good

[paragsachania]

Drove to Mangalore last weekend and as usual took Shiradi for onward and charming Charmadi for return and here are few updates:

To Mangalore via Shiradi:

• Hassan - Ballupete - Sakleshpur : All patched up
• Sakleshpur - Anemahal - Donigal : Remains good
• Shiradi Ghat till Gundya : 26 Km of concrete section is holding up perfectly well
• Gundya - BC road : All patched up
• Overall - Zero cause for concerns if you are driving via Shiradi

To Bangalore via Charmadi:

• BC Road turn off to Guruvayanakere : Road expansion work in progress resulting in at least 10 diversions
• Road conditions on the make-shift diversions is average to bad
• Guruvayanakere - Belthangady - Ujire : Usual busy section, good roads
• Ujire - Charmadi - Kottigehara : All heavy vehicles banned, it is only LMVs and LCVs
• Charmadi Ghat : Condition is fantastic, zero potholes
• Landslides : Due to incessant rains last year it has resulted in roads getting washed away at many places and authorities have expanded the road by digging into the hills. Exactly here is where roads are super narrow and hence HVCs and buses are banned
• Kottigehera to Mudigere Handpost : Culverts that were work in progress are covered up but still pose a danger as they are well above the road surface - Caution advised
• Mudigere - Belur : No changes, remains perfectly good
• Belur - Hassan : Remains good

Choice between Charmadi and Shiradi?
Default should be Shiradi so it caters to the mindsets of maximum travellers. But if anyone who hasn't driven Charmadi or has been complaining that is is too narrow or dangerous, well this is the time to drive because you won't see any heavy vehicles on this road at least for an year as per reports. For me, I will pick Charmadi over Shiradi any day but I always make it a point to never return from the same route if I am hitting the west coast around here!