[rahulb22]

Originally Posted by Sanbhat1611

Hello Everyone,

I am planning to take one of the below:

1) BLR >> Hassan >> Shiradi >> Mangalore >> Udupi >> Kundapur (took this route more than a year back and covered distance of 420 km in 8 hrs 20 mins) - But that time Shiradi ghats were fine

2) BLR >> Hassan >> Belur >> Charmadi >> Moodbidri or Karkala >> Padubidri >> Udupi >> Kundapur (Idea here is to avoid the patchy Shiradi route)

Please take option 2 as the roads are currently in much better shape. Though the bad stretch on the Shiradi route is only about 15-20 kms, sedans and hatchbacks are quite likely to scrape the underbelly, especially if full load.

[Goku_YNWA]

I am traveling to Mangalore via Belur - Charmady - Madantyar.
Experienced a lot of congestion from Hassan to Mudigere due to Maha Shivratri, which is witnessing a lot of devotees on foot march to Dharmsthala.

If possible, please avoid this route. I took moment in Shell near Gonibeedu to update this thread. Hope this helps.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Goku_YNWA

Experienced a lot of congestion from Hassan to Mudigere due to Maha Shivratri, which is witnessing a lot of devotees on foot march to Dharmsthala.

Yes, this is a huge problem, they hog the road all the way until hassan. Last year I experienced it first hand. I will stick to Shiradi next week.

[arun_josie]

I took this route till Uppinangady. We faced issues due to Fog on the Hassan - Sakleshpur stretch. At times, it was a crawl as stopping on the side also seemed dangerous. Also, the road condition on the Hassan - Sakleshpur is very mixed, it varies from good to bad. While on these good stretches, one needs to be cautious because it ends and the bad section starts abruptly .

The ghat section before the cement road section is in very bad shape as well. We also got stuck in a 30-min jam due to few trucks breaking down on the bad stretches.





Another challenge was these people on pilgrimage who were walking on the left side with no reflectors on themselves. The fog made it very tricky to spot them. I made sure I wasn't on the left most part of the road.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Another challenge was these people on pilgrimage who were walking on the left side with no reflectors on themselves.

Wait, there were pilgrims on Shiradi too?

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Wait, there were pilgrims on Shiradi too?

Not the entire stretch, but at least for some distance after Hassan.

[deehunk]

It is very common to see piligrims walking to Dharmasthala around Shivaratri time, very similar to sugar cane loaded vehicles in December on roads leading to Mysore.

[cnu]

Bangalore to Kundapura, what is the preferred route currently ? GMaps suggests Hiriyur-Tarikere-Thirthahalli-Agumbe. TIA.

[Samurai]

Agumbe ghat is closed starting today...

https://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...le65187244.ece

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Agumbe ghat is closed starting today...

I guess then the only option is Hullikal.

Shimoga-Ayanur-Ripponpet-Hosanagar-Nagar-Hulikal-Ampar-Kundapur.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by ampere

I guess then the only option is Hullikal.

Shimoga-Ayanur-Ripponpet-Hosanagar-Nagar-Hulikal-Ampar-Kundapur.

Yeah, if the destination was Udupi, then malaghat would be better.

https://goo.gl/maps/YCCCoD4rD56Yrqn18

It may be a better option even to Kundapur considering the roads.

Having taken the Agumbe ghat just 5 days ago, I am really wondering what was there to repair. It looked fine, needing no repairs.

[chethan.ram]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Yeah, if the destination was Udupi, then malaghat would be better.

https://goo.gl/maps/YCCCoD4rD56Yrqn18

It may be a better option even to Kundapur considering the roads.

Having taken the Agumbe ghat just 5 days ago, I am really wondering what was there to repair. It looked fine, needing no repairs.

I had spoken to a few locals couple of months ago. Agumbe roads had developed some cracks and they didn't want to risk it. As a precaution they may have closed it to repair it.

I had taken Hulikal Ghat few years ago, its a very scenic one as well. May not be a bad choice to even reach Udupi. Kundapura to Udupi is a breeze anyways.

[cnu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Shimoga-Ayanur-Ripponpet-Hosanagar-Nagar-Hulikal-Ampar-Kundapur.

Is the direct stretch from Tarikere to Hulikal via Thirthahalli not OK ? Will be a bit shorter and saves 20-30 minutes (per google)

[ampere]

Originally Posted by cnu

Is the direct stretch from Tarikere to Hulikal via Thirthahalli not OK ? Will be a bit shorter and saves 20-30 minutes (per google)

Its definitely a good option. Only unknown for me is the Thirthahalli-Nagar section. Probably its a good road, but I don't know if that's used regularly. (For that matter even the Ayanur-Hosanagara roads are nor regularly used. So we do have a point in favour of this suggestion)

On second thoughts this should also be good option as it gives access Thirthahalli and we can break for food in that town. In the former case there are not many good break options. At best Ripponpete. Also we can save time by not going to Shimoga.

[Shubbi]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its definitely a good option. Only unknown for me is the Thirthahalli-Nagar section. Probably its a good road, but I don't know if that's used regularly

The route is Tirthahalli - Kaimara - Yadur - Mastikatte, and then Hulikal ghats descent. This is the usual bus route too (including many Bangalore-Kundapura night buses) and doesn't touch Nagara. Back in November, this section was pretty good. Mastikatte junction has a restaurant, then at Hosangadi down the ghats. Fuel tankers and gas cylinder containers make up the bulk of the traffic here.

While Tarikere-Lakkavalli-Bhadra dam & Muduba-Tirthahalli stretches are good, the worse part of @cnu's route is Bhadra dam to Muduba. Back when I drove, this had many sections where a hatch/sedan easily scraped its bottom, but I have heard there has been an attempt to patch them up off late.