[subbu567]

Originally Posted by binand

Looks like I'm about to become a regular on this thread. My son has been offered admission at Manipal Institute of Technology, and his reporting date there is 17/7 (coming Monday). We plan to start from Bangalore on 16/7, early morning so that we reach Udupi mid-afternoon while sun is still out. I have booked myself into a hotel in Adi-Udupi area (looks like a forgettable one; all others are sold out).

What would be the easiest route to take? I have driven along NH 75 till Hassan (and then toward Chikkamagaluru) in the past; that much I'm familiar with. Beyond Hassan which is the right route for a Sunday mid-morning drive? Google Maps shows a warren of roads; to me it looks like the best option is Hassan > Belur > Charmady > Belthangadi > Karkala > Padubidri > Udupi. Is that correct?

I am fairly experienced, and I drive an Endeavour.

Congratulations and similar sentiments here! My daughter’s orientation is scheduled on 19th and we will be driving on 18th early morning from Bangalore.

Planning to take Charmadi route with a stoppage at growers cafe.

Your experience on Shiradi will help us decide if we need to change our plan and take the Shirali ghat, instead. Google maps does not even show Shiradi, for some reason.

I drive an Innova, fairly experienced but driving this route for the first time.

Thanks in advance 🙏

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by subbu567

Planning to take Charmadi route with a stoppage at growers cafe.

Four days ago I travelled via Charmadi, as it was a weekday. The traffic was very light, even waterfalls were limited since the day was actually sunny. Perfect roads all the way.

The food taste at Coffee growers cafe has improved a lot, I guess they changed the chef.

[trailsndirt]

Folks have traveled to Karkala this weekend via Charmady - 14th Jul
Roads are pretty good apart from a few splashes of rain. It was not bad.
Shirady still seems to be a no-go for most and might remain that way for a while.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by trailsndirt

Shirady still seems to be a no-go for most and might remain that way for a while.

Only about 20kms are under construction after Gundya, if you turn off into Dharmastala. Shirady ghat itself is in better shape than Charmady.

[binand]

Originally Posted by binand

We plan to start from Bangalore on 16/7, early morning so that we reach Udupi mid-afternoon while sun is still out.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Since you drive an Endy, I suggest taking Shiradi for driving to Manipal. That would be Hassan-Sakleshpur-Gundya-Dharmastala-Karkala-Padubidri-Udupi.

So my plan for a very early morning start went awry; it was 9.15 AM when I pulled out of my apartment car park. Took 75 mins+ to get to NBTPL toll; after that it was a breeze till Hassan. Beyond Hassan I took exactly the route Samurai suggested above.

The thing is, from the outskirts of Hassan till the turn-off to Dharmasthala, road redevelopment is in progress. Hassan-Sakleshpur was excruciating; doubly so the section that goes through Sakleshpur town limits (Google Maps was showing a sold red +6 minutes; I think it took a lot more than that. Probably an accident just beyond the town, I saw a couple of cars that seemed to have hit each other head-on being towed away). The Shiradi ghat was slow but enjoyable; much longer than some of the other ghat sections I frequent (I think altitude drops from 1000m to 150m over about 30 km between Sakleshpur-Gundya?). It was probably a good thing I didn't consider a night drive for my first time through these parts.

Rain started as soon as I exited Sakleshpur town and was with me all the way till Udupi.

I stopped for lunch (it was past 3 PM and I was worried I wouldn't find any place open beyond this point) at Hotel Adithya View a few km before Dharmasthala: https://goo.gl/maps/rwqWL2RrgwCY71Bv5.

I also had one bio break after Hassan; apart from these two it was a non-stop drive. I arrived at my hotel in Udupi at 5.45 PM. So about 8 hours of driving time for close to 400 km. Fun part is, my Fastag SMS for Shantigrama toll booth has timestamp of 11:58. That is, I think I covered the Nelamangala-Hassan section in approximately 1h 45mins (150 km give or take a few).

Originally Posted by Samurai

This is because Bajagoli to Padubidri is a superb 4-lane highway.

Didn't see any 4-lane (ie, dual carriageway) sections once I turned off towards Dharmasthala (except within some of the town limits). It was definitely a superbly built single-carriageway road; very much like the Mysore-Gundlupete section of NH 766 that I frequent.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Only about 20kms are under construction after Gundya, if you turn off into Dharmastala.

Construction starts from Hassan all the way till the turn-off, but with a break at the actual ghat.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by binand

The Shiradi ghat was slow but enjoyable; much longer than some of the other ghat sections I frequent (I think altitude drops from 1000m to 150m over about 30 km between Sakleshpur-Gundya?). It was probably a good thing I didn't consider a night drive for my first time through these parts.

It is one of the longest ghats, about 35kms. Because it is very wide, passing slow vehicles is very easy.

Originally Posted by binand

I stopped for lunch (it was past 3 PM and I was worried I wouldn't find any place open beyond this point) at Hotel Adithya View a few km before Dharmasthala: https://goo.gl/maps/rwqWL2RrgwCY71Bv5.

There is nothing between Sakleshpur and Nidle (Aditya View), but in the next 15kms there are many including the new Ocean pearl.

Originally Posted by binand

Didn't see any 4-lane (ie, dual carriageway) sections once I turned off towards Dharmasthala (except within some of the town limits). It was definitely a superbly built single-carriageway road; very much like the Mysore-Gundlupete section of NH 766 that I frequent.

Ah, I should have said wide roads, it does have 4-lane feel because of wide shoulders. Until Bajagoli the roads are narrow, after that one can fly.

Originally Posted by binand

Hassan-Sakleshpur was excruciating;... Construction starts from Hassan all the way till the turn-off, but with a break at the actual ghat.

You found Hassan-Sakleshpur hard in the Endy? That stretch is now 90% concrete, only little construction is pending. I guess we regulars think relatively. It was bad when most of that stretch was under construction. Now I don't even know notice it, even in my 16 year old car.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Samurai

You found Hassan-Sakleshpur hard in the Endy? That stretch is now 90% concrete, only little construction is pending.

I said "excruciating", not that it was hard to drive.

One carriageway was blocked off on the entire stretch of 40+ km. So all traffic was sharing the open carriageway, making it effectively a narrow single-carriageway road. And with the amount of traffic on that road it really was excruciating.

It wasn't the same carriageway all throughout, sometimes the open carriageway was the westbound one and at other times, the eastbound one. One had to drive across the median pit at the crossover points.

[DetectiveMiles]

Travelled via Shiradi Ghat Yesterday late night. The road between Donigal and Sakaleshapura has started giving up, following the rains in last few weeks, will be back to old condition in less than a month, given the rains continue. Rest of the roads haven't had much impact.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Since you drive an Endy, I suggest taking Shiradi for driving to Manipal. That would be Hassan-Sakleshpur-Gundya-Dharmastala-Karkala-Padubidri-Udupi. You can take Charmadi on the way back.

Can you please give town-by-town guidance for the Charmadi route also? I will be starting from Manipal (not Udupi), that too around 10AM possibly.

To me it looks like Manipal > Hiriyadka > Bailur > Karkala > overlap with outbound route till Ujire > Mudigere > Belur > Hassan and onwards to Bangalore. Any corrections needed?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by binand

To me it looks like Manipal > Hiriyadka > Bailur > Karkala > overlap with outbound route till Ujire > Mudigere > Belur > Hassan and onwards to Bangalore. Any corrections needed?

Yeah, this accurate. At Ujire you will be going straight towards Charmady instead of turning right towards Shiradi.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Samurai

[Charmadi] is a very scenic route. You will find 100s of waterfalls, amazing views of valleys and mountains and plenty of fog on Charmadi ghat.

But it is also a narrow road. One traffic accident can backup traffic for kms. Right now it is filled to the brim with tourists.

Originally Posted by binand

Manipal > Hiriyadka > Bailur > Karkala > overlap with outbound route till Ujire > Mudigere > Belur > Hassan and onwards to Bangalore.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Yeah, this accurate.

Thanks for all the help. I returned to Bangalore yesterday - started at around 10 AM from Manipal and reached home by 7 PM. I took the Charmady ghat route and found it particularly enjoyable.

It is a much steeper ghat - climbs about 800 metres in approx 15 km and then straightens a bit - than Shiradi, which climbs the same 800m over 30 km. This is comparable to the Thamarassery ghat road on the way to my hometown (NH 766). There are 11 hairpin bends and the road is very twisty elsewhere too. Fog became a problem at about 600m - visibility was down to 15-20m (and I climbed this ghat between 12 noon and 1 PM).

Manipal-Hiriyadka is getting redeveloped (or is it just dug up and abandoned? Didn't actually see any work happening) and is a pain to drive on; once I turned off towards Karkala it was fine.

Rain started at Manipal outskirts and it was with me all the way till Nelamangala (with very brief periods of lull).

Stopped at Nisarga at the top of the ghat for lunch. Another break was near one of the toll booths for tea. One fuel stop between Belur and Hassan.

Next trip will be during the weekend of 28/29 July. Thinking of taking Chamadi both ways.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by binand

Fog became a problem at about 600m - visibility was down to 15-20m (and I climbed this ghat between 12 noon and 1 PM).

If it was raining, you would have seen plenty of waterfalls too. Fog is one reason I avoid Charmady, traffic in weekends is another. I often don't decide which ghat to take until I am at Ujire, or Hassan if I am traveling other way.

Originally Posted by binand

Manipal-Hiriyadka is getting redeveloped (or is it just dug up and abandoned? Didn't actually see any work happening) and is a pain to drive on; once I turned off towards Karkala it was fine.

It is the new national highway 169A. But they don't do any construction during the monsoon, due to the heavy rain.

Originally Posted by binand

Next trip will be during the weekend of 28/29 July. Thinking of taking Chamadi both ways.

I should be in Manipal then, we can meet if time permits.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Samurai

If it was raining, you would have seen plenty of waterfalls too.

Oh yeah, but all of those were infested with the aforementioned tourists in various states of undress frolicking in the cascading water, so I didn't really enjoy that part of the scenery.

Originally Posted by Samurai

I often don't decide which ghat to take until I am at Ujire, or Hassan if I am travelling other way.

This is good advice. Thanks!

Btw, one oddity I noticed is the sheer number of buses named "Vishal" operating between Manipal and Ujire (different sources & destinations, different liveries, different lettering and fonts...). Like, 6-7 out of every 10 kinda. Some big operator in those parts?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by binand

Btw, one oddity I noticed is the sheer number of buses named "Vishal" operating between Manipal and Ujire (different sources & destinations, different liveries, different lettering and fonts...). Like, 6-7 out of every 10 kinda. Some big operator in those parts?

Yeah, they are one of the big players.

http://www.vishaltravels.co/contact

But there are other such private bus companies too. In these parts, government buses rarely used to get business until Volvos were introduced. However, the recent free travel for women on government buses may have changed things.

[elroydsilva]

Originally Posted by DetectiveMiles

I generally take left at Gundya and travel to Puttur to avoid ongoing construction work, little longer but smooth and comfortable.

Traveled from Bangalore to Udupi last week. Left ECity at 11pm and reached Udupi at 7.30 am with a half-hour power nap in between.

Hassan - Sakleshpur - Gundya was bliss to drive. Rested at Gundya and as suggested, I took the diversion towards Puttur via Alankar. The road is indeed really good. The only minor problem was that the mobile network on this route was spotty and GMaps gets stuck at times. At 4 am in the morning, the route kind of gives an eerie feeling since there's no other vehicles around. The only bad roads I got were from Mani to BC road, but overall a very good decision and only took 20 mins longer.