[gopikb]

Hi MCR, You have been commenting a lot on the travel routes between Bangalore and Mangalore. I guess you must have frequented this route in your Grande Punto. You may probably be able to answer my query. I plan for a 3-day drive this week as per plan below

Friday, Apr 30 Morning 5AM - Start from Bangalore and drive to Sringeri directly. After darshan we want to come back to horanadu and go to Annapoorani temple and stay there for the night.

Saturday, May 1 - Start from Horanadu and reach kukke subramanya. Have darshan and stay there for the night.

Sunday, May 2 - Starte from Kukke and reach back to bangalore.

I am going easy on the trip since I am travelling with my kids and wife. The elder daughter is 7 years and the younger one is 2 years. I want to avoid night driving and particularly in the Ghats.

The only concern is on Day 1 where I try to visit both Sringeri and Horanadu. Do you think this stretch is drivable within a day?

Thanks for your help. By the way, I am driving on my GP as well

[MCR]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Hi MCR, You have been commenting a lot on the travel routes between Bangalore and Mangalore. I guess you must have frequented this route in your Grande Punto. You may probably be able to answer my query. I plan for a 3-day drive this week as per plan below

Friday, Apr 30 Morning 5AM - Start from Bangalore and drive to Sringeri directly. After darshan we want to come back to horanadu and go to Annapoorani temple and stay there for the night.

Saturday, May 1 - Start from Horanadu and reach kukke subramanya. Have darshan and stay there for the night.

Sunday, May 2 - Starte from Kukke and reach back to bangalore.

I am going easy on the trip since I am travelling with my kids and wife. The elder daughter is 7 years and the younger one is 2 years. I want to avoid night driving and particularly in the Ghats.

The only concern is on Day 1 where I try to visit both Sringeri and Horanadu. Do you think this stretch is drivable within a day?

Thanks for your help. By the way, I am driving on my GP as well

Hello Gopi,

Day 1 - Bangalore to Sringer and Hornadu.

If you start by 5.00AM you can reach Sringeri by 2.30PM. But this time the temple will be closed and also the lunch will be over. This is unless you have some contacts to avail special Lunch. The temple will only re-open at 5.00PM and darshan will take longer because many people will be waiting. Even if you have a quick darshan, you will be out by 6.30PM and the the drive to Hornadu is 79 Kms from Sringeri. This means that you will have to drive in the Night in not so good roads. So my suggestion would be that you either start early say by 4.00AM or stay back at sringeri on Day1.
I would suggest you to drive on Bangalore - Magadi - Hassan - Chickmagalur - Aldur - Balehonnur - Sringeri. The roads are just average after Chickmagalur. But this is the shorthest route to Sringeri.

Day 2- Assuming that you stay back at Hornadu - There are a lot of good places to stay at Hornadu. Look for a hotel on the leftside just befaore taking a right to Temple. this is a decent place and the room rates are close to INR850. Sorry I forgot the name of the hotel. Hornadu to Kukke is a amazing drive of 132 kms on Charmadi ghat.

Day 3 - Stay at Kukke and drive back to Bangalore - Please book your stay at advance in kukke. Else you may be left without a room. look for Neo Mysore Cafe lodge. Decent place with average room rates. from kukke to Bangalore You can take the good old NH48 till Kunigal, later deviate towards Magadi and Bangalore.


So one suggestion, please inflate the front tires to 34Psi and the rear tires to 32 Psi. Else the Punto front engine guard will scrape on not so good roads. Please donot hesitate to ask me in case you have further questions. Have a wonderful trip.

[bullinb]

Originally Posted by MCR

If you start by 5.00AM you can reach Sringeri by 2.30PM.

9.5 hours to Sringeri? Isn't that too much? It is more like 6 to 7 hours depending on traffic. Since he is starting early, 7 hours is easily possible.

[MCR]

Originally Posted by bullinb

9.5 hours to Sringeri? Isn't that too much? It is more like 6 to 7 hours depending on traffic. Since he is starting early, 7 hours is easily possible.

Its not too much considering he will be travelling with kids. Also the roads are pretty narrow and twisty and it easily takes 8 hours with moderate driving style.
It took me around 7.45 Hours the last time, around 3 months ago and this was in perfect daylight.

[gopikb]

Hi MCR, Absolutely magnificent. You have addressed the exact concern I had on Day 1 plan. In case I stay at Sringeri on Day 1, do you think it is possible to drive to Horanadu and then to Kukke on the same day? I will probably leave early on Day 2 and drive to Horanadu first to have darshan of Goddess Annapoorneshwari and then leave for Subrahmanya.

Thanks for warning me about the stay options in Kukke. I will see that I call up and book a hotel today.
Thanks once again buddy

[MCR]

Originally Posted by gopikb

Hi MCR, Absolutely magnificent. You have addressed the exact concern I had on Day 1 plan. In case I stay at Sringeri on Day 1, do you think it is possible to drive to Horanadu and then to Kukke on the same day? I will probably leave early on Day 2 and drive to Horanadu first to have darshan of Goddess Annapoorneshwari and then leave for Subrahmanya.

Thanks for warning me about the stay options in Kukke. I will see that I call up and book a hotel today.
Thanks once again buddy

Hello Gopi,

You are welcome buddy. Its possible to cover Hornadu and drive to kukke on the same day. Just start from Sringeri pretty early, say around 6.00AM. Its just 79Kms drive through average to moderately good roads.
You can have breakfast at the Hornadu temple after darshan. You can get good 'Avalakki voggarane' with some amazing hot coffee. There are not many restaurants in Hornadu or in Kalasa so no point looking around.

Sorry for suggesting Average lodging options. As you know there are not many above average or luxury amenities in Sringeri, Hornadu or in Kukke. Whatever so called Luxury is just not worth the money.

Just one point regarding the stay at Sringeri, since Its friday evening, I would suggest you to book the stay in advance.

[gopikb]

Thank you MCR once again and you very useful tip about the air pressure that I should fill in my Punto. You are right that I will not be pushing the car too much because of my family and would need more time to reach destination than a good driver.

I will take your advice in doing the booking in advance for the Sringeri and Kukke stay. I will update you on the drive once I get back.

[bullinb]

Originally Posted by MCR

Its not too much considering he will be travelling with kids. Also the roads are pretty narrow and twisty and it easily takes 8 hours with moderate driving style.
It took me around 7.45 Hours the last time, around 3 months ago and this was in perfect daylight.

Oh OK. I usually cover the distance in 5:5 to 6 hours on my way to Udupi. But then again I typically drive at night and don't stop anywhere en route.

@Gopi, have a safe journey and enjoy the trip. You are venturing into some seriously beautiful landscapes .

[StarVegabond]

Guys,

Please ensure the following

1. the cars should be in the pink of their health, No breakdowns please

2. the region beyond Hassan till Udupi (if one is going through the interior roads) is vertually a forest, no garage etc. ensure that you are sensitive to this aspect, especially the first timers

3. if you are the first timers, then do not drive at night.

4. if one is a first timer best time is to leave early morning from bangalore and reach Mangalore/Udupi in 9-10 hours time max inclusive of all breaks.

[Altogether]

Originally Posted by Rajesh K R

Hi Bombatt,

Excellent report !!! So, you say that we can go in Shiradi without having much trouble now. Last week i went to Dharmasthala, but fearing Shiradi road, i went thro' Mudigere-Kottigehara-Charmadi & returned via the same route.

I wanted to explore going / coming back via Shiradi, but was vetoed down by my family members.

I want to go to Kukke sometime in May end / June, so i think the road should be in good shape by then, as you mentioned repair work was in full swing.

I had trip to Dharmasthala & Kukke on 2nd April.
Route:
Vijayanagar>Magadi road>Nice road junction>Magadi>Kunigal>Yediyur>Hasan>Sakleshpur>G udya>Dharmasthala>Gundya>Kukke.

I took Magadi rout this time,the road was worst till NICE junction. I do no suggest this route for now. There is repair work going on. Better avoid this till the raod gets proper shape. It would take 6(?) month to complete.

Road condition after NICE junction was excelleant. This will join the highway just before the Kunigal. I was planning to take the Hassan>Mudigere>Ujire>Dharmasthala route as I was not aware of the road condition between Sakleshpur & Gunday. I went to Hasan and ask the Police man on the way about the route,He suggest me to take the Sakleshpur route. Road condition from Sakleshpur till Gundya is better now (Compaterd to my last trip on 4 June 2009). Road has been widen, epsecially in the curving with better banking. From Gindya to Dharmasthala
it is good except 2 kms near Gundya.

For stay, I suggest Kukke, you have many options like Hotel Ashraya, Krishna,Mayura. But in Dharmasthala, there is only one VIP accomodation available, that you need to book 1 week before (I can provide contact info )

Happy driving!!
Shankar.

[bullinb]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Guys,

Please ensure the following

1. the cars should be in the pink of their health, No breakdowns please

2. the region beyond Hassan till Udupi (if one is going through the interior roads) is vertually a forest, no garage etc. ensure that you are sensitive to this aspect, especially the first timers

3. if you are the first timers, then do not drive at night.

4. if one is a first timer best time is to leave early morning from bangalore and reach Mangalore/Udupi in 9-10 hours time max inclusive of all breaks.

Well said. I'll add another - Mobile signal available < 10% of the way.

Be extra careful if you decide to take Kottigehara - Kalasa route. There isn't single straight section longer than 50m in the entire stretch. No kidding!

[rajshenoy]

I have been in hibernation since long time(too busy to travel to west coast)

my BIL went to puttur last week and took sakleshpur route. he said the route is excellent barring few kms, so till the monsoons start i guess this is a good and short route to take.

[sushrutha]

As per today's TOI,
A new NH has been introduced.
NH 234 - Mangalore - Villipuram(TN). This highway crosses 3 states (KA,AP,TN)
MLR-Belthangady-Mudigere-Belur-Sira-Tumkur-Villipuram.
So it means Charmadi ghats have been upgraded to NH.
I like the highway number ;-)

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

As per today's TOI,
MLR-Belthangady-Mudigere-Belur-Sira-Tumkur-Villipuram.
So it means Charmadi ghats have been upgraded to NH.
I like the highway number ;-)

I dont understand the Tumkur-Villupuram section.
Villipuram is somewhere south of Tindivanam.
Where this NH goes through? We already have NH45/7/4/66 etc.

Is it typo? Or Am I missing something?

[bullinb]

The NH-234, which starts from Mangalore at Mahavir Circle, will connect Belthangady, Mudigere, Belur, Huliyar, Sira, Madhugiri, and Chintamani in Karnataka, Venkatagiri, Kota in AP, Pernampet, Gidiyattam, Katpadi, Vellore, Pushpagiri and Polur. It will end at Tiruvanamalai-Villupuram in Tamil Nadu. The NH-234 will overlap with NH-48 in chainage 0 to 19.2 up to B C Road where one takes a diversion towards Belthangady.

Original TOI story here