[ZENnist]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

Why this longer routing to Udupi? If you are not happy with shiradi, you can take charmadi which is in a better shape, relatively. B'lore - Hassan - Belur - Mudigere - Kottigehara - Ujire - Mudubidre - Karkala - Udupi.

Planning to take this route to Kollur this weekend. since we couldn't get accommodation in Kollur, has taken it in Kundapura, hence the choice of this route.

Question: is the Charmadi ghat closed after 6PM?

we will be starting back to Bangalore post noon on 14th. is the ghat section driveable during evening/night? Wifey cannot skip office on 15th, so has no choice other than to drive through the night.

[ALSUDA]

no closure of charmadi after 6pm. you can drive thru' 24hrs. roads are good.

[rajshenoy]

Fresh update on shiradi:
Whole stretch is reduced to rubbles. It resembles dry river bed now. But rest of the road is excellent. Even sakleshpur part is decent

I managed to cover sakleshpur to gundya in 1 hr 15 min.

Saw figo and etios doing this stretch so its doable

But uphill looks very bad. Most likely i will return via charmadi.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

I managed to cover sakleshpur to gundya in 1 hr 15 min.

Oh boy, this is in what vehicle? I have never taken more than a hour before. Must be moon surface then. I am taking this road next week.

[KALSANKRPAI]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Fresh update on shiradi:
Whole stretch is reduced to rubbles. It resembles dry river bed now.

Raj Shenoy there is no wonder if Shiradi Ghat has reduced to rubbles. Even the new minister in charge of National Highways after visiting the Ghat section has chalked out a very ambitious project and has projected a very rosy picture of the shape of the things to come one such being TUNNEL project with the help and expertise of Japan The present situation on the Ghat section is due to lack of foresight/clear vision and the quality of laying
the roads. Interestingly every time authorities simply blame the rains I ever

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Oh boy, this is in what vehicle? I have never taken more than a hour before. Must be moon surface then. I am taking this road next week.

This was ertiga. GC was never an issue but i was tad slow due to a sick passenger and a toddler.

During the peak mining days, it used to be even worse and added truck traffic. Now a days its relatively faster due to less traffic

Sakleshpur ghat stretch is still very decent. But once dakshina Kannada starts, road ends except for the few curves which are concrete.

If one doesn't worry much about rear seat passengers, it can be done in an hour

[rajshenoy]

Which of the two is better from udupi to Bangalore?

Route1: udupi-agumbe-thirthahalli-shimoga-tumkur-Bangalore

Route2: udupi-karkala-ujire-charmadi-hasan-Bangalore

Both these are suppose to be good.

Planning to start by 7 in the morning and reach Bangalore before peak hour

A relative travelled via shimoga and recommends that route as its less curves.

If i take shimoga route, what are the good places for lunch

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Route1: udupi-agumbe-thirthahalli-shimoga-tumkur-Bangalore

This is good because, minimal ghats. But the other may also turn out to be faster thanks to the 4-lane from Hassan. So time wise cant say.

Food options: Arsekere has a CCD. Not sure of any highway places.
May be go to Shimoga town and splurge at Royal Orchid Jewel Rock.


Having said that I see a bypass for Shimoga. How is this for a route :
(I have no ideas. Just saw in Google)

Route Link

[csateesh]

Dear BHPians

What is the best recommended route to Kasargod from Bangalore ?

Need to visit an event in a friends family. Hope to leave early ?

Any recommendations for food and fuel en route ?

Planning onward via Hassan -> subramanya -> Sullia -> kasargod

Return kasargod -> Sullia -> madikeri -> mysore -> bangalore

Thanks in advance for the recommendations

Cheers

[rajshenoy]

Originally Posted by ampere

This is good because, minimal ghats. But the other may also turn out to be faster thanks to the 4-lane from Hassan. So time wise cant say.

Food options: Arsekere has a CCD. Not sure of any highway places.
May be go to Shimoga town and splurge at Royal Orchid Jewel Rock.

Having said that I see a bypass for Shimoga. How is this for a route :
(I have no ideas. Just saw in Google)

Route Link

Thanks, it seems all cities have been bypassed, so its faster. I like highways to be green and narrow malnad roads are just perfect as long as they are not broken

My fear is that if i start at seven, i will reach shimoga much before lunch so either i ll have to start late or try some other city before tumkur

Originally Posted by csateesh

Dear BHPians



Return kasargod -> Sullia -> madikeri -> mysore -> bangalore

Thanks in advance for the recommendations

Cheers

I think sulia to madikeri is still broken near sampaje. Plz cross check with locals.

You can come back via same route or charmadi

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by csateesh

Dear BHPians

What is the best recommended route to Kasargod from Bangalore ?

Need to visit an event in a friends family. Hope to leave early ?

Any recommendations for food and fuel en route ?

Planning onward via Hassan -> subramanya -> Sullia -> kasargod

Return kasargod -> Sullia -> madikeri -> mysore -> bangalore

Thanks in advance for the recommendations

Cheers

Except for a bad stretch between Sullia-Sampaje (25kms expected to take 45mins) the return route you have chosen seem to be good. Please look into post #23 in mangalore-mysore thread for the latest road condition for both routes.

Prasad

[am1m]

Made a quick trip to Mangalore and back to Bangalore over the weekend to drop off a dog (yes, a dog!). Took the Hassan-Belur-Mudigere-Beltangady-BC Road-Mangalore route, to and back.

Roads in Belur are bad and getting through Hassan town is a real pain with traffic and very bad roads. Some potholes on the Charmadi Ghat stretch. But way, way better than what I remember of Shiradi at its worst from previous trips.

The Bangalore-Hassan road is great in terms of the road condition. The Charmadi Ghat stretch is gorgeous in terms of the view! (first time I'm taking this route). But this route is very narrow. Someone was asking about driving this Charmadi route at night. I wouldn't, it's tough enough negotiating past local buses on this stretch during the day, wouldn't want to in low light. I dunno why they allow full-sized buses on this route. Like in the case of the Agumbe Ghat, they should restrict it to mini-buses only.

Took me about 8 hours each way, of which, at least one hour was spent getting out of/getting back in to Bangalore. Car was a 9-year old Alto, solo driver, wasn't even stopping for lunch, ate some fruit whenever I stopped for a short break every 100km.

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by am1m

Roads in Belur are bad and getting through Hassan town is a real pain with traffic and very bad roads.

I see several people going through Hassan town to get onto Belur road. The better option would be to take the bypass and at the other end of the bypass take a right and drive towards Hassan and then take a left to Belur (Google map). There is one narrow lane which connects the entry of Belur road to the bypass this would save a few kms, but don't know whether its OK for cars.

Prasad

[rajshenoy]

I traveled from udupi to Bangalore via Agumbe-Shimoga route and really enjoyed the drive.

Road conditions are excellent, except for stretch between Hiriyadka-hebri and few broken stretches near Kadur. Apart from that the road is in excellent condition.

Also this route is longer by around 20 kms but very scenic.

Took a break at Agumbe spotting a Lion tailed macaque, Then did some bird watching(not a season though) at MandaGadde and my little one played with Elephants at SakreBayl Elephant camp(Can even bath elephants if you reach between 8-9:30AM). So considering all these bonus, everyone loved this route.


But hardly any place to eat except for CCD at Arasikere. Managed to reach there at 12:45PM with bit of planning and had lunch there.

So this is a good alternatives for those looking at a leisure drive with family and little ones with few breaks. But be sure to carry your food.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rajshenoy

Road conditions are excellent, except for stretch between Hiriyadka-hebri and few broken stretches near Kadur. Apart from that the road is in excellent condition.

Roads around Hebri are bad. Thats the only deterrent. In fact you also find minimum ghats (just around Agumbe)

So this is a good alternatives for those looking at a leisure drive with family and little ones with few breaks. But be sure to carry your food.

The only option is to get into one of the towns and have food. No other choices.