[rahulb22]

Thanks DragonHawk, that was a real quick update And does anybody have an update on the Madikeri -> Sampaje -> Puttur route?

[Satishtv]

Hey Guys, planning to travel to Kukke > Dharmasthala > Mangalore > Udupi > Kundapur > Bangalore and a few places nearby in a week long vacation. Please help with the following inputs -

1. Is it suggested to travel on the shiradi ghat road?
2. Any good eateries on the way from Bangalore, I intend to leave from Bangalore at 6:00 am
3. What is the best route to take from Kundapur to Bangalore? As I am traveling with my family I intend to do the trip back home in two days. From Kundapur to Shimoga and Shimoga to Bangalore. Not sure if this is the best route

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

Road condition till Dindigul is still drivable, one could easily maintain 40kms. However things are getting worse post Shiradi gate all the way till Gundya. I have been traveling on this stretch once in every two weeks and last sunday`s trip was the first time I started thinking to seriously consider the alternate route. Until or unless NHAI decides to start patch work in this section, post rainy season is over things only will get worse with big craters and road full of dust.

I believe you intended Donigal instead of Dindigul. These two places are quite a distance apart

[DragonHawk]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

I believe you intended Donigal instead of Dindigul. These two places are quite a distance apart

Oops it is indeed Donigal.
For past 1 week I am working on a plan to visit Kodaikanal, so quite apparently Donigal became Dindigul.

Originally Posted by rahulb22

Thanks DragonHawk, that was a real quick update And does anybody have an update on the Madikeri -> Sampaje -> Puttur route?

Madikeri-Sampaje-Puttur is a breeze to drive, less traffic and scenic roads all throughout till Sampaje. Bangalore-CR Patna-HN Pura-Shanivarsante-Somwarpete-Madikeri-Puttur had been my preferred route when Shiradi was closed for repairs and it is definitely one of the best roads to drive

[unk9ja]

Originally Posted by Satishtv

Hey Guys, planning to travel to Kukke > Dharmasthala > Mangalore > Udupi > Kundapur > Bangalore and a few places nearby in a week long vacation. Please help with the following inputs -

1. Is it suggested to travel on the shiradi ghat road?
Shiradi is driveable. Good till the concrete roads get over. Post that it will be a stop go sort of with rough patches at regular intervals. You can still be the fastest as aginst any alternate routes. Sakleshpura as usual has bumpy patches inside the town.
2. Any good eateries on the way from Bangalore, I intend to leave from Bangalore at 6:00 am
Lots of them these days. Swati delicacy near Yediyur is still your best bet for an early breakfast but it is on the other side of the road, Mayura at Bellur cross or A2B at Udayapura before Hassan are other good options. A couple of new eateries have sprouted up but no reviews of them heard till now. Lunch at Dharmasthala temple and you can proceed further.
3. What is the best route to take from Kundapur to Bangalore? As I am traveling with my family I intend to do the trip back home in two days. From Kundapur to Shimoga and Shimoga to Bangalore. Not sure if this is the best route
Me too don't know about the conditions from Kundapura to Shivamogga. So cannot comment on this route.

Comments against your queries. Please check.

[Added_flavor]

Originally Posted by Satishtv

3. What is the best route to take from Kundapur to Bangalore? As I am traveling with my family I intend to do the trip back home in two days. From Kundapur to Shimoga and Shimoga to Bangalore. Not sure if this is the best route

Option 1: Kundapura - Udupi - Manipal - Karkala - Naravi - Belthangady - Ujire - Charmadi - Mudigere - belur - Haasan - Bangalore. (This is my favorite route as Charmadi is scenic and fun to drive. Plus You get to drive Charmadi as you take Shiradi on your onward journey).

Option 2: Kundapura - Someshwara - Agumbe ghat - Thirthalli - Shimoga - Arsikere - Channarayapatna - Bangalore. Agumbe Ghat although is not in the best condition. Apart from that, very scenic and beautiful roads till Shimoga. Shimoga to Arsikere is poor in Tarikere town. It's a breeze from Arsikere to Chennarayapatna to Bangalore.

[Satishtv]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Option 1: Kundapura - Udupi - Manipal - Karkala - Naravi - Belthangady - Ujire - Charmadi - Mudigere - belur - Haasan - Bangalore. (This is my favorite route as Charmadi is scenic and fun to drive. Plus You get to drive Charmadi as you take Shiradi on your onward journey).

Option 2: Kundapura - Someshwara - Agumbe ghat - Thirthalli - Shimoga - Arsikere - Channarayapatna - Bangalore. Agumbe Ghat although is not in the best condition. Apart from that, very scenic and beautiful roads till Shimoga. Shimoga to Arsikere is poor in Tarikere town. It's a breeze from Arsikere to Chennarayapatna to Bangalore.

Thanks, I would love to take the scenic charmadi but I would not want to travel 450+ kilometres with family in a single day, if I were to go with option 1, where can I stop for one night midway? I intend to start at 11 in the noon...

[Shubbi]

Originally Posted by Satishtv

Thanks, I would love to take the scenic charmadi but I would not want to travel 450+ kilometres with family in a single day, if I were to go with option 1, where can I stop for one night midway? I intend to start at 11 in the noon...

Option 3: Kundapura - Someshwara - Agumbe - Hariharpura/Sringeri - Jayapura - Balehonnur - Chikmagalur - Belur - Hassan - Bangalore.
Good roads from Agumbe to Chikmagalur with green all around.
You can visit Sringeri on the way and stay overnight at Chikmagalur, which has lots of options.

[RaguHolla]

Shiradi Route to be closed from Oct 15 for 8 months! More news here...

Road might be open just before rainy season. May be experts can suggest better route depending on timing of departure!

[_chikku]

Detour: What about Bisle? Any one travelled recently through this section? Or knows the road conditions?

[Shubbi]

Any latest reports on Shiradi ghat condition? Need to travel over the weekend; hence decision pending on Shiradi or alternate routes.

[Satishtv]

Originally Posted by Shubbi

Option 3: Kundapura - Someshwara - Agumbe - Hariharpura/Sringeri - Jayapura - Balehonnur - Chikmagalur - Belur - Hassan - Bangalore.
Good roads from Agumbe to Chikmagalur with green all around.
You can visit Sringeri on the way and stay overnight at Chikmagalur, which has lots of options.

Thanks for your input. I completed my week long travel with helpful tips from the fellow members last week.

I took the following route on the way back

Day 1 Udupi > Kudremukh > Horanadu >

Day 2 Horanadu > Belur > Hassan > BLR

One of the most scenic routes i
have ever driven on. Enjoyed every minute. The roads are fantastic.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by _chikku

Detour: What about Bisle? Any one travelled recently through this section? Or knows the road conditions?

They were supposedly fixing Bisle ghat two years ago. What is the status now, even I want to know.

Originally Posted by Shubbi

Any latest reports on Shiradi ghat condition? Need to travel over the weekend; hence decision pending on Shiradi or alternate routes.

You can take Charmadi now. Once Shiradi is blocked, Ampere's route will be back in favour, because Charmadi will get choked.

Originally Posted by Satishtv

Day 1 Udupi > Kudremukh > Horanadu >

Day 2 Horanadu > Belur > Hassan > BLR

One of the most scenic routes i

It is also the slowest route. Good for leisure trip.

[paragsachania]

Driving solo – Bliss. On a Weekday – Fantastic!

Decided on a lazy weekday morning that it’s been a while I headed to the ghats and cranked up the engine when the clock stuck twelve noon.

Bangalore – Hassan – Belur – Gendehalli – Mudigere – Kottigehara – Javali – Kalasa – Kuduremukha – SK Border – Bajagoli – Naravi - Guruvayanakere – Belthangady – Ujire – Charmadi – Mudigere – Belur – Hassan – Kunigal – Bangalore

~710 Kms done in exactly 12 hours as I returned back home the same night. When driving solo, the breaks are indeed very less. In my case, I stopped for 20 minutes at Kottigehara and another 20 minutes at CR Patna on return, 5 minutes at Belur for refueling.

If your destination is Kalasa:

• Belur-Mudigere Handpost – Kottigehara remains good to very good
  
• Kottigehara – Javali is also very good
  
• Javali – Kelagur – Kalasa is a mixed bag with Good to decent roads and very small bad patches but not something you need to really worry about
  
• Maps predicted 1H17 Minutes from Kottigehara to Kalasa, a distance of 42 Kilometers, with usual speeds I could do that in exactly 60 minutes as I was driving solo

If you want to visit Kuduremukha:

• Beyond Kalasa, the roads get even better via the Standard route to Samse
  
• There are well marked speedbreakers (been there since a while now) and are not those typical suspension/back breakers

Beyond Kuduremukha to Karkala:

• Good roads continue after Kuduremukha as well, get wider once it merges with the fork from Sringeri rise
  
• As most of you must be aware, you need to hand over the Forest “Pass” at SK Border (Check post) which you had got when you passed a check post after Kuduremukha
  
• Roads from Bajagoli till Karkala also is on good shape

Karkala – Bajagoli – Naravi – Guruvayanakere:

• Mixed bag – Good (60%), Patchy (30%), Bad (10%) – By patchy, I only refer to sections where layer of asphalt has chipped off due to flowing rain water, Bad are the potholes here and there

Guruvayanakere – Belthangady – Ujire:

• Roads remain in same good condition as usual, no changes

Ujire – Charmadi – Kottigehara:

• Good roads from Ujire to Charmadi passing Kakkinje
  
• Charmadi all the way till you reach the Dakshina Kannada – Chikmagalur Border after ascending all the 11 Hair pins is Good and Patchy
  
• Beyond border it only gets better
  
• Of the 11 Hairpins, 3-4 of them have bad surface but then even at night I need not have to slow down to dead stop to negotiate this – It was only rough surface
  
• Overall, Charmadi’s condition has deteriorated but not so much that you cannot consider this option

Kottigehara – Mudigere Handpost – Jannapura – Belur:

• Nothing to worry, all good roads

Here were my timings which would significantly differ when you are driving solo with no proper breaks in mind. So 20% buffer to the overall drive is necessary in real world if driving with family for each of these sectors:

1155 - Departure from Bangalore
1455 - Enter Belur
1505 - Exit Belur (after refueling)
1540 - Enter Mudigere (via Gendehalli)
1600 - Kottigehara (quick break for 15 mins)
1615 - Start for Kalasa
1715 - Exit Kalasa
1730 - Forest Check-post Entry
1745 - Exit Kuduremukha
1823 - Forest Check-post Exit (SK Border)
1830 - Bajagoli
1911 - Guruvayanakere
1923 - Ujire
1940 - Enter Charmadi (Check post)
2017 - Cross Kottigehara
2031 - Cross Mudigere Handpost
2102 - Enter Belur
2135 - Enter Hassan
2202 - Dinner Break, Udyapura
2216 - Start for Bangalore
2330 - Nelemangala
2355 - Home

(accuracy of logs - Timestamp on the Dachcam clips)

Here are few pictures from the same drive:


(Mandatory pit-stop for Neer Dose at Kottigehara)
















(Parked right in front of a board that says "No Parking" due to a small Ganesha Temple and expected parking on weekends or Holiday season)



(The beginning of Charmadi Ghats)



(The Time on my car's clock and ICE is set 10 minutes faster)

With 8 hours of recording time on the Dachcam, I have the complete dashcam grab right from Belur till Home and intend to merge few files and post it here soon - That should give you idea on how Charmadi is holding on.

Originally Posted by Samurai

They were supposedly fixing Bisle ghat two years ago. What is the status now, even I want to know.

As of July, the road work in progress sign was still there along with a barricade. Don't think this has been done as yet. I am referring to entry to Bisile from Kudurasthe side.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by _chikku

Detour: What about Bisle? Any one travelled recently through this section? Or knows the road conditions?

Originally Posted by Samurai

They were supposedly fixing Bisle ghat two years ago. What is the status now, even I want to know.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

I am referring to entry to Bisile from Kudurasthe side.

Do check https://www.facebook.com/groups/hvku...3926250894565/
This video posted by the author is both exhilarating & downright scary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPZQ9mT4tPg

Also quoting from another post on HVK FB group by Bhargav Rama dated 28th June

Route taken: Kasaragali homestay - Bisle - Kukke Subrahmanya - Gundya(Shiradi) - Sakleshpur - Hassan - Bangalore

Road conditions: When the board said Bisle was closed for turning road into concrete one like Shiradi I thought the whole road would be done.
It is done for a mere 10 km stretch. The road from Kudraste is good till the junction taken to Mallalli waterfalls/Pushpagiri deviation. From there road is patchy till Bisle view point with some big potholes. After 3 kms from the view point the road turns into off-road stretch. It is bad as in almost Zanksar/Spiti bad(Not exactly the same) but we couldn't go more than 20 kmph for more than an hour.

This stretch continues for around 15-20 kms after which you get to ride on the concrete road. From here the road is good all the way till Gundya.
Gundya - Sakleshpur(Shiradi ghat) - This is my first ride on this route after the road has been opened. The 14 km stretch which has been changed from Bitumen to concrete is really class apart. I didnt think it would be so good. But the road before and after this stretch has some good number of potholes developed and will get worse as the monsoon has just begun.