[Gandhi]

Hi BHPians,

Me and another friend of mine are planning a road-trip on the route mentioned above. This is all the planning we have done. Plan is to have no plan . But still I want to know if we need to watch out for some specific routes.

This is what we are looking for -

1) Scenic routes
2) Scenic places worth photography
3) Good places to chill out - beaches etc.
4) Good local food

We will be starting from Bangalore on Monday early morning and want to come back by Friday night. Any suggestions are welcome.

[ampere]

You are talking of a circle/polygon with center at Jog. If you knock out Hampi from the plan, then the rest fall in place.

1. Blr-Shimoga-Sagar/Jog.
2. Jog-Sirsi-Yellapur-Ankola-Karwar
3. Karwar-Udupi
4. Udupi-Blr.

[Gandhi]

^^^ Really? Google Maps suggest that this route makes a circle. Here's a screenshot.

[StarVegabond]

I suggest you go via Chikmagalur-Shringeri - Agumbe to Udupi, very scenic route, good fog, Coffee platnations etc.

Visit Kaup beach, Malpe St Mary's Island while at Udupi,

Don't go to Jog while you are going from Udupi to Karwar, roads wwere in terrible state for some 40 odd KMs

Include Gokarna if possible

Go to Devbagh beach resort at Karwar and near by Islands by boat.
Experience houseboat stay if possible

Include Yana - Sirsi on your way to Jog, ALternatively you can include Yelalapur-Dandeli-Yellapur-Sirsi-Jog route.

From Jog you can go to Sirsi-Hubli -Gadag-Hospet - Hampi.

But Hospet-Bellary road is very bad since ages. From Hospet you can take road to Hiriyur (NH4) - Tumkur - Bangalore.

If required you can go to fort and the dam at Chitradurga.

[ampere]

I said that because:

1. Optimum route to Hampi is not through Anantpur(NH7), but via NH4.

Here is the route map:

Bengaluru, Karnataka to Bengaluru, Karnataka - Google Maps


2. Its not that it cannot be done, but the places you listed, will make you drive across all the way from Hampi to Karwar without any places in between.
Yes you can enjoy Yellapur if you want to. See magod falls. Route from Hampi to Hubli is real bad.

3. Not sure of the Kumta Sagar/Jog road.

4. Here is what I was suggesting: (Blr-Jog-Yellapur-Karwar-Udupi-Blr)


Bengaluru, Karnataka to Bengaluru, Karnataka - Google Maps



Jog-Yellapur will have Sirsi/Yana/Banavasi to visit. You can plan accordingly by staying in Sirsi.
You can stay at Banana County at Yellapur.
Udupi-Blr circuit will have many places to visit.

[Gandhi]

Thanks StarVegaBond and ampere. This is exactly what I was looking for. This much input is more than enough.

Are there any places in Hampi where we can stay overnight? We are only two of us boys, so don't need any facilities. The room and bathroom should be clean, that's enough.

[ampere]

Hampi has KSTDC Mayura. You can book.

When I went last, (read two boys!), we stayed in a room right at Hampi (for 200/-). The room was owned by village locals. (But that was five years back)
You can rent cycles for a day, and go round exploring the place. Its amazing.

[Gandhi]

Originally Posted by ampere

Hampi has KSTDC Mayura. You can book.

When I went last, (read two boys!), we stayed in a room right at Hampi (for 200/-). The room was owned by village locals. (But that was five years back)
You can rent cycles for a day, and go round exploring the place. Its amazing.

Sounds really good. Now we're gonna stay in Hampi for at least a day .

[bharat4ever]

Hi, I tried searching on the forums, and couldn't get anything recent.

I plan to do a weekend trip to Jog and Sirsi. Can someone please suggest the ideal route. Scenic, but good?

I've booked two hotels, one at Sirsi, and one at Sagara, just in case.
Google maps suggests three routes

NH 48 - Neelamangala, Tumkur, Sira, Chitradurga, Davengere, Haveri, Sirsi
NH 69 - Ramnagara, Chanpatna, Bhadravathi, Shimoga, Sagara, Sirsi
NH 7 - Not considering , it's too much or a roundabout

Is NH 48 the ideal way to go?
Also, how are the driving conditions right now? Will it rain a lot?
This is my first long trip so I want to be doubly sure.

Thanks a lot of helping guys.

[bharat4ever]

Not able to edit the main post.

Which route is more scenic? NH48, or NH69? NH69 seems to be an hour longer, but is it worth it. Looks to have a lot of curves.

[srishiva]

@bharat4ever, Its NH4 not 48. To go via Shimoga, you dont have to go through Ramnagara and Channapattana. You can go to Tumkur, Arsikere then to Bhadravati. The latter one is scenic and the roads are ok too.

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by bharat4ever

Hi, I tried searching on the forums, and couldn't get anything recent.

I plan to do a weekend trip to Jog and Sirsi. Can someone please suggest the ideal route. Scenic, but good?

Thanks a lot of helping guys.

To visit Jog, you'd have to drive via Shimoga. You could do a Bangalore-Shimoga-Jog-Sirsi-Haveri-Bangalore. The Shimoga route is more scenic, but its a 2-lane highway which passes thru several towns. Haveri-Bangalore is a 4-lane highway that bypasses towns along the way.

Prasad

[KarthikK]

Originally Posted by bharat4ever

Hi, I tried searching on the forums, and couldn't get anything recent.

I plan to do a weekend trip to Jog and Sirsi. Can someone please suggest the ideal route. Scenic, but good?

I've booked two hotels, one at Sirsi, and one at Sagara, just in case.
Google maps suggests three routes

NH 48 - Neelamangala, Tumkur, Sira, Chitradurga, Davengere, Haveri, Sirsi
NH 69 - Ramnagara, Chanpatna, Bhadravathi, Shimoga, Sagara, Sirsi
NH 7 - Not considering , it's too much or a roundabout

Is NH 48 the ideal way to go?
Also, how are the driving conditions right now? Will it rain a lot?
This is my first long trip so I want to be doubly sure.

Thanks a lot of helping guys.

Originally Posted by bharat4ever

Not able to edit the main post.

Which route is more scenic? NH48, or NH69? NH69 seems to be an hour longer, but is it worth it. Looks to have a lot of curves.

Route 1 is the most common route and roads are good all the way till Sirsi. You second and third options are not correct. Are you sure you want to go to Channapatna if your destination is Sirsi ? Channapatna / Ramnagar are on Mysore road, south west of Bangalore. Sirsi is north west of Bangalore.

Your alternate option (route 2) should be this (link below) - Bangalore -> Nelamangala -> Tumkur bypass -> Tiptur ->Arsikere -> Bhadravati -> Shimoga -> Sagara -> Sirsi. The Sagara- Sirsi stretch is not in great shape, but is manageable without complaints.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...&via=1&t=m&z=8


Route 3 (NH7) goes north-east towards Hyderabad and another direction goes south-east towards Salem in Tamil Nadu. If you have lots of time and petrol to blow up, you can use NH7 , else stick to either of the other routes.

Among routes 1 and 2, the Shimoga route (2) is a single lane stretch, but it is in great shape and the scenery is definitely better. The Chitradurga route is wider, is an expressway kind of road and has more truck traffic. You can take either of them, depending on what kind of roads you prefer to drive on (scenery v/s time to reach). Route 1 will be faster of the two, because you can maintain better momentum. It also has more eateries along the way to stop at.

The Shimoga route has some curves, but don't expect anything like a ghat section. They are very subtle curves which you may not even notice when you pass through.

Regarding the weather, yes it is likely to rain in those areas considering monsoon in in full blast in the western ghats. It will rain almost everyday. Enjoy jog falls in all its glory, this is the best time to visit that place. Have a nice trip, and do come back with loads of pictures!

[bharat4ever]

Karthik one more question. I'm going for a three day trip. As in on the third day I'll have to start back to bangalore. Do you think I'll be able to club gokarna or some other beach as well?

Also I've booked rooms in hotel shivani, sirsi. Do you have any idea about how it will be?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by srishiva

@bharat4ever, Its NH4 not 48. To go via Shimoga, you dont have to go through Ramnagara and Channapattana. You can go to Tumkur, Arsikere then to Bhadravati. The latter one is scenic and the roads are ok too.

The problem is new nomenclature has changed the famous NH4 to NH48 in Google maps! And newly attained status of NH234 to NH69!

Originally Posted by KarthikK

Route 1 is the most common route and roads are good all the way till Sirsi. You second and third options are not correct. Are you sure you want to go to Channapatna if your destination is Sirsi ? Channapatna / Ramnagar are on Mysore road, south west of Bangalore. Sirsi is north west of Bangalore.

Originally Posted by bharat4ever

Karthik one more question. I'm going for a three day trip. As in on the third day I'll have to start back to bangalore. Do you think I'll be able to club gokarna or some other beach as well?

Also I've booked rooms in hotel shivani, sirsi. Do you have any idea about how it will be?

As Karthik mentioned, if you want to visit Jog and then Sirsi, then there is only one route for your.

Tumkur-Kadur-Bhadra-Jog-Sagar-Sirisi.

If you only want to visit Sirsi. the faster route would be via the GQ (Bombay GQ)
Will keep the name as Bombay GQ due to confusing naming. Every one forums knows it as NH4.
So on the GQ go till Haveri and then exit the 4-lane to goto Sirsi.