[JohnnyBoss]

Awesome place, pictures, writing and details. Thanks for sharing information on this wonderful place.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Epilogue

• Anyone travelling to Agumbe / Thirthahalli should take the Shimoga - Thirthahalli route once just to experience the beauty of that. Beautiful two lane road with forest on one side and river on other. TBHPian Ampere was harping about this route in many posts, on driving through there made out the reason why.

When coming from Jog Falls to Agumbe, Malandur, Riponpet, Thirthahalli route is shorter. Would you recommend taking the route via Shimoga to relish the scenery of the route or both routes are comparable in scenery?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

When coming from Jog Falls to Agumbe, Malandur, Riponpet, Thirthahalli route is shorter. Would you recommend taking the route via Shimoga to relish the scenery of the route or both routes are comparable in scenery?

Anandapuram-Ripponpete-Thirthahalli SH1 is equally beautiful in rains. Just that you wont have the river running next to you!

[Samurai]

The title drew me to the thread, nice shots of the monsoon. I regularly chase the rain, literally. I actually enjoy driving in rain, and it makes my relatives think I am strange. They would say things like, it is raining hard, postpone the drive. I would say I prefer to drive in rain. It feels wonderful to drive in rain, except if I get a hazard light hero in front of me.

Here is a rain drive video from Charmadi ghat. I sometimes just watch it at home, has a calming effect on me.

See in HD in fullscreen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gq6_5Ik4t5A

[Mysticeyes]

Amazing set of pics, beautiful travelogue. Rain & mist combination is unbeatable As I sit here in this sweltering heat now, I wish I could make time run for the monsoon to set in

Just sharing a pic that's in my mind over last few days - taken during a monsoon drive through Tamilnadu

[@Chaand]

@mpksuhas,

Awesome travelogue with good attention to detail and captivating pics. I was planning to go to Agumbe myself this year in the rains and was searching for a bhpians experience and I am sure I need need to look no further.

I am worried about the stay options here. I hope there are multiple home-stays to choose from. Also, would it be a good idea to go to Jog falls around this time. Would the falls be at their full glory now or do I wait till September?

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

I am worried about the stay options here. I hope there are multiple home-stays to choose from. Also, would it be a good idea to go to Jog falls around this time. Would the falls be at their full glory now or do I wait till September?

Thanks Chaand.

Yes, there are multiple home-stays available, however try booking your stay at-least 3 weeks in advance. The place where we stayed was selected after we found some of the better rated home-stays were not available.

Regarding the falls, monsoon has not picked up around here still, hoping that it does in another 2-3 weeks I would suggest you can plan the trip anytime from July mid onwards.

You would find water as in our travelogue pics. If I remember it correctly, gates of dam upstream was opened around a week before our trip. I had seen a pic in newspaper about a week after our trip when again dam shutters were open. The falls were a single wall of water then and looked superb.

However, a drawback of having heavy water flow is that you will not be able to view the bottom of the falls from the viewing area due to mist created due to falling water.

[Resfeber]

Was in Agumbe last weekend, consistent rainfall with cloud cover all day, Thirthahalli to Agumbe wavy drive was scary for my friends , I thoroughly enjoyed driving in the dark wavy roads though. How would the climate be in the first week of July? More rain?

[@Chaand]

Resfeber,

I wan't to live that moment. Some additional details like road conditions, traffic, en route fuel stations, eating joints would help a lot.

My route would be from Mumbai - Ranibennur - Shimoga - Thirthahalli - Agumbe - Jog Falls - Mumbai.

[meetbadri]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

Resfeber,

I wan't to live that moment. Some additional details like road conditions, traffic, en route fuel stations, eating joints would help a lot.

My route would be from Mumbai - Ranibennur - Shimoga - Thirthahalli - Agumbe - Jog Falls - Mumbai.

You can plan with Sirsi also enroute. The route would be
1) Mumbai – Pune – Satara – Belgaum – Hubli – Sirsi
Stay at Sirsi and visit some nearby places like Yaana or Sahasralinga or Unchalli Falls. (Sahasralinga can be made in couple of hours of time but Yaana or Unchalli Falls need at least half a day and trek of about couple of Kms)
2) Sirsi – Siddapur – Jog – Sagar - Shimoga – Thirthahalli – Agumbe
There are multiple homestays available near Thirthahalli and you can opt one.
3) Agumbe – Thirthahalli – Simoga – Ranebennur – Hubli – Belgaum – Satara – Pune – Mumbai.
If you think the travel distance as more you can opt to stay at Belgaum

[@Chaand]

Thanks Meetbadri.

I am looking to travel along the route which has the forest on one side and river on the other side. Does the route suggested by you let me do that?

[meetbadri]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

Thanks Meetbadri.

I am looking to travel along the route which has the forest on one side and river on the other side. Does the route suggested by you let me do that?

I don’t think there are any roads with River on one side and forest on the other in entire Uttara Kannada and Shimoga district. However you will find some nice streams en route.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

Thanks Meetbadri.

I am looking to travel along the route which has the forest on one side and river on the other side. Does the route suggested by you let me do that?

Originally Posted by meetbadri

I don’t think there are any roads with River on one side and forest on the other in entire Uttara Kannada and Shimoga district. However you will find some nice streams en route.

I guess Chaand is enquiring about Thirthahalli - Shivamoga route - NH 13. Around Skarabyle elephant camp of JLR the road skirts river on one side and forest on other side.

Google maps location.

Pic from my trip.

[AjMusto]

Wow nice pics and travelogue!! Had visited almost the same places last month but the landscape just changes due to the monsoon. May be need to visit these places one more time during monsoon.Attaching a few pics!!

[FuelInjector]

Reading this post now (after a cross post with your chikmangalur travelogue).
We seem to be going to the same places with a timelag .

We had been to Kollur through hulikal ghat. We had stayed at Tirthahalli at Bananki home stay. This place is owned by Arpitha and her husband. nice place to stay at. Augumbe is 60 kms from here and so is Kollur.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ookambika.html

[Resfeber]

Guys, how is Jog Falls now? Planning a trip to Jog next weekend. I've never visited Jog during or after monsoons, so I've been a bit disappointed to see just a trickle.

And also which is the best route to from Bangalore? (less traffic, more scenic :P)