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-   -   Weekend trip : Bangalore -> Kollur (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travelogues/40078-weekend-trip-bangalore-kollur.html)

16 May (Friday)
Started from Airport Road at 0545. In 20 minutes, reached Hesaraghatta cross on Tumkur road and hit a traffic jam. Road made narrow by construction activities on both sides. Huge trucks and transport buses making things further difficult. Somehow wriggled out of the mess. Tumkur road is in excellent condition and started hitting 100 KPH regularly. Took a 10 minute break and started further at 0700.

Road is very straight with high visibility and in excellent condition. Lots of trees on both sides making a cooling effect. Though 2-lane, traffic is less making driving a pleasure. At times stray cattles do cross the road. In one place a buffalo herd crossed my car. Typical rural sight. Second phase of assembly elections covering Shivamoga district was on this day. Once in a while on the highway, you see lots of people thronging a school with some police vehicles parked. People waiting to vote. Enthusiastic faces. Lots of energy around them though their life seems to be a struggle for basic amenities like drinking water, medication.

Took 30 minute break near Arsikere. Lots of migratory birds are seen in the lake. Reached Shivamoga by 1130 and halted for lunch break. I was expecting rough road 30 km before Shivamoga as my friend warned, but to my surprise road was recently relaid. Perhaps an election gimmick.

Left Shivamoga at 1300 and took the Ayannur, Ripponpet road. Road is not very wide, but traffic is very less. You will see an incoming vehicle once in 2-3 kms. But cattles do stray across. Road condition is good, but road shoulder height is around 15 cms and if you start getting down, you will end up damaging your car. One has to watch out for trucks. I followed the policy of breaking dead stop on seeing them and let them get off the road and proceed. Let the guys having higher ground clearance get off :-)

After Nagara, dense forest covers both sides of the road. Though the road keepes curving, there are not many hair pin curves on this road. It is easily driveable. One keep seeing the black macaques and wild hens.

Route: Bangalore -> Tumkur -> Arsikere ->Shivamoga -> Ayannur -> Ripponpet -> Hosanagara -> Nagara -> Nagodi -> Kollur
Distance: 422 km
Duration: 9 hours

Stayed in Devi Krupa Lodge near the temple west gate. Very basic facilities. Rate is high at Rs.300 for a double bedroom considering the basic amenities. No elevators in this lodge and one has to climb 2 floors to reach the room. Good thing is that this lodge has generator facility. There are frequent power cuts in Kollur area. For those used to Bangalore climate (like my 2 year old), humid conditions can be upsetting and without power things can turn very unpleasant.

Visited the temple on Friday night and full of Saturday. Performed 'Vidyarambha Pooja' for my 2 year old in the Saraswati Mandapa. Also had 'Prasaada Ootta' and 'Kashaya Theertha' on Saturday night. Since this is a Devi temple, there is rush on Fridays. Due to the summer holiday and weekend, there was considerably long queue for darshan this time. Last time I visited Kollur was during monsoon and only the priests, my family and another family were present inside the chuttambalam.

18 May (Sunday)
Started from Kollur at 0900 to Udupi. This stretch of road is also in good condition but watch out for fast incoming traffic especially private buses. I realized that the respect you command is directly proportional to the size of your vehicle and that I would have been better placed driving a truck than a Getz. Immediately after Kollur, a right turn takes you to the highway near Murudeshwar, but the road is one vehicle wide and not so good. There are similar short cuts down the way towards Kundapura, Udupi as well towards the left, but again same problem of road width. Kept going on the wider road and hit NH17 just before Kundapura. NH17 is recently tarred and the stretch between Kundapura and Udupi is in good condition. At one place, road work was going on.

Reached Udupi by 1100 and checked into Hotel Sharada International on the highway. Here a double room costs around Rs. 450 but excellent quality. Room is very neat and impressive, with good furniture, TV, telephone and a good view of the highway. Hotel has generator as well as lift. Room service is okay, not very prompt.

Spent couple of hours in the temple and then proceeded to St. Mary’s Island off Malpe. Malpe is around 4 km off the highway from Udupi. Got a boat at the Malpe harbour. Around 100+ people in the boat. Since this boat is big one had to switch over to another small boat as we approached the island. Somewhat dangerous as this happens mid sea. This journey is not advisable for aged people and those with sea sickness. My 2 year old started feeling sick, so we decided to come back soon. Locals informed that the deep sea beach side of the island is dangerous for swimming and one should stick to the continent facing beach side only.

19 May (Monday)
Started from Udupi at 0830 to Manipal. Filled fuel at the BP pump in Manipal and proceeded to Agumbe. Road condition is good. Ghat road in this section can be a challenging experience for a first timer. As we reach Agumbe, road condition worsens. But the view, especially from the sunset point, is breathtaking. Road condition improves after Agumbe. Reached Sringeri by 1130 and had lunch there. Sringeri to Chikmagalur stretch is somewhat bumpy, especially between Balehonnur and Aldur. But dense vegetation around, coffee and tea plantations. Had coffee from Chikmagalur, some snacks from the Ayengar Bakey. Belur onwards road quality is excellent and keeps on improving as one approaches Hassan. One wonders whether Hassan is the capital city of Karnataka - road quality is that good. NH48 is also pretty good and could drive at 100 KPH even at night. Reached Nelamangala at 1900 and hit a jam straightaway again at the Hesaraghatta cross. Then on the Bangalore traffic story started and after one hour reached home.

Route: Udupi -> Agumbe -> Sringeri -> Chikmagalur -> Belur -> Hassan -> Nelamangala -> Bangalore
Distance: 430 km
Duration: 8.5 hours

Onward and Return journeys were in stark contrast with each other. Shivamoga highway offers straight road with open land on both sides where as Chikmagalur highway offers dense vegetation and curvy roads. Driving was a pleasurable experience. Wish to travel again in the region soon.

So until next time ...

Some snaps attached.

Nice update and pics !! it would be nice if you could provide some caption for the pics specially the road sections.

Abhi

Nice one Sbraj.

The photos are great; the third one (with the clouds) looking more like a painting! :-)

And the one with the elephant - good one!

:-)

Nice review and photos.

@HappyWheels. Those are not the clouds. It is the flower (Mallige) in his car :) Its the reflection of that in the Windscreen. Am I right sbraj.

Hai Sbraj,

That's a nice little travelogue.

Loved the first photos with your ride under the red flowers.

Is it possible to add come captions to the photos, we'd get a feel of where it was taken?

Happy Driving,

--Ramky

========

Good & Concise report. More pictures are welcome.
cheers:

mjothi is right, those are not clouds but reflections of the jasmine flower around the Ganesha.
Happywheels - you have a sharp eye though. I never noticed the reflection myself :-) .


Not sure how to edit the post again, so adding the captions below:

0-shivamoga-highway.jpg
- Taken near Kadur. Red Gulmohar caught the eye and thought of capturing it with my car and the highway.

1-painted-storks-near-arsikere.jpg
- Lake near Arsikere on the left side of highway. Lots of migratory birds seen here, including painted storks.

2-cattle-herd.jpg
- Cattle herd crossing the highway near Arsikere.

3-near-ayyannur.jpg
- Near Ayyanur after taking the left turn from Shivamoga highway.

4-ripponpet.jpg
- Near Ripponpet. An old tree had fallen down by the roadside and the birds were caught taking a nap in the afternoon sun.

5-nagodi.jpg
- Near Nagodi nearing Kollur. Dense and undisturbed forest.

6-front-kollur-temple.jpg
- In front of Mookambika Temple, Kollur. Kodachadri hill range can be seen in the background.

7-river-souparnika.jpg
- River Souparnika in Kollur. Devotees take bath in the river before proceeding to temple.

8-golden-chariot.jpg
- Kollur Temple's Golden Chariot in which 'sheeveli' is done (the deity is taken around the temple).

9-st-mary-s-island.jpg
- St. Mary's Island off Malpe beach, seen from the boat.

Nice pics and report of your tour. Enjoyed it.

Hi ,Should i take this route Bangalore -> Tumkur -> Arsikere ->Shivamoga -> Ayannur -> Ripponpet -> Hosanagara -> Nagara -> Nagodi -> Kollur

,instead of Blr -hassan- shiradi-uppinangadi.mangalore-udipi-kollur,as the roads are again in bad shape.

anyone taken this route in the last 2 weeks. also is it raining?? i am planning to go with family on 15th Aug
thanks

Never saw this report, very nicely written with detailed road info.

Absolutely, don't even think about Shiradi ghat.

Kollur is not crowded during monsoons that much, avoid fridays.

thanks so much for the info ......

Hi samurai, can u tell me how many Km is BLR-Kollur if i take
Bangalore -> Tumkur -> Arsikere ->Shivamoga -> Ayannur -> Ripponpet -> Hosanagara -> Nagara -> Nagodi -> Kollur Route as against Blr-hassan-shiradi-uppinagadi-Mangalore-udupi-kundapura-kolur?

Distance and rough time ?

thanks

Sbraj great write up and I specially like the first picture with the Getz :)

I will be travelling this Sunday to Kollur. From Shimoga, how do you go? Take the Sagar route (I can only find Hosanagara and Sagar in the maps - no Ayyanur or Ripponpet!) and then some turn? Any boards to help a non-kannada guy?

Thanks!

Approximately 2km after Shimoga, there is a big circle where the directions are written in English/Kannada. You would have to take left turn to Ayyanur. Local people are very helpful and they directed me correctly. Language shouldn't be a problem - I could get away with Hindi/English/Malayalam.

Map at Shimoga Map | India Google Satellite Maps