Bangalore - Waynad Sep 2009

XH_Vee · 2nd April 2010, 17:02

(My initial posts would be a bit old as I became a Team BHPian recently)

Road trip:

Bangalore – Mysore – Hunsur – Nagerhole – Kutta – Mananthavady – Kalpetta

Sightseeing & night halt at Kalpetta

Kalpetta – Sultan Bathery – Gundulpet – Mysore – Bangalore

Total distance = 620 km

We managed to start at 06:30 hrs from Bangalore and took the Nice road to SH17. Reached Mysore 09:00 hours and bypassed the city using the ring road. We got lost a bit before finally finding the Hunsur road. We again took the bypass before Hunsur (one which is marked by signs pointing towards ‘Irpu falls’) which led us directly into the Nagerhole National Park. They do a nice frisking of you and your car before they let you use the jungle road. No toll is collected though. The route through the national park is very scenic and we also encountered a few bisons, elephants & deers. About 40 mins later we emerged at the other end of the park into coffee fields. The road led straight to Kutta. From Kutta you we had to search the left turn towards Waynad.

From Kutta as you enter into Kerala, a stretch of about 5 km is absolute horror especially for cars. It is as if it would have been better if there was no road at all. Once into Kerala, road improves continuously in smoothness till you reach Mananthavady. We continued onwards to Kalpetta where we had reservations at PP Tourist Home (has a large parking was my criteria of selection). We reached Kalpetta around 12:00 hrs. We checked into our rooms, caught forty winks and then waited for an abrupt thunderstorm to pass. Late afternoon we drove to a nearby lake. We returned to the hotel just after sunset, had a couple of beers along with dinner and called it a day.

Next morning we again started early around 06:00 hrs and explored few waterfall in the vicinity of Kalpetta. To our delight, we found one completely secluded about 10 kms from Kalpetta. But driving there early in the morning was pretty challenging with a thick blanket of fog on the road. Things became a bit easier as the sun finally decided to start its day. On the way back we went to Chembra estate. We drove almost to the summit (at least till the end of that road) and spent some time at the top admiring the panaroma. We started back around 11.30 hrs and came back to the hotel just in time to check out at 12.00 hrs. Then we had an early lunch at the restaurant attached to the boarding and set off on the journey back.

Instead of taking the same route, we went to Sultan Bathery and continued through Waynad sanctuary in Kerala, which is the same forest body as Bandipur Sanctuary in Karnataka till we reached Gundulpet. From here it was easy to find the road to Mysore and back.

Overall a very delightful trip, no trouble with my car whatsoever. Fuel stations were available almost everywhere although two stretches through the sancturies (Nagerhole & Bandipur) are quite deviod of human existance.

P.S. Will post pictures soon!

2nd April 2010, 17:02	#1
XH_Vee BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 91 Thanked: 8 Times View My Garage	Bangalore - Waynad Sep 2009 (My initial posts would be a bit old as I became a Team BHPian recently) Road trip: Bangalore – Mysore – Hunsur – Nagerhole – Kutta – Mananthavady – Kalpetta Sightseeing & night halt at Kalpetta Kalpetta – Sultan Bathery – Gundulpet – Mysore – Bangalore Total distance = 620 km We managed to start at 06:30 hrs from Bangalore and took the Nice road to SH17. Reached Mysore 09:00 hours and bypassed the city using the ring road. We got lost a bit before finally finding the Hunsur road. We again took the bypass before Hunsur (one which is marked by signs pointing towards ‘Irpu falls’) which led us directly into the Nagerhole National Park. They do a nice frisking of you and your car before they let you use the jungle road. No toll is collected though. The route through the national park is very scenic and we also encountered a few bisons, elephants & deers. About 40 mins later we emerged at the other end of the park into coffee fields. The road led straight to Kutta. From Kutta you we had to search the left turn towards Waynad. From Kutta as you enter into Kerala, a stretch of about 5 km is absolute horror especially for cars. It is as if it would have been better if there was no road at all. Once into Kerala, road improves continuously in smoothness till you reach Mananthavady. We continued onwards to Kalpetta where we had reservations at PP Tourist Home (has a large parking was my criteria of selection). We reached Kalpetta around 12:00 hrs. We checked into our rooms, caught forty winks and then waited for an abrupt thunderstorm to pass. Late afternoon we drove to a nearby lake. We returned to the hotel just after sunset, had a couple of beers along with dinner and called it a day. Next morning we again started early around 06:00 hrs and explored few waterfall in the vicinity of Kalpetta. To our delight, we found one completely secluded about 10 kms from Kalpetta. But driving there early in the morning was pretty challenging with a thick blanket of fog on the road. Things became a bit easier as the sun finally decided to start its day. On the way back we went to Chembra estate. We drove almost to the summit (at least till the end of that road) and spent some time at the top admiring the panaroma. We started back around 11.30 hrs and came back to the hotel just in time to check out at 12.00 hrs. Then we had an early lunch at the restaurant attached to the boarding and set off on the journey back. Instead of taking the same route, we went to Sultan Bathery and continued through Waynad sanctuary in Kerala, which is the same forest body as Bandipur Sanctuary in Karnataka till we reached Gundulpet. From here it was easy to find the road to Mysore and back. Overall a very delightful trip, no trouble with my car whatsoever. Fuel stations were available almost everywhere although two stretches through the sancturies (Nagerhole & Bandipur) are quite deviod of human existance. P.S. Will post pictures soon!
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