[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by RSUDARSANAN

Hi,

Am planning a route through Nagarahole.

Please update road conditions:

a. route SH 33: Mysore-HDKote Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavadi.

b. Hunsur-Nagarhole-Kutta

From a wild life viewing perspective, b should be a better bet ?

Thanks for your inputs.

Pitching in and providing you an update on the road condition as of yesterday afternoon.

Route a: Mysore-HDKote Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavadi. Splitting the update into parts

Mysore - HD Kote Hand post - Excellent roads, but watch out for cattle.

HD Kote Hand post to Damman Katte Checkpost - Excellent roads

Damman Katte Checkpost to Forest Checkpost - Motorable roads, mud roads but decent enough to drive at 40-50 kmph. This stretch should be asphalted in a month or two.

Forest Checkpost to Bavali - Good roads, but quite a bit of humps to slow the traffic down.

Bavali - Manathavady - Good roads.

Route b: Hunsur - Nagarahole - Kutta.

Hunsur to Nagarahole forest check post - Good road, but a bit narrow

Nagarahole checkpost to Kutta side Checkpost - Bad and rough roads. Loads of pot holes

Kutta side checkpost to Kutta - Decent.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

Damman Katte Checkpost to Forest Checkpost - Motorable roads, mud roads but decent enough to drive at 40-50 kmph. This stretch should be asphalted in a month or two.

Are you talking about the route through the forest - the direct route after we cross Dammmanakatte check post? or the one through the villages where we have to take a left before the checkpost and join back the forest at ubur check post?

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Are you talking about the route through the forest - the direct route after we cross Dammmanakatte check post? or the one through the villages where we have to take a left before the checkpost and join back the forest at ubur check post?

The road going straight from Dammankatte check post is closed as it is very in very bad shape and I believe repair work is on as I spoke to the forest guard who was stationed there he said "Repairi madtha iddare saar". You will have to take the village road for now and join back at Ubur check post from where the road is freshly asphalted and joins the old road. However, do note there are a couple of nasty unmarked huge humps on this Ubur checkpost to old road junction.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

The road going straight from Dammankatte check post is closed as it is very in very bad shape and I believe repair work is on as I spoke to the forest guard who was stationed there he said "Repairi madtha iddare saar". You will have to take the village road for now and join back at Ubur check post from where the road is freshly asphalted and joins the old road. However, do note there are a couple of nasty unmarked huge humps on this Ubur checkpost to old road junction.

OK, so they have closed the straight road!
Actually, that stretch between Dammanakatte and Udur through the forest is supposed to be permanently closed and all these while traffic was diverted through the village roads which were in horrible condition. They had kept the forest road open since last 2 months which we all thought was to repair the village roads. I had done this stretch on Jan 12th and the straight road was open even then.

So how do you rate the village road now? Did you see any work going on? It is still not asphalted?

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

OK, so they have closed the straight road!
Actually, that stretch between Dammanakatte and Udur through the forest is supposed to be permanently closed and all these while traffic was diverted through the village roads which were in horrible condition. They had kept the forest road open since last 2 months which we all thought was to repair the village roads. I had done this stretch on Jan 12th and the straight road was open even then.

So how do you rate the village road now? Did you see any work going on? It is still not asphalted?

The village is definitely doable, infact had some fun doing 60+ on the mud road which is relaid but not asphalted yet. The heavy rollers were levelling out the road at few places and a few initial kilometers after the left turn from Dammankatte is already asphalted. Maybe in a month's time the whole road should be ready. But at a couple of places in the village road, the old broken tarmac is left untouched. Else even with mud road apart from being dusty, its definitely motorable for sure.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

The village is definitely doable, infact had some fun doing 60+ on the mud road which is relaid but not asphalted yet. The heavy rollers were levelling out the road at few places and a few initial kilometers after the left turn from Dammankatte is already asphalted. Maybe in a month's time the whole road should be ready. But at a couple of places in the village road, the old broken tarmac is left untouched. Else even with mud road apart from being dusty, its definitely motorable for sure.

1 month can be very optemestic unless the work is at the final stages, the work is going for close to 4 months now.

[RSUDARSANAN]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

Pitching in and providing you an update on the road condition as of yesterday afternoon.

Route a: Mysore-HDKote Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavadi. Splitting the update into parts

Mysore - HD Kote Hand post - Excellent roads, but watch out for cattle.

HD Kote Hand post to Damman Katte Checkpost - Excellent roads

Damman Katte Checkpost to Forest Checkpost - Motorable roads, mud roads but decent enough to drive at 40-50 kmph. This stretch should be asphalted in a month or two.

Forest Checkpost to Bavali - Good roads, but quite a bit of humps to slow the traffic down.

Bavali - Manathavady - Good roads.

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Are you talking about the route through the forest - the direct route after we cross Dammmanakatte check post? or the one through the villages where we have to take a left before the checkpost and join back the forest at ubur check post?

Originally Posted by gadadhar

1 month can be very optemestic unless the work is at the final stages, the work is going for close to 4 months now.

Folks: Shall be much obliged for any latest road condition updates on the route SH 33: Mysore-HDKote Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavadi, since Feb 2014. Thanks

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by RSUDARSANAN

Folks: Shall be much obliged for any latest road condition updates on the route SH 33: Mysore-HDKote Handpost-Bavali-Mananthavadi, since Feb 2014. Thanks

I did this stretch on 26th september and the road is in excellent shape throughout, from Mysore-Handpost-Dammankatte-Gundathur-Udur-Bavali and further on wards to Mananthavady. But be aware, the road between Udur and Bavali is closed between 6 PM and 6 AM.

[RSUDARSANAN]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

I did this stretch on 26th september and the road is in excellent shape throughout, from Mysore-Handpost-Dammankatte-Gundathur-Udur-Bavali and further on wards to Mananthavady. But be aware, the road between Udur and Bavali is closed between 6 PM and 6 AM.

Sandeep: Thanks for the prompt response . My Wayanad (Tbhp meet) return route 09 Nov.,'14 stands cleared for the drive .

[gadadhar]

I was in Tirunalli (Jungle Retreat again)! during last weekend. HD Kotte Bavali road is fantastic now. I did the mistake of taking SH17 during a long weekene start, took me close 5.5 hours to reach Mysore and got rear ended with minor damage in Mandya. Return was done via Kanakpura, except for few bad patches, it was a pleasant drive. BTW be aware that Bavali has become a strategic point for Kerala folks due to the recent restriction imposed on Liquor sales, dont be surprised if you find traffic jams and crowd at the narrow bridge at the state border

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

I was in Tirunalli (Jungle Retreat again)

Could you please share contact information for booking room at Jungle retreat.

I had tried contacting them over mail and haven't received any response yet. Hence the query.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Could you please share contact information for booking room at Jungle retreat.

I had tried contacting them over mail and haven't received any response yet. Hence the query.

You can reach them on these numbers.

+91 97425 64333
+91 97425 65333

[soumen.blore]

I recently came from Jungle retreat from one night stay, had good sightings of a herd of gaurs ,elephant,squirrel around the property. But no luck with the elusive cat and also JLR safari was not operational for the weekend due to some issues between them and forest department.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by soumen.blore

I recently came from Jungle retreat from one night stay, had good sightings of a herd of gaurs ,elephant,squirrel around the property. But no luck with the elusive cat and also JLR safari was not operational for the weekend due to some issues between them and forest department.

Did you manage to have the night drive to the other property and have the campfire?

JLR Safari - Was there an issue between JLR and the forest department and JLR safari was not operational

[soumen.blore]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Did you manage to have the night drive to the other property and have the campfire?

JLR Safari - Was there an issue between JLR and the forest department and JLR safari was not operational

We didn't take the drive to the other property,but did a night drive on our own till thirunelli temple. Manged to spot few gaurs and deers.

Yes the JLR safari was closed due to issues between them and forest department. That was a bummer considering there was tiger sighting during the afternoon safari.