[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by unleash_thunder

Also, i am a bit skeptical vis-a-vis the behaviour of 1.2 Fire Petrol on really steep inclines.

Would suggest you to take the route which you are comfortable with.

However, regarding the part quoted above. No worries there, I was able to do this comfortably in my Alto 800 with luggage and 4 people.

[sathya_nars]

Hi unleash_thunder, which route you took and any updates on conditions, weather, etc? I'm planning to drive my Cheetah (XUV500) coming weekend, good to get updates from you. I'm planning to take 36 bend route.

[unleash_thunder]

Originally Posted by sathya_nars

Hi unleash_thunder, which route you took and any updates on conditions, weather, etc? I'm planning to drive my Cheetah (XUV500) coming weekend, good to get updates from you. I'm planning to take 36 bend route.

Hi Sathya,

I took the Bangalore-Mysore-Gundlupet-Bandipur-Theppakadu-Gudalur-Ooty route. The road widening work is going on between Nanjangud and Gundlupet and is manageable. After Theppakadu, enroute to Gudalur, the road is saddled with huge potholes (for ~15 kms) and is a nightmare to drive on. However, the scenic beauty enroute to Ooty via Gudalur compensated for the awful drive post Theppakadu. I took the 36 hair-pin bend route for my return journey and would say that the road condition is pretty good for the stretch. The weather was pleasant for the entire duration with an occasional bout of rains. Light woolens will come in handy during the night. Will be coming up with my travelogue in due course. Hope this helps.

[sathya_nars]

Thanks unleash_thunder!

All - This is what I planned, let me know if anything can be added/removed (5 adults & 2 children):

- Start at Sarjapur road by 4am (want to take 36 hair pin bend route)
- Reach Bandipur by 8am? Hope to catch the safari ride
- Head to Ooty by 2pm or so. Lake and other places to visit. Thinking if I can stretch to Coonoor also, but what's there to visit?
- Stay in ooty
- Sunday morning by 8am head to Mudumalai, safari ride there
- Start back to Bangalore by noon or 2pm max

[NPV]

Originally Posted by sathya_nars

- Start at Sarjapur road by 4am (want to take 36 hair pin bend route)
- Reach Bandipur by 8am? Hope to catch the safari ride
- Head to Ooty by 2pm or so. Lake and other places to visit. Thinking if I can stretch to Coonoor also, but what's there to visit?
- Stay in ooty
- Sunday morning by 8am head to Mudumalai, safari ride there
- Start back to Bangalore by noon or 2pm max

If you stop for breakfast, it may be difficult to reach Bandipur by 8am.

Instead, see if you can do the Bandipur safari on your way back to Bangalore.

Coonoor - I think you can visit Syms park. Coonoor is better is you plan to stay there. Going all the way to coonoor and driving back same evening will be tiring, in the evening driving uphill back towards ooty can be stressful.
Instead, try to visit Kotagiri for some great views (better and less crowded than Doddabetta).
Ooty - try to visit Botanical gardens, lake (the lake has a smaller boating place on the other side, less crowded and better).

Onward journey try to do Bangalore-Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegal-Chamarajanagar. Stop for breakfast at Nijaguna Residency, Chamarajanagar.
Then do Chamarajanagar-Gundlupet-Bandipur-Theppakadu (as soon as you enter Mudumalai on TN side, turn left)-Masinagudi-Ooty via the 36 hair pin bend route. Road may not be good till Masinagudi but after that ghat road is excellent.
On your return, cops may not allow you to go downhill on same route so you may need to take Gudalur route that is broken at many places.
*Nanjangud-Gundlupet has widening work in progress, so suggesting this route. Plus Mysore route so early will mean most of the food places will not be open till 6.45 am.

[sathya_nars]

Thanks NPV!
My stay is booked in ooty. So need to plan accordingly.

How is the GPS signal coverage in those areas (on the way, all throughout as well as within Bandipur, Mudumalai, etc)? Howz mobile ph signal?

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by sathya_nars

How is the GPS signal coverage in those areas (on the way, all throughout as well as within Bandipur, Mudumalai, etc)? Howz mobile ph signal?

If your query is regarding GPS signal distortion due to hilly terrain, no worries.

Regarding mobile signal, you will find the issues in patches only. As a whole both routes have descent coverage for BSNL and Airtel.

If you are using Google Maps, suggest you to download maps offline and try the navigation.

[aravindkumarp]

This is my first post on Team-BHP.

Travelled Bangalore-Ooty-Bangalore last week, here is an update on the road condition.

Route taken for onward journey :
Bangalore(HSR L/o)-NICE road-Kanakapura-Malavalli-Chamrajnagar-Gundulpet-Masinagudi(36 hairpin bends)-Ooty.

Roads are good from Bangalore until the Masinagudi-Gudalur Y-fork, after that it is narrow and potholed for about 10-15 kms, but is drivable. Overall, this route is excellent and the drive was fun (doing the 36 hairpin bend route for the first time).

Route taken for return journey :
Ooty-Masinagudi(36 hairpin bends)-Gundulpet-Nanjangud-Mysore-Mandya-Bangalore.

Road work going on the Gundulpet-Nanjangud-Mysore stretch. There are 4-5 diversions due to road work, but it is manageable.

Update on Mysore- Bangalore Road: The speed breakers are not fully removed on the mysore-bangalore highway, I found atleast 4-5 (some of them new) in and around Ramanagara. So it appears the speed beakers are making a come back.

[blackstallion76]

Friends,
I have booked a hotel on Marlimund area (near the lake). This comes very close to Kavaratty range when taking the 36 hairpin bends. From google, I see there is shorter route to take a deviation from Mount n Mist Hotel to Marlimund Lake. This goes via Human Biological Institute. Please let me know if anyone of you have taken this route.

Else, the normal route is to reach Ooty town till Botanical Garden and take deviation to Pudumund and drive up. Please suggest.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by blackstallion76

Friends,
I have booked a hotel on Marlimund area (near the lake). This comes very close to Kavaratty range when taking the 36 hairpin bends. From google, I see there is shorter route to take a deviation from Mount n Mist Hotel to Marlimund Lake. This goes via Human Biological Institute. Please let me know if anyone of you have taken this route.

Else, the normal route is to reach Ooty town till Botanical Garden and take deviation to Pudumund and drive up. Please suggest.

That is interesting; whilst I do not have a personal hand at trying this route, I would be keen to know the inputs from the hotel themselves and probably follow that.

[mpksuhas]

There is a KA bandh planned tomorrow by sugarcane farmers. Mandya and surroundings is a sugar cane belt. Those who are traveling in this route do take note.

Link

[justwheels]

Hey, planning to drive to Ooty on 19th morning and back on 20th night - a weekend vacation with family. Plan is to take a Zoom Car for the ride. Have two questions:
1. Which route is best. I am not very comfortable on the ghat section especially if I take a Scorpio from Zoom. So how is the other route options?
2. Anybody driven Zoom to Ooty. Any special issues to take care of. Also how smooth is the RTO thing at TN border.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by justwheels

Hey, planning to drive to Ooty on 19th morning and back on 20th night - a weekend vacation with family. Plan is to take a Zoom Car for the ride. Have two questions:
1. Which route is best. I am not very comfortable on the ghat section especially if I take a Scorpio from Zoom. So how is the other route options?
2. Anybody driven Zoom to Ooty. Any special issues to take care of. Also how smooth is the RTO thing at TN border.

If you are not comfortable with the 36 hair pin bend masinagudi route, you have 2 options

Mysore gundlepet gudalur ooty. The ghat section is an easier drive. On the downside the section after theppakadu ( the point where you turn off for the masinagudi route) is very bad at least till close to gudalur ( 20km). Mysore gundlepet section also had work happening.

Salem-avinashi-mettupalayam-coonoor-ooty. It is longer by 100+ km, but you get the benefit of 4 lane roads till. Avinashi and post that also good roads with a relatively simpler climb. It should take you the same time as the gudalur route.

Overall the masinagudi route will be the fastest. Otherwise would personally recommend avinashi mettupalayam

No personal experience with zoom. But have seen many cars during my drives to Kerala via Mysore. So I don't think you will face any issues.

[justwheels]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

If you are not comfortable with the 36 hair pin bend masinagudi route, you have 2 options

Mysore gundlepet gudalur ooty. The ghat section is an easier drive. On the downside the section after theppakadu ( the point where you turn off for the masinagudi route) is very bad at least till close to gudalur ( 20km). Mysore gundlepet section also had work happening.

Salem-avinashi-mettupalayam-coonoor-ooty. It is longer by 100+ km, but you get the benefit of 4 lane roads till. Avinashi and post that also good roads with a relatively simpler climb. It should take you the same time as the gudalur route.

Overall the masinagudi route will be the fastest. Otherwise would personally recommend avinashi mettupalayam

No personal experience with zoom. But have seen many cars during my drives to Kerala via Mysore. So I don't think you will face any issues.

Thanks Rajeev for the advise. Will look into the routes and will plan accordingly.

Also one more query, since me and my family are travelling to ooty for the first time, and that too for a short weekend only, any idea what are the "not to miss things" in ooty and around. Don't want to waste time on something and miss out on the good stuff. Would be nice to get some details on this.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by justwheels

Thanks Rajeev for the advise. Will look into the routes and will plan accordingly.

Also one more query, since me and my family are travelling to ooty for the first time, and that too for a short weekend only, any idea what are the "not to miss things" in ooty and around. Don't want to waste time on something and miss out on the good stuff. Would be nice to get some details on this.

Just to add, Since Ooty is pretty high up (8000 ft), all the routes have significant ghat sections. The Masinagudi 36 hair pin route is the steepest since you climb the 8000 feet in something like 15 km. The other 2 are more gradual climbs.

Another point to consider is that with your plan, you will be returning on Sunday night. The Mysore-Bangalore drive can be a nightmare on Sunday evening (There is a dedicated thread for that) especially considering it is kind of a long weekend with the Ganesha Festival. So if you are not returning via Avinashi Salem, I would recommend the below route to avoid Mysore-Bangalore Highway.

Gudalur-Gundlepet-Chamrajnagar-Kollegala-Kanakpura-Bangalore. Great roads (but 2 lane) and minimal traffic. But some sections can be deserted.

Site seeing options for a day-Not the right person to advice. The regular tourist spots are all too crowded for my liking. So when i go to Ooty, prefer to just relax and enjoy the Hill atmosphere and scenery.