[NPV]

Originally Posted by Krish_Diesel

I am planning to travel from Bangalore (KR Puram) to Wayanad (Kuruva Island Resorts). Please suggest the best route to reach this place and also the road conditions.

Take the standard route - Bangalore-Mysore (via the expressway), Nanjangud (take Mysore ring road by turning left at Manipal hospital junction), Gundlupete, right turn to Bandipur, Muthanga, Sultan Bathery, Kalpetta, Kuruvadeep.
Food stops - have breakfast before entering expressway and lunch at Woodlands, Kalpetta could be an option.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by Krish_Diesel

Thanks Athek. May I know which route you took. Is it through Kabini or Nagarhole or Bandipur.

Hi Krish, we went through Bandipur.

[shankar.balan]

Any pointers on the best route from Mysore to Wyanaad at the present moment and considering the present weather and road conditions? Need to go to Wyanaad next week. Taking my EV in all probability. Will do a top up charge at Mysore before attacking the road to Wyanaad.

[binand]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Any pointers on the best route from Mysore to Wyanaad at the present moment and considering the present weather and road conditions?

Here we go again. Wayanad is a district in Kerala, not a single destination. You have to specify where in Wayanad you want to go to. From Mysore there are primarily three entry points into Wayanad district - via Moolehole-Muthanga, via Nagarhole-Bavali and via Kutta-Tholpetty. The first sees the most traffic but in my opinion that's because it is Google's default suggestion.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by binand

Here we go again. Wayanad is a district in Kerala, not a single destination. You have to specify where in Wayanad you want to go to. From Mysore there are primarily three entry points into Wayanad district - via Moolehole-Muthanga, via Nagarhole-Bavali and via Kutta-Tholpetty. The first sees the most traffic but in my opinion that's because it is Google's default suggestion.

Thank you I do know that Wyanaad is a district and Ive been there several times having lived in the Nilgiris for a significant part of my life.

However, it has been a while since I went that side.

I need to get to the Taj Wyanaad. And perhaps I should have clarified this in the earlier post so as to not invite your frightening ire.

Ideally, I would probably prefer to take the Gundlupet approach rather than the Nagarahole one considering the south west monsoons and the state of the roads after the rains.

Is this a sensible thought?

Or would you be able to share your preferred route?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I need to get to the Taj Wyanaad. And perhaps I should have clarified this in the earlier post so as to not invite your frightening ire.

Ideally, I would probably prefer to take the Gundlupet approach rather than the Nagarahole one considering the south west monsoons and the state of the roads after the rains.

Gundlupet is the standard route. Thats the one recommended too. Drive till Kalpetta and exit the highway towards Banasura dam.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

.....
I need to get to the Taj Wyanaad. And perhaps I should have clarified this in the earlier post so as to not invite your frightening ire.

Ideally, I would probably prefer to take the Gundlupet approach rather than the Nagarahole one considering the south west monsoons and the state of the roads after the rains.

Is this a sensible thought?

Or would you be able to share your preferred route?

Originally Posted by ampere

Gundlupet is the standard route. Thats the one recommended too. Drive till Kalpetta and exit the highway towards Banasura dam.

Please take Gundlupet-Bathery-Kalpetta route.
Avoid HD Kote-Bavali route - very poor roads inside the forest.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by srvm

Please take Gundlupet-Bathery-Kalpetta route.

Originally Posted by ampere

Gundlupet is the standard route. Thats the one recommended too. Drive till Kalpetta and exit the highway towards Banasura dam.

Thanks for the reaffirmation. This was what I had considered as the best option. Im happy that you veteran regular users too, feel the same.
I shall follow this route advice.
Thanks!

[suhaas307]

I had recently driven to Wayanad (Sulthan Bathery) from BLR on Thursday.

Stopped for breakfast at Renuka Tiffins, Bidadi.



The roads were near impeccable, even via Gundlupet, the worst stretch in the whole journey being within Bangalore city limits (go figure).

The drive through Bandipur was *chef’s kiss*

We had stayed at a resort / home stay called Tranquil. A gorgeous little homestay nestled just after the town limits.



We had opted for the tree-house accommodation at Tranquil, which offers great privacy and phenomenal panoramic views of the estate forest.


The home stay offers plenty of options for activities. Hike routes through the forest are lined with proper markings, and the views are to die for!


The food provided at the home stay was top notch, and the owners Ajay and Nisha know a thing or two about hospitality, we can vouch for that.

We even bumped into a fellow enthusiast who owns this beautifully maintained Jetta 1.4 TSI:


We strongly recommend Tranquil - 10/10.

Sulthan Bathery is an absolutely gorgeous little town. Blown away by the cleanliness and discipline maintained by the residents, except for a few errant KA registered cars and of course autorickshaws.

Picked up some banana chips (right from the source) and headed back on Saturday morning.



The total journey to-and-fro was around 540 km. It took us 5.5 hours onwards and about 5 hours on the return leg. Could have been quicker had it not been for the FIR threats issued by the traffic police.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

The food provided at the home stay was top notch, and the owners Ajay and Nisha know a thing or two about hospitality, we can vouch for that.

How nice! I know them well. And her father too very well. A Senior Plantation veteran from my Father’s generation. And the original owners of the property too who are based in Bangalore. It’s a fully working estate set up too.

In fact Im in Wayanaad as we speak (for a wedding) but staying at the Taj which is a 2 year old property and absolutely superlative- on the banks of the Banasura Dam/ Reservoir.

Have not visited the Wyanaad Region for more than 27 years but it is a real joy to come back.

The best route for us folks from Beantown (in my view and experience) is Bangalore to Mysore. Then the Mysore Ring Road. Left towards Nanjangud. Straight to Gundlupet. Right angle right through Bandipur on the western side to Muthanga, Kalpetta, Bathery and bing, through the Wyanaad Sanctuary and Voila!

[skydiver]

Are there any time restrictions on private vehicles going through Bandipur?

I am planning to take the same route: Blr - Mysore - Gundlupete - sultan bathery - onwards till Taj Wayanad. However, will be able to start only by 4PM.

Will there be any issue?

Thnx

[binand]

Originally Posted by skydiver

Are there any time restrictions on private vehicles going through Bandipur?

I am planning to take the same route: Blr - Mysore - Gundlupete - sultan bathery - onwards till Taj Wayanad. However, will be able to start only by 4PM.

The route from Gundlupete-Sulthan Bathery, in the part where it goes through the WLS, is closed for traffic between 9 PM and 6 AM. Only 2 RTU buses of each state are allowed to pass through during these hours.

Usually a 4 PM start from Bangalore should be fine to reach the entry point to the WLS by 8 PM or so. But with road travel one can never tell. If you are with family and miss the deadline, your best options for overnight accommodation will be in Mysore, which is about 70 km of backtracking.

[no_boundaries]

Just coming back from a relaxing, refreshing trip to Wayanad (Mountain Shadows). Our onward journey was on Friday and return to Bangalore was on Sunday. Both times we took the Gundulpet --> Sultan Bathery --> Kalpetta route. Took about 3 hours to do Bangalore - Mysore and further 4 hours 30 minutes to reach our destination in Padinjarathara. Not once I exceeded 100 through out the journey - either it wasn't safe or wasn't legal.

Except for the driving arrogance of the local buses and few drivers, the traffic is so disciplined. What I didn't catch a couple of times was motorists actually stopping for pedestrians to cross the road. Once I realized, I ensured to follow the discipline and it was really humbling. Roads through and through were smooth and so enjoyable with splendid scenery to keep company.

While returning to Bangalore on Sunday, most shops in Wayanad were closed and the traffic was almost nil. Once we crossed Gundulpet, the traffic went insane. Cars and Busses swinging into oncoming traffic and cars doing insane double overtaking with risky maneuvers, it looked like a scene out of a circus show.

If your destination is Bangalore, I'd suggest taking a break in Mysore and starting by 8.30pm towards Bangalore to beat the Sunday mad rush.

[superutp]

What's a better route to get to Ananterra Resort (address as described is Poolakkandi Road, Thekkumthara, Wayanad)

Google suggests the hunsur-Tholpetty route but was wondering if the Sultan Bathery route is better?

I have been to the district a few times before but many years back, so not very clear.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by superutp

What's a better route to get to Ananterra Resort (address as described is Poolakkandi Road, Thekkumthara, Wayanad)

Google suggests the hunsur-Tholpetty route but was wondering if the Sultan Bathery route is better?

I have been to the district a few times before but many years back, so not very clear.

It is strange that google is routing through Hunsur instead of even the Handpost-Bavalli route. Looking at the location of the resort, Bathery-Kalpetta may be a better option. In fact if you add Kalpetta as a stop, the time taken is less than the Hunsur route. Just some google weirdness I guess.