[Sunney]

Hi,
Plan to visit Hampi on Linea, this week if climate is favorable.
Kindly advice the shortest, but low GC pliable route.

Two routes are advised:

1. Kochi-Salem-Bangalore-Chitradurga-Hospet-Hampi is the best route.

2. Kochi-Gudalur(NH212) Gundlupet-Mysore-SH17-Srirangapatna-SH19-Pandavapura-Nagamangala- Tuvurekere- NH4- Hiriyur- chitradurga- NH13 Davangere-Kudligi-Hospet-Hampi.

Route 2 said 600 kms. Shortest.

But no idea on road. Will anybody native or recently traveled in this route advise?

Or is it good Route 1 though longer, but breezy roads to reach fast?


(Short but so so road quality is ultimately long and costly!)

How is climate now? Hot, no rains I assume.
4 days enough for having a quick visit?

Thanks in advance !

[Skyline GT-R]

Route 1 is safe but boring. Ideal if you are interested in safety and speed.

Route 2 will be exciting. Expect slightly bad roads. Maybe a wildlife sighting during early morning/late evening drive before Mysore. Ideal if you are adventure seeking.

Since you have only 4 days at disposal, take route 1 while going & route 2 while returning. Both will be 750+ Kms.

Rains start by June end according to Google sir.

Hampi Weather - Six day weather forecast Hampi, State of Karnataka

Originally Posted by Sunney

NH4- Hiriyur- chitradurga- NH13 Davangere-Kudligi-Hospet-Hampi.[/b]

You can drive from Bangalore to Hiriyur on NH4, then turn to to your right on SH19, and go via Challakere and Bellary [you can bypass Bellary, if you don't want to enter the city] to reach Hampi. NH 4 is all the way 4-laned and SH19 is a mixture of 4-lanes and 2-lanes, but good road. You can stay at Malligi Hotel in Hospet - Luxurious Star Hotel near Hampi, Karnataka, which is near Hampi and Bellary.

Route 2 said 600 kms. Shortest.

All the alternative routes are of minimum 700+ km.

4 days enough for having a quick visit?

You require one full day [from morning to evening] at Hampi plus travelling to and fro Kochi.

Please see this thread for more information on the latest road conditions from Bangalore to Hampi: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-anyone-3.html

Bon Voyage, Sunney.

[ampere]

If you are doing more than 700km in a day, better to stick to GQ and 4L instead of 2L roads. Route would have been ideal, if you plan to break at Mysore for some more signtseeing.

Maybe after Hampi on the way back, halt at Mysore and visit Somnathpura !

[ranjitp1]

Just for options sakes,theres yet another alternative,maybe longer but livelier for sure!

Kochi-Thrissur-Kozhikode(NH17)-Kannur-Mangalore-Kundapur-Ankola-NH63-Hubli-Gadag-Hospet.

Royal Orchid Kireeti has also opened there,rooms are in the range of INR 4000 per night.

[figo_mba]

On NH 212 you cannot travel in the jungle route at night. the traffic is blocked between 10pm - 5am. So get in before 9pm so you can travel without a block. the road again has good surface but with the onset of rains the roads rapidly loses the surface. So, Not sure of the roads now. Animal sighting is very possible particularly elephants. Beware of a single tusker (they are quite dangerous I hear; never met them.)

Have a nice trip and please do gift us a travelogue @tbhp.
Cheers

[Sunney]

Thanks all, esp. Mr. Ravi.
I got some idea of the route.
Well, I will take the No. 1 route, since only 4 days and confirmed good roads.
(I will take the other route next time when I buy my SUV )

And last year we had a narrow escape from a herd of elephants on our Cochin Mysore route.
At about 9 night me with family stopped at the middle of a convoy of cars enjoying elephat sighting.
When I roared in and stopped by cars in front, enjoying them. I stopped and from behind also few cars came. I am locked in.

Problem is elephants are exactly on the other side of my car !! They were not much amused of blocking there way, when they tried to cross road. They were disgusted and waving tusks in anger. But the cars in front were in no mood to go and clear way.
After all they are safe, can speed away when we are attacked !
By that time the big tusker, the netha of them, standing on other side just 15 ft. away decided to cross. After an angry wave of head, he stepped on the tarred area, out of bushes....
If he put two strides, my car is his obstruction to be pulled up and tossed to make way to cross!
There was ahorendous cry from inside the car !
Kids were clutching each other, 'dead' !

I horned non stop to my life, those some 5 cars got what is going to happen, started one by one in one minute pulled up, just giving space to jet my car forward.
There goes the herd one by one behind us, through the just vacated space of my car !

So that is the end of my kid's wildlife love !!

[Fauji]

Sunney,

This what i would recommend since you have only only four days. I assume this includes Arrival and Departure days.

Day 1 - Arrival. rest
Day 2 - Hampi sightseeing
Day 3 - Badami - Aihole - Pattadakal Day trip. Leave early morning with packed BF. Reach Aihole first and then Pattadakal. Come to Badami Court for Lunch. Visit Badami and Banashankari after Lunch. Depart for Hampi.
Day 4 - Departure to Cochin.

If four days does not include Arrival/Departure days, you will have extra day to further explore hampi. I would strongly recommend that you break for one Night at Chitradurga and visit excellent fort early Morning on day 4. You can either stay in Aishwarya Fort or Naveen regency in Chitradurga.

The climate will not be hot but definitely warm with spells of rain.

Take a look at Bijus excellent TL on Hampi and Badami, Ihole, Pattadakal.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ttadakkal.html

Also take a look at excellent pictures of Hampi by Raghuram

Flickr: ^RedBull^'s Photostream

Malligi is excellent value for Money. Royal Orchid is expensive. If you need any guide in Badami, you can contact Chandru on 9448823161

[panchi]

For the route 2, I am not sure about Kochi to Mysore, but I heard it is very good for both enjoying the drive across the jungle and good roads. From Mysore to Bellary to Hospet, I have done this road several times and as recently as 6 months back. Most of the stretch has very good roads, but beware of the deadly humps if you are into speeding; look out of beginning and end of villages for humps. The read is very scenic from Hiriyur to Bellary going across rock mountains and generally it has sparse traffic.

I advice you to avoid Bangalore for sheer fact of avoiding uneasy traffic through Bangalore.

[hvkumar]

The road from Srirangapatna to Hiryur via Nagamangala and Huliyar is not recommended because they are 2-laned and some bad patches here and there. Besides, some places are confusing and some months ago, my friend lost his way on this route despite having researched it beforehand.

Therefore, the safest and fastest route is Route 1 via Bangalore.

I will add to what Fauji has suggested. After finsihing Badami-Pattadakal-Aihole, proceed via Bagalkot to Hubli and then maybe you can try the NH63-NH17 route back to Cochin. Great during the rains, and too early for it to crack up!

The NH13 from Chitradurga to Hospet remains rough and bad in some places.

[Sunney]

Originally Posted by ampere

If you are doing more than 700km in a day, better to stick to GQ and 4L instead of 2L roads. Route would have been ideal, if you plan to break at Mysore for some more signtseeing.

Maybe after Hampi on the way back, halt at Mysore and visit Somnathpura !

Yes, only fast roads this time, since days cannot be stretched, though I like to wander through scenic areas
Mysore palace is already seen, what is at Somnathpura?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Sunney

what is at Somnathpura?

Its another of those beautiful temples in the Hoysala style.

Somanathapura - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Sunney]

From Cochin-Salem to GQ, should I go to Bangalore? Cannot I by-pass Bglr, which route?

[Sunney]

1. From Salem/Bglr(enter GQ) to Hospet how many hrs, for a fast driver(but with family, he cannot be very fast) ?
2. How far is Pattadakkal & Aihole from Hosepet?
3. Malligi booked.

Originally Posted by Sunney

From Cochin-Salem to GQ, should I go to Bangalore? Cannot I by-pass Bglr, which route?

You can bypass Bangalore. After Electronics City, don't go on the elevated road. Take the service road, enter NICE ring road and exit at NH4 towards Tumkur side. Continue on NH 4 until Hiriyur, where you have to take right turn towards Bellary.

1. From Salem/Bglr(enter GQ) to Hospet how many hrs, for a fast driver(but with family, he cannot be very fast) ?

Bangalore-Hiriyur-Bellary-Hospet is 365 km, which means you will take about 6 hours.

2. How far is Pattadakkal & Aihole from Hosepet?

Badami/Aihole/Pattadakal are all located within 125 km from Hospet.

3. Malligi booked.

Good choice.