[smukherjee]

Did the Bangalore-Ooty trip over the long weekend. Took the Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangud - Gundlupet - Theppakadu - 36-hairpin bend route while going. Traffic police did not allow us back on the hairpin route, so had to take the Gudalur route on return.
Observations:
1. The route while going was quite good. The 36 hairpin bend is not a very tough drive - it was complicated by the massive traffic flow this weekend - often caused cars to pile up ahead of a bend causing you to brake and lose precious momentum. Back to first gear and grind it up slowly.
2. The route while returning was horrid. The entire stretch up to Gudalur was bad. Big pot-holes, lots of heavy traffic forcing you to get stuck behind a bus or truck for long and in general a much longer route to reach Theppakadu. So advice to anybody coming back is try the hairpin route first. It took me about 50 mins for the climb (from Theppakadu to Ooty/Charing Cross) and more than 2 hours for the descent.
3. The route got worse in the stretch between Gudalur to Theppakadu. It was filled with massive craters rather than pot-holes. All cars struggled - SUVs fared marginally better. My I20 felt like it was on a torture track for an hour.
4. The drive was largely uneventful. Saw a herd of elephants on our way back in the Bandipur stretch. It was raining torrentially by then, so could not take a proper pic. Lots of deer are easily spotted, as are wild boars.
5. The Gudalur route is more scenic, given the tea plantations and also a couple of sight-seeing spots on the way - 'shooting point', the view of the dam and river, Pykara boat-house, etc - comes at the price of an energy sapping drive.

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by smukherjee

Did the Bangalore-Ooty trip over the long weekend. Took the Bangalore - Mysore - Nanjangud - Gundlupet - Theppakadu - 36-hairpin bend route while going. Traffic police did not allow us back on the hairpin route, so had to take the Gudalur route on return.

As I mentioned elsewhere, one way rule is only during traffic rush days like long week end, etc. They generally allow local vehicles and Four Wheel Drive vehicles. And if you say that you have accommodation booked at Bokkapuram or nearby places at Masinagudi, you can manage your way through. Though the police manning the junction said that my sedan car would not be allowed, I persisted with my request and he allowed me to go through with a word of caution though!

[coolclouds]

I could return through 36 hairpin bend road three weeks back. It was a weekday and no cops were present when I traveled at 1.30 pm.

[beejay]

Need some help.

I am traveling this Sunday morning from Banaglore to Coonoor and want to take the Chamrajnagar route to Gundalpet.

Firstly, is this the right route? Bangalore- Kanakapura- Malavalli- Mangala- Chamrajnagar- Gundalpet.

I am staying at Lavelle Road and how do I reach the road that takes me to Kanakapura?

Any updates on the road and traffic. I plan to leave at 10AM. Thanks in advance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by beejay

Firstly, is this the right route? Bangalore- Kanakapura- Malavalli- Mangala- Chamrajnagar- Gundalpet.

Yes thats the right option

I am staying at Lavelle Road and how do I reach the road that takes me to Kanakapura?

Easiest option. Hosur Road (no elevated road) -> NICE -> Kanakpura road.

Any updates on the road and traffic. I plan to leave at 10AM. Thanks in advance.

Bangalore-Kanakpura would have traffic. Beyond that it slowly thins off.

[beejay]

Originally Posted by ampere

Yes thats the right option


Easiest option. Hosur Road (no elevated road) -> NICE -> Kanakpura road.



Bangalore-Kanakpura would have traffic. Beyond that it slowly thins off.

Thanks a lot. The previous pages read Kollegal instead of Mangala.

Is the entire stretch black topped to Gundlupet? Last few pages I read the condition is not that great.

Benny

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by beejay

Thanks a lot. The previous pages read Kollegal instead of Mangala.

Is the entire stretch black topped to Gundlupet? Last few pages I read the condition is not that great.

Benny

It is indeed Kollegala. Perhaps a rare typo from Ampere. The road is little roguhed up b/w Chamarajanagara and Gundlupete that too in patches, but rest is reported fine. The choice is going thru a very busy Bangalore-Mysore highway (with innumerable speed bumps, crowded towns but with lot of option for eateries) or on a serene country side 2-lane road (but with almost no eateries).

Prasad

[beejay]

Originally Posted by prasad14

It is indeed Kollegala. Perhaps a rare typo from Ampere. The road is little roguhed up b/w Chamarajanagara and Gundlupete that too in patches, but rest is reported fine. The choice is going thru a very busy Bangalore-Mysore highway (with innumerable speed bumps, crowded towns but with lot of option for eateries) or on a serene country side 2-lane road (but with almost no eateries).

Prasad

Thanks a lot. Is there any route that I can take from Mysore road? Google map shows a left from Ramnagar.
I am staying in city and its easier for me to hit Mysore Road than Hosur Road.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by beejay

Thanks a lot. Is there any route that I can take from Mysore road? Google map shows a left from Ramnagar.
I am staying in city and its easier for me to hit Mysore Road than Hosur Road.

You can join NH 209 from all major towns on Mysore road including Ramnagar. However by doing that you will end up loosing major advantage of NH 209 (no speed breakers and lesser traffic).

My suggestion would be to join Kanakpura road either by taking Silk board - Hosur road - NICE road OR by taking Banasankari - Kanakpura road route.

To answer your question in earlier post, yes roads between Chamarajnagar and Gundulpet are bit patchy. However nothing to worry much.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by beejay

Thanks a lot. Is there any route that I can take from Mysore road? Google map shows a left from Ramnagar.
I am staying in city and its easier for me to hit Mysore Road than Hosur Road.

Not worth it I would. You would spend more time reaching Ramnagar itself ! Kanakpura would be much faster. In case you still want to know about it, then its the Maddur-Malavalli road. But its quite bumpy.

[prasad14]

Originally Posted by beejay

Thanks a lot. Is there any route that I can take from Mysore road? Google map shows a left from Ramnagar.
I am staying in city and its easier for me to hit Mysore Road than Hosur Road.

I really do not recommend these roads as they are used mainly by locals and not used to fast cars (there'd be lot of unauthorized humps, cattles, slow moving tractors and a ton of two wheelers all competing for 1/1.5lane roads). The relatively better option is Bangalore-Madduru-Malavalli-Kollegala-Gundlupete, with a not so good stretech of Madduru-Malavalli (about 20kms). But if you've gone all the way upto Madduru, might as well continue to Mysore.

Also, instead of taking Hosur road and then NICE to get on to kanakapura road, pl. consider the following options:
1. Lavelle Road - Mysore Road - Enter NICE near PESIT - Exit to Kanakapura Road
2. Lavelle Road - Banashankari - Kanakapura Road
(bottleneck at Banashankari busstand)

Prasad

[NPV]

Originally Posted by beejay

Is there any route that I can take from Mysore road? Google map shows a left from Ramnagar.
I am staying in city and its easier for me to hit Mysore Road than Hosur Road.

Take NICE road from Mysore Road (or the nearest entry from where you stay) to Kanakapura exit. From there route is Kanakapura-Malavalli-Kollegala-Chamarajanagar-Gundlupet.

[RSUDARSANAN]

Originally Posted by beejay

...I am staying at Lavelle Road and how do I reach the road that takes me to Kanakapura?

Eventually which route did you take ?

Prasad's route no. 2 is the one I take - shortest and direct.

Am on Lavelle Road too; hence the query

[goandude]

Originally Posted by beejay

Thanks a lot. Is there any route that I can take from Mysore road? Google map shows a left from Ramnagar.
I am staying in city and its easier for me to hit Mysore Road than Hosur Road.

Planning on a cold holiday in ooty in Saturday Dec 27- to Tuesday 30 Dec. Two cars 6 adults one toddler. Now since Bangalore Mysore road has heavy traffic on weekends planning Kanakapura - Mallavali - Mangala - Gundulpet - 36 hairpin - Ooty.
Has anyone done this route recently? If so how long can we expect the drive to take? (Google mentions 300 kms 7 hrs) And as mentioned in above posts besides the Mangala and Chamrajnagar stretch, any other bad roads in between?

PS We are starting from Shantiniketan at 6 am.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by goandude

And as mentioned in above posts besides the Mangala and Chamrajnagar stretch, any other bad roads in between?
PS We are starting from Shantiniketan at 6 am.

I guess you are mentioning about Prestige Shantiniketan.

Road conditions as per my friend who traveled last week in this route is good apart from those mentioned by you above.

KR Puram - NICE road (Hosur road) - 30 mins
NICE road Hosur road entry - Kanakpura road exit - 30 mins
Kanakpura road exit - Gundulpet - 03.30 Hours
Gundulpet - Masinagudi - 1.15 mins
Masinagudi - Ooty - 1.30 mins