[sbr1304]

Onward via Jog is winding and goes via many towns, so it will be slower.
Return via Hubli is very long, if you want to take ankola route, then come via yellapur, mundgod it will be relatively shorter.
I am not sure about road conditions as it is single road.

Btw, is Sirsi kumta road construction so bad, that you are avoiding via Sirsi totally?

[kavu75]

Originally Posted by sbr1304

Onward via Jog is winding and goes via many towns, so it will be slower.
Return via Hubli is very long, if you want to take ankola route, then come via yellapur, mundgod it will be relatively shorter.
I am not sure about road conditions as it is single road.

Btw, is Sirsi kumta road construction so bad, that you are avoiding via Sirsi totally?

Just saw an update in Bangalore - Goa thread that Mundgod-Yellapur road is not in good shape.
Look at this link for more details.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5525175 (Bangalore - Goa : Route Queries)

[sbr1304]

Originally Posted by kavu75

Just saw an update in Bangalore - Goa thread that Mundgod-Yellapur road is not in good shape.
Look at this link for more details.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5525175 (Bangalore - Goa : Route Queries)

Can anyone kindly update status on Haveri-Sirsi and Sirsi-Kumta road..
I had travelled a few montha ago and it was in real bad state, but full road widening and tarring was in progress, I hope it is completed.
Anyone been on this route recently?

[adityaprasoon]

Originally Posted by adityaprasoon

I will be driving to Gokarna tomorrow morning from Bangalore. Hoping to leave by 3AM.
Planning to take the Bangalore - Hiriyur - Tarikere - Jog - Kumta - Gokarna route while going and Gokarna - Ankola - Hubli - Davanagere - Bangalore route while returning.

I ended up taking the same Bangalore - Hubballi - Ankola - Gokarna route while going and returning. As known, NH 48 till Hubballi is great. Just after the Hubballi Karwar bypass road widening is going on for a stretch of about 2 kms, it is not too bad though.

I returned at night due an exigency and found that Ankola to Hubballi road was full of slow moving trucks and buses. Overtaking them at night needs some caution.

[girimajiananth]

Originally Posted by sbr1304

Can anyone kindly update status on Haveri-Sirsi and Sirsi-Kumta road..
I had travelled a few montha ago and it was in real bad state, but full road widening and tarring was in progress, I hope it is completed.
Anyone been on this route recently?

I traveled on this road yesterday. Avoid this road at all cost. 90% of the road in under construction and is totally bad .

It's not going to get completed anytime soon. You need a rally spec car to drive on this road

[naveen4477]

Traveled from Kumta to Bangalore; Took Kumta - Honnavar - Mavinagundi - Soraba - Hirekerur - Ranebennur - Bangalore route. Except for few patches from Mavingundi to Soraba(not major though), the rest of journey is very smooth. The best part of the journey is from Honnavar to Ranebennur there is hardly any traffic so its peaceful drive yes it does pass through the towns but the good roads and lack of heavy traffic makes up for this. Hirekerur to Ranebennur is tolled where fast tag doesn't work

[raghu13uk]

Travelled to Kumta on 30th April and back to Bangalore on 3rd May.

Onward: Bangalore - Haveri - Sirsi - Kumta

The 40% of Sirsi-Kumta ghat road close to Kumta is in pathetic condition. Avoid it, especially in the upcoming monsoon. It can't be completed any time soon.


Return: Kumta - (Katgal - Siddapur) - Soraba - Ranebennuru - Bangalore
Around 2km road after Katgal is under construction. Which is bearable. Considering the route has more villages
compared to Sirsi route, it takes little more time. But, it is more comfortable overall.


As the above post noted, Hirekerur-Ranebennur road doesn't accept Fastag yet. Keep Rs20 change for each side.

[rahulb22]

Originally Posted by raghu13uk

Travelled to Kumta on 30th April and back to Bangalore on 3rd May.

Onward: Bangalore - Haveri - Sirsi - Kumta

The 40% of Sirsi-Kumta ghat road close to Kumta is in pathetic condition. Avoid it, especially in the upcoming monsoon. It can't be completed any time soon.


Return: Kumta - (Katgal - Siddapur) - Soraba - Ranebennuru - Bangalore
Around 2km road after Katgal is under construction. Which is bearable. Considering the route has more villages
compared to Sirsi route, it takes little more time. But, it is more comfortable overall.


As the above post noted, Hirekerur-Ranebennur road doesn't accept Fastag yet. Keep Rs20 change for each side.

Hi Raghu,

Thanks for the update. If possible, could you please put the GMaps link/image here. I am traveling to Kumta this weekend and your inputs would help.

Cheers
Rahulb22

[raghu13uk]

Originally Posted by rahulb22

If possible, could you please put the GMaps link/image here.

Here is the route that i followed my way back. I'll keep to this both ways for the near future.

Shared route: Nice Road Junction to Kumta

7 hr 43 min (455*km)

1. Head west on NH 48
2. Continue straight to stay on NH 48
3. Keep right
4. Continue straight
5. Slight right onto NH 48
6. Keep right to stay on NH 48
7. Keep right to stay on NH 48
8. Use any lane to take the exit toward SH 76
9. Turn left onto NH 766C
10. Continue straight past Shop onto SH 76
11. Turn left onto Hirekerur - Kod Rd
12. Turn left onto Hirekerur - Shiralakoppa Rd
13. Turn right onto SH1/SH 136
14. Continue straight past Sorab Circle Shiralakoppa
15. Slight right onto Kumta - Siddapur Rd/Sovinkoppa - Siddapur Rd
16. Turn right onto Kumta Rd/Kumta - Siddapur Rd
17. Arrive at location: Gibbs High school Circle.

For the best route in current traffic visit https://maps.app.goo.gl/WzGY2WFCdcq28GCZ6

Following is the main deviation section of the route from the Bangalore-Pune road. (I'll try to update this from laptop later).

[rahulb22]

Originally Posted by raghu13uk

Here is the route that i followed my way back. I'll keep to this both ways for the near future.

Attachment 2449867

Thanks a lot Raghu. This is good enough.

Also, I hope the short rough section you mentioned is doable in a Sedan.

[raghu13uk]

Originally Posted by rahulb22

I hope the short rough section you mentioned is doable in a Sedan.

Yes. It's around 2km. Though the crushed stones were bit larger than the usual size it's evenly distributed and a sedan can go at slower speed without any hiccup.

[ant_vas]

Me and 6 of my friends did a Bangalore - Gokarna - Bangalore last weekend in Kia Carens.

We started around 4 AM from BSK and reached Kumta by 3.30PM with lot of breaks. We took the below route:

Tumkur - Sira - Hiriyur - Chitradurga - Davanagere - Ranebennur - Hirekerur - Soraba - Siddapura - Kumta

The Tumkur stretch has been newly relaid and driving now on this stretch is so much more comfortable compared to earlier pothole filled bumpy ride. Till ranebennur the road is simply superb.

One you turn off at Ranebennur towards Hirekerur, the double lane roads (without divider) are in really good condition with very minimal bus/truck traffic. It's the same all the way till Siddapur. Roads in Ghat section are good. As we near Kumta there is construction work happening and there are few diversion and patches where jelly has been laid and waiting for tarring. It's easily manageable.

For the onward journey, we took the below route:

Kumta - Honavara - Jog - Sagara - Shimoga - Holelkare- Chitradurga - Hiriyur - Tumkur - bangalore.

Roads on this stretch are excellent but you will encounter bit of traffic after Shimoga.

We started at 9 and had stops at Honavara, Jog, Shimoga and Chitradurga for sight seeing and also for some work. When we hit Tumkur, there was a huge pile up and massive Jam at the Siddaganga outta junction.

We were advised by locals to take alternate route via Udigere - Dobaspet. While this route is good, in the night this road is bereft of any traffic and there were very few vehicles (especially when you are around devarayanadurga stretch) that if your vehicle breaks down its a scary situation. Thankfully we reached Dobaspet without any incident and stopped at Namaste Bangalore for dinner.

Due to huge jam at Tumkur the entire stretch till Bangalore was chocked even namaste Bangalore was packed! The Nelamangala toll had massive lines and slow moving traffics.

Since we had to drop 3 of our friends at Gurguntepalya we encountered more traffic on the way and by the time I was dropped off at my home it was 12 AM!

[sansvk]

Planning for a trip to Gokarna in October from Bangalore. Based on the above responses, have ruled out the Sirsi_Kumta stretch. Currently google maps also does not show the route from Siddapur to Kumta, instead it routes through Jog and Honnavar. Any latest updates on the best route assuming an early morning start from Bangalore.

[white_wolf]

Originally Posted by sansvk

Planning for a trip to Gokarna in October from Bangalore. Based on the above responses, have ruled out the Sirsi_Kumta stretch. Currently google maps also does not show the route from Siddapur to Kumta, instead it routes through Jog and Honnavar. Any latest updates on the best route assuming an early morning start from Bangalore.

Do let us know how your trip went and which route you took. I am planning Gokarna (ankola) in sometime and planning to take Chitradurga - Haveri - Yellapur - Ankola route. Yellapur - Ankola route is not great (esp for night driving) but have been seeing even bad reports of Sirsi-kumta route.

[sansvk]

Originally Posted by white_wolf

Do let us know how your trip went and which route you took

Just back from a trip to Kumta, Gokarna.
Took NH48 till Ranebennur and turned off towards Halageri, then Kod, Hirekerur, Shiralakoppa,Soraba,Siddapur,Mavingundi,Honnavar,K umta.
NH48 till Tumkur is patchy with few potholes, and after Tumkur it’s smooth 6 lane with couple of deviations. NH48 turn off to Halageri, Kod and Hirekerur are good roads where you can maintain 80+kmph except near towns. Hirekerur to Shiralakoppa is decent with long stretches of good road and few patchy sections.
Shiralakoppa to Soraba is the worst among these roads with frequent potholes having to drop speeds to around 40 odd. Soraba to Siddapur once again has long stretches of good roads and few patchy sections as you reach Siddapur.
Siddapur-Mavinagundi-Sharvathi Wild life sanctuary has very good winding roads considering the terrain.
As you reach Honnavar, the top layer is off for most of the stretch until you touch the Pavel highway.
Main issue with this stretch is lack of hotels and
Rest rooms between the two NH’s. On the way back entered Jog, but was disappointed by the state of the Mayura restaurant and the construction happening there. Finally had lunch at Davangere bypass, a relatively new Kamat hotel just beside the NH.
Overall took 9 hours in the onward journey starting at 4.30am and a breakfast stop at Apoorva. On the return took 10.5 hours starting from Kumta at 10.15am including a 30 min deviation to Jog.