Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Route / Travel Queries (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/)

-   -   Bangalore to Chikmagalur - Best Route & Road Status? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/62597-bangalore-chikmagalur-best-route-road-status-6.html)

4-lane to Hassan; very good 2-lane road (with humps) to Belur and decent road to Chikmagulur. You have CCD, Swathi, Mayura, Kamat and Athithi for breakfasts.

I am off to Chickmagalur (again, Thotadahalli -- near Kaimara) this long weekend. Read up last a few pages of this thread, and tempted to take Tumkur - Arsikere - Tarikere - Kaimara road than Hassan - Belur - Chickmagalur. However, the first road (as per google map) demans 6 hours for 300 kms, when the second is a cool 5 hours and 270 kms. When the first route is scenic (almost) all the way, the second has an option of Belur temple visit (I get the same thrill every time I visit). There's a CCD near Arsikere for a stop, but breakfast options are better in NH-48. Hmmmm ... a decision to make!

Any other advice for going around? Kemmengundi, Bhadra WLS/Muthodi, Bhadra dam (not the Lakavalli side)? Do I have to hire a jeep for visiting Hebbe falls?

Responding to self for everyone's benefit.

As on Sep/1: Road to Hassan is a breeze, 4 lanes all the way bypassing major towns. Hassan to Belur is good too, just watch out for unmarked bumps. Belur to Chickmagalur is good too with occasional pot-holes.

Took a ride Chickmagalur - Mulayangiri - Bababudangiri - Kemmengundi - Lingadahalli - Kaimara junction. Till Bababudangiri the road is narrow but good. Last 15-20 km to Kemmengundi is now part of Bhadra tiger reserve, and horrible. Not recommended for sedan/hatches. Kemmengundi to Lingadahalli is 90% good. Lingadahalli to Chickmagalur is a driver's delight, perfect surface with 0 traffic.

However the bad road to Kemmengundi is compensated by Kurunji flowering in that area. The bloom just started and in a month all the shola hills in that zone will be covered by the flower:



Anothe pleasant surprise is a roadside cafe (13.362901,75.666270) just before the Mallandur village on the way to Muthodi. The coffee, sandwiches as well bhajjis were surprisingly good, just what we needed in a rainy evening.

On return we took the detour from Belur to Halebidu and then to Hassan -- the road is really bad (non-existent in places), not recommended unless Halebidu temple strikes a chord with you.

Rip offs offering average quality food unfortunately. They are nowehere close to what a south breakfast needs to be.

True. But those are the ones that are available. Athithi seems to be the better one in all. Or one has get into Hassan town.

No other options unfortunately. I got fed up with the quality, and so happened to see about 25 people having breakfast outside a dhaba (Caution:avoid any other times since it a dhaba) after Kunigal. The dosas, idlis, chutney were good. It was on my discretion we went there. Not advising anyone to have it. :D Tamil Nadu knows how to make awesome sambar and chutney for dosa/idli, totally lip smacking. Hope some Tamilians to setup a hotel on BLR-HSN road please.

Folks,

I went up to "the Serai" over the past weekend 26 - 28th of Sep from Bangalore and took the route of Bangalore , Hassan, Chikamagalur and to Serai. I had to take a quick detour to reach Nelmangala on the way out, (as I had a broken rear view mirror inside the cabin of XUV 500) and took outer ring road to reach Nelamangala. On our way out we took about 4.5 hours to reach serai - a large part of that to clear the traffic within the City. Then on, it was a breeze to reach Hassan. It was slightly longer than anticipated from Hassan to Chikamagalur , the roads are quite patchy at quite a few places and we ran into some holiday traffic too.

The family constitutes of a 6 month old baby girl and my wife and we decided to take it slow. On our way out, took a pitstop @ Swati Delicacy and I would suggest the vada there! Barring that, as suggested by every one, there is a dearth of good eating joints on this circuit. While I am on the topic of hotels and eating joints, there is a fairly big place "the Hoyasala Village" on the state highway, between hassan and Chikamagalur. It will be on your Left hand side about 20 - 25 Kms before Belur. We stopped there liked what they have done with the place. Its a decent 3 star place for stay and I spotted quite a few foreigner tourists come around here. Seems a good place. Check it out, if you are looking for a spot and don't want / or dont get some thing in the main city.

While there, we did the normal tourist stuff, Belur, Halebid and Mulliangiri Peak. the Mulliangiri Peak drive will take the cake , one of the best drives in the recent past. to say the least, the drive is not for inexperienced and faint hearted. the last 1 - 1.5 Km is quite a steep drive and the tarred road is quite non existent. i drive in quite a terrain, but one spot (just before the final view point), a very steep Left turn overlooking the valley, and a road with rubble was the one, that made me stop, analyse and think hard before I went ahead. Was worried of the baby, if we were to get stuck. Thankfully the Cheetah didnt give away.... the trick was half clutch and cheetah beat a few Innova's on the way. At the view point, the local taxi / cab drivers are quite helpful to tell you where the parking spot is and if you are not very comfortable to turn around etc.

All in all, a lovely outing. we avoided the temple Atop the peak as it was quite sunny and with the lilttle one, didn't feel comfortable taking that walk. By no means an advise, but certainly a suggestion for fellow forum folks headed to this peak, take a high clearance car, and make sure there are atleast another driver with you. Strangely enough, there was only big cars out there the day i went, the exception being a Civic and fiesta. i admired the drivers....(i always think its not the gear or the engine, but its the person behind, who counts). None the less, do exercise caution.

Have attached a few snaps... I haven't processed the rest of snaps from my camera, but will try to get them once I am done.

Cheers
/Pramod

Promod nice snaps. What camera are you using. Also if I remember yours is a 2x4 right? I did this circuit a month back and luckily missed the real bad rains. Another one you must try is the wayanad to gudalur through the tea estates at night. Quite eerie

Inputs required for route from Mysore to Chikmagalur. Is SH 57 good?

SH57 is in good condition.

Mysore Chikmagalur remains in excellent condition.

Mysore- Ilwala - KR Nagar - Holenarasipura- Hassan - Belur - Chikmagalur should be your route.

Expect lots (And lots) of marked speedbreakers between Ilwala and Holenarasipura.

The speedbreakers lessen after Holenarasipura till Hassan and again same story between Hassan to Belur.


The road quality, markings & Surface is the same as that of Belur- Hassan as its the same consortium that built this road too, way back in 2001.

Planning to go to Chikmagalur this weekend. How is the Blore - Tumkur - Arsikere - Birur - Tarikere - Chikmagalur route road conditions? I will be travelling this route for the first time, though I have been through the Hassan route multiple times.

The route is fully good except Tumkur Ring road (avoid and take city road) and a certain patch between Tumkur and Arasikere.

The Kadur-Chikmagalur road also remains in good condition.

Thanks a lot for the information. However unfortunately my trip had to be cancelled this weekend. Will plan sometime next month.

Planning a 2 day trip to Chickmangalur with wife on my Ninja 6/8 Feb. The route seems straightforward from all the inputs on this thread. However I had a small doubt.

Where exactly near Hassan does one turn off NH48 for SH 57?

And does one have to go right through Chickmangalur to reach Kaimara?

Planning to visit Belur on the way there. Any pointers for a less hassled visit?