[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by nandakumar

I have 2 options on Google maps

Route 1 - Bangalore - Nelamangala - Kunigal - Chnnarayapatna - Hassan - Belur - Mudigere - balur (285 Kms, 5.23 Hrs)

Route 2 - Bangalore - Tumkuru - Tiptur - Banavara - Javagal - Belur - Mudigere - Balur (298 Kms, 7.05 Hrs)

Good fast roads - Route 1. Slow but scenic roads - Route 2.

If you leave really early, you certainly can enjoy and make the best out of Route- 2 (if that is what you intend to). However, for Balur, it is always Route - 1 that is not only shortest but the most straightforward option.

[professor.march]

Hijacking this thread a bit. I'm planning to travel to Chikmagalur from anantapur side and the route that's showing up for me is Kalyandurg - Challakere - Hiriyur - Hosadurga - Kadur - Chikmagalur. They don't appear to be national highways. Does anyone have an idea about this route?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by professor.march

Kalyandurg - Challakere - Hiriyur - Hosadurga - Kadur - Chikmagalur. They don't appear to be national highways. Does anyone have an idea about this route?

Not sure about Kalyandurg - Challakere but Challakere - Hiriyur - Hosadurga - Kadur - Chikmagalur is not a problem, just need to be aware of:
1. Massive speed breakers on the Challekere - Hiriyur route
2. The broken patch and WIP road before you enter Hosadurga
3. Traffic once you turn off onto Tarikere - Kadur stretch.

You might be better off taking Ajjampura - Lingadahalli - Chikkamagaluru if you want a peaceful drive with a small ghat section.

[jasraj_jog]

Hello ,

I am planning to travel to Chikmagalur & looking to book Trivik resort. The resort looks good, but the route seems to be a ghat with hair pin bends. Google map says it is on Mullayanigiri road & need to take a diversion on it.
I am a relatively new driver with no experience driving on ghat section. Would you suggest I look for something else in the town ?

Thanks
Jasraj

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by jasraj_jog

Hello ,

I am planning to travel to Chikmagalur & looking to book Trivik resort. The resort looks good, but the route seems to be a ghat with hair pin bends. Google map says it is on Mullayanigiri road & need to take a diversion on it.
I am a relatively new driver with no experience driving on ghat section. Would you suggest I look for something else in the town ?

Thanks
Jasraj

The route is safe and not something that you will find it dangerous to manage. Trivik is located at a beautiful location and anything you intend to decide within the town will be waste because Chikmagalur as a town is just like any other and while you are here you better stay where you can enjoy and relish the location itself.

If you still feel you are totally a newbie who would not want to drive on curved roads and twisties, then you may decide to stay in the town itself but as mentioned earlier, there's nothing in town that will really make you feel like you are on a Holiday.

[jasraj_jog]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

If you still feel you are totally a newbie who would not want to drive on curved roads and twisties, then you may decide to stay in the town itself but as mentioned earlier, there's nothing in town that will really make you feel like you are on a Holiday.

Thanks Parag, I might take a risk and drive, mine is Gi10 automatic. Dont know how will I and the car handle :-) . Another option is I will probably book a package

[vharihar]

Have planned a trip to Guddadamane Homestay in Chikkamagalur next week (from Bangalore). Anyone been to that place and can share a few words about the experience, as well as the recommended route?

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by vharihar

as well as the recommended route?

This is in Aldur. So please consider taking the route via Chikmagalur. You reach Chikmagalur and then drive on Chikmagalur Mudigere road to fork out for Aldur at Vastare. From Aldur it is located around 15 minutes (as per location that I notice).

The other alternate route will be via Belur-Gendehalli-Basakal-Gullanpete-Aldur. For most newbies, they find this narrow and patchy and with quite a few turns that one may easily miss. So the usual recommendation has mostly been via the straightforward route via Chikmagalur as it is wider and takes you along the main highways instead of MDRs.

Knowing that you are quite regular, you can take both the routes, one each for onward and return.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

This is in Aldur. So please consider taking the route via Chikmagalur. You reach Chikmagalur and then drive on Chikmagalur Mudigere road to fork out for Aldur at Vastare. From Aldur it is located around 15 minutes (as per location that I notice).

The other alternate route will be via Belur-Gendehalli-Basakal-Gullanpete-Aldur.

Originally Posted by vharihar

Have planned a trip to Guddadamane Homestay in Chikkamagalur next week (from Bangalore). as well as the recommended route?

Had driven from Bengaluru to Aldur directly using two of the routes from Belur to Aldur bypassing Chikmagalur. Roads in this stretch are majorly good except for 2-3kms of rough and narrow patch. I will try to get the exact route but this was using google maps itself and because I had done the same stretch one year ago. Its better IMO if the destination is Aldur and beyond since entering CKM and then the road widening between CKM and Amber valley school is also messy and will consume some extra time.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by audioholic

Had driven from Bengaluru to Aldur directly using two of the routes from Belur to Aldur bypassing Chikmagalur. Roads in this stretch are majorly good except for 2-3kms of rough and narrow patch. I will try to get the exact route but this was using google maps itself and because I had done the same stretch one year ago. Its better IMO if the destination is Aldur and beyond since entering CKM and then the road widening between CKM and Amber valley school is also messy and will consume some extra time.

Agreed and hence I mentioned how for regular folks via Belur works best than taking the road via Chikmagalur. But right on this forum we have had folks who have come back to report that roads were too narrow with zero potholes and how they would have preferred wider roads with potholes. It is one reason why I am very careful in suggesting certain roads because you never know what you can expect once they return .

In fact, I myself take the Gendehalli road to reach Mudigere instead of Cheeknahalli road from Belur as it is a good alternate and little shorter too and sees very less traffic, especially no trucks and KSRTC buses.

[RJ2285]

Hi All,

I drove from Mangalore to Chikmagalur today with my wife and 6 year old. Roads were in very good condition and the drive was scenic.

I plan to travel to Belgaum from here day after tomorrow. Google maps shows the below route as fastest:

Chikmagalur - Kadur - Ajjampur - Channagiri - Santhebennur - Ranebennur - Haveri - Shiggaon - Hubli - Belgaum (7.5 hours)

Alternate route on google maps:

Chikmagalur- Tarikere - Bhadravathi - Shivamogga - Honnali - Ranebennur - Haveri - Shiggaon - Hibli - Belgaum (8 hours)

Can you suggest which is the best route to take keeping in mind road conditions and safety?

[vharihar]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Agreed and hence I mentioned how for regular folks via Belur works best than taking the road via Chikmagalur. But right on this forum we have had folks who have come back to report that roads were too narrow with zero potholes and how they would have preferred wider roads with potholes. It is one reason why I am very careful in suggesting certain roads because you never know what you can expect once they return .

In fact, I myself take the Gendehalli road to reach Mudigere instead of Cheeknahalli road from Belur as it is a good alternate and little shorter too and sees very less traffic, especially no trucks and KSRTC buses.

Thanks @paragsachania.

I read some news about the Neelamangala/Peenya elevated road on Blore - Pune Hwy being closed till Jan 3rd for maintenance by NHAI. So I'm tentatively considering avoiding Neelamangala altogether and instead taking the route via Magadi Rd and joining the Blore - Hassan Hwy at Talekere (just east of Kunigal), to get out of south-east Blore.

Anyone has any recent experience on this route (Magadi Rd)?

It's a 2-lane road I believe? That I don't mind as long as the route is scenic, road is of good quality, and decent speeds can be maintained.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by RJ2285

Chikmagalur - Kadur - Ajjampur - Channagiri - Santhebennur - Ranebennur - Haveri - Shiggaon - Hubli - Belgaum (7.5 hours)

Not sure of Kadur - Ajjampura - Santhebennur route even though it's an NH.

Chikmagalur- Tarikere - Bhadravathi - Shivamogga

You could also consider Shikaripura - Hangal - Tadas which is a good road, and will get you close to Hubli.

Originally Posted by vharihar

I read some news about the Neelamangala/Peenya elevated road on Blore - Pune Hwy being closed till Jan 3rd for maintenance by NHAI.

this is correct, NHAI has closed the evelated flyover for maintenance.

taking the route via Magadi Rd and joining the Blore - Hassan Hwy at Talekere (just east of Kunigal), to get out of south-east Blore.

This is a good option only if the road under Peenya flyover is chock a block with traffic. The drawback of taking Magadi route is a) lots of two wheelers and city traffic till taverekere b) traffic in magadi town. Magadi route only make sense if you know you will lose more than 30min driving under the Peenya flyover to get to the toll gate.if not, I would suggest you stick to Nelamangala route.

Since you are driving from south east, your best option is NICE road from PES and get onto Tumkur road, wherein you will skip the traffic because of closed flyover. If NICE toll is also backed up, then take ring road, take a left onto Peenya ring road, head towards Andrahalli main road and you will skip almost all the bad traffic due to the closure of flyover.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by vharihar

Thanks @paragsachania.

I read some news about the Neelamangala/Peenya elevated road on Blore - Pune Hwy being closed till Jan 3rd for maintenance by NHAI. So I'm tentatively considering avoiding Neelamangala altogether and instead taking the route via Magadi Rd and joining the Blore - Hassan Hwy at Talekere (just east of Kunigal), to get out of south-east Blore.

Anyone has any recent experience on this route (Magadi Rd)?

It's a 2-lane road I believe? That I don't mind as long as the route is scenic, road is of good quality, and decent speeds can be maintained.

That is the safest bet. You may consider Magadi Gudemaranahalli route. This will help you avoid crossing Magadi town as well since it take right just before entering Magadi town.

The only issue with this route is that till you reach Magadi, expansion work is in progress and that means few diverisons and some patchy sections here and there.

Entire route is 2 lane. Magadi to Gudemaranahalli where you intersect with Hassan highway is an excellent state highway with toll too.

[ghodlur]

Just did a trip to Chikmagalur from Bangalore. When going started at 6 am and was at Chikmagalur home stay by 10.30 with 30 mins breakfast halt at Hotel Mayura (suggested by local google Parag). Roads till Hasan are very good except for 3-4 diversions and irritating speed breakers on the diversion road, triple digit speeds are easily doable. The Hassan city bypass again has lot many speed breakers which test your patience. Post Hassan its a single lane road all the way till Chikmagalur. Roads are bad in a couple of spots but due to sparse traffic could easily cover the distance with good avg.

Roads in Chikmagalur are narrow and at times when 2 bigger vehicles approach can be a tense moment if you are not used to the roads in the hills. One road which gave me lots of tension was the last 3 kms to Mullayanagiri peak since the roads were too steep and had sharp turns (my wife and son had closed their eyes during that stretch ).

On avg toll amount comes to Rs 150/- approx one way.