[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Other option is to reach Tumkur road NICE road junction, by taking right at Hebbal junction. This is the nearer to Hebbal also (http://goo.gl/maps/LgxUX), however there are chances of getting stuck near Jalahalli at railway crossing is there. It may take you around 90 min to get to NICE road entry from Airport junction.

I agree with you that the ORR stretch, especially the railway crossing can be very unpredictable and get messy and add to the delays.

However, this can be completely avoided by taking the HMT Watch factory road which passes over the same Railway line through an over-bridge.

http://goo.gl/maps/AI0sW

Once you reach this intersection (Point B), its a clear road over the Elevated NBTL and once you exit the NTBL toll its a matter of 2-3 minutes before you are on NICE Road.

I stay in Vidyaranyapura and even I hate to take the ORR or even the main road that reaches Jalahalli cross (Intersection to Tumkur road) is clogged in the mornings and evenings. Hence, I always take the watch factory road whenever I am driving to Belur or Pune.

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Plan to leave home at 5:00am so will be crossing Bangalore Airport around 11:00am which i guess is not really non-peak hours

So is there other options to by-pass Bangalore to get on to the Coorg road apart from the NICE road?

Avi, you may try the route through Dodballapur (take diversion either from Chikballapur or from Devanahalli) - Neelamangala - Channarayapatna - Hole Narsipur - arakalgud - sowarpet - madikeri.

Neelamangala - Channarayapatna IIRC are 4 laned and you will make quick progress. Others are state road and undivided two lanes.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

The thrid option is to take NH 209. However I feel it is not useful to you since your travel is towards Mysore and not towards Hosur side.

Thanks Suhas. Is this last option same as what Arindam has proposed?

Originally Posted by arindamray

Avi, you may try the route through Dodballapur (take diversion either from Chikballapur or from Devanahalli) - Neelamangala - Channarayapatna - Hole Narsipur - arakalgud - sowarpet - madikeri.

Neelamangala - Channarayapatna IIRC are 4 laned and you will make quick progress. Others are state road and undivided two lanes.

Thank man. what I need is good road to make quick progress

What could be the approximate kms via. the Neelamangla route until Madikeri? 275kms?

Can I cover it in 5 hours from the Chikballapur or Devanahalli?

Also, which diversion is better Chikballapur or Devanahalli?

I drove from Hyderabad to Bangalore 2-3 times in the last one year so iam familiar of the route till Devanahalli.

[binand]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

However, this can be completely avoided by taking the HMT Watch factory road [...] its a clear road over the Elevated NBTL

Thanks for this. I used to go through Gangamma circle and end up underneath the NTBL.

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thank man. what I need is good road to make quick progress

What could be the approximate kms via. the Neelamangla route until Madikeri? 275kms?

Can I cover it in 5 hours from the Chikballapur or Devanahalli?

Also, which diversion is better Chikballapur or Devanahalli?

I drove from Hyderabad to Bangalore 2-3 times in the last one year so iam familiar of the route till Devanahalli.

This is the route: http://goo.gl/maps/XgI2S

It is closer to 300 km. I would advise to take it from Devanahalli. Devanahalli to Nelamangala should be an hour. 120 km between Nelamangala and Channarayapatna you should be able to do in one and half hour. I am not aware of the latest road condition of last 125 km, but even with 50 km/hr average, it can be covered in another 2.5 hours.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thanks Suhas. Is this last option same as what Arindam has proposed?

No, that is a different route. I have only travelled part of that route and that too on bike. Hence unable to comment on time taken.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by mobike008

What could be the approximate kms via. the Neelamangla route until Madikeri? 275kms?

Can I cover it in 5 hours from the Chikballapur or Devanahalli?

Take the right towards Dodballapur(you would find trucks coming into NH7 from this road)(as suggested by Arindam).Keep on the road till Dodballapur and at Dodballapur after the railway gate take the left towards Nelamangala.Straight would take you straight to Dobbespete on nH4.

At Nelamangala you come upto NH4 and see a flyover.Straight would connect you to NH48 to Hassan-Mangalore.Take a left on NH4 and keep on the left only and follow signages for NICE Road towards Kengeri.Exit NICE at Kengeri and drive via the conventional Bangalore-Mysore SH17 till after Srirangapatna,where you would see an arrow pointing right towards Hunsur.Take the road and it takes you straight to Madikeri.Stop by for coffee at Cafe @ Coorg -nice quaint place.

The Kengeri-Srirangapatna is one long food court and you would be spoilt for places to stop for lunch.Kamat,Mcdie,Corner House for icecreams,Kadambam,you name it and you have it on this road.

Overall you should be able to do Shamshabad-Devanahalli in 6-6.5,1-1.5hr to reach Kengeri from Devanahalli.

Kengeri to Madikeri should take you around 5.5hrs-6hr with breaks.

https://www.google.co.in/maps?saddr=...2,3,4&t=m&z=13

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Overall you should be able to do Shamshabad-Devanahalli in 6-6.5,1-1.5hr to reach Kengeri from Devanahalli.

Kengeri to Madikeri should take you around 5.5hrs-6hr with breaks.

So its a 14 hours drive from Hyderabad including breaks. Sounds reasonable.

This will be my first drive into that region. Any tips, restuarant info and must see places?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by mobike008

So its a 14 hours drive from Hyderabad including breaks. Sounds reasonable.

This will be my first drive into that region. Any tips, restuarant info and must see places?

Yes,its normally 5.5-6hrs :Bangalore-Madikeri

If you are ok with eating pork,then coorg region is famous for Pandi curry.There is this huge Tibetan settlement enroute to Madikeri at Bylakuppe.The monastery is a beautiful one.Then the drive to the origin of the Cauvery river is a nice one-Talacauvery.

PS:People from the Coorg region are hockey crazy and invariable almost every coffee estate used to boast of a hockey team ouat.Even today the Indian Hockey team at any given time has player or two from Coorg(the names that end with _appa all come from the Coorg region).

Bangalore-Mysore is a 100km food court.When you get on the road you would realise it.Other than that enjoy the estate walks provided you get to stay inside a coffee estate homestay.Check the Bangalore-Coorg thread,people are driving up and down all the time.http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ations-15.html

You could also cross over into Wayanad in Kerala from Coorg and go see the Thirunelly temple and other places of interest in and around Wayanad.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by mobike008

So its a 14 hours drive from Hyderabad including breaks. Sounds reasonable.

This will be my first drive into that region. Any tips, restuarant info and must see places?

Avi, Basically there are 2-options:

- Go via Mysore road (Mysore/Hunsur)
- Go via Hassan highway (Bangalore-Channarayapatna-Holenarasipur-Arkalgud-Kushalnagar)

Which is a better option? As per road updates bother are very good now.
Mysore road has many eating places. Even Hassan has the essential CCDs. The Mysore road is a more popular option.

Some how I think the other one might turn out to be good.

In other words:

At Devanahalli take NH207 to Doddaballapur. At Doddaballapur you should ask for SH to Nelamangala. This section is the only unknown.

But the best part : It would go right under NH4 and extend to the Hassan highway at Nelamangala and you are on 4-lane once again. So you get non-stop express route devoid of Bangalore prolonged all the way till Channarayapatna where you exit the 4-lane. The only reason, I am not fully convinced is because of this Doddaballapur-Nelamangala stretch. But other wise I would say its a very good option.

Route Link

[NPV]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Any tips, restuarant info and must see places?

On the way to Madikeri you can visit the following:
1.The tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe, also has a beatiful monastery as Ranjit has mentioned. You can enter by taking a left turn from highway and then proceeding straight ahead from the monastery to join the highway again and turn left (almost a semi circular route visting the tibetan settlement and getting back on to the same highway a little ahead from where you entered). Next,
2.Nearing Kushalnagar you can visit the Cauvery Nisargadhama bang on the highway to your left.
3.After Nisargadhama, turn left and drive to the elephant camp at Dubare, it's a good place to visit (do check for timings, etc if interested in bathing/feeding elephants at the camp). You could also visit this on your way back.
4.Other places to visit in and around Madikeri are Abbey falls, Raja Seat,Fort,Talacauvery
(the coorg threads should have more detailed info on all the above places).

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by ampere

Which is a better option? As per road updates bother are very good now.
Mysore road has many eating places. Even Hassan has the essential CCDs. The Mysore road is a more popular option.

Mysore road is more popular option for Bangalore folks. From Hyderabad I don't think it makes sense to take that one. For one you have to go closer to Bangalore (meaning more trafiic), also on week-ends Mysore Road has heavy traffic.

Avi, you can refer http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ay-2008-a.html for the places, and please try Coorg Cuisine for food - we just loved them.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by arindamray

Mysore road is more popular option for Bangalore folks.

Originally Posted by ampere

Avi, Basically there are 2-options:

Arindam and Ampere. I am going to stay in HoneyValley which is suggested by a BHPian in the Accomodation thread.

When I spoke to the owners, I came to know its about 35kms from Madikeri towards Virajpet

So basically, while going will be going Bangalore-Mysore-Madikeri-HoneyValley

Return will be via. Virajpet towards Bangalore as Iam told this is a circle and I need not go back towards Madikeri while coming back

So can someone place tell me the route to head back and connect to the Bangalore-Hyderabad Highway?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by mobike008

So can someone place tell me the route to head back and connect to the Bangalore-Hyderabad Highway?

One Option:

Devanahalli-Doddaballapur-Nelamangala-Kunigal (Hassan Highway)-Channarayapatna-Holenarasipur-Arkalgud-Shanivarsanthe-Madikeri-Honey valley


Route Link Option 1

If you want to go via Mysore then once you reach Nelamangala, turn back towards Bangalore. After the Nelamangala toll at about 5.5 km, you will get the NICE road exit. And then on :

Mysore (ORR) - Hunsur-Periyapatna-Siddapur-Ammati-Virajpet-Honey valley

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Return will be via. Virajpet towards Bangalore as Iam told this is a circle and I need not go back towards Madikeri while coming back

So can someone place tell me the route to head back and connect to the Bangalore-Hyderabad Highway?

Virajpet - Siddapur - Kushalnagar - Hunsur - Mysore

This way you do not need to touch Madikeri. Also Dubare elephant camp is on the way - you can visit that.