[navrddy]

Hello TBhpan's,

I made it .finally the dream of seeing malnad during monsoon season.

The places covered are: Horanadu, Dharmasthala and Subramanya
Vehicle: Wagon R Petrol F10D (BS3)
No. of occupants: Myself(Driver), my Wife & kid, My Dad and Mom

Day1: Bangalore to Chikmagalur (280 kms approx)

Started from My House in Bengaluru @ 1.30 PM. Hit Nice Road at Hoskerhalli Junction to Tumkur Road.Toll Collected: Rs 95.(Little on higher Side).
Unfortunately, i did not join toll NH portion in tumkur Road after taking Nice Road. Thought I need to make branch out from NH into Mangalore Road.
Bad Decision, Lot of speed brakers and Finally reached At Entrance of Mangalore Road at 3 PM.

Road until Chanarayapatna is amazingly super, with proper Dividers and tarmac is simply flat (better than chennai/Hyderabad Road). Signposts in highway mentioned recommended speed of 100(!), first time i have seen 100 kmph on Signboard in highway.
After chanarayapatna took break at Kamat restaurant for 20 mins.

Road from Chanarayapatna to Hassan is OK (sometimes single lane,sometimes 2 lane) for 30 kms or So. Reached Hassan @ 5.00 PM (including break).
Unfortunately , went inside Hassan (Big mistake). Horrible Roads inside.

Hassan to Belur - Road is superb twisting and well marked (but single lane)..but too good to drive. I drove in 70-80 in full rain with fading light..Awesome experiance

Belur to Chikmagalur is bad potholed road in absolutely dark. took around 45 minutes. Could not go more than 50 kmph with rain lashing down. Reached Finally Chikmagalur at 7.30 PM. Checked in Hotel Rajmahal (it is actually near to KSRTC busstand) in I.G Road. Google maps gives u wrong address, Had a dinner nearby and rested.
PS: Hotel surroundings are not so much good. So be prepared for glances from lot of people, if u are travelling with family.

Day2: Chikmagalur to Horanadu - Dharmasthala (200 kms approx)
Had breakfast at darshini in Chickmagalur main bustand.
Food ok, Prices are damn cheap and it is clean considering it is bustand. But only self service.Enquired in hotel reception, they said road is much better via balehonur, eventhough it is ghat section.

Started at 9.30 am from chikmagalur towards horanadu.After 15 kms from chikmagalur, we need to take right at towards small road. from Main Mudigere Road. Initially road is potholed for around 5 kms, and later road is very good and smooth tarmac. but it is narrow single lane with fast curves, so watch out for oncoming traffic. But road is very scenic and had a super coffee at Bhadra coffee point around 11.30. Please note, there is sparse traffic on this road and cellphone network coverage is not there in most parts of road.It was raining most of time during this part of drive too.
It was thrilling and too good to see mother nature in pristine green and wet.
Reached Horanadu at 12.30 PM. It was thin crowd and had good darshan with kumkum seva. and had best food i had outside my house at temple dinning hall. Anybody going to horanadu, please don't miss the free lunch at temple dinning hall. Closing time is 2.30 PM and please note, also not to waste any food.

Left horanadu at 2.30 PM, rain which stopped for brief moment, again started heavily. Now, my aim is to reach dharmasthala before it gets dark.
So, i went through kalasa, roads until Kalasa are bad with potholes.
But drive from kalasa to Kottigera is simply superb with scenic picture spots and good tarmac, but with lots and lots of curves so be very careful for oncoming traffic. So reached Kottigera around 5 PM towards charmadi ghat and dharmasthala.

From Kottigera, again it was raining heavily, hardly go more than 70 kms. and once i near to charmadi ghat road. Oh! man, clouds toke over and my visibility became hardly 5 meters. and with lotz of gradients and curves. did not go more than 3rd gear and 40 kmph. But road is really good. and just crossed charmadi ghat before dark (thank god). Reached dharmasthala at 7.15 pm. Checked into rajathdri guest house. Rooms ok, but no hot water.

Had good night sleep. Phew 200 kms of Ghat road driving, man! with family and my trusted wagon R, it was really amazing experiance that i will never forget.

Rooms inside hotel Rajmahal (AC -Rs 1000/day).

On the way to Horanadu from chickmagalur via balehonnur

After balehonnur towards horanadu

At Horanadu Temple Parking. (Temple is at left side dead end)


My Car at Temple Parking

No Wonder, Mud on my Car.

Beautiful Malnad in Rains


Driving in the Rain


Horanadu to dharmasthala


My Waggy Ripping in the rain



My Kid got fully tired, because lot of curves (ghat road)


Again driving in Rain

Remaining Part for Day3: i will continue latter. Because i got tired of writing my travelogue in one-shot. Will also continue my costs, fuel filled and other technical details

[chethan.ram]

I heard the road condition is really bad of late. Hope you didn't have any problems. Nice write up though.

[sushrutha]

@navrddy,
Nicely and very briefly written travelogue with some good pics too.
How is the road condition at Charmadi ghats ?

By the way BLR- CKM is 250kms, not 280kms

[navrddy]

@Chetan: Yeah Road conditions are not good from horanadu to kalsa.
from kalsa through charmadi and to dharmasthala. good roads and with some bad patches. (few).

@Sushrutha: thanks. Road through charmadi is good, with some potholes occasionally, but much much better than shiradi ghat road...i definetly recommend this road than shiradi road. but driving in charmadi is little dangerous, i feel, because lotz of curves with gradient.s and no baracades at some places, with only only small stones (brick size) placed at some of places.... I wonder how somebody will drive in pitch black, especially fog/rain and darkness combined on this road..