Compared to the other two routes (Route A & B), this is the popular (and busiest) route from Bangalore to Wayanad. For Route C, the travel plan till Mysore is more or less [...]]]> Route C: Bangalore –> 150km –> Mysore — 60km –> Gundulpet — 40km –> Munthanga — 14km –> Sulthan Battery

Compared to the other two routes (Route A & B), this is the popular (and busiest) route from Bangalore to Wayanad.
For Route C, the travel plan till Mysore is more or less same. That is, take the SH17 from Bangalore up to Mysore ( see Bangalore to Wayanad)

At Mysore drive right through the city. You can easily get to NH 212 ( popularly called the Ooty road ) from the city center (palace area).

Of course there is the Outer Ring Road that acts like a bypass road around Mysore city. Better to drive through the city, as it is shorter, and quick way to reach the NH212 .

Mysore city to Nanjangud distance is about 23 km. Traffic is usually moderate to high.The road is 2-lane and in reasonably good shape. The speed of 60kmph seem to be the norm.

Apart from the potholes you have be a bit careful with those failed ‘Michael Schumachers’ on this road. Failed they are, but still capable of showcasing some marvelous piece of reckless driving on a busy road. Yes, we are talking about those buses in perpetual hurry.

You wiggle past Nanjangud town. Signboards are pretty clear and reasonably frequent. You will not make a wrong turn , neither will you have to ask for directions. From now on to Gundlupet, traffic slightly thins down, road is good and generally one pickups the lost time, that is if you have lost some.

Nanjangud to Gundlupet is about 35 km. In short, Mysore – Gundlupet distance you can cover in about 1 ½ hours, including a bit of city traffic delays. If we take a tally so far, Bangalore – Myosre – Gundlupet stretch takes 5 hours, including a lunch and tea breaks in between.

Gundlupet is a small town with a few eateries by the highway side. As you drive through the town, the highway makes a right turn as its exits the town. The straight road at this junction goes towards Gopalaswamy Betta , Bandipur, Mudumalai, Theppekaddu, Masinagudi, Ooty etc. You should take the right turn that heads towards the Kerala border(towards Calicut).

Gundlupet to Sultan Bathery distance is about 50km, mostly through the forest. In about 15 minutes from Gundlupet, you’ll enter the forest. Then there’s a check post. Traffic is reasonably high, though not very heavy. Apart from the many private cars, this is a busy route with the interstate bus services and truck traffic. At the check post, private cars zoom past without much of formalities (unlike in the case of Route A or Route B).

It takes anything up to an hour till you cross the forest. Watch out for wildlife crossing the road. Inside the forest, the rules are again the same – no parking, no picnic, no horn etc .

A small river and a short bridge across it mark the Karnataka-Kerala border in the middle of the forest. In a stroke, signboards give way to Malayalam. It seems Kerala is in a self imposed competition with other states on who own the largest number of check posts. There is Forest Department check post, commercial tax check post, RTO check post and even a police check post.

Also, you will start getting the signs of road side teashops, in typical Kerala style. May be you can take the first bite of banana fried in coconut oil. And the Kerala style tea to wash it down. Tea in Kerala is measured (exactly arms stretch long! ) and delivered with a thud on the table.

Somewhere towards the end of the forest, you will see the entrance to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, as usual tourist vehicle makes a mess around the area. Take it as a cue for you to join the crowd or slip out and drive ahead to Sultan Bathery. Now you are well in the Wayanad heartland. Sultan Bathery to Kalpetta, the district capital, is 10 kilometers. From now onwards follow your tour itinerary for Wayanad.

Well, we were talking about a few route options to Bangalore to Wayanad by road. The Route [...]]]> Route B: Bangalore — 150km –> Mysore — 50km –> HD Kote (Handpost) — 24km –> Udbur (forest entry gate) — 22km –> Bavali (forest exit gate) — 7km –> Kattikulam — 10 km –> Mananthavady

Well, we were talking about a few route options to Bangalore to Wayanad by road.
The Route B is very identical to Route A, to reach Mananthavady from Bangalore. At Mysore, drive right though the city and get to the SH 33 (popularly called the HD Kote road or Mananthavady) . You can easily reach to the highway (SH 33) from Mysore city center.

In about 1½ hours (about 60km) time you can reach Handpost Junction near HD Kote from Mysore. The highway (SH33) is in great shape all the way. 15 km after Handpost Junction (HD Kote diversion) you’ll reach the entrance of Rajiv Gandhi National park. The traffic through the forest is blocked. You’ll see a closed gate across the highway.

Take the left diversion at the gate. The 12km or so of the bad stretch of the route starts from here. This bypass road goes around the fringes of the forest and many villages like Karapura fringing the forest.

Somewhere on your left you can see the Kabini backwaters at a distance. Your road is also the route for the famous Jungle Lodges in Kabini

The road re enters the forest at Udbur check post. You need to give details and sign a register before entering the forest. There is no fee to be paid. A few more kilometers later the so called bad stretch of the road ends and re joins the SH33 inside the forest. Take the left at the junction. It would easily taken an hour to cover this 12km stretch, that’s the condition of the road!
This is one of the dense forests in the region, with highest probability of wildlife spotting. It’s not uncommon to spot even tiger on this route, especially during the mornings and evenings. While in the forest follow the cautions and etiquettes mentioned in the Route A details.

Unlike many roads through forests of this region, this road is pretty straight throughout the national park area. Before you exit the national park you would pass a few check posts and many tribal settlements.

At Bavali, you’ll exit the national park and enter Wayanad district. That bridge marks the Kerala-Karnataka border. The forest continues for many kilometers before you reach the Kattikulam town. Kattikulam is the only place you can find a hotel or a fuel station after you’ve left the Handpost junction at HD Kote.

Baring the 12km stretch that is getting damaged progressively over the years, you’ll find this route from Bangalore to Mananthavady a pleasure. The drive through the national park is of course a highlight. Very similar to the other routes through the forest, traffic is not allowed in the night (between 6pm and 6am).

Now, do you want to give Mysore city a miss? If so, take the bypass road that appears on [...]]]> Route A: Bangalore — 150km –> Mysore — 45km –> Hunsur — 20km –> Nagarhole entry gate — 30km –> Nagarhole exit gate — 4km –> Kutta — 18km–> Kattikulam — 10km –> Mananthavady

Now, do you want to give Mysore city a miss? If so, take the bypass road that appears on your right after Srerangapatina town. This is the road you need to take to reach KRS (Brindavan Gardens) and Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary located near Mysore.

This bypass road joins the Hunsur road (SH88) at Elivala, way after Mysore city. This bypass route is about 16km between Srirangapatna and Elivala.It is a decent road, but no way comparable to the highway you have been before the deviation. Of course you can go right through Mysore city or even by the Outer Ring Road (that is around the city) , both will eventually bring you on the SH88 to continue by Route A towards Hunsur.

At Elivala you are now back on another highway (SH88) again. 30km on SH88 from here, you’ll reach Hunsur town. The road from Mysore city to Hunsur (State Highway 88) is as marvelous, even better than the Bangalore-Mysore highway (SH 17). You can drive faster as SH 88 is not having the traffic as compared to SH 17. It’s 4 lanes most of the way.
As you approach Hunsur, the highway makes a Y fork. Take the left (rather straight fork, as the highway bends rightward). At the junction, there is a huge board indicating the direction to the wildlife sanctuary. You’ll reach the crowded Hunsur bus station area.

This crowd announces the end of super-fast driving pleasure. Look out for a narrow road on your left right after the bus station. You may even spot a tiny signboard showing direction to Nagarhole and Iruppu Falls. If in doubt, ask for direction to Nagarhole (Do not ask for Wayanad , as you may not get a quick or right answer from a layman by the road side).
Now you are on the road from Hunsur to Kutta, via Nagarhole forest (a.k.a Rajiv Gandhi National Park ). It may take a few more minutes to shift the gears in your mind as this road is narrow (just as wide as a bus) and pothole ridden. On top of it, you have to ask for help at a few confusing village squares so that you can ensure you are in the right direction to Nagarhole. It’s worth the trouble. Plus, you may learn a bit of vernacular Kannada!

After about 15 kilometers from Hunsur, you regain the rhythm of driving. Surprisingly, the road starts getting better though it will be narrower. You will start enjoying the remoteness rather than the whiz, as you were till Hunsur.

Now comes the Karnataka Forest departments check post and that formidable green painted gate across the road. The gate won’t lift open automatically as you tend to wish. You have to stop the car and go to the tiny shed next to the gate to register your entry. It’s a simple procedure hardly takes 3 minutes if there is no queue. Details like vehicle’s registration number, your name, destination, number of passengers, etc; has to be entered and finally you need to sign in the register. It is not unusual if a small tip is expected!

The gate will open and you are into the Nagarhole reserve forest. The road is in reasonable condition with humps built across the road every few kilometers. One is expected to drive slow as wild animals may cross the road at any point across your road. Somewhere in the middle, you will cross a few tribal settlements, the Murkal Elephant camp and the Nagarhole safari point before you exit the forest.

Road from Hunsur to Kutta passes through Nagarhole forest

Remember a few things: Traffic is allowed to pass through Nagarhole forest only from 6 am to 6 pm. You’ve to pay no fees to cross the forest. Also, you should not park your vehicle anywhere in the forest. Do not stray into the forest, as it is against to rule and can be dangerous. Just drive carefully along the designated road and cross the forest. You will be just fine.

What if you spot wild animals on the road? It is not uncommon to see herds of elephants crossing the road. First of all, you should not provoke the animals nor feel panicky. Stay calm and keep the distance. Do not get out of your car nor honk. Wait till they just fade away into the bushes and give you way. While most of the animals are shy, they can be aggressive when they are provoked. Bisons and elephants are known to charge, if provoked. Keep in mind it is no zoo and no one will be around there to help, should a situation arise. It takes about an hour till you reach the other end (and yet another check post with same set of formalities!) of the forest. Now you are officially out of the Rajiv Gandhi National Park.
A few turns later you reach the small border town called Kutta. A reminder, you are still in Karnataka though the dialect is a bit mixed. Between Hunsur and Manathavadi, Kutta is the only place where you can get some facilities (such as water, food and toilets). Look for a steep left turn as you enter Kutta. This is the road that goes to Wayanad again through a forest, though it is not as isolated as Nagarhole forest range. If you want to take a break anyway, head into Kutta town without taking the left fork mentioned above. The town square is about half kilometer from the fork.

You enter Kerala soon after Kutta. A signboard in Mayalalam announces that you are entering Kerala state. If you don’t know how to read Malayalam, don’t worry as there are always the potholes to confirm your doubt. Those few treacherous potholes at the border stretch apart. The roads in Kerala are in better conditions. The road, in the Kerala side of the forest, is wider than the one through Nagarhole. So is the traffic.

You are now very well into Wayanad. However terribly you’ve fared in those geography classes, you can easily tell now that you are in the lap of the evergreen misty Western Ghats.

In a few minutes drive, you will cross the entrance of Tholpetti Wildlife Sanctuary. You can spot a large number of tourist vehicles parked on either side of the road and the traffic on the main road literally wriggles through this crowd. This sanctuary is the first attraction in Wayanad as you enter the district by this route. Many kilometers ahead, still on the forest road towards Mananthavady, you will reach a junction. Take the right fork to go towards Thirunelli Temple, Papanashini or to Pakshipathalam (trek to forest for bird watching). It’s about 15 kilometers from the junction.

Otherwise, you can head straight to Mananthavady. Shortly the forest thins out and the environs appear to be more populated, you’ll arrive at a small town called Kartikulam. Just before that you’ll spot the left deviation towards Kuruva Island (6km through the forest, again!); continue straight on the highway for Mananthavady town (10 kilometers).

Note : Traffic through the Nagarhole forest is not allowed between 6pm and 6am. Also two wheelers are not permitted in the forest on this route. From Bangalore up to Hunsur, the road is in great shape with many travelers facility available en route. Beyond Hunsur, till Kerala border (about 60km) the road condition is moderate to bad.

The distances and route of MC [...]]]> Main Central Road, popularly called the MC Road, is a major state highway (SH1) in the southern part of Kerala. MC Road starts at Angamaly, near Earnakulam and ends at Kesavadasapuram, in the outskirts of Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) city. Interestingly both the starting and end are on the NH-47.

The distances and route of MC Road : Angamali — 15km –> Perumbavoor– 20km –>Muvattupuzha– 43km –>Ettumanoor– 11km –>Kottayam– 20km –>Changanassery– 8km –>Tiruvalla– 7km –>Chengannur– 15km –>Pandalam– 10km –>Adoor– 18km –>Kottarakkara–34km –>Kilimanoor– 37km –>Thiruvananthapuram

Between Angamaly and Trivandrum, both NH47 and MC road travel almost parallel; NH47 traces the coastal line of south Kerala where as the MC Road zigzags through the hilly terrain bordering the mountainous western border of the state. In short the NH47 connects the costal towns of south Kerala where as the MC Road connects the numerous towns and villages at the fringes of the high range sections of Kerala.

MC Road near Adoor

There are numerous roads that connects these two highways along its length, making it part of the road grids in central and south Kerala . On an average the MC Road and NH 47 are separated by 20-40km apart. While the NH47 is pretty straight and wide, the MC road is riddled with numerous curves, thanks to the geography of the region. Nevertheless MC road is well maintained and in good condition. Many long stretches , especially towards Trivandrum from Adoor is greatly widened.

On MC Road you’ll pass through a mid sized towns in every 20-30 minutes. Restaurants and other traveler facilities and frequent along the length. If you are traveling by bus, there are numerous long distance bus services operated by the state owned KSRTC. Almost every town on the MC Road has a KSRTC bus station.

Some of the major towns and diversions on the MC Road:

Angamali: On the NH47 while crossing the Angamali town square , a little after the KSRTC bus stand you’ll see the diversion for MC Road on your left. You’ll pass Kaladi and reach Perumbavoor some 15km later. Most of the pilgrims driving towards Sabarimala Temple take this route from Angamali.

Perumbavoor : This is a small town, the Alwaye Munnar state highway (SH16) crosses MC Road at Perumbavoor. The Cochin International Airport is located between Angamali and Perumbavoor.

Muvattupuzha: This town is about 20km from Perumbavoor. The Cochin to Madurai NH 49 crosses MC Road just before you enter the Muvattupuzha town. Also this is the starting point for the Main Eastern Highway (SH 8) that takes you to Thodupuzha, Pala, Ponkunnam and Punalur.

Ettumanur : You’ll cross Koothattukulam and Kuravilangad before reaching at Ettumanur after Muvattupuzha. You’ll also pass through some of the ghat sections on the MC road that’s located between Muvattupuzha and Ettumanur.

Kottayam: This is a large city on the MC Road. MC Road passes right through the city center. Major diversions at Kottayam include the NH220 (towards Kumili & Teni), Kumarakom and Cherthala (on NH47)

Changanassery, Tiruvalla and Chengannur: Changanassery is about 20km from Kottayam. Changanassery, Tiruvalla and Chengannur are successive towns about 7km apart.

Pandalam, Adoor and Kottarakara: Pandalam is about 15km from Chengannur. Take deviation from Pandalam for Pathanamthitta. At Adoor town watch for the deviation. You need to take a right turn to be on the MC Road. The straight road appears as the highway but it heads towards the town square( take this diversion at Adoor for Punalur). In side Kottarakkara town too you’ll cross a major junction. Keep going straight at the junction. Kottarakara is a diversion point for Kollam (Quilon), which is about 25km southeast on the NH47.

Kilimanoor: You’ll pass Ayoor and Nilamel before reaching Kilimanoor. The road is wider but a lot curvy, like most part of the MC Road. Some 32km after Kilimanoor you’ll reach Kesavadasapuram, a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram city. This is where the MC Road re joins the NH47.

The distance between the Thiruvananthapuram and Angamali is comparable (about 234km) via both routes (ie by NH47 and MC Road). However if you are Thiruvananthapuram bound from Angamali side, the NH47 is preferred thanks to the straightness of the highway and relatively lesser busy town squares to cross. However for many towns located in the Travancore region, the MC road is the main lifeline.

By the way the MC road mostly passes through some of the scenic hilly parts of Kerala while the NH47 gives an occasional glimpse of the coastal line and the backwaters.

Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh ; Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra ; Airavatesvara Temple, (Great Living Chola Temples), Tamilnadu ; Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh ; Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat ; Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra ; Churches and Convents of Goa ; Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra [...]]]> The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India :

Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh ;
Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra ;
Airavatesvara Temple, (Great Living Chola Temples), Tamilnadu ;
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh ;
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, Gujarat ;
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra ;
Churches and Convents of Goa ;
Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra ;
Ellora Caves, Maharashtra ;
Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh ;
Brihadeeswarar Temple, (Great Living Chola Temples), Tamilnadu ;
Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka ;
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu ;
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal, Karnataka ;
Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, (Great Living Chola Temples), Tamil Nadu ;
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi ;
Kaziranga National Park, Assam ;
Keoladeo National Park, Rajasthan;
Khajuraho Group of Monuments, Madhya Pradesh ;
Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bihar ;
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam ;
Mountain Railways of India ;
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Park, Uttaranchal ;
Qutub Minar and its monuments, Delhi ;
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, Madhya Pradesh ;
Red Fort, New Delhi ;
Konark Sun Temple, Orissa ;
Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal ;
Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh.

Location and route map for Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan.

Mumbai to Goa route map

Bangalore to Munnar Route map

Kerala Rail [...]]]>

National Highways map of Kerala.

Bangalore to Munnar Route map

Kerala Rail Map