I will be visiting Bangalore in the mid of April to attend a friend's wedding. Once the ceremony is over, I would like to go for a 2-3 days trip to a nearby destination, preferably a hill station. I have heard a lot about Chikmagalur and it seems to be a good choice. I won't be availing any public transport service and plan to hire a self-drive vehicle from ZoomCar for this trip. Any idea what would be the best route from Bangalore to Chikmagalur. Google suggests quite a few options, but I have never been to that part of India, so basically I would appreciate a first-hand guidance from people who have done this trip by road. I am not looking for the shortest route, but the one which has well maintained roads will be preferable.
Chikmagalur is a beautiful place surrounded by lush green rolling hills. It's a very good choice for a short trip from Bangalore, especially in the month of April when temperature in the plains will be soaring higher. Also as you are planning for a 2-3 days trip, Chikmagalur, just around 240 KM away from Bangalore, seems to be the ideal candidate. Other possible alternatives can be Coorg, Munnar and Kodaikanal. Lots of people do this trip from Bangalore to Chikmagalur week in and week out. It's a very popular weekend getaway from Bangalore. I have been to Chikmagalur and Kemmanagundi thrice within a spell of last 2 years and the roads are in great condition. There's a bit of hill driving involved, but the roads are wide and the acsend is gradual. So anyone with a little experience of driving in the Indian hill stations can easily make it to Chikmagalur from Bangalore. There are two routes that can lead you to Chikmagalur from Bangalore. The shortest one is via Tumkur and Tiptur through NH-4 and NH-206. It's a nice 4-lane highway all the way till Chikmagalur, but you can encounter heavy traffic between Bangalore to Tumkur stretch. It should not take more than 5 hours if you start early from Bangalore. NH-48 via Channarayapattna and Hassan is a faster option and a personal favorite of mine due to the scenic countryside landscapes. The roads are in great condition and traffic volume is far lesser compared to Tumkur road. A non-stop journey from Bangalore can take you to Chikmagalur in less than 4 hours via this route. Also, if you are interested in history and heritage sites, then you can make a stopover at Belur. Belur is famous for some of the finest architectural marvels belonging to the Hoysala period. Here's the route details - Option 1: Bangalore to Chikmagalur via NH-4 and NH-206 :: Bangalore - Dabaspete - Tumkur - Tiptur - Arsikere - Banavara - Chikmagalur :: Distance 236 KM Option 2: Bangalore to Chikmagalur vis NH-48 :: Bangalore - Kunigal - Yadiyur - Channarayapattna - Hassan - Belur - Chikmagalur :: Distance 243 KM There are quite a lot of amazing places to visit around Bangalore. If you are looking for information on possible tourist destinations around Bangalore, then you should have a look at this - 20 Weekend Getaways From Bangalore. The article lists some very interesting short trips from Bangalore that can be explored over a weekend. Regards, Deb
Among all the routes, the shortest one will be (242 km) via NH 48 - Time to cover the route will be around 4 hours and 20 mins. There are many alternative roads available from Bangalore to Chikmanglur but I would recommend you the one I have mentioned above because this will take a lot lesser time compared to others. I have visited Chikmangalur using Bangalore to Chikmagalur route back in 2014. I must say that this road condition between Bangalore and Chikmanglur is fairly good. Do you want to know why it is special? While traveling on this route, I saw many beautiful landmarks and locations and you will not be able to spot the places when you travel by the alternative routes. Though I am not able to remember the name of those locations but I ensure you that they were amazing. So, I would recommend you this road. Have a safe journey.
