WHEN TRAVELLING FROM BANGALORE TO OOTY BY ROAD,

When travelling from bangalore to ooty by road, there are quite a few things to do on the
way.

The road from bangalore to ooty pases through ramnagara, channapatna, maddur,
mandya, srirangapatna, mysore, najungad, gundelpet, bandipur, mudumalai to ooty.

Bangalore to Mysore

Bangalore to mysore road is real good right from rajarajeshwari temple arch and 4 lane
trafic capable of doing 100 kmph and excess. Be careful of sudden traffic diversions due
to bridge and road painting works. Also of pedestrians.

Take a break at 24 hour cafe coffee day (after channapatna - 70km from bangalore) or
kamat (after ramnagaram - 50km from bangalore). You may try amaravathi before
Mandya or Maddur Tiffanys. Other restaurants are not worth their salt (or sugar)

After Channapatna you may want to stop at Dodda Malur Krishna temple, a very old
temple with a deity of lord baby krishna. Many people believe that your prayers for a
baby come true at this temple.

Srirangapatna has few spots of tourist interest like fort, river view, nearby ranganathitu
bird sanctuary.

If you dig pizzas, you can stop at pizza corner, mysore which is on the way to ooty road.

Mysore to Ooty

Nanjungad to Gundelpet is straight and smooth road with no traffic. Easy to maintain
excess of 100 KMPH. Beware of sudden speed breakers and bumpy bridges.

Nanjungad has a very old and famous shiva temple with lot of statues of gods.

At gundelpet, take the road to ooty.

Gundelpet to Bandipur is very bad stretch of raod. Bandipur to TamilNadu border is also
bad stretch.

Drive slowly (30 to 40 kmph) as you have chance of seeing the animals grazing on the
road side during the evenings. If you see elephants on the road side, stop at a distance
and observe them carefully. No honking or bright lights. (easiset way to irritate the
elephants) By their movements, it is easy to findout if they are just grazing or trying to
cross the road. If elephants are in group, no problems. Beware of single elephant
(especially tusker - male elephants).They tend to easily get irritated as this is their
mating season. Other animals like deer, mongoose, peacocks are harmless. Dont feed
the monkeys as they tend to jump inside the car. Monkey scratches and bites need anti
rabies vaccine. Just before the TN-Kar border checkposts, many people have seen
tigers near the roads but I have been unlucky in seeing a tiger so far.

>From the TN border (police tend to leave off family cars - guys driven vehicles are
checked for liquor and other illegal stuff, there is a toll gate on TN side), the roads are
good but maintain just 30 to 40 kmph.

At the theppakadu junction, (mudumalai forest office) you have 2 choices to go to ooty.
The right takes you to ooty through Gudalur, naduvattam, Pykarra falls, seventh mile to
ooty. The left takes you through Masinagudi, kallahatty water falls to ooty. Both routes
are scenic and have great views. The gudalur road is easy to drive and heavy vehicles
prefer this road. The masinagudi road needs a power steering as there are 35 hairpin
bends in a 15 km stretch and the road is very steep. Your vehicle needs to be in perfect
condition to tackle this road. Just after Masinagudi there is a point where a leopard
crosses the road.

What to do at wildlife sanctuary

Both at Bandipur and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary, the forest department organises
van and jeep safari inside the forest to see wild animals. The timings are Morning 6 to 9
AM and evening 4 to 6 PM. In Bandipur, Jeep safaris are available. You need to book in
advance dring season time as the rush is heavy. The crowds mill around like a mall in
bangalore.

Jungle Home - Gudalur - Ooty Route

Take the right turn at Theppakadu junction and follow the road upto the edge of the
forest.

A nice place to relax here would be Jungle Home, a cottage attached to the forest. For
details please check the website.

The section between Theppakadu and Thorapalli is crucial elephant habitat zone and is
very easy to sight the wild elephants on the road side. Becareful about the wild tuskers
which are always single and easy to irritate.

The road goes to Gudalur, Naduvattam, ooty. On the way you can see pykarra falls (not
advisable to bathe), 7th mile (where many film shootings happen - sing a duet with your
beau) and proceed to ooty.
Stop at the approved view points only.

Park at the side of the road. Dont obstruct traffic.

Drive carefuly and sensibly.

Beware of irresponsible drivers and buses

How to reach Jungle Home

At Theppakadu Junction take right, pass through the forest border, at the RTO
checkpost (Thorrapalli village) take left, (the small tar road opposite hotel haridagiri),
follow the tar road, after the BSNL cell phone tower, you find the green gates of Jungle
home (green building)

Route Map:

Bangalore - Mysore - Take ooty road

Mysore - Nanjungad - Gundelpet - Take Ooty road

Gundelpet - Bandipur Forest Office - Karnataka Tamilnadu Border - Theppakadu

(Mudumalai forest office) Junction

Balamurugan is a wildlife and nature lover visiting Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary in India;
frequently with various experiences like trekking, bird watching, fishing on each visit.

When travelling from bangalore to ooty by road, there are quite a few things to do on the
way.

The road from bangalore to ooty pases through ramnagara, channapatna, maddur,
mandya, srirangapatna, mysore, najungad, gundelpet, bandipur, mudumalai to ooty.

Bangalore to Mysore

Bangalore to mysore road is real good right from rajarajeshwari temple arch and 4 lane
trafic capable of doing 100 kmph and excess. Be careful of sudden traffic diversions due
to bridge and road painting works. Also of pedestrians.
Take a break at 24 hour cafe coffee day (after channapatna - 70km from bangalore) or
kamat (after ramnagaram - 50km from bangalore). You may try amaravathi before
Mandya or Maddur Tiffanys. Other restaurants are not worth their salt (or sugar)

After Channapatna you may want to stop at Dodda Malur Krishna temple, a very old
temple with a deity of lord baby krishna. Many people believe that your prayers for a
baby come true at this temple.

Srirangapatna has few spots of tourist interest like fort, river view, nearby ranganathitu
bird sanctuary.

If you dig pizzas, you can stop at pizza corner, mysore which is on the way to ooty road.

Mysore to Ooty

Nanjungad to Gundelpet is straight and smooth road with no traffic. Easy to maintain
excess of 100 KMPH. Beware of sudden speed breakers and bumpy bridges.

Nanjungad has a very old and famous shiva temple with lot of statues of gods.

At gundelpet, take the road to ooty.

Gundelpet to Bandipur is very bad stretch of raod. Bandipur to TamilNadu border is also
bad stretch.

Drive slowly (30 to 40 kmph) as you have chance of seeing the animals grazing on the
road side during the evenings. If you see elephants on the road side, stop at a distance
and observe them carefully. No honking or bright lights. (easiset way to irritate the
elephants) By their movements, it is easy to findout if they are just grazing or trying to
cross the road. If elephants are in group, no problems. Beware of single elephant
(especially tusker - male elephants).They tend to easily get irritated as this is their
mating season. Other animals like deer, mongoose, peacocks are harmless. Dont feed
the monkeys as they tend to jump inside the car. Monkey scratches and bites need anti
rabies vaccine. Just before the TN-Kar border checkposts, many people have seen
tigers near the roads but I have been unlucky in seeing a tiger so far.

>From the TN border (police tend to leave off family cars - guys driven vehicles are
checked for liquor and other illegal stuff, there is a toll gate on TN side), the roads are
good but maintain just 30 to 40 kmph.

At the theppakadu junction, (mudumalai forest office) you have 2 choices to go to ooty.
The right takes you to ooty through Gudalur, naduvattam, Pykarra falls, seventh mile to
ooty. The left takes you through Masinagudi, kallahatty water falls to ooty. Both routes
are scenic and have great views. The gudalur road is easy to drive and heavy vehicles
prefer this road. The masinagudi road needs a power steering as there are 35 hairpin
bends in a 15 km stretch and the road is very steep. Your vehicle needs to be in perfect
condition to tackle this road. Just after Masinagudi there is a point where a leopard
crosses the road.

What to do at wildlife sanctuary

Both at Bandipur and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary, the forest department organises
van and jeep safari inside the forest to see wild animals. The timings are Morning 6 to 9
AM and evening 4 to 6 PM. In Bandipur, Jeep safaris are available. You need to book in
advance dring season time as the rush is heavy. The crowds mill around like a mall in
bangalore.

Jungle Home - Gudalur - Ooty Route

Take the right turn at Theppakadu junction and follow the road upto the edge of the
forest.

A nice place to relax here would be Jungle Home, a cottage attached to the forest. For
details please check the website.

The section between Theppakadu and Thorapalli is crucial elephant habitat zone and is
very easy to sight the wild elephants on the road side. Becareful about the wild tuskers
which are always single and easy to irritate.

The road goes to Gudalur, Naduvattam, ooty. On the way you can see pykarra falls (not
advisable to bathe), 7th mile (where many film shootings happen - sing a duet with your
beau) and proceed to ooty.

Stop at the approved view points only.

Park at the side of the road. Dont obstruct traffic.

Drive carefuly and sensibly.

Beware of irresponsible drivers and buses.