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This route to Wayanad via HD Kote (Handpots) is highly recommended among the 3 routes from Bangalore to Wayanad, especially if you are heading to the northern part of Wayanad.

Exit Bangalore City..

There are way too theories of how to drive out of Bangalore. Go figure...the idea is to get get to the SH17 (Mysore Road) quick, try NICE road, if that suits your location in Bangalore.

Approach Mysore..

This is a 4 lane drive throughout. The road is in excellent condition. Traffic seems to be more on the first half of the 120km or so drive.
You've a great number of drive-ins choices , be it the Kamat's, CCDs, Vaishali, Indradanush, KFC, McDonald, Right-O (though it's on your left!) and the non-veggies delight,Empire.

Negotiate Mysore City..

You've two choices, head straight through the city, or skip it via the Outer Ring Road.
The decision point is at Columbia Asia Hospital signal, some 10km before the city center. Here the ring road crosses your highway.

Recommend to use the ring road, though it's a tad longer(extra 5km) than driving through the city. Exit SH17 and turn right into the ring road. Ring road will further cross KRS Road and Hunsur Road junctions. After driving 20km on the ring road from Columbia Asia junction, you'll hit the junction where the SH33 crosses the ring road. Leave the ring road and take right turn in to SH33. You've exited Mysore city. Form now onward it's a 2 lane road all the way.

Get to the Handpost Junction

You'll know that you've arrived at this bustling town square with crossroads, in an otherwise rural route you've been driving through.

At Handpost junction head straight. In about 3km you'll see the left diversion for Kabini Dam. (Take the left diversion to head to the Kabini Dam or Orange County Kabini resort.) Turn right and keep driving on the highway, till you hit entry gate to Rajiv Gandhi National Park.This gate (Damman Katte Checkpost
) is closed and you need to leave the highway and take the left diversion.

Drive through Karapura Village

This narrow road will now pass through a couple of villages fringing the forest. Somewhere on your left you can see the Kabini backwaters at a distance. You'll soon cross the Karapura village.

This is the place for diversion to many Kabini Resorts skirting Kabini backwaters and Nagarhole forest (like Kabini River Lodge, The Serai Kabini, Waterwoods Lodge , The Bison Wildlife Resort Kabini, KAAV Safari Lodge etc ).

Keep straight till you hit the Udbur Checkpost. This is the end of the 12km detour from the first forest gate. The gate will be opened. Enter Nagarhole National Park.

The road is pretty bumpy for 2km till you rejoin the SH33 in the forest (Udbur Cross) . Turn left here.

The road now onward is pretty good , with frequent speed breakers . 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. You are likely to spot wildlife here (elephant, deer etc). There are also many tribal settlements by the high-wayside. You'll now pass one more check post at Balle Elephant Camp before the final one on the Karnataka side at Bavali and enter Kerala across a narrow bridge.

Enter Wayanad

Your exit from Karnataka marks entry to Wayanad district of Kerala.Suddenly you'll see a high level actions (Commercial chek post, forest check post etc) for a couple of of kms.

The road then winds through teak plantations and forest for many kilometers, and you'll pass a junction called Kattikulam. (Turn right for Thirunelli, Pakshipathalam etc) Keep straight till you hit the Mananthavady 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 15km stretch that is a bit bumpy and slow, the Nagarhole diversion, you’ll find this route from Bangalore to Mananthavady a pleasure to drive.

The drive through the national park is of course a highlight. Very similar to the other routes to Kerala through the forest, traffic is not allowed in the night (between 6pm and 6am).

Safe driving. Enjoy Wayanad!