{"id":886,"date":"2026-10-28T10:17:51","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:17:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mysoretravelo.com\/blog\/?p=886"},"modified":"2026-10-14T11:44:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T11:44:00","slug":"mysore-to-wayanad-route-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mysoretravelo.com\/blog\/mysore-to-wayanad-route-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Route Is Better for Wayanad from Mysore?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before every Wayanad booking, we hear the same question: which way should we go? The Mysore to Wayanad route looks simple on a map, but there are three roads in, and they differ on distance, night rules and road quality. This guide from Mysore Travelo<\/a><\/span>, a Saraswathipuram travel agency with 15 years of driving guests across Karnataka and Kerala, explains each Mysore to Wayanad road route, which one suits which traveller and what to check before you leave.<\/p>\n

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Quick Answer:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For most travellers, the best route from Mysore to Wayanad is NH 766 via Gundlupet, Bandipur and Sulthan Bathery. It is about 132 km to Kalpetta, takes roughly 3.5 to 4 hours and is open and wide in daytime. The shorter road via HD Kote, Bavali and Mananthavady is about 115 km, but it is narrower and its forest stretch closes from 6 PM to 6 AM. Whichever you choose, finish the forest sections before dark, and pick your Mysore to Wayanad route by the time you plan to leave.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Mysore to Wayanad Route Options at a Glance<\/h2>\n

The table compares the three roads on the Mysore to Wayanad distance and rules. Figures are approximate and are measured to Kalpetta, so they change if you are heading to another part of Wayanad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Route<\/th>\nPasses Through<\/th>\nApprox. Distance<\/th>\nNight Travel<\/th>\nBest For<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
NH 766<\/td>\nNanjangud, Gundlupet, Bandipur, Muthanga, Sulthan Bathery<\/td>\nAbout 132 km<\/td>\nNot allowed 9 PM to 6 AM at Bandipur<\/td>\nMost travellers, families<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
SH 33<\/td>\nHD Kote, Bavali, Kattikulam, Mananthavady<\/td>\nAbout 115 km<\/td>\nForest stretch closed 6 PM to 6 AM<\/td>\nNorth Wayanad, Thirunelli, Tholpetty<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kutta road<\/td>\nHunsur, Gonikoppal, Kutta, Mananthavady<\/td>\nAbout 159 km<\/td>\nAllowed, but the road is described as bumpy<\/td>\nLate starts, Coorg combinations<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Whichever Mysore to Wayanad route you pick, the numbers above hold. If your stay is near Sulthan Bathery, the NH 766 leg is only about 95 km, or roughly 2.5 hours.<\/p>\n

Mysore to Wayanad Route via Bandipur (NH 766)<\/h2>\n

This is the road most drivers pick. NH 766<\/strong> runs from Mysuru through Nanjangud and Gundlupet, crosses Bandipur National Park<\/span><\/a>, then enters Kerala near Muthanga and reaches Sulthan Bathery and Kalpetta. The Mysore to Wayanad route via Bandipur is the quickest in daylight, and the highway widens after Gundlupet.<\/p>\n

The catch is the night ban. Private vehicles are not allowed through the Bandipur forest stretch from 9 PM to 6 AM, as reported by several sources, so confirm the current rule before travelling. Practical habits help here: fill fuel before the forest, download offline maps because signal drops, avoid stopping for photos, and slow down near animal crossings. Start between 6 and 9 AM and you will clear the forest comfortably. Our Mysore to Bandipur cab<\/a><\/span> page covers this stretch if you want to stop there.<\/p>\n

The HD Kote and Mananthavady Road Route (SH 33)<\/h2>\n

This is the shortest of the three and the most scenic. It runs from Mysuru to Handpost near HD Kote, about 45 km, then through the Nagarhole forest to Bavali, Kattikulam and Mananthavady. Handpost has the last fuel station before Kattikulam, so fill up there.<\/p>\n

Plan around the timings. Travellers report that the Udbur check post is open from 6 AM to 6 PM and asks you to sign a register, and the Bavali border gate closes to vehicles from 6 PM to 6 AM. Parts of the road are narrow and one stretch is reported to be rough, so allow extra time. A junction just before Kattikulam leads to Thirunelli and Tholpetty, which makes this the natural Mysore to Wayanad road route for North Wayanad.<\/p>\n

The Kutta Road Route for Late Starts<\/h2>\n

Go through Hunsur, Gonikoppal and Kutta, then on to Mananthavady. It is about 159 km, and night travel is reported to be allowed, but the road is described as bumpy. Among the Mysore to Wayanad road route choices, pick this one only if you must travel late or want to combine Wayanad with Coorg, since Madikeri is about 135 km from Kalpetta on this line. See our Mysore to Coorg cab<\/a><\/span> page for that combination.<\/p>\n

A Sample Day on the Mysore to Wayanad Route<\/h2>\n

Here is how a typical daytime run on the Mysore to Wayanad route via Bandipur looks, with indicative timings. Leave Mysuru at 7 AM, reach Gundlupet in about an hour and clear the Bandipur forest by mid-morning. Sulthan Bathery comes up around 9:30 or 10 AM, and Kalpetta by about 11 AM with a tea stop. That early start also keeps you well ahead of the 9 PM closure on the return drive. When Mysore Travelo plans a Mysore to Wayanad route for a guest, we ask three things first: your arrival time, where in Wayanad you are staying and who is travelling.<\/p>\n

Best Route from Mysore to Wayanad: How to Choose<\/h2>\n