Planning a Self-Drive Road Trip from Bengaluru

The order most people plan a road trip in is backwards: they book a car, then figure out the route. Do it the other way round.

Match the car to the road surface, not the distance

A flat NH highway run — Bengaluru to Hampi, for example — is genuinely fine in a sedan, and cheaper on fuel than an SUV you don't need. A ghat-road route like Ooty rewards ground clearance and a bigger boot far more than raw power.

Book permits before you leave, not en route

Forest and wildlife-zone permits (relevant on the Ooty route via Masinagudi) run on a schedule, not on demand — check the gate timings before you're already on the road.

Fill up before the gaps

Route-specific fuel stop advice is on each road trip page — the stretch after Chitradurga on the Hampi route, for example, has noticeably fewer reliable pumps than the first half.