3rd Indo-Bhutan Friendship Car Rally - 2010

[wanderernomad]

As we will be driving down from Delhi, I think we will meet up at Siliguri and skip Kolkatta. If you guys need anything to be brought down from delhi, let me know. It sure would be nice to have the bhpians around.

[Saurabh M]

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

As we will be driving down from Delhi, I think we will meet up at Siliguri and skip Kolkatta. If you guys need anything to be brought down from delhi, let me know. It sure would be nice to have the bhpians around.

Thanks Wanderernomad. Will surely let you know in case we need to get anything from Delhi.

[SirAlec]

All you want to know.

rally.pdf

[navan49]

Dear Team Bhpians,

Congrats and wishes for your rally 2010 to Bhutan. I had been in the small and youngest democratic country for about 28 years.I have traveled East to West and North to south and also interior roads.I traveled alone from Pondichery to Bhutan (Bumthang) in an Yezdi Roadking in 1992.So if you people have any queries You can contact me or PM.

Keep it in mind that if you start from Gelephu you have to travel through Assam where there will be frequent and strikes will occur.West Bengal also not bad for the sudden 12 Hour bandh. Please keep some additional budget provision for such instances. Take enough winter clothes for minus 10 degree centigrade.Better take any four wheeler with heater facility.carry your Pass port or electoral ID for permit purpose.Always keep a good number of Pass Port Photos around 10. For more updates and assistance here is your
Navan49.

Thanks

[NullRock]

Is there any visa regulations for the Indian passport holders entering into Bhutan?
How about Canadian/American passport holders? I know Canadian/American passport holders need a visa to get into India but not sure about Bhutan.

[IndrojitSircar]

Guys my dad has been asked to leed the service team for this rally from kolkata.

[Saurabh M]

Originally Posted by navan49

Dear Team Bhpians,

Congrats and wishes for your rally 2010 to Bhutan. I had been in the small and youngest democratic country for about 28 years.I have traveled East to West and North to south and also interior roads.I traveled alone from Pondichery to Bhutan (Bumthang) in an Yezdi Roadking in 1992.So if you people have any queries You can contact me or PM.

Keep it in mind that if you start from Gelephu you have to travel through Assam where there will be frequent and strikes will occur.West Bengal also not bad for the sudden 12 Hour bandh. Please keep some additional budget provision for such instances. Take enough winter clothes for minus 10 degree centigrade.Better take any four wheeler with heater facility.carry your Pass port or electoral ID for permit purpose.Always keep a good number of Pass Port Photos around 10. For more updates and assistance here is your
Navan49.

Thanks

Thanks Sir for your valuable inputs. It must have been quite an experience travelling from Pondichery to Bumthang in a Yezdi, that too, way back in 1992. Would love to know more about this experience.

Infact, I was studying the usual highway route on Google maps for Phuntshoeling-Gelephu-Thimpu. Gelephu seemed to be very close to Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, so, I was also of the impression that the route would be close to Assam. Regarding strikes, I guess, the organizers would take adequate measures.

Can you please throw some light on the Phuntshoeling-Gelephu and Gelephu-Thimpu route? I would like to know more about the surface, altitudes, passes if any, that we may have to cross. I believe there would be snow at places as well. Does it snow heavily in those areas? I am thinking about the tyres that I should be using.

Originally Posted by NullRock

Is there any visa regulations for the Indian passport holders entering into Bhutan?
How about Canadian/American passport holders? I know Canadian/American passport holders need a visa to get into India but not sure about Bhutan.

For Indian citizens, there are no visa regulations for Bhutan.

Originally Posted by IndrojitSircar

Guys my dad has been asked to leed the service team for this rally from kolkata.

It would be great to have him around.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Saurabh M

Infact, I was studying the usual highway route on Google maps for Phuntshoeling-Gelephu-Thimpu. Gelephu seemed to be very close to Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, so, I was also of the impression that the route would be close to Assam. Regarding strikes, I guess, the organizers would take adequate measures.

Can you please throw some light on the Phuntshoeling-Gelephu and Gelephu-Thimpu route? I would like to know more about the surface, altitudes, passes if any, that we may have to cross. I believe there would be snow at places as well. Does it snow heavily in those areas? I am thinking about the tyres that I should be using.

I thought the rally, once it enters Bhutan, was fully in Bhutan. Has the rally route been disclosed?

Regarding Sarpang/ Gelephu, the in house expert I think would be Sudipto.
Sudipto, where are you?

Incidentally, Sarpang/ Gelephu is the only significant plains area in Bhutan. There are plans to develop it as their industrial zone. Altitude should be same as Bongaigaon/ Kokrajhar.

Sutripta

[navan49]

Hi Saurabh,
Let me describe my Yezdi adventure some other day. Now the answers for your query. Once you leave Phuntsholing (we will call as Pling hence forth) the next small town is Hasimara 18kms. from there you enter into the Guwahaty Highway. Further if you travel about 40mts you might reach Barabisa which is the last town of W.Bengal.After that Shrirampur,Sarpangguri,Bismuri and then you will reach Santhaibari.That is the juncion to go to Galephu.Sauy Gelephu may be around 30 to 40kms.You can enjoy a wonderful jungle on the way.There won't be any bad roads till Gelephu. Gelephu to Sarpang there is a good road some times you may have to cross rivers like off road driving may 200 or 300 mtrs on river bed and there won't be water in winter.Remember my Thimphu friends are telling that it is too cold now a days.I will give the road condition of Sarpang to Thimphu in another post. Manas is much further from Gelephu.It will take at least 3 hours more to the junction point to Mathanguri.

[navan49]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

I thought the rally, once it enters Bhutan, was fully in Bhutan. Has the rally route been disclosed?

Regarding Sarpang/ Gelephu, the in house expert I think would be Sudipto.
Sudipto, where are you?

Incidentally, Sarpang/ Gelephu is the only significant plains area in Bhutan. There are plans to develop it as their industrial zone. Altitude should be same as Bongaigaon/ Kokrajhar.

Sutripta

Yes
Sarpang gelephug Road is the only internal road of Bhutan in Plains like Kokrajhar and Bongaigaoon.All other Bhutan's Border Towns like Samtse,Gomtu,Sarpang,Gelepphu,Nanglam and Samdrupjongkhar are connected through Bengal and Assam Roads.There is no need of disclosing the route here in this forum but the team members are also looking at all the automobiles forums and in the organisers Forum clearly given all the deatil;s from registration to Prize distribution.Poor Sudipto to be blamed.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by navan49

......There won't be any bad roads till Gelephu. ......Manas is much further from Gelephu.It will take at least 3 hours more to the junction point to Mathanguri.

Hi,
Which roads are you talking about, Santrabari - Gelenphu, or Hasimara - Santrabari?

Santrabari - Barpeta Road should not take three hours. Or is there a Bhutan side road to Manas now?

Regards
Sutripta

[navan49]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Hi,
Which roads are you talking about, Santrabari - Gelenphu, or Hasimara - Santrabari?

Santrabari - Barpeta Road should not take three hours. Or is there a Bhutan side road to Manas now?

Regards
Sutripta

I mean to say not to Barpeta but to Mathanguri the Manas wild life sanctury. Of course if the road is good it won't take that much. But for the Bhutanese vehicle it will take because they have to follow the escorts. Another factor in those roads there are big potholes after monsoon which will make your drive slow. Recently I went only up to Alipurduar from Pling. I am not sure about the road conditions now. They had a proposal for an internal road within Bhutan from Samtse to Samdreupjongkhar which did not come up till date.

[Saurabh M]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

I thought the rally, once it enters Bhutan, was fully in Bhutan. Has the rally route been disclosed?
Sutripta

The rally route is not disclosed. I guess, we will have to follow "B-roads" and dirt tracks in some of the places.

Originally Posted by navan49

Gelephu to Sarpang there is a good road some times you may have to cross rivers like off road driving may 200 or 300 mtrs on river bed and there won't be water in winter.Remember my Thimphu friends are telling that it is too cold now a days.I will give the road condition of Sarpang to Thimphu in another post. Manas is much further from Gelephu.It will take at least 3 hours more to the junction point to Mathanguri.

Many thanks for your inputs Sir. The SR mentioned that there will be forest roads and dry river beds. Hope that the roads wont be too bad.

Will carry enough warm clothes to tackle the low temperatures. How much will be the altitude in the higher regions along the route? Is it necessary to carry medicines for high altitude sickness?

Originally Posted by navan49

There is no need of disclosing the route here in this forum but the team members are also looking at all the automobiles forums and in the organisers Forum clearly given all the deatil;s from registration to Prize distribution.Poor Sudipto to be blamed.

The route is not disclosed as I mentioned.

Originally Posted by navan49

Another factor in those roads there are big potholes after monsoon which will make your drive slow.

Potholes will definitely slow us down and break the vehicles also. I have heard that this would be a high speed rally, with significantly high average speeds.

[navan49]

The proposed road of yours Gphu Tphu is having only one high altitude pass. Dorchula. Reaching there will be of evening. It might be cold and there are chances of snow. You can enjoy the scenery and thousnad eight chortens Buddhist temple types are there. If you are not having asthma it won't be a problem. Good jackets are enough. Use shoes and woollen stockings. The highest altitude may be around 10K feet. The river beds are short distance between the plain run only. That also might have black topped in winter or this time they might have built bridges.

Go ahead of your rally. enjoy it.

[phamilyman]

I got something similar which may be of interest to junta:
Linkie: Want to drive from Delhi to Bhutan starting December 12?

Want to drive from Delhi to Bhutan starting December 12?

There is an exciting road expedition of 20 cars going to Bhutan. Flag-off is in Delhi on December 12. There are still some slots available – would you like to be a part of this adventure? Its for anyone, not just 4-wheel off-roaders. You cannot ask for anything better this holiday season? Interested? Read the following message from the organizers:
Message from the organizers
We are organizing a Road Expedition to Bhutan in December 2009. The Road Expedition will connect New Delhi to Thimphu. The tentative start day for the event is December 12, 2009 from New Delhi and arriving in Thimphu on December 16, 2009. The following link will give more details about the expedition https://www.box.net/shared/cc8208xj0v.
After flag-off in Delhi , the expedition will follow the following route covering almost 2000 Kms:
Day 1 – Delhi to Agra (200 Kms), Day 2 – Agra to Varanasi (650 Kms), Day 3 – Varanasi to Bodh Gaya (250 kms), Day 4 – Bodh Gaya to Siliguri (665 Kms), Day 5 – Siliguri to Thimpu (340 Kms), Day 6 – In Thimphu (participate in the National Day celebrations) and Day 7 – Punakha / Wangdue and to Paro (177 Kms). The expedition will end in Paro.
It is expected that about 20 cars including support vehicles and sponsor cars will travel as part of this expedition. The expedition is open only to Indian and Bhutanese nationals.
We are kick starting this initiative for the first time and will like this to be an annual event in the coming years.
The cost of the expedition is being borne by the participants and sponsorships. And needless to say we are looking for sponsors to fund the event. The objective of the road trip is to:

• Promote regional cooperation
• Showcase the unique bilateral cooperation that exists between India and Bhutan
• Bring to focus the tranquility and peaceful existence of Bhutan to larger Indian populace
• Promote potential opportunities for business, tourism and investment
• Take people to people contact – already established – to newer levels
• Promote motorsport and related activities in both countries

The event is supported by the Northern Motorsport (Welcome to the official website of Northern Motorsport), which is one of the leading professional organizations in India involved with motorsport activities and is supported by UVA sports which is a young motorsport organization which very recently organized the Women’s car rally from Delhi to Agra. The event and logistic support is provided by Orchid Inc (orchid-travel) which is a leading event organizing company.
Our media partners for this event is IBN7 which is a leading Hindi News Channel which also runs a very popular motor show called Top Drive on their channel. The crew of IBN7 will travel as part of this expedition and will broadcast daily updates from each of the night halts (pit stops). In addition they will do an exclusive 30 minute coverage post event on their Top Drive program. Talks are on to do similar coverage on IBN7’s partner channel CNN IBN and CNBC Awaaz. In addition to this we intend to hold press coverage at each pit stop to ensure maximum visibility for the event.
If you are interested in participating then call Ashit Ranjan at +91 987 355 1888 or email us at triptobhutan2009@gmail.com.