[ajitsank]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Yes, the above drive plan looks doable. Gives you a welcome break during a long journey at Puri.

Lots of hotels in Puri on the sea face. I have stayed only in the OTDC Panth NIvas which is a dismal-looking place but in an excellent location - on the beach itself.

Rampurhat I have never stayed in - but also has many hotels.
I found this good-looking (and reasonably priced) Hotel Sonar Bangla at Tarapith which is just 5 kms off the NH60 before Rampurhat.

Could also let me know the approx kM on this route and time taken, I am assuming most of the roads will be narrow and climbing up. Average speed with few stops.

1. Bhubeneshwar to Rampurhat
2. Rampurhat to Darjeeling

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ajitsank

Could also let me know the approx kM on this route and time taken, I am assuming most of the roads will be narrow and climbing up. Average speed with few stops.

1. Bhubeneshwar to Rampurhat
2. Rampurhat to Darjeeling

Both are full day (12 hours+) drives.
Estimation beyond this will lead to inaccurate results because of the various possibilities for delays en route.

There are no climbs barring the last 50 kms after Siliguri before Darjeeling. Rest is all plain roads.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Durgapur is not on your route, since you turn off NH2 at Darjeeling More before Durgapur itself.
Please take only the following route:
Bhubaneswar-Baleswar-Jaleshwar-Kharagpur (bypassed)-Kolaghat-Calcutta (bypassed at Dankunni)-Durgapur Expressway-Bardhaman (bypassed)-Panagad-Darjeeling More (where you turn off Durgapur expressway).
Please DO NOT take the route suggested in Google Maps i.e. Kharagpur-Midnapur-Bishnupur-Durgapur which is a terrible road.
Unless you leave very early, it will be quite difficult to reach Malda before end of the day. I would suggest you think of staying at Rampurhar (Darjeeling More-Illam Bazar-Siuri-Rampurhat-Nalhatti-Morgram-Farakka-Malda), which has got good hotels.

Nowadays (well, as of 6 weeks ago) would prefer Barddhaman - Guksara - Shantiniketan, (Now designated NH2B) and then NH60. One avoids Panagarh, and the initial part of the road from Darjeeling More. Also Shantiniketan has lots of staying options, in case one is held up and running late.

From that point, others are advocate the Masssanjore - Bhagalpur - Purnea - Dalkhola route. Have never used it myself.

Regards
Sutripta

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

From that point, others are advocate the Masssanjore - Bhagalpur - Purnea - Dalkhola route. Have never used it myself.

Has anyone taken this Masssanjore - Dumka - Bhagalpur - Purnea - Dalkhola route in recent months? I know that Bihar has got one of the best road surfaces in Eastern India, so my primary concern is the stretch of road falling in the state of Jharkhand. How is the condition of road between Messanjore and Hansdiha, falling in the state of Jharkhand? I plan to visit Darjeeling next month and thinking of going by this road, which is completely new to me. If the road is fairly good, I may travel by day and halt at Purnia for night. Or I shall drive by night, taking Kalyani Expressway and NH 34.

[Sutripta]

^^^
Hi,
Think you should PM Sheel, the original proposer of this route.

After it was proposed, lots of people showed interest in this route, but I don't think anyone took it.

Regards
Sutripta

[ashish.uno]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Nowadays (well, as of 6 weeks ago) would prefer Barddhaman - Guksara - Shantiniketan, (Now designated NH2B) and then NH60. One avoids Panagarh, and the initial part of the road from Darjeeling More. Also Shantiniketan has lots of staying options, in case one is held up and running late.

From that point, others are advocate the Masssanjore - Bhagalpur - Purnea - Dalkhola route. Have never used it myself.

Regards
Sutripta

Guys, Its time to revive this thread and i am very interested in knowing whether Mr. Julupani has undertaken this journey. Mostly because I'm myself going to follow the route as suggested by Sutripta.

Any feedback or fresh information will be highly welcome.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by ashish.uno

Any feedback or fresh information will be highly welcome.

Pls. contact BlackPearl, the last person to use this route.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...ml#post2764496

Regards
Sutripta

[Chitta Pradhan]

Hi All,

Planning a trip to Gangtok next week from Balasore (Odisha) in my Fludic Verna with a lower GC of 163 mm. We will be 5 average size passengers inside. Can I do this trip in my car? Please suggest me the best possible route. Is it advisable to take the route through Bakura or via Kolkata bypass. Can my car take the Siligudi-Gangtok road? I am driving cars since last 13-14 years. Will that be enough experience for taking the hilly route or should I take professional driver from Siligudi. I plan to stay overnight at Malda.

Thanks in advance.

[amrisharm]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Hi All,

Planning a trip to Gangtok next week from Balasore (Odisha) in my Fludic Verna with a lower GC of 163 mm. We will be 5 average size passengers inside. Can I do this trip in my car? Please suggest me the best possible route. Is it advisable to take the route through Bakura or via Kolkata bypass. Can my car take the Siligudi-Gangtok road? I am driving cars since last 13-14 years. Will that be enough experience for taking the hilly route or should I take professional driver from Siligudi. I plan to stay overnight at Malda.

Thanks in advance.

Just commenting on the Siliguri to gantok route, your car can do it without problem. I see lots of cars with SK number plates here in siliguri. There will be a few spots that are in the process of being repaired where you may have to drive slowly to avoid under body scraping, but other than that no problem. About driving yourslef, since you have more than a decade of driving experience I am quite sure you can do it. The roads are winding but the gradient is quite ok so no need to be to worried. The only thing to worry about is that in some places the roads are too narrow for 2 vehicles to pass, so u need to look ahead and if necessary stop and let the other car pass. Remember uphill traffic always gets right of way.

Sunday is the best day to drive on this route as traffic is almost half. Peak hour traffic times are 8am-10:30am, and 3pm- 6pm. trucks and heavy/wide vehicles travel on this route at night so avoid night driving if you are expecting clear roads.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Hi All,

Planning a trip to Gangtok next week from Balasore (Odisha) in my Fludic Verna with a lower GC of 163 mm. We will be 5 average size passengers inside. Can I do this trip in my car? Please suggest me the best possible route. Is it advisable to take the route through Bakura or via Kolkata bypass. Can my car take the Siligudi-Gangtok road? I am driving cars since last 13-14 years. Will that be enough experience for taking the hilly route or should I take professional driver from Siligudi. I plan to stay overnight at Malda.

Thanks in advance.

Do not take the Kharagpur-Bishnupur-Durgapur route, stick to the route via Calcutta bypass.

The route I am referring to is:
Baleswar-Jaleswar-Kharagpur-Kolaghat-Calcutta-Bardhaman-Panagad-Darjeeling More-Durbrajpur-Siuri-Rampurhat-Nalhatti-Morgram-Farakka-Malda-Raiganj-Dalkola-Kishanganj-Islampur-Siliguri-Sevoke-Rangpo-Gangtok.

You will not be able to drive this in 1 day, hence you may consider stopping over at either Malda or Raiganj for the night. You do not have to enter Calcutta city.

Siliguri-Gangtok road is hardly a steep hill road, any good driver can do it. Watch out for maniac taxi drivers on this route though.

[sumitkalindi]

For staying at Malda try the tourist lodge at Malda English Bazar more, right next to The NH 34, the facilities are good, and the rates quite reasonable. The roads have been patched up and currently they are at nice shape.

[BlackPearl]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Hi All,

Planning a trip to Gangtok next week from Balasore (Odisha) in my Fludic Verna with a lower GC of 163 mm. We will be 5 average size passengers inside. Can I do this trip in my car? Please suggest me the best possible route. Is it advisable to take the route through Bakura or via Kolkata bypass. Can my car take the Siligudi-Gangtok road? I am driving cars since last 13-14 years. Will that be enough experience for taking the hilly route or should I take professional driver from Siligudi. I plan to stay overnight at Malda.

Thanks in advance.

Chitta Pradhan, your car should be able to go to Gangtok without any problem. There is no big speed breaker en-route, so no chance of scraping the bottom. Please take the following route if you have a GPS -
Baleswar-Jaleswar-Kharagpur-Kolaghat-Calcutta-Burdwan-Bolpur-Siuri-Rampurhat-Nalhati-Morgram-Farakka-Malda-Raiganj-Dalkhola-Kishanganj-Islampur-Siliguri-Sevoke-Rangpo-Gangtok

Nalhati to Moregram (about 20 kms) stretch has a few potholes but none that you cannot avoid if cautious. The Burdwan to Bolpur is NH2B. This road is in very good condition and you can bypass Panagarh which has become notorious recently for truck jams.

As HV sir has mentioned, the Siliguri-Gangtok route is not steep at all, so no need to take any professional driver. You can stay at Malda or at Raigunj. The forest dept guest house in Raigunj which I have heard is quite decent.

[Chitta Pradhan]

Originally Posted by BlackPearl

Chitta Pradhan, your car should be able to go to Gangtok without any problem. There is no big speed breaker en-route, so no chance of scraping the bottom. Please take the following route if you have a GPS -
Baleswar-Jaleswar-Kharagpur-Kolaghat-Calcutta-Burdwan-Bolpur-Siuri-Rampurhat-Nalhati-Morgram-Farakka-Malda-Raiganj-Dalkhola-Kishanganj-Islampur-Siliguri-Sevoke-Rangpo-Gangtok

Nalhati to Moregram (about 20 kms) stretch has a few potholes but none that you cannot avoid if cautious. The Burdwan to Bolpur is NH2B. This road is in very good condition and you can bypass Panagarh which has become notorious recently for truck jams.

As HV sir has mentioned, the Siliguri-Gangtok route is not steep at all, so no need to take any professional driver. You can stay at Malda or at Raigunj. The forest dept guest house in Raigunj which I have heard is quite decent.

Thanks all of you for your response, but missed those before I left. Just reached home from Gangtok. While going I took the route through Bakura which was a mistake & while coming back, I took the route as suggested by you. The return route was quite good. There was absolutely no problem en-route. Both while going & coming back, stayed overnight at Malda. Total distance covered by me was 1954 km. Enjoyed the trip.

Cheers

[ajitsank]

Completed 5050 KM Drive

Onward: Hyderabad to Araku Valley Visakhapatnam (Stay in Tyda Jungle Bells) to Puri Jaganath Temple & Konark- Bhuveneswhar (Stay at Victoria Club Hotel) to RampurHat-WestBengal (Stay near Tarapith Temple-Hotel Tara (Off RampurHat) to Siliguri (Stay at Crown Plaza) to Darjeeling (Stay at Prashanti Lodge)

Return:

Darjeeling to Siliguri (Stay overnight) to RampurHat (Stay overnight)to Bhuveneshwar (Lake trip at Chilika) to Viskhakapatnam Beach Road (Stay at Hotel Haritha two nights) to Hyderabad

Driver: Self
Passenger: Wife and two Kids
Fuel Consumed: 310 Liters Petrol)
Kilometers Traveled : 5050 (Door to Door)
Car: Swift ZXI
Days: 14 Days

Good Roads: Pristine Road right up to to Siliguri
Bad Patch Roads: Darjeeling More to Malda

A big Thanks to HVKUMAR for detailed road routes.

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

While going I took the route through Bakura which was a mistake

Could you give the full description/ log of NH60, (the Bankura - Kharagpur part). As explained in
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2751732
we dont use this road, and hence do not know of its recent condition. Your description would be part of our knowledge base!

Regards
Sutripta