Team-BHP - Pune to Ganpatipule in May! Queries on the route etc.

Hi Friends,

I am planning to go to Ganpatipule in may end. Dates are from 29th May to 31st May. The route I have found out are:

Pune -> Satara -> Umbraj-> Patan -> KoynaNagar-> Chiplun -> Ganpati Pule

Pune -> Satara -> Umbraj-> Karad -> Malkapur> Amba Ghat -> Ganpati Pule

But I am not sure how to go from Karad to Malkapur ? via Kolhapur or Is there a SH /internal road... How is the road condition ?

Another query is, I have tried to book mtdc resort but no AC rooms/cottages available. Non AC rooms and cottages are available. Has anyone travelled during summer ? How is the weather there... Can anyone please tell me about the mtdc delux room , cottages and konkani huts. Which one has a better sea view and worth to stay...

Thanks in Advance !

Summer in that place is roasting. I went in December and it was warm, just a shade below pleasant in the day and a shade above in the night.

Would not recommend the non-AC in summers.

The sea is very beautiful there though. Not sure about the route from Pune, from Mumbai we took the SH to Goa and turned right at the direction sign (forgive me for not knowing exactly where). The place is 30kms or so from that turn, hands down one of the best drives for a keen driver. Narrow blind turns with gradient changes and very little traffic mid-morning, absolutely fantastic. Tops easily the ghats just before it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AbiS (Post 2352136)

Pune -> Satara -> Umbraj-> Patan -> KoynaNagar-> Chiplun -> Ganpati Pule

Pune -> Satara -> Umbraj-> Karad -> Malkapur> Amba Ghat -> Ganpati Pule

But I am not sure how to go from Karad to Malkapur ? via Kolhapur or Is there a SH /internal road... How is the road condition ?
. Can anyone please tell me about the mtdc delux room , cottages and konkani huts. Which one has a better sea view and worth to stay...

Take route no 1.
I went to g'pule to celebrate year end 2010, the road is excellent.
Some part of the road between patan-koynanagar and kumbharli ghat top is bad but no problem.
Some stretch near sangameshwar is patchy but no problem.

As i always stay at konkani huts at mtdc g'pule, i recommend the same.

Three ac konkani huts are available at the place but the view from those huts is the best.
Though there are more non ac huts available, i do not recommend it during summer.

Tomorrow, i will post the pics of konkani huts and views.

Btw, this thread should be in route and travel query section, can be merged into another g'pule thread.

How many ghats will be there in both the routes and of how far ? What is the difficulty levels of the ghat and how is the road condition in the ghat roads ?

I called up the MTDC Ganpatipule resort and inquired about any A/C room but no hope. So guys I think I would go with Non A/C Cottages.

Take the route no.1. You will encounter 3 ghat sections, Khambatki before satara, Kumbharli @ koynanagar, and then Nivali post sangameshwar. Roads in all these are very good.

Yeah.. go with non-ac. I am sure the beautiful settings of GP, will take away the summer woes. Enjoy.

Take route 2 as it has some very scenic views, especially after it has rained. i took route 1 while coming back and wasnt disappointed on this one either. for stays, the AC konkani huts are the only way to go. bookings can be made at MTDC office behind Pune railway station or in Mumbai office. They have the best sea view as they are bang on the beach side. However,the weather is okay and non AC will do.

Photo 1 On the way to GP from malkapur ( if i remember correctly)
Photo 2 View form the AC Konkani Hut
Photo 3 The famous ganapati mandir
Photo 4 Coming back on route 1

Quote:

Originally Posted by AbiS (Post 2352136)

................Pune -> Satara -> Umbraj-> Karad -> Malkapur> Amba Ghat -> Ganpati Pule

But I am not sure how to go from Karad to Malkapur ? via Kolhapur or Is there a SH /internal road... How is the road condition ?..................

Check this link for the route from Karad to Malkapur (without going to Kolhapur):

Map_Navigation

No idea about the current road condition.

Cheers,
Vikram

I have stayed at Ganapatipule during summer in Non-A/C Konkani huts. It was not that bad. You can easily manage. Actually they had A/Cs in all the cottages, but did not have the required power back-up to run all of them and hence only a few huts had working A/Cs. The huts are on the beach and the rooms are quite far (more than 0.5 km) from the beach.

You can do the bookings online using MTDC site. You need to register at the site.