[rajneeesh]

Not a good idea to drive at night on Indian Highyways. The truckers take over the HW ( alot of them drunk behind the wheel) and it can be very stressful. I would prefer early morning starts anyday.

[monkey_wrench]

Hi Team -- got back last week after a crazy drive. Though I'd update the current road status here in case anybody is interested.

Delhi - Nainital (and beyond) Road Status as of April 2012

Route 1: via Moradabad - Tanda - Bazpur - Kaladungi

Bridge is broken shortly after Tanda. Locals there will attempt to guide you through a 'short' (shortcut) in exchange for a few hundred rupees. Sat nav is virtually useless as most roads here aren't marked. Detour involves taking a horrible, broken, potholed country (village track) that goes towards Kashipur, crossing a small iron bridge and rejoining the highway that comes from Kashipur - Rudrapur. NOT RECOMMENDED.

Route 2: via Moradabad - Rampur - Rudrapur - Haldwani.
There is major road construction / upgradation going on between Bilaspur - Rudrapur. Traffic is piled up for miles -- truck drivers say they have been there all night. Cars of course, have no scruples and immediately scramble into the wrong way which causes things to go for a six. The road reminds you of what hell must be like. Did major off roading here in the Yeti, wish I had a video. NOT RECOMMENDED.

Which really leaves us with no choice...

Option 3 (Not tried) -- via Moradabad - Pipalsana - Kashipur -- then turn towards Rudrapur but take left halfway through towards Bazpur (and therefore return to the better part of Option 1)

Not sure how this route is -- any experiences from folks?

[monkey_wrench]

Saving grace: Got some good pics while at Neemrana Bungalows, Ramgarh.

The cottage we were at (Cliff House) -- I'd recommend it!

Also here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...e=3&permPage=1

Under a starry sky -- the main Ashok Vatika villa

Also here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...e=3&permPage=1

Fellow photographer Abhishek Vashisht and I decided to go on a night trip up the mountain to get some good landscapes. Unfortunately, nothing great was happening when we spotted a car coming down the mountain. No time to compose, turned the camera around, fired off a long exposure -- decided to light paint Abhishek's car on the spur of the moment with my phone torch -- and this is what came out!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...e=3&permPage=1

Another view of the Ashok Vatika

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...e=3&permPage=1

[libranof1987]

Fellas, I'm planning a drive to Nainital tomorrow with family in our City.

What is the best route? Any suggestions on good hotels to stay?

[monkey_wrench]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Fellas, I'm planning a drive to Nainital tomorrow with family in our City.

What is the best route? Any suggestions on good hotels to stay?

I just got back from Panghot yesterday -- here's the route I took back, reverse engineered from Delhi.

From Delhi, go the usual route till Moradabad. Road till here is pretty decent. After the Muradabad bypass there's the road construction going on which slows you down till Rampur. JUST after you cross the railway overbridge towards Rampur (and a longish flyover) and enter Rampur, you'll come to an "Ambedkar Park" on the right (Landmark is that you'll see a flyover in the distance. The left is before that, bang opposite Ambedkar park).

The idea is to now go Rampur - Suar - Chaupra and then join back on the road from Tanda. Then carry on Bazpur - Kaladhungi - Nainital.

Here's the road condition from my experience yesterday:
Rampur - Suar: very decent -- it's one of the better MDRs I've used.
Suar - Chapura: very good -- very good speed.
Chaupra - till where you intersect with NH74: not very good, but this only lasts 15 mins.

After this, the road via Bazpur - Kaladhungi is very nice, will take you via the extremities of the Jim Corbett forests...and after that, it's plain sailing.

Hope this helps! This alternate will cut your travel time and will give you nice country roads to drive on.

[libranof1987]

We took the following route yesterday : Gurgaon - Delhi - Hapur - Moradabad - Rampur - Haldwani - Nainital.

Although there were no jams and we weren't stuck anywhere, there's too much truck and auto traffic on this route.

From Gurgaon, up to 100kms is a nightmare!

Might just try a diff route on the way back.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

We took the following route yesterday : Gurgaon - Delhi - Hapur - Moradabad - Rampur - Haldwani - Nainital.

Although there were no jams and we weren't stuck anywhere, there's too much truck and auto traffic on this route.

From Gurgaon, up to 100kms is a nightmare!

Might just try a diff route on the way back.

Just got back from Nainital. To try out a diff. route, we followed Nainital - Kaladhungi - Bazpur - Suar - Rampur (bypass) - Moradabad (bypass) - Delhi - Gurgaon.

After Bazpur, there are 2 roads; one through Suar and other through Tanda. The one through Tanda is in very bad condition so a bus driver directed us to go through Suar.

The overall condition of the road was good and the traffic was manageable too. While going, we made the mistake of going through Moradabad which got us stuck in bad traffic.

Total distance : 330kms

[satrab]

Originally Posted by monkey_wrench

I just got back from Panghot yesterday -- here's the route I took back, reverse engineered from Delhi.
==============
Hope this helps! This alternate will cut your travel time and will give you nice country roads to drive on.

Hi monkey_wrench, thanks for the info. I plan to drive from Mumbai to Ramgarh. I start tomorrow, plan to reach Delhi on Friday and then move on to Ramgarh on Saturday morning. Would be grateful for any suggestions. Regards Satra

[monkey_wrench]

Originally Posted by satrab

Hi monkey_wrench, thanks for the info. I plan to drive from Mumbai to Ramgarh. I start tomorrow, plan to reach Delhi on Friday and then move on to Ramgarh on Saturday morning. Would be grateful for any suggestions. Regards Satra

That's a long drive! Stick with the Rampur-Suar-Bazpur-Kaladhungi route and you should be fine Enjoy! Don't let the heat get to you!

[Cavalier]

Hi there,any idea what is the current condition of the Moradabad-Thakurdwara--Kashipur-Bazpur road wouldnt this be shorter than the Rampur-Suar-Bazpur route?
Cheers

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Cavalier

Hi there,any idea what is the current condition of the Moradabad-Thakurdwara--Kashipur-Bazpur road wouldnt this be shorter than the Rampur-Suar-Bazpur route?
Cheers

Hi, below is my experience; I'd been there in the last week of April.

The 1st route you've mentioned is about 30kms longer than the 2nd route. I'd recommend the 2nd route; but you need to be sure not to go towards Tanda.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

We took the following route yesterday : Gurgaon - Delhi - Hapur - Moradabad - Rampur - Haldwani - Nainital.

Although there were no jams and we weren't stuck anywhere, there's too much truck and auto traffic on this route.

From Gurgaon, up to 100kms is a nightmare!

Might just try a diff route on the way back.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Just got back from Nainital. To try out a diff. route, we followed Nainital - Kaladhungi - Bazpur - Suar - Rampur (bypass) - Moradabad (bypass) - Delhi - Gurgaon.

After Bazpur, there are 2 roads; one through Suar and other through Tanda. The one through Tanda is in very bad condition so a bus driver directed us to go through Suar.

The overall condition of the road was good and the traffic was manageable too. While going, we made the mistake of going through Moradabad which got us stuck in bad traffic.

Total distance : 330kms

[monkey_wrench]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Hi, below is my experience; I'd been there in the last week of April.

The 1st route you've mentioned is about 30kms longer than the 2nd route. I'd recommend the 2nd route; but you need to be sure not to go towards Tanda.

Agree with the above ^^. The bridge via Tanda is broken and there's a nightmarish detour involved. Apart from that the route before and after Tanda is badly broken. Rampur - Suar - Bazpur - Kaladhungi is MUCH better.

[barcode]

So, I have two routes plotted on Google Maps.

Because Kathgodam (railway station) is the traditional base for any onwards journey to Nainital area - I thought it would be better. Unless reaching Kathgodam is worse.

The other route is what is being discussed... Suar and Bazpur and not going thru Tanda.

What sort of route should I be taking with my Verna Diesel. We may goto Bhimtal /Naukuchiatal instead.

Any approximation on the travel times?

Cheers

[monkey_wrench]

Originally Posted by barcode

So, I have two routes plotted on Google Maps.

The other route is what is being discussed... Suar and Bazpur and not going thru Tanda.

What sort of route should I be taking with my Verna Diesel. We may goto Bhimtal /Naukuchiatal instead.

Any approximation on the travel times?

Cheers

Take the Suar - Bazpur route. Should be fine in the Verna, I did it in my ANHC which is notorious for ground clearance! It's a shorter route and you'll avoid the traffic. Just mind the million irritating iron mini-speed breakers along the way after Suar.

[satrab]

Originally Posted by monkey_wrench

Take the Suar - Bazpur route. Should be fine in the Verna, I did it in my ANHC which is notorious for ground clearance! It's a shorter route and you'll avoid the traffic. Just mind the million irritating iron mini-speed breakers along the way after Suar.

Thanks sir. Just reached Delhi from Mumbai via Udaipur. Plan to start tomorrow morning for Ramgarh. Will stop at Haldwani if I get there after 5.