[mobike008]

Iam doing a roadtrip vacation from Delhi to Uttarakhand during December last week. Here are the places that I plan to visit.

Would appreciate info on better/shorter route, hotels, places to visit, food and any there input you feel would help.

Some of the people with me are travelling only till Nainital and then will return back to Delhi, while I will continue to go ahead with some of my cousins

Part 1 (3 days)

Delhi-Nainital

Best route info, places to stop for food etc.

Part 2 (6 days)

Nainital-Joshimath-Auli-Chopta (Ukhimath)-Rishikesh-Delhi

Best route info, road condition, hotels to stay, foodie stops, must places to visit etc.

[Tapish]

Is there a specific reason to include Nainital in the plan. If any hill station would do, you'll be better off considering one in garhwal.

Anyways, if its nainital, the best route is via the nh24 through moradabad, rampur and haldwani. Just watch out for any festivals. The bridge at Garh is usually jam packed then.
for food, the Tadka complex at BP Gajraula is best. With awesome parathas, McD, and Dominos, you'll be spoilt for choice.

To stay in nainital, there are various options depending on the budget.

The road from nainital to joshimath via gairsain is beautiful except for narrow roads at some stretches.

Drop me a pm for specific details. Would love to help.

Tapish

[phamilyman]

Here is my perspective.

You are coming from south - you should stop at Garh, pay the silly parking, and have the awesome world famous bedmi puri at the main shop next to the ghat (google the name).

That said, your plan has no point to going to nainital and then detouring back to the garwhal route - far too much effort just for nainital IMNSHO. Drive out to rishikesh / auli directly. With a midnight start, you should hit Auli / Joshimath by say 4-5pm or so. Unless you get a landslide.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Part 2 (6 days)

Nainital-Joshimath...

2 route options -
1. the direct one via Ranikhet > Dwarahat > Gairsain > Gochar > Nandprayag.
2. the much longer, comparatively better (though not great) route via Ramnagar > Pauri > Srinagar > Rudraprayag > Gochar > Nandprayag.

Route 1 esp. after Ranikhet is not the best road for low-slung sedans (I presume you'll get your Cruze along for the drive) - it used to be narrow and broken at a number of places, and I don't think things have improved substantially over the years. There were plans to make this a wide highway, but then the plans of shifting the capital of newly formed Uttaranchal to Gairsain some years ago fell through, and the ministers at Dehradun thought it best to leave this area undeveloped.

Route 2 is a long, long drive. Don't expect Himachal Pradesh quality of roads in Uttarakhand. In general the road conditions are much poorer.

Pauri (or I prefer Khirsu, nearby) is a great place to stay over in. The GMVN bungalows at both places are well-located, though not exactly swanky in upkeep.

Personally I prefer KMVN/GMVN because their properties are the best located and most spacious for the price. Not the very best, but clean rooms and sheets, decent loos, and good rates. There's a 50% (IIRC) discount available for periods between 16 November and 15 March in their properties too.

I guess it is important for you to go to Nainital. You decide which road to take afterwards.

[mobike008]

Thank you all for your responses. Let me clarify

After the last crazy all-north drive in my Cruze, I have learnt my lesson, no more such long drives for me as i would prefer to spend more time enjoying the vacation then spend all my time behind the wheel and counting the kms/time. Have curbed my driving distance urge to a maximum of 2000kms in one roadtrip

FIL was also specific none of his 2 cars go so left with no choice, we are hiring an Innova from Delhi for this trip

Innova will go back to Delhi and we call for another cab from Delhi for our journey further

I know it all sounds loony, but thats the choice i am left to make

Originally Posted by Tapish

Is there a specific reason to include Nainital in the plan. If any hill station would do, you'll be better off considering one in garhwal.

I am totally aware its a weird plan but, just cant help it as my in-laws and wifey want to go to Nainital and since they cannot stand the cold, they want to return to Delhi while some of guys are going ahead to other places mentioned.

Just cant convince the women and elderly folk as my FIL has an asthama issue so didnt want to force them.

Originally Posted by Tapish

for food, the Tadka complex at BP Gajraula is best. With awesome parathas, McD, and Dominos, you'll be spoilt for choice.

Thanks, let the food suggestions come in. Food makes my world go around...lol!

Originally Posted by Tapish

Drop me a pm for specific details. Would love to help.

Will do that shortly !

Originally Posted by phamilyman

You are coming from south - you should stop at Garh, pay the silly parking, and have the awesome world famous bedmi puri at the main shop next to the ghat (google the name).

Wow, whats a bedmi puri? Never heard of it before

Originally Posted by phamilyman

That said, your plan has no point to going to nainital and then detouring back to the garwhal route - far too much effort just for nainital IMNSHO

Explained my predicament above. Btw, whats a IMNSHO?

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

2 route options -
1. the direct one via Ranikhet > Dwarahat > Gairsain > Gochar > Nandprayag.
2. the much longer, comparatively better (though not great) route via Ramnagar > Pauri > Srinagar > Rudraprayag > Gochar > Nandprayag.

Pauri (or I prefer Khirsu, nearby) is a great place to stay over in. The GMVN bungalows at both places are well-located, though not exactly swanky in upkeep.

Personally I prefer KMVN/GMVN because their properties are the best located and most spacious for the price. Not the very best, but clean rooms and sheets, decent loos, and good rates. There's a 50% (IIRC) discount available for periods between 16 November and 15 March in their properties too.

Thanks Doc. That's helpful. Since we are taking the Innova, which route you suggest? And, I thought UK roads are better than HP roads as per a few people saying that.

Btw, KMVN/GMVN guest houses, if we go directly chances of getting a room is low? Should we book in advance in Delhi?

Here is the plan for Nainital onward journey that is more or less finalized with some possible changes at places for stopping over :-

Dec 25 : Nainital - Joshimath (268 Kms ). Hopefully this can be done in 9-10 hours and retire for night in Joshimath

Dec 26: Auli. Spend the night at Auli

Dec 27 : Auli-Duggalbitta (125kms) : Spend the night at Duggalbitta

Dec 28: Day Trip to Chopta which is 30kms or so. Spend the night at Duggalbitta

Dec 29 : Duggalbitta-Kaudiliya (130kms) : Spend Night at Kaudiliya

Dec 30 : Start early morning from Kaudiliya, Visit Rishikesh on the way which is 40kms. Spend an hour at Lakshman Jula and head towards Delhi and reach at night covering 225kms

Any recommendations/changes on above plan? Also, suggestions for hotels in these places (Joshimath, Auli, Duggalbitta, Kaudilya) would be welcome

Would there be any issues on roads, landslides, snow etc.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Since we are taking the Innova, which route you suggest? And, I thought UK roads are better than HP roads as per a few people saying that.

UK roads to primary tourist places are decent - but the road through Gairsain is (was) not. Since you'll have a hired Innova and not a low-GC sedan, I'd say travel via that route and give us a current update of road status.

Btw, KMVN/GMVN guest houses, if we go directly chances of getting a room is low? Should we book in advance in Delhi?
Dec 26: Auli. Spend the night at Auli

Except Nainital, you ought to have empty GHs of both KMVN and GMVN. Auli may be crowded though. You can take the ropeway from Joshimath to Auli and come back to stay at Joshimath for the night. The view from the cable car is wonderful.

Dec 28: Day Trip to Chopta which is 30kms or so. Spend the night at Duggalbitta

Stay overnight at Chopta. Your morning view of the Himalayan ranges would be worth it. IIRC GMVN has stopped operating their guest house there (this was 2-3 years ago), but you need to call and check.

Dec 29 : Duggalbitta-Kaudiliya (130kms) : Spend Night at Kaudiliya

Planning to go rafting?

Spend an hour at Lakshman Jula and head towards Delhi and reach at night covering 225kms

Leave Rishikesh by 3 pm to let you cross Muzaffarnagar in daylight. Not a safe zone to drive through in darkness.

Would there be any issues on roads, landslides, snow etc.

Keep your fingers crossed and hope to see snow in Auli.

[mobike008]

Thanks for the tips SST.

If opportunity arises and weather permits, plan to do the rafting at Kaudiliya or Rishikesh

Will fine tune the final itenary in a few days and book the guest houses.

[deeps79]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Stay overnight at Chopta. Your morning view of the Himalayan ranges would be worth it. IIRC GMVN has stopped operating their guest house there (this was 2-3 years ago), but you need to call and check.

GMVN GH has not been working for more than 10 years now at Chopta. Chopta has very basic (most of them not so comfortable/clean) rooms/Guest houses.

I believe you are planning to stay at mayadeep or PWD GH at dugalbitta. Both are good options.

Reaching chopta might be difficult depending on snow conditions. You should try atleast to see how far you can go on the way to tungnath. Atleast the first bugyal would be manageable.

Frankly saying if its snowed out then why go to chopta when you would be going to Auli. The best part about going to chopta is trek to tungnath and then sunrise from chandrashila. The views from Auli in that season would be much better.

[Rajesh Rawal]

While the other experts give you tips for your trip ,few recommendations from my end

Nainital:-

I had stayed in shervani hilltop and it was a absolute class experience ,we did the 2 nights 3 day package there.

If you want to stay bang on the lake ,try the alka resort .I also noticed one cozzy place called 'stella cottages' which seemed really interesting from the outside

Food :- Eat at this place called 'machan' and also 'sakley's pastry shop' found them very nice(both on the mall road)

The route i took was via kashipur -kaladhungi from moradabad instead of rudrapur and haldwani(found the former having low flow of traffic)

Rishikesh :- Since this is a quick stopover visit cafe delmar ,they play classic rock and are right besides the ganges.(nice combo)

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by deeps79

I believe you are planning to stay at mayadeep or PWD GH at dugalbitta. Both are good options.

Reaching chopta might be difficult depending on snow conditions. You should try atleast to see how far you can go on the way to tungnath. Atleast the first bugyal would be manageable.

Frankly saying if its snowed out then why go to chopta when you would be going to Auli. The best part about going to chopta is trek to tungnath and then sunrise from chandrashila. The views from Auli in that season would be much better.

Thanks for the suggestion. Our main objective is to go to Auli from Nainital and return back to Delhi with a huge hope that we will bump into a lot of snow.

The other places (Chopta, Kaudilya, Rishikesh) we shortlisted were because while retracing our steps back to Delhi from Auli, they fall in our route and we want to drive at leisurely pace, enjoy the scenary and spend atleast one night in each place without having to drive a rally style Auli-Delhi return trip.

[sameerg001]

I can help with Delhi to nainital, as nainital is my 2nd home and i do this route, almost every month. Route is simply straight forward, Delhi-Hapur-Moradabad-Rampur-Rudrapur-Haldwani-Kathgodam-Nainital.

For, food, I will highly recommend, Moga dhaba at Gajraula, Awesome aloo ke paranthe. I used to stop at Tadka, but they have lost it to Moga now.

Or if you want, Mc.D kindaa stuff, You've bikanervala/dominoes/Mc.D as choice in Gajraula.

If you need any help on this leg of your journey, feel free to ask me

Cheers,
Sameer

[deeps79]

if you are coming back from Auli then you have to take chamoli - ukimath road to reach chopta. Now if the road is snowed out then you won't be able to reach mayadeep as chopta is the highest point and dugalbitta will come after that.

Though chances of snow are less at that point of time but with himalayas its tough to predict anything. The road itself is one of the most beautiful roads of uttaranchal. As mentioned earlier, please do see the possibility of going to tungnath and also to deorital. Both are 3-4 hrs trek from basepoint (roadhead : chopta & sari village) with exceptional views from top.

If you indeed come via dugalbitta then spend some time at gmvn at chanderpuri next to mandakani (kedarnath highway). Its a beautiful spot to have tea and pakodas

Originally Posted by mobike008

Thanks for the suggestion. Our main objective is to go to Auli from Nainital and return back to Delhi with a huge hope that we will bump into a lot of snow.

The other places (Chopta, Kaudilya, Rishikesh) we shortlisted were because while retracing our steps back to Delhi from Auli, they fall in our route and we want to drive at leisurely pace, enjoy the scenary and spend atleast one night in each place without having to drive a rally style Auli-Delhi return trip.

[mobike008]

Guys, any suggestions for hotels in Joshimath, Chopta/Duggalbitta, Kaudilya?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Guys, any suggestions for hotels in Joshimath, Chopta/Duggalbitta, Kaudilya?

GMVN at Kaudiyala is located so perfectly, I would someday like to take a 1-month holiday and meditate there.

Himalayan Abode at Joshimath (9412082247) is something you might want to take a dekko at - the GMVN place is right in the middle of town, and is one of those rare GMVNs that I don't like. HA has a view, but it's at the upper (north) end of Joshimath.

Edit: Chopta GMVN is where I have stayed ages ago, it seems they haven't been in operation for 10 years, as deeps79 says. I believe you will only find tented accommodation now at Chopta, but I am given to understand that this one at Dugalbitta is a decent option.

Mayadeep Resort, 7 kms from Chopta.
Gajpal Rawat and Gambhir Rawat.
Email : mayadeep_chopta@rediffmail.com
Mobile : +91 9410527199, +91 9756017058, +91 9412029486

Else there's always GMVN Rudraprayag for the great view over the 'prayag' of Alakananda and Mandakini.

[mobike008]

Thanks, plan to get booked at all these places by today evening via. online payment. However, I have one query which kind of put me in a perplexed situation.

BIL called me this morning and said he saw a tv report last night that roads to Auli were jammed and folks were stuck for 5-6 hours on the road due to heavy snowfall

Just to be safe, is there only one route to these places or there are more than one route ( even if its longer) just incase if we get stuck in a similar situation?

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

GMVN at Kaudiyala is located so perfectly, I would someday like to take a 1-month holiday and meditate there.

Wow, this sounds enticing. Will try to get booked here

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Himalayan Abode at Joshimath (9412082247) is something you might want to take a dekko at - the GMVN place is right in the middle of town, and is one of those rare GMVNs that I don't like. HA has a view, but it's at the upper (north) end of Joshimath.

Thanks again for this tip. Will see availability and get booked here.

We are booking into Mayadeep Resort at Duggabitta/Chopta

As we plan to stay for 2 nights at Mayadeep resort. Reason being we will reach late evening on Night 1 and will spend whole day on Night 2 for sightseeing etc.

What are the interesting things to see/do in and around Chopta/Duggalbitta?

Is Syal Sur close-by? Anything interesting there?