[sandeep joshi]

Originally Posted by vaibhav_a_a

Paithan dam / bird sanctuary and dyaneshwar udyan and rest from all the driving before starting back (day 8) - 110 kms.

do not waste time here , no point in visiting paithan , there is nothing there , only one fountain is in working condition , no lights in dyaneshwar udyan , its complete waste , no lights in garden , no fountains and birds
and road from aurangbad to paithan is also not in good condition , its compelte waste, i visited recently , gardens in small cities are more beautiful and maintained then this third class garden

[vaibhav_a_a]

Thanks Sandeep! Appreciate that as that gives lots of free / unplanned time.

Should I try for a day trip to Lonar crater? Is it a must visit (if in the area). I've read an earlier travelogue here and it appears that last 20 kms before the crater the road's in a bad shape. Its 130 kms from Aurangabad I think and possible as a day trip.

The other option is to move towards the coast but the nicer beaches are too far south (Ganpatipule / tarkarli / devbagh) and that would imply I'd have to add a day in the total plan (reaching on 1st instead of 31st) due to the drive back involved.

Any thoughts / suggestions anyone?

- Vaibhav

[Ahmed]

I second Sandeep in terms of Paithan. Its just a waste. Pathetic road - full of overloaded heavy vehicles. Lonar is still doable. Take the route from Jalna. Only the last 40 odd kms will be bothersome.

To your earlier query. From Seh/Indore - drive down to Aurangabad straight. will be somewhat about 9-10 kms. Halt here and the next morning - start @ 0800 hrs for Ajanta. on your way back - which should be by 1500 hrs - visit Panchakki and Bibi Ka Maqbara. Next day start @ 0800 hrs and leave for Ellora, then drive down to Mhaismal. Mhaismal is the only so called hill station we have. Its mind blowing in the monsoon season. Nothing great right now apart from the cool breeze. Move over to Daultabad fort. you will reach by evening.

Next day morning leave for lonar and then carry on with the return.

Hope this helps.

[vaibhav_a_a]

Hi Ahmed,

That's good advise. I've modified the plan (middle part) as per below:

Sehore / Indore to Aurangabad (day 5) - 400 to 570 kms depending on previous day.
Round trip to ajanta caves (day 6) - 180 kms
Ellora, Daulatabad, Bibi ka maqbara, Panchakki, Grishneshwar (day 7) - 60 odd kms.
Lonar crater round trip (day 8) - 270 kms.

I enjoy photography and therefore was hoping to stay overnight on day 5 near Ajanta so as to reach there early in the morning when the cave opens (9 am I understand).

Anyways, do you have any view on the hotel Aurangabad Gymkhana club? It's within budget but has got mixed reviews on tripadvisor. The catch is I have to pay an advance for 3 nights sight unseen so a bit wary of booking this way. We normally just speak on the phone and pay when we arrive but this time, as I'm traveling in last week of December I suspect I'd have to book something !! (I had checked with a hotel Kailas near Ellora caves but they were sold out - that would have been my first choice due to the location). Keys is a bit beyond my budget. A clean room is all we need, dont care much for fancy frills.

If anyone has done the trip between Rajasthan border and Bhopal and north of Bhopal and around to Sanchi / Bhimbetka and can comment that'd help a lot.

-Vaibhav

p.s. To everyone who has responded to this thread - so far the response here has been amazing and my parents and I really appreciate your help.

[mm403]

Vaibhav, I see its more of a sightseeing trip. You mentioned in the last post about visiting beaches. Why dont you include Omkareshwar, on the way back to Ujjain. Its around 80km from Indore , slightly off the NH3

[vaibhav_a_a]

Hi mm403

We've been to Indore, Omkareshwar, Mandu and Dhar on a previous trip

-Vaibhav

[dave7377]

Vaibhav: From Rajasthan Border till BIAORA where you cross Nh-3 (AB road), road condition was okie as heard a couple of months back. After Biaora road would be okie in patches.
As you enter under construction Bhopal Bypass (also called Ayodha Bypass), first you'll pass airport, continue on bypass road and you'll cross SH-23 to Berasia (on your right)then you'll pass bhopal memorial hospital and research centre on your right, further you'll reach a circle where there is a fly over. Do not take that, take left service road and take the left turn marked for Sanchi. Good road all the way to sanchi.

[Ahmed]

Check out hotel Sahara in front of MGM hospital in Aurangabad. Decent place. New rooms. good food. Don't pay any advance. Pay only on arrival and I think they also give a 24 hr check out thing !

[vaibhav_a_a]

Thanks everyone. Any inputs on the road to Melghat via Buldana / Lonar area (from Aurangabad) or the road from Dhule to Amravati and Melghat.

I'm contemplating that I reverse the itinerary and look at the following:

Day 1 - Jaipur to Ujjain - 580 kms (this is a good road so confident of making it there).
Day 2 - Ujjain to Chikaldara via Khandwa - 2 lane road - 361 kms.
Day 3 - Melghat safari and night stay in Chikaldara
Day 4 - Chikaldara to Lonar and to Ajanta (fardapur) - 330 kms
Day 5 - Ajanta visit and to Aurangabad - 90 kms
Day 6 - Ellora, Bibi ka maqbara and other local monuments of Aurangabad - 50 kms
Day 7 - Aurangabad to Indore - 400 kms
Day 8 - Indore to Bhimbetka / Bhojpur and to Sanchi - 330 kms
Day 9 - Sanchi local and Vidisha (also because sanchi museum is closed on friday) - 100 kms or so.
Day 10 - Sanchi to Jhalawar - Jhalawar - 330 kms
Day 11 - Jhalawar to Jaipur - 376 kms.

My query is about the routes on Day 2 and Day 4. This does require a fair bit of rework on my part (will have to move two bookings) but it's doable.

This way, I'm able to cover all spots and utilize the entire period I have at my disposal.

Any comments on this welcome.

-Vaibhav

[vg23]

Hi all,

This is my first thread in the travelogues section. Since I am from Bhopal, my trips would hopefully have the advantage of a starting point which is right in the middle of our country. So, God willing, I would be able to plan and successfully accomplish road trips in all four directions.

For starters, I am planning a trip to Ajanta & Ellora Caves. I read some posts regarding the suggested itineraries, road conditions and places of interest. My tentative plan is as below (all distances as per Google Maps):

1. Ruote: Bhopal - Indore - Dhule - Ajanta - Aurangabad - Ellora - Dhule - Bhopal (total approx 1400 kms)
2. Duration: 4 days, 4 nights
3. Schedule:
Day-1: Bhopal to Ajanta (approx 600 kms). The road from Bhopal to Indore (NH 86) is excellent. The 190 kms distance is comfortably doable in 3-3.5 hrs. I have never been to Dhule, but have read in many posts that the road from Indore to Dhule (NH 3) is also very good, and it should not take more than 5 hrs to cover the 260 kms. So, if one starts early in the morning (say 6 a.m. on the road), one can reach Dhule around lunch time (say 2-2:30 p.m. considering breaks for meals and tea). Fellow Team-BHPians have suggested two routes from Dhule to Ajanta
a) Dhule - Erandol (NH 06) - Neri (SH 185) - Ajanta (~135 kms)
b) Dhule - Jalgaon - Neri - Ajanta (~155 kms)
According to advice from respected members, both routes should take approx 3 hrs, as the roads are in good condition and traffic is not very challenging. Members have also shared 2 valuable pieces of information: Firstly, Ajanta caves are closed for visitors on Mondays. Secondly, there is only one MTDC hotel at Ajanta. So care shall be taken wrt above points while planning a trip. Since it would be around late evening by the time one reaches Ajanta, one can check into a hotel, have dinner and take proper rest.
Day-2: Sight seeing at caves during morning, and proceed to Aurangabad during day time (100 kms ~ 2-2.5 hrs). Visit Panchakki and Bibi Ka Maqbara. Stay overnight at Aurangabad. A member has suggested that Hotel Sahara in front of MGM Hospital is a decent place to check in (good food, no advance to be paid booking, possible 24 hr checkout).
Day-3: Proceed for Ellora (30 kms ~ 1 hr) to visit caves and Kailashnath Temple. In afternoon, drive to Mhaismal (hill station) which is about 15 kms. After enjoying the surroundings and appreciating nature's beauty for some time, one can proceed for Daulatabad Fort by evening, which is about 25 kms away. Reach Aurangabad (20 kms) by dinner time and stay overnight.
Day-4: Aurangabad - Indore (~400 kms) would take about 8-9 hrs, considering breaks for tea etc. One can then proceed for Bhopal, which shall take another about 3.5-4 hrs.
Other info: I feel it worth mentioning here that mid-way between Bhopal and Indore, is a restaurant by the name "Highway Treat, Dodi" (Dodi Ghats being the place which was earlier feared due to dacoits). But now, after MP Tourism has invested a lot in this place, the restaurant attracts may travelers and has become a preferred pit-stop for the huge number of people travelling on this route. Especially to mention, their "Poha-Jalebi" is very tasty

Thank you for reading. I hope I can make this trip soon. Please feel free to give me suggestions on the schedule/ places to visit/ places to stay.

@ Moderators: I hope I have posted this thread at the right place.

Regards,
VG.

[prokinetic]

Hi! vg23. You have chosen a nice destination. However, there is an alternate route for the same. Hope you may be knowing this. It is Indore - Khandwa - Burhanpur - Bhusawal - Jamner - Ajanta. You may save ~150kms of drive by this route. On route you can spend some time on the banks of Narmada, at Omkareshwar. There is Asirgarh fort near Burhanpur. You cross two big rivers, the Narmada and Tapi on this route. As of now, the condition of this road is good.

If you are not too keen to drive on the four lane highway, then this route is another good option which saves distance and provides some view on the way. Anyways, you have to leave the four lane road at Dhule, after which the drive is just boring and the stretch takes more time as NH6 is very busy and an old undivided highway.

If you are decided to go via Dhule, then take the Jalgaon route. Hope this helps.

[Chetan_Rao]

In terms of food, Highway Treat is not a patch on the highway-side restaurant in Sonkatch (on the downhill bend near the bus-stand, I can't recall the name right now). Unfortunately, after the bypass was completed, nobody really passes through there anymore. The poha-jalebi & hot gulab-jamuns (called mava-bati, served straight from the syrup kadhai) are the best I've eaten anywhere in India so far. There's a whole bunch of Indian fast-food on the menu to suit all palates.

I hope the place is still there. I haven't been in a few years now, so don't know for sure. When the bypass didn't exist, nobody except a few tourist buses and the most hurried tourists stopped at Highway Treat in Dodi.

[vg23]

Originally Posted by prokinetic

Indore - Khandwa - Burhanpur - Bhusawal - Jamner - Ajanta.

I am aware of this route also, however, my personal experience on the same is not very good. I had driven down to Nagpur from Bhopal via this route couple of years back. The roads near Burhanpur and Bhusawal were not in good shape, and we lost quite some time on them. Maybe it has improved now, but I guess I would give a shot at the Dhule route. I might consider the Burhanpur one for the return journey.

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

In terms of food, Highway Treat is not a patch on the highway-side restaurant in Sonkatch (on the downhill bend near the bus-stand, I can't recall the name right now).

Great dude! your memory serves you well. In fact, long before Highway Treat, Dodi was developed, the restaurant at Sonkachch was THE snack-point. We always used to stop at there for different delicacies. I don't exactly remember the name, but used to refer to it as "Sardarji ka Restaurant".

[columbus]

VG23

Greetings from a fellow Bhopali. Very nice thread you have started .
Bhopal can be made a base and many trips can be planned from here. We did Ajanta Ellora via the route which "prokinetic" has suggested. Lovely scenic route but only problem is millions of speed breakers on the Khandwa - Burhanpur section.
Do post some pics also.
Lets keep updating this thread so that it becomes a guide for people travelling via Bhopal.
I'll PM you my number.

[rkg]

Sorry for OT

Is there any improvement in the road condition between Bhopal- khajuraho via Sagar?

or there any alternate route between Sanchi to khajuraho with better road conditions?