Advice needed: Thane -> Bijapur -> Badami

ghodlur · 14th December 2014, 12:50

Hi All,

Need advice on the travel route. The itinerary is as follows:

1) Dec 25 - Travel to Pune, rest at Inlaws place
2) Dec 26 - Travel to Bijapur. Take either the Pune-Solapur-Bijapur route or Pune-Sangli-Athani-Bijapur route. The latter is slightly lesser travel in terms of kms and time. But I have heard that Pune-Solapur stretch is the best based on road condition and easily doable in 3-3.5 hrs. Would like to know the road condition from Solapur to Bijapur. OR how is the former route? Peth naka to Sangli via Islampur is pothole ridden or bad roads as i have heard? How about the stretch from Sangli to Athani? The idea is to reach Bijapur latest by 2 pm (Starting from Pune at 6 or 7 am)
3) Dec 27 - Bijapur - Badami - Aihole - Pattadakal - Bijapur. How are these stretches? Any bad roads.
4) Dec 28 - Bijapur sight seeing
5) Dec 29 - Bijapur-Solapur - Akkalkot-Solapur-Pune. Is this doable or taking rest at Solapur is advisable?
6) Dec 30 - Pune-Thane.

Now I am booked at Hotel Pearl in Bijapur. Would also need advice on petrol pumps in Bijapur (reliable ones) on Solapur-Bijapur or Solapur-Pune stretches?

Have gone through vrprahbu's travelogue but that way back in Jan 2014. Any recent updates on the roads in the above mentioned routes would be very helpful. I will travelling with my wife and kid.

Planning to get the WA/WB done for the Punto before embarking on this trip.Any other tips would be helpful.

honeybee · 14th December 2014, 12:58

Avoid Peth Sangli if you can, especially in daylight. Small towns, markets, crowds, local people and the political climate make it all a not so attractive proposition.

By political climate I mean with the agitations on various farmers' issues there may be roadblocks or traffic pileup in those areas.

condor · 14th December 2014, 13:08

Solapur -Bijapur will test your patience. This 100km often takes more than 2 hours. 2 lane un-divided road, with long convoys of trucks.

Solapur -Akkalkot is about 1 hour each direction.

So if you start from Bijapur early morning, you can still make it to Pune by evening, after darshan at Akkalkot.

Note: there is a IOCL COCO bunk just outside Bijapur, on the North side -(towards Solapur). Good fuel there.

ghodlur · 4th January 2016, 20:34

Just completed a Thane-Bijapur-Badami-Akkalkot-Tuljapur-Pune-Thane trip covering 1508 kms in 4 days with 31.29 hrs of driving and achieving 22.4 kmpl mileage at 90 speeds. Details as below:

Thane to Pune via Thane Belapur Road and Pune E way- Excellent. Total distance 170 kms.

Pune to Solapur via NH9: Road condition till Solapur is 4 laned and very good. Except for a patch near Tembhurni where the 4 laning is still in progress and the traffic is diverted to a 2 laned road. After Temburni also there is a small patch of about 4-5 kms where the road becomes 2 laned. After which it is smooth ride till Solapur. There are 5 toll booths till Solapur and total cost of toll is approx 250 rupees. Total distance 248 kms

Solapur to Bijapur via NH13: Road condition is OK and not so great with some patches extremely good and some extremely bad. Again road is 2 laned and overtaking becomes risky. Total distance is 98 kms. No tolls. Look out for the unmarked speed breakers.

Bijapur to Badami via NH218: Road condition is good with some patches around villages too bumpy. 2 laned road and good to drive. Total distance is 120 kms. No tolls.

Badami to Pattadakal to Aihole via SH14: Extremely broken roads. Takes a toll on the car. Goes through a no of villages and no smooth stretch available understandably. Total distance was 50+ kms. No tolls. While coming from Aihole to Bijapur via NH13 there is one toll though as the road was extremely good.

Bijapur to Akkalkot via Solapur via NH13: Again 2 laned roads all across, road condition is OK. Some stretches in Solapur to akkalkot route was extremely pathetic. Total distance 134 kms. No tolls.

Akkalkot to Tuljapur via Solapur via NH208: Again 2 laned road all through. However the road from Solapur to Tuljapur was superb although the 4 laning is in progress. Even the 2 laned road is a drivers delight.

arnabchak · 5th January 2016, 12:25

Congrats Girish

Need to catch up for the route details and travel plans as I am looking forward to the same route in Feb/March depending on my leave grants!!

22 kmpl is a good mileage from the Punto.
Look forward to a detailed travelogue and Pics.

Pls. also share the below points:

1) Total toll per way
2) Stay and accommodation options and rates
3) Places to visit and avoid

14th December 2014, 12:50	#1
ghodlur Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Thane Posts: 6,010 Thanked: 4,200 Times View My Garage	Advice needed: Thane -> Bijapur -> Badami Hi All, Need advice on the travel route. The itinerary is as follows: 1) Dec 25 - Travel to Pune, rest at Inlaws place 2) Dec 26 - Travel to Bijapur. Take either the Pune-Solapur-Bijapur route or Pune-Sangli-Athani-Bijapur route. The latter is slightly lesser travel in terms of kms and time. But I have heard that Pune-Solapur stretch is the best based on road condition and easily doable in 3-3.5 hrs. Would like to know the road condition from Solapur to Bijapur. OR how is the former route? Peth naka to Sangli via Islampur is pothole ridden or bad roads as i have heard? How about the stretch from Sangli to Athani? The idea is to reach Bijapur latest by 2 pm (Starting from Pune at 6 or 7 am) 3) Dec 27 - Bijapur - Badami - Aihole - Pattadakal - Bijapur. How are these stretches? Any bad roads. 4) Dec 28 - Bijapur sight seeing 5) Dec 29 - Bijapur-Solapur - Akkalkot-Solapur-Pune. Is this doable or taking rest at Solapur is advisable? 6) Dec 30 - Pune-Thane. Now I am booked at Hotel Pearl in Bijapur. Would also need advice on petrol pumps in Bijapur (reliable ones) on Solapur-Bijapur or Solapur-Pune stretches? Have gone through vrprahbu's travelogue but that way back in Jan 2014. Any recent updates on the roads in the above mentioned routes would be very helpful. I will travelling with my wife and kid. Planning to get the WA/WB done for the Punto before embarking on this trip.Any other tips would be helpful.
	() Thanks

14th December 2014, 12:58	#2
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	re: Advice needed: Thane -> Bijapur -> Badami Avoid Peth Sangli if you can, especially in daylight. Small towns, markets, crowds, local people and the political climate make it all a not so attractive proposition. By political climate I mean with the agitations on various farmers' issues there may be roadblocks or traffic pileup in those areas.
	(2) Thanks

14th December 2014, 13:08	#3
condor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Speed-brkr City Posts: 15,864 Thanked: 16,018 Times View My Garage	re: Advice needed: Thane -> Bijapur -> Badami Solapur -Bijapur will test your patience. This 100km often takes more than 2 hours. 2 lane un-divided road, with long convoys of trucks. Solapur -Akkalkot is about 1 hour each direction. So if you start from Bijapur early morning, you can still make it to Pune by evening, after darshan at Akkalkot. Note: there is a IOCL COCO bunk just outside Bijapur, on the North side -(towards Solapur). Good fuel there.
	(3) Thanks

4th January 2016, 20:34	#4
ghodlur Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Thane Posts: 6,010 Thanked: 4,200 Times View My Garage	Re: Advice needed: Thane -> Bijapur -> Badami Just completed a Thane-Bijapur-Badami-Akkalkot-Tuljapur-Pune-Thane trip covering 1508 kms in 4 days with 31.29 hrs of driving and achieving 22.4 kmpl mileage at 90 speeds. Details as below: Thane to Pune via Thane Belapur Road and Pune E way- Excellent. Total distance 170 kms. Pune to Solapur via NH9: Road condition till Solapur is 4 laned and very good. Except for a patch near Tembhurni where the 4 laning is still in progress and the traffic is diverted to a 2 laned road. After Temburni also there is a small patch of about 4-5 kms where the road becomes 2 laned. After which it is smooth ride till Solapur. There are 5 toll booths till Solapur and total cost of toll is approx 250 rupees. Total distance 248 kms Solapur to Bijapur via NH13: Road condition is OK and not so great with some patches extremely good and some extremely bad. Again road is 2 laned and overtaking becomes risky. Total distance is 98 kms. No tolls. Look out for the unmarked speed breakers. Bijapur to Badami via NH218: Road condition is good with some patches around villages too bumpy. 2 laned road and good to drive. Total distance is 120 kms. No tolls. Badami to Pattadakal to Aihole via SH14: Extremely broken roads. Takes a toll on the car. Goes through a no of villages and no smooth stretch available understandably. Total distance was 50+ kms. No tolls. While coming from Aihole to Bijapur via NH13 there is one toll though as the road was extremely good. Bijapur to Akkalkot via Solapur via NH13: Again 2 laned roads all across, road condition is OK. Some stretches in Solapur to akkalkot route was extremely pathetic. Total distance 134 kms. No tolls. Akkalkot to Tuljapur via Solapur via NH208: Again 2 laned road all through. However the road from Solapur to Tuljapur was superb although the 4 laning is in progress. Even the 2 laned road is a drivers delight.
	(4) Thanks

5th January 2016, 12:25	#5
arnabchak Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: MH-04 Posts: 1,346 Thanked: 1,162 Times	Re: Advice needed: Thane -> Bijapur -> Badami Congrats Girish Need to catch up for the route details and travel plans as I am looking forward to the same route in Feb/March depending on my leave grants!! 22 kmpl is a good mileage from the Punto. Look forward to a detailed travelogue and Pics. Pls. also share the below points: 1) Total toll per way 2) Stay and accommodation options and rates 3) Places to visit and avoid Last edited by arnabchak : 5th January 2016 at 12:26.
	() Thanks