[btirthankar]

Me and my wife did Hyderabad-Goa-Hyderabad in 2008. We departed Hyderabad 4 pm on a working day, the 11th Jan 08 and arrived Goa via Western Ghats at 9 am next day: non stop. and we took the Road less traveled.

Pictures of the road less travelled.....
Picasa Web Albums - Tirthankar - Hyderabad-Goa...

Though the suggested route for Hyderabad to Goa was: HYD-SOLAPUR-KOLHAPUR-AMBOLI-SAVANTWADI-PANAJI, But as and every time we lost track at somewhere near HINDALCO Plotted Housing on NH4 at Belgaum and took eventually took the ghat roads (I still don't know where it is) all the way till Mapusa.

The ghat roads were all about steep rocky terrain, red mud, 40 degree descents and 4000 rpm engine braking.

Stayed in Goa for 2 nights and the return was a more relaxed one (also non stop) and I was dozing off the wheel getting hallucinations of whatever I could pore in the dead of the night- esp trees walking and their branches turning into fort walls.

The best thing about doze-driving is that I have developed a braking system which works like this.... whenever I am close to fall asleep the foot muscles relax and accelerator gets let off and the car slows down and I brake a bit in reflex which gives me a jerk and am back from the momentary hibernation.


Did anyone take the Ghat roads to Goa which I did recently?

[btirthankar]

The Best part of our usual unplanned GOA Trip was that we had taken the Ghat Roads which not many may have taken, Its out of the map!

Pictures and Blog: click or paste the link below..

Indian Automobiles Emerging Scenario 1995 +: Hyderabad-Goa-Hyderabad 2008 |
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[midlifecrisis]

The road you took looks like the Tillary Ghat. Its a diversion off the Amboli route between Belgaum and Chandgadh. I did this last year.

[btirthankar]

Originally Posted by midlifecrisis

The road you took looks like the Tillary Ghat. Its a diversion off the Amboli route between Belgaum and Chandgadh. I did this last year.

Originally Posted by midlifecrisis

There's four routes I know from Belgaum to Goa. I've done all at different times.....
Belgaum - Tillary Ghat - Bicholim
This is an just off the Amboli road, ~15 - 20 kms out of Belgaum. I took this one and regretted it in just the first 2 kms. The temptation was a signboard showing Panaji at 90 kms. After 2 kms the road got bad. we asked someone if the road was this bad all through and they assured us it gets better later. A couple of kms later the road dissapeared! For half a km I was driving on mud. Then comes the ghat. It is very beautiful. Very very short. And very very steep. Its just 8 kms of ghat section. The road is bad. The only advantage is you're going down hill. I don't know if the bad condition is seasonal. It would be easy with a 4x4. The road is good once you've reached the base.

Yes Gautam!! Thats the route we did.... same experiences....wish if we can 'map-it'.

Here are the pictures in chrono-sequence:

[btirthankar]

Originally Posted by btirthankar

The Best part of our usual unplanned GOA Trip was that we had taken the Ghat Roads which not many may have taken, Its out of the map!

Pictures and Blog: click or paste the link below..

Indian Automobiles Emerging Scenario 1995 +: Hyderabad-Goa-Hyderabad 2008 |

The blog post now has a speed sheet too now.

[Zappo]

You were dozing off on the steering! Count yourself lucky and do not ever try doing this again. Driving through the ghats with a sleepy driver can be the nightmare of the worst kinds.

Just a few months back one of our members paid heavily when while returning back to Mysore from Bangalore late at night he dozed off for a fraction of a second.

But otherwise the road you took really looks interesting. Avi, you tried this one before? Looks interesting though sounds a tad dangerous to try out if the conditions are not ideal.

[btirthankar]

Originally Posted by Zappo

You were dozing off on the steering! Count yourself lucky and do not ever try doing this again. Driving through the ghats with a sleepy driver can be the nightmare of the worst kinds.

Just a few months back one of our members paid heavily when while returning back to Mysore from Bangalore late at night he dozed off for a fraction of a second.

But otherwise the road you took really looks interesting. Avi, you tried this one before? Looks interesting though sounds a tad dangerous to try out if the conditions are not ideal.

Honestly, Im not trying to be any hero here..... the way we do our trips..and thru totally un-inhabitated areas....sometimes there is no place to even park the and catch a nap.... so we lug the car @ 60-70 and try to reach a gas station and fill fuel and ask permission to sleep for an hour or so..

I tend to doze only on straight clear roads in the night..like this one (Gujarat ---Del-Mum)..where you have enough room to veer L or R and halt . on ghat roads I am awake as its interesting...

Dont worry friend...I am careful...I have a lady with me too... so cant halt just anywhere.... and its only this time the hallucinations were too bold to remember.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by Zappo

But otherwise the road you took really looks interesting. Avi, you tried this one before? Looks interesting though sounds a tad dangerous to try out if the conditions are not ideal.

No Deb, i haven't tried this route yet. Looks quite not like a road at all. I have traversed through the famous or rather infamous ponda ghat though which was no less than craters from a different planet

[IndianNomad]

Planning for Hyd - Goa - Hyd trip during x-mas time

Last time when I did the same trip in the last week of Oct'08 I took the below route both ways.

Hyderabad-Sholapur-Pandharpur-Sangola-Miraj-Sangli-Jaysingpur-kolhapur-Sankeshwar-Gandhiglaj-Ajra-Amboli-sawantwadi-Panjim.

While going did night halt at Sholapur. But while returning completed the journey in single stretch, started at 5.30am from Panjim(MiraMar) and reached Hyderabad at 9pm with breaks for breakfast, lunch and evening tea along with 3-4 5mins breaks, total of 750Kms

This time I would like to take Hyderabad - Zaheerabad - Humnabad - Gulbarga - Bijapur - Sankeshwar - Gandhiglaj-Ajra-Amboli-sawantwadi-Panjim. With a night halt at Bijapur

I require the following information -
How are the roads from Humnabad after we get down the NH9 till Sankeshwar via Gulbarga - Bijapur.
Route details from Bijapur to Sankeshwar.
Any other better route from Bijapur to Panjim
To reach Bijapur should I take route via Gulbarga or Sholapur which one is good.

Kindly suggest.

This time its 6-8 people in 2 cars.

[pontiac99]

I had taken Hyderabad-Sholapur-Kholapur-amboli-panjim route and Panjim-Belgam(150)via Bhagalkot -Raichur(330)-Hyderabad(200). I vote for Panjim-Belgam road as its the best road.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by pontiac99

I had taken Hyderabad-Sholapur-Kholapur-amboli-panjim route and Panjim-Belgam(150)via Bhagalkot -Raichur(330)-Hyderabad(200). I vote for Panjim-Belgam road as its the best road.

Great update!! When did you do this? Can you elaborate a little further on road conditions and drivng time?
This route looks 100 kms shorter.

[tmnraghu78]

PANAJI - BELGAUM ROAD IS EXCELLENT (135).
TAKE A LEFT AT BAGEWADI ON NH4 TOWARDS BailHonga, Nargund & Sindhanur. The road is OK except few patches (260 KM).
Sindhanur to Raichur Road is good (90 KM).
Raichur to Hyderabad Road is GOOD except few bad roads off Shakti Nagar (200 KM).

Total comes to 135 + 350 + 200. May be 20+ KM within city distances.

Thanks,
Raghu Lakshman

[nitindangoria]

I took the Panjim-Belgaum-Bijapur-Gulbarga by-pass-Humnabad by-pass- with the guidance/details provided by HVKumar. I can't recollect whether it was a shorter road than the Raichur one. But what I recollect is that the road was excellent ( barring a few kms ), took a night halt at Bijapur and all of us were in praise of Kumar's advise.
I'd suggest pming Kumar for any queries. He's a legend !!

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by tmnraghu78

PANAJI - BELGAUM ROAD IS EXCELLENT (135).
TAKE A LEFT AT BAGEWADI ON NH4 TOWARDS BailHonga, Nargund & Sindhanur. The road is OK except few patches (260 KM).
Sindhanur to Raichur Road is good (90 KM).
Raichur to Hyderabad Road is GOOD except few bad roads off Shakti Nagar (200 KM).

Total comes to 135 + 350 + 200. May be 20+ KM within city distances.

Thanks,
Raghu Lakshman

Originally Posted by nitindangoria

I took the Panjim-Belgaum-Bijapur-Gulbarga by-pass-Humnabad by-pass- with the guidance/details provided by HVKumar. I can't recollect whether it was a shorter road than the Raichur one. But what I recollect is that the road was excellent ( barring a few kms ), took a night halt at Bijapur and all of us were in praise of Kumar's advise.
I'd suggest pming Kumar for any queries. He's a legend !!

Thanks for the update folks. This will immensely help during our upcoming Hyderabad TBHP Drive to Goa in July

[bblost]

Originally Posted by tmnraghu78

PANAJI - BELGAUM ROAD IS EXCELLENT (135).
TAKE A LEFT AT BAGEWADI ON NH4 TOWARDS BailHonga, Nargund & Sindhanur. The road is OK except few patches (260 KM).
Sindhanur to Raichur Road is good (90 KM).
Raichur to Hyderabad Road is GOOD except few bad roads off Shakti Nagar (200 KM).

Total comes to 135 + 350 + 200. May be 20+ KM within city distances.

Thanks,
Raghu Lakshman

Hey thanks.

How old is this route info.
When did you last do this stretch?

Am planning on a July Ride.
Any specific things I need to bear in mind.