[aaggoswami]

Originally Posted by Tgo

Jaipur - Bhopal - Gandhinagar - Rajpipla - Aurangabad - Mumbai
Inputs needed for:
Suitable stop to break the journey between Bhopal-Ahmedabad

Try to enter Gujarat before sunset, and it would be best to pass Godhra before sunset if possible, that is how I traverse. From Bhopal you will have a couple of options to reach Ahmedabad, via Ujjain and other is via Indore. The route via Indore is better but once past Indore there are deserted stretches whereas the route via Ujjain will go through Barnager, Petlawad and Thandla. Not as deserted but will slow you down. The route via Indore is definitely faster but very less places to stop and its only after you cross Dahod that you will get a decent place to take break. Its of utmost importance that you cross Machhaliya ghat (enroute to Dahod from Indore) that has to be covered in daytime ONLY. If you think you cant make it in daylight till atleast Dahod, halt back at Indore. On another note, just in case time permits, you can cover Omkareshwar, but stay should be at Indore. Indore-Omkareshwar route has high traffic density and includes some ghats.

[Ironhide]

Originally Posted by Tgo

North-1

Pilibhit - Ranikhet - Karnprayag - Nanda Devi NP - Rudraprayag - Dehradun - Shimla - Manali - Keylong - Sarchu

This section also runs through a part of the country we have heard very little about. As a result, I have tried to keep the runs short with plenty of breaks in between. It'll also help them acclimatise for the next leg which will be covering Ladakh. Nanda Devi National Park is a must visit destination on the list. All other places along the route have lots of hidden treasures like Chain, Kufri, Mashobra which we would like to hear about so that they can be included.

Attachment 2043242

Inputs needed for:

1. Road condition from Ranikhet-Nanda Devi NP. Whether doable in one day? Any alternate route avoiding Rudraprayag?
2. Whether to break the journey at Keylong or carry on to Sarchu on the same day?
3. Biodiversity hotspots along the way? Places which do not require a formal entry but are accessible.
4. Suitable stay options which have a private estate or trails for long walks.
5. Iconic landmarks for a photo-op @ Dehradun, Shimla and Manali

The state of Uttarakhand has its own quaintly beautiful spots to offer. Though the roads are good in most parts, please bear in mind that the average speeds will reduce to between 25-30 kph in the hills - so while planning do keep that factor in mind. Also, in some places one could encounter delays owing to landslides. Your itinerary could be

• Nainital (The Zoo, in addition to the other attractions is not to be missed)
• Almora (Places to see/ do - Nanda Devi temple, take a walk in Old Bazaar, Visit the Kasar Devi temple, Katarmal Sun Temple on one day. On the next visit Golu Devta Temple in Chitai on the way to and the Jageshwar Temple Complex (Must See))
• Ranikhet (The Golf Course and the Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum),
• Kausani (Great views of the Himalayan Range , Anasakti Ashram
• Karnprayag
• Valley of Flowers (An entire day)and the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (another day)
• Auli possibly
• Dehradun (Halt) - Next day Mussoorie - Rishikesh
• Paonta Sahib (Visit the scenic Gurudwara on the banks of the Yamuna)- Onwards to Shimla.

Almora as a base will serve as a good place to visit all these temples on that circuit. While in Almora , it would be sacrilege not to sample the Bal Mithai and Singori from Mohan Singh Kheem Singh Rautela. Also it would be a good idea to try Alu-Raita at Kainchi Dham. Given the narrow serpentine roads and the need for caution, the travel in the hills will be fairly slow. Also the darkness comes early in hills so planning for time will have to keep that factor in mind. The KMVN / GMVN properties are all at prime locations, but owing to COVID-9 restrictions, not all may be functioning so you want to check on that beforehand. Also it would be a good idea to ask beforehand, the locals whether the route one is venturing out on is open for traffic or not ( landslides, especially during and just after monsoons are a fairly common phenomenon). In the hills, the spread of the pandemic is not all that much, but precautions are necessary. Here's a really detailed blog that will give you a heads up about the Kumaon, Garhwal and Spiti Region.

The spirit that your folks have displayed in the resolve to plan and execute this trip is truly admirable and I'm sure all your research and legwork will surely come in handy. The truth is that most of us keep planning such an adventure but few actually venture out to realise them - they deserve a round of applause indeed .

Cheers !

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by Tgo

Ooty - Trivandrum - Kanyakumari

Please search for threads with "Munnar" in the title. Ooty - Coimbatore - (Udumalpet not sure - check google maps + travelouges) - Munnar - (Kumarakom / Alappuzha - optional) and then to Thiruvananthapuram. Kovalam beach, Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple (outside) are good places for photo ops.

Not coming into Kerala via Palakkad is better because they want to avoid traffic and also because, in KL, we measure distances in hours, not kilometers. Example - Kochi Thiruvananthapram is 5 hours with a 5 AM start, or 225 km by distance. Budget 3 hours for Thiruvananthapuram - Kanyakumari.

Originally Posted by Tgo

South East

Kanyakumari - Rameshvaram - Madurai - Pondicherry - Chenna

Consider Ooty - Chennai - Thanjavur - Trichy + Sri Rangam - Rameshwaram and then Kanyakumari.

From Kanyakumari - Thiruvananthapuram - via MC road Munnar - Theni - Madurai - Pondicherry (that is a loop) and then further Northof Chennai.

[YD14]

Originally Posted by Tgo

North-1

Pilibhit - Ranikhet - Karnprayag - Nanda Devi NP - Rudraprayag - Dehradun - Shimla - Manali - Keylong - Sarchu

Road condition from Ranikhet-Nanda Devi NP. Whether doable in one day? Any alternate route avoiding Rudraprayag?

Few points:

1. Ranikhet to Nanda Devi NP is not doable in one day. It can be done, but your parents will be extremely exhausted by the end of the day. The roads are twisty and not so wide, need extra attention while driving. A general rule is the higher up you go the narrower the road will be. Also road from Karnprayag and beyond is prone to landslides.

2. You need to reconsider your Rudraprayag to Dehradun route. All weather road project is in progress and due to cutting of mountain, there have been a number of landslides all along NH 58, from Rishikesh to Karnprayag and above. Even off season rain for 2 days will cause a major landslide somewhere along this route. So my advice would be avoid travelling on this road for a couple years. Just a couple weeks ago I had to travel from Pauri to Dehradun for an exam and due to Landslides blocking NH 58, we took the Devprayag-Tehri-Rishikesh route and on return took the Hardwar-Najibabad-Kotdwar route. Took 6.5 hours both the time. Going to travel again in a couple of days and will update you with the route taken and road condition.

3. There are a many alternative routes, but will increase the distance to be travelled.

a) Karnprayag - Paithani - Pabo Bazar - Pathisain - Duggada - Kotdwar - Najibabad - Haridwar - Dehradun

b) Same route as above till Dugadda and then Rishikesh to Dehradun.
(Both these route can give you chance to visit Lansdowne, if you take a small detour after Ghumkhal.)

c) Karnprayag - Rudraprayag - Ghansali - Tehri - Chamba - Rishikesh - Dehradun

d) Same route till Chamba then Dhanolti -
Mussoorie - Dehradun
(Both these routes will give you a chance to visit Tehri Dam.)

[wanderernomad]

Originally Posted by Tgo

North East-1

Gangtok - Neora Valley NP - Manas NP - Dispur - Kaziranga NP - Itanagar - Ziro - Daporijo - Aalo - Dibrugarh

As per my assumption, Gangtok to Dispur should be straightforward. Where I have no clue or purpose is in the route from Itnagar-Ziro-Daporijo-Aalo-Dibrugarh. The travel times shown for the distance seem very high and it might be that the roads are in a bad shape. I don't know whether it is a route worth taking. The only reason I have put it down is for the purpose of making a circuit over the route less travelled rather than travelling back to the populated areas and sticking to the trunk road across Assam.

Attachment 2042980

Inputs needed for:

1. Route Condition and travel time from Gangtok-Neora Valley NP (via Tamang-Rorthang-Pedong)
2. Place to give a mid-way break in between Neora Valley NP to Manas NP
3. Whether to do Tawang or Ziro-Aalo within Arunachal Pradesh.
4. Route conditions and travel time for Itanagar to Tawang
5. route condition and travel time for Itanagar-Zero-Daporijo-Aalo-Dibrugarh
6. Vegetarian cuisine to in the region.
7. Requirement of permits in Arunachal Pradesh
8. Iconic landmarks for a photo-op @ Dispur and Itanagar
9. Suggestion on alternate routes and places to visit along the way.

My two bits for this section would be:
1. They should do the complete AT road to tick off a bucket list.
2. Tawang should be done, weather permitting.
3. Include Margrehita, Digboi and the Ledo Stilwell road to the itinerary.
4. Vegetarian cuisine shall not be a problem.
5. ILP for AP are easily obtained.
6. You can do a North Bank return and visit Majuli.
7. Include the Orang Wildlife sanctuary near Jorhat.
8. Visit Shibsagar and if possible plan a halt there for a night. It can be covered in your stretch after Kaziranga.
9. Do plan a night stay at either Iora or Burgos at Kaziranga.
10. Plan for slightly longer driving hours on the stretches through Assam as the NH widening work has left most parts in shambles.
11. A quick reference guide for this trip can be: Guwahati-Shillong-Dawki-Jowai-Nartiang-Tejpur-Bishwanath Chariali- North Lakhimpur-Majuli-Dibrugarh-Parsuram Kund-Tezu-Myodia-Tinsukia-Digboi-Margherita-Jairampur-Ledo-Shibsagar-Jorhat-Kaziranga.
After that if you want to exit continue to Guwahati or want to do more of North East move on to Kohima. We can get some more routing done in that case.

Other details can be added once the trip gets finalised.

Originally Posted by Tgo

Due Home

Pathnkot - Chandigarh - Delhi/Gurgaon - Jaipur

This would be the home stretch. All routes would be well equipped to do 400+kms in one day.

Attachment 2043276

Inputs needed for:

1. Iconic landmarks for a photo-op @ Chandigarh

Sukhna Lake
Rock Garden
Open hand Monument
Capital Complex
Rose Garden

And pick up a few curios from the Chandigarh Tourism shops at Sukhna Lake or Rock Garden. Somewhat off beat but they can travel to Surajpur to have a meal at the Aasman revolving restaurant. Offers magnificent 360 views. They can also cover the Yadavindra Gardens at Pinjor and the cable car ride to Timber Trail at Parwanoo. All doable in a day.

Originally Posted by Tgo

North East-2

Dibrugarh - Kohima - Churachandpur - Imphal - Pawlrang - Aizwal - Mamit - Kumarghat - Agartala

This is another section I am totally clueless about. My dad has been in this region as a kid as grand dad was posted in Churachandpur for some time. The unknown section is Imphal and onwards to Agartala. The journey seems long enough to be broken in two places for which Kumarghat and Mamit have been included in between.

Attachment 2042996

Input needed for:

1. Place to break the journey mid-way between Dibrugarh-Kohima
2. Road condition for the alternate route avoiding Jorhat for Dibrugarh-Kohima stretch
3. Place to stop overnight between Churachandpur-Aizwal
4. Alternate to Mamit and Kumarghat to break the journey between Aizwal-Agartala
5. Iconic landmarks for a photo-op @ Kohima, Aizwal and Agartala
6. Vegetarian cuisine to expect in this region
7. Most Importantly - Requirement of permits to drive through this region

This stretch is what you will need to be very careful about. My advise for this stretch shall be based on the earlier proposed trip for the Assam valley:
1. From Kaziranga go to Kohima via Dimapur. Your mom will love the shopping at Dimapur.
2. Dimapur to Imphal. Stay at Imphal visit Loktak Lake and time permitting go to the Moreh border crossing with Myanmar.
3. Avoid Churachandpur and instead move towards Silchar from Imphal.
4. Silchar-Aizwal and Champai. If you want they can drive to the Rih Dil lake in Myanmar via Zokhawthar border crossing.
5. From Aizwal if you want to restrict yourself then simply visit Hmuifang Scared forest and be done with it.
6. Move to Agartala from Aizwal and limit your self to just the Bangladesh Border and Ujaayanta Palace. On your way back to Silchar visit Unakoti, a must see.
7. You can cover the Meghalaya axis at this stage and not do it from Guwahati and thus save time and avoid repeating the same roads.


Any specific reason why you want to cover Kohima through Mokukchung ?

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or QUOTE+ (multi-quote) button instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

[Ashkait Kapoor]

Originally Posted by Tgo

Silchar - Dawki - Mawsynram - Shillong - Goalpara

Is this entire stretch along with site visits planned within 3 days? If so, it seems a little hectic.

Originally Posted by Tgo

[*]Route condition for Shillong-Shallang-Goalpara, and whether it is advisable to take this route?

Originally Posted by Maedhros

The road condition is very good. Smooth tarmac for almost the entire 250 kms stretch.

As Bhpian Maedhros mentioned, the road condition is perfect and beautiful to drive through, however, it must be avoided during heavy monsoon.

Alternatively, Shillong-Guwahati-Goalpara is an option which will be shorter by 30-40 kms and a little quicker depending on how fast can one bypass Guwahati.

Originally Posted by Tgo

[*]Iconic landmarks for a photo-op @ Shillong

In addition to the places listed by Bhpian Maedhros, Elephant Falls/Mattilang Park can be considered and if your parents fancy an evening stroll, Wards Lake followed by Cathedral are landmarks worth a look.

[YD14]

Originally Posted by YD14

Going to travel again in a couple of days and will update you with the route taken and road condition.

3. There are a many alternative routes, but will increase the distance to be travelled.

a) Karnprayag - Paithani - Pabo Bazar - Pathisain - Duggada - Kotdwar - Najibabad - Haridwar - Dehradun

b) Same route as above till Dugadda and then Rishikesh to Dehradun.
(Both these route can give you chance to visit Lansdowne, if you take a small detour after Ghumkhal.)

c) Karnprayag - Rudraprayag - Ghansali - Tehri - Chamba - Rishikesh - Dehradun

d) Same route till Chamba then Dhanolti -
Mussoorie - Dehradun
(Both these routes will give you a chance to visit Tehri Dam.)

Sorry for late update, was busy in some personal work.

We travelled to Dehradun from Pauri on 26th and returned on 28th of September. Devprayag to Rishikesh road was closed till 10th October (not sure if it's open now), so we took the Pauri-Pathisain-Najibabad-Haridwar-Dehradun route both the time. The road condition is average till Pathisain, manageable from Pathisain to Duggada and horrible around Satpuli and Ghumkhal (approx. 2km before and after both towns). Najibabad to Haridwar road is awful. Narrow road with undulations, potholes (deep enough to cause damage to an Altos underbody) and heavy truck traffic. I strongly suggest you to avoid this road. We took it only because we had some work in Haridwar. Even on Hardwar to Dehradun road work to make it 4-laned is in progress.

Among the routes suggested in my previous posts, c and d have better road conditions and view around than a and b. My choice would be d. Even though standard route from Chamba to Dehradun is c and visiting Mussoorie and Dhanaulti may take more time, but the experience is simply worth it.

Also keep in mind that Maha Khumbh will be held in Haridwar from mid January to mid May and many of the people visiting Haridwar take the pilgrimage to Chardham also, so try to avoid that period.

[dhanushmenon]

Very thorough planning. Evidently, lot of research and preparation has gone into it. It is really satisfying to see it to fruition after all this hard work. I wish your parents a very happy and memorable journey.

I haven't gone through all the comments by other readers. Therefore, I am not fully aware of what their suggestions are. However, I shall add a few points from my side.

1. Thoroughly planned; yet pretty ambitious at many places, especially when your pre requisite itself was just 4-5 hrs on the road on driving days.
2. Permits are required for many places and please plan in advance for the same.
3. Considering your parents are travelling, you should add atleast 15% of the total number of days as buffer. These buffer days should not be at the end of the journey. It should be interspersed through out your plan. In which case, the overall plan will remain intact even if there is a hurdle en-route. In case the buffer is not used, just shift up the plan the additional day so that you can accumulate that into your next buffer stop. Essentially, if you end up not using any of the buffer days, you can either spend extra days at your place of choosing on return leg or return home that many days earlier.
4. So many days on the road is not going to be easy. Even if you are within the comforts of a five star. Your body clock will be altered, you will have unwashed linen, you will have dirt inside the car and many more. There are numerous stretches in your route where you wont even find a clean washroom or a decent place to eat.
5. Roads in North East especially (in the route you chose) is not going to be friendly. Given that it's your parents who are travelling, I would suggest that you tweak it a little to the benign side.
6. I take it that you would have catered for acclimatisation period for the higher elevations.

Originally Posted by Tgo

[b]South East
`
Inputs needed:

Is it advisable to do Chennai-Gandikota-Srisailam in one day?

No. I suggest that you should aim to reach by evening around 1500 hrs or so. Visit the canyon followed by sunset. Stay somewhere nearby overnight and visit the canyon again for sunrise the next morning; for any left over places and the beautiful sunrise.

Originally Posted by Tgo

South West

Mumbai - Belgaum - Goa - Hampi - Bangalore - Ooty - Trivandrum - Kanyakumari

Originally Posted by Tgo

inputs needed for:

A better place to stop in between Mumbai-Goa (currently considering Belgaum)

Belgaum is a good place to stay. However, you will not be able to reach Belgaum from Mumbai in your target time of 4-5 hours. It will take anywhere between 8- 12 hours, depending on where you are staying in Mumbai and the time you start the journey.

Originally Posted by Tgo

Exact shorter route Ooty-Udumalpet-Periyar and its feasibility.

1. By Periyar, I take it that you mean Thekkady.

Any particular reason as to why you want to go via Udumalpet? Roads in Tamil Nadu are good. (Atleast it was, when I travelled last).
I would suggest:- Ooty- Mettupalayam- Annur- Avinashi- Kangeyam- Vellakoil- Aravakurichi- Dindigul- Theni- Kumily (Thekkady).

2. There's another route via Munnar, which is much more scenic. However, will take much more time too. In case you are taking the Munnar route, I would suggest that you stay at Munnar for two days.

3. In any case, I wouldn't suggest to sprint from Ooty to Thekkady in one day. Which will beat the purpose of being on a leisurely drive in search of scenic beauty. This should be done with two days on the road; and any further in between for exploring places nearby.

Originally Posted by Tgo

A comfortable and outdoorsy place to stay near Periyal NP.

KTDC (Aranya IIRC) has a guest house in the middle of the lake. Comes highly recommended. However, I have not been to the guest house place myself. Have only seen it from afar during the boat ride. It is a guest house in the middle of jungle. With frequent wildlife visits at night.

Originally Posted by Tgo

Iconic landmarks for a photo-op @ Panaji, Bangalore and Trivandrum

Panaji
Lady of mount church
Immaculate Conception Church
Basilica of Bom Jesus
St Augustine Tower
Chapora Fort
Cabo de Rama Fort
Three Kings Church (wonderful view of the Arabian Sea)

Actually, plenty of places at Goa. I am unable to make out what exactly are you looking for. Is it photo op with car, or individuals, or casual customary "I was here" snaps? Check out these few places if you are interested.

[sachin_cs]

Originally Posted by Tgo

Inputs needed for:

1. Route condition Raipur-Raigarh-Ranchi (not marked in the map above)
   
2. Iconic landmarks for a photo-op @ Raipur
3. Places worth visiting or worth taking a mid-way break along the way.
   

I'm extremely sorry for replying a little late but I'm assuming the plan is on the cards and will be undertaken once this covid situation gets normal.I can help you with the following information-

• Road condition between Raipur-Ranchi will be:
  Raipur-Kutra : 4 lane : Excellent
  Kutra Rd-Ambapani : 2 lane : Good
  Ambapani-Kolibera : 2 lane : Average
  Kolebira-Ranchi : 2 lane : Excellent
  
• Places to visit in Raipur:
  For Chhattisgarhi cuisine- Gadh Kaleva restaurant, its in the centre of the city near Ghadi chowk and you will get parking as well
  Next to it is also the Raipur museum if they are interested in historical stuff
  For evening walk and cafes- Telibandha Talab and Katora Talab, these places are developed on the lines of marine drive and have a very good vibe
  If they are looking for a peaceful environment away from the bustle of the city then they can visit the Jungle Safari and also stay at Mayfair lake resort in New Raipur
  
• Places worth visiting- On the outskirts of Raipur there's a city on the Ranchi highway itself (will have to take a slight detour) called Sirpur, it's a 5th-12th Century city with a rich heritage of Buddhism, Jainism & Hindusim, I feel it is an undiscovered treasure and worth visiting.

All the best to your parents for the wonderful journey. Also when they are in Chhattisgarh and if they need any help, they are free to reach me on my number, I will DM you my contact.