Team-BHP > Travelogues > Route / Travel Queries


Reply
  Search this Thread
73,805 views
Old 1st May 2007, 19:15   #1
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 361
Thanked: Once
Delhi to Dharamshala/McLeodganj road trip

Hi all,

Planning a road trip to Dharamshala on a Honda Civic from 21st may till 28th May with 3 other friends on-board.

Also plan to stopover at Shimla &/OR Timber trail on our way back.

Really need info on the prevelant road conditions & suggestions for the most leisurely/scenic route to & fro.

Please help @ the earliest buddies.

Thanks in advance.

Anuj
rev_hard is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 15:20   #2
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 361
Thanked: Once

Heylos,

Is Dharamshala too off the beaten track guys?? No one here has responded till now. Me really surprised.

Anyhow, a crucial update/edit -------->

The mode of transport has been upgraded from a Honda Civic to a brand new spanking shiny glittery white HONDA CRV .

Bhai logs, pls pour in your suggestions/ideas/thoughts at the earliest.

Waiting in anticipation (actually can't wait enough for the new CRV).

Regards,

rev_hard
rev_hard is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 15:48   #3
Team-BHP Support
 
tsk1979's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23,717
Thanked: 22,769 Times

Shimla is not really in the way,
You will pass through chd, or you can go through Phagwara too. Timber trail is a 1km detour from Chd.

With the state of Ambala chd highway lately, I would recommend the Phagwara route.

Also the chandigarh to Anandpur Sahib highway is two lane and till Ropar its madness.

The site MapmyIndia - India's First Interactive Mapping Portal will show you both routes.
Type in New Delhi - Dharamshala for first(through chd), and phagwara to Dharamshala for second.

Recently a friend went and roads are in okay shape. Don't expect the smooth tarmac as in Chd-shimla highway, but road is okay.
HPTDC volvo has daily service to Dharamshala from New Delhi, so I guess CRV can manage it pretty well.

As for Delhi to Phagawa is comfortable doable in 5-6 hours(From Noida). A lot depends on how big of a jam is in the GT road junction at north delhi.
I would suggest that you start at around 7am, reach Phagwara by 12pm, and then its just 3-4 hours to Dharamshala.

Last edited by tsk1979 : 2nd May 2007 at 15:50.
tsk1979 is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 15:52   #4
Senior - BHPian
 
hvkumar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 7,369
Thanked: 3,454 Times

The NH1 route is a splendid drive all the way till Pathankot, but I have no update on the route via Shimla, which I have been several years ago. The Shimla-Bilaspur-Mandi-Palanpur-Dharamsala-Mcleodganj route is normally good.
hvkumar is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 16:00   #5
BHPian
 
bruty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Delhi
Posts: 238
Thanked: 10 Times

Hi Anuj

My home town is Dharmshala. Go ahead buddy and don't worry the road may not be that smooth but is not that bad either. Thetre are 2 ways to reach Dharmshala
1) delhi-chandigarh-chintpurni-kangra-dharmshala
2) delhi-pathankot-gaggal-dharmshala
you wil take nearly 10 hrs drive ( take any rout) the first root is more picturious. and stay in maclodgunj. nice place or in bhagsunath, it is 10-12 km from dharmshala.
If you have some time do trakkinging till Triunt, nice place on top of hill.
Contact me if you need any info : 9811171231

-Bruty
bruty is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 16:07   #6
BHPian
 
navdeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Pune
Posts: 892
Thanked: 4 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsk1979 View Post
Timber trail is a 1km detour from Chd.
Is it ?? .............
navdeep is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 16:27   #7
Team-BHP Support
 
tsk1979's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23,717
Thanked: 22,769 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by navdeep View Post
Is it ?? .............
Ooops! I meant 1hr
tsk1979 is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 16:32   #8
BHPian
 
navdeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Pune
Posts: 892
Thanked: 4 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by tsk1979 View Post
Ooops! I meant 1hr
you can add 15 mins more to it if you are fortunate enough to ride smoothly through Kalka
navdeep is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 18:31   #9
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 361
Thanked: Once

Thanks for all your replies. A few q's though:

1. Start @ 7 am as suggested by tanveer OR start @ midnight to do majority of the highway driving @ night time.

2. Suggestions for places to stopover @ enroute.

3. Suggestions for place/s to stay in Dharamshala/McLeodganj.

4. Since we will be there for 5-6 days, suggestions for day trips in/around that region.

5. Places to chill @ dharamshala/mcleodganj.

6. Should we carry booze because i've heard its expensive up there?


Thanks in advance again guys.

rev_hard
rev_hard is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 19:22   #10
BHPian
 
amip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto
Posts: 166
Thanked: Once

NH1 is pretty busy so I've always started in the night - helps avoid the time spent on negotiating the local traffic around Chandigarh - also can then then reach Dharamsala by afternoon - so there's some part of Day 1 still left!
Mc Leodganj is full of stay options - depends on what you're looking for - a decent no frills option is Hotel Green near the bus stand - has a nice restaurant & even net access! Chonor House is more expensive & stylish. Dharamkot (about 2 km above Mc Leod ) is also a peaceful place to stay with great food options
I personally did not think much of the Bhagsu Falls. The monastries should be a must do - you could even check on the Norbulinka (hope the spellin is not too awry!) Institute's performances. I would strongly suggest a day trip to Triund, if not the snowline.
amip is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 20:14   #11
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 361
Thanked: Once

Quote:
Originally Posted by amip View Post
if not the snowline.

God bless, but is there really SNOW! in the vicinity of Dharamshala/Mclganj area!?!?!?!?

Also any pointers towards the kind of weather we could/should expect.

Cheers
rev_hard is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 20:16   #12
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 361
Thanked: Once

Quote:
Originally Posted by bruty View Post
Contact me if you need any info : 9811171231

-Bruty

Thanks a lot Bruty. I might actually call upon you by this weekend for some more information ( there are some things only a person living there would know )

Thanks again
rev_hard is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 20:36   #13
BHPian
 
amip's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Toronto
Posts: 166
Thanked: Once

You can google the weather. In my experience the snowline is actually most accessible from Mc Leod - it involves a hike upto Triund (takes about 4 hrs from Dharamkot) & then another slightly shorter (but doesn't seem so at that point!)hike upto Ilaqa which is where the snow line starts.
Of course, when I went to Triund in January there was 3 feet of snow half way to Triund - tho snowfall has been decreasing in the Dhauladhars..
amip is offline  
Old 2nd May 2007, 22:32   #14
Team-BHP Support
 
tsk1979's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 23,717
Thanked: 22,769 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by rev_hard View Post
Thanks for all your replies. A few q's though:

1. Start @ 7 am as suggested by tanveer OR start @ midnight to do majority of the highway driving @ night time.

2. Suggestions for places to stopover @ enroute.

3. Suggestions for place/s to stay in Dharamshala/McLeodganj.

4. Since we will be there for 5-6 days, suggestions for day trips in/around that region.

5. Places to chill @ dharamshala/mcleodganj.

6. Should we carry booze because i've heard its expensive up there?


Thanks in advance again guys.

rev_hard
1. Don't start before 2am, you will spend most of the time in a traffic jam at Delhi border
2. You can eat at the dhabas just before Karnal(Zilmil and the one before that) or you can have good paranthas after you enter punjab at shambhu border
3. Look at the web. Asia health resorts is a very comfortable luxury option. Rooms are 2500/night
4. Kangra valley, go as far as you dare
5. No idea
6. You wont save much. Avoid taking booze, can be trouble at checkposts

Another note, a week ago 23rd apr whereabouts it was very very hot in mcleodganj(30-35 degrees).
If you are going for the purpose of escaping heat, Dharamshala is not the place right now. If its cloudy then its a different story.
Otherwise Dharamshala is a very very nice and entertaining place to stay.
tsk1979 is offline  
Old 3rd May 2007, 03:54   #15
Senior - BHPian
 
manikjeet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: chandigarh
Posts: 1,618
Thanked: 295 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by bruty View Post
Hi Anuj


1) delhi-chandigarh-chintpurni-kangra-dharmshala
2) delhi-pathankot-gaggal-dharmshala
man take the first route the roads ain't great but not to bad you have a crv so y worry

and if you have any problem you can pm me when you are in or around chandigrah

Quote:
Originally Posted by navdeep View Post
you can add 15 mins more to it if you are fortunate enough to ride smoothly through Kalka
man come with me 45 mins falt to Timber trail from chadigarh and that to in an alto

Last edited by manikjeet : 3rd May 2007 at 03:56.
manikjeet is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks