[lordofgondor]

Hey fellow members, this would be my first post as I have just joined this amazingly informative and useful community.

Coming to the point, I am planning to road trip from Noida to Khara Pathar and would be grateful if someone could suggest the route I should take. The one I have in mind is:

Delhi-Ambala-Kalka-Shimla-Theog-Khara pathar

The real question I have is that I have recently come to know (from my fellow bhpian's posts) that the condition at Zirakpur bypass is not good and lot of time is wasted due to the constructions going on. Could any one tell me what's the recent condition and if it is not good, any alternatives to avoid it?

Thanks in advance

[tsk1979]

The alternative is to go Via Rajpura.
I.e. from Ambala, instead of going towards Chd, you go straight, and at the main traffic signal at Rajpura you take a right.
After you enter punjab at shambhu border, you will find a very good BP Petrol pump, its the second BP petrol pump after the toll gates and even has a cafe coffee day.
Tank up here, and you should be good for all the way to Khara pathar.
Are you going via Narkanda?

[navdeep]

There have been few diversions near zirakpur, so traffic has eased a bit and is now drivable.

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

Delhi-Ambala-Kalka-Shimla-Theog-Khara pathar

Hey, That is the most straight forward and shortest route .... !! As for Zirakpur and stuff ... you dont have to go all the way to Rajpura from Ambala -- just after Ambala when u hit teh road towards Rajpur -- when you get to the 2nd red light , u can take a right turn there and that will take you to the original stretch of the Ambala - Zirakpur road -- and you get very light traffic on that so you get to zirakpur way faster !!!

And after Zirakpur till Kalka you will get light traffic but after that its a clean run to Kharapathar !!! Unless we have plenty of jack *** tourists worming their way up or down the hill -- that can be a pain ...

Have a good trip ....

[BunnyPunia]

follow the route khaddu mentioned. i have taken this route twice, no need to go all the way till rajpura.
if u start early from delhi, like 5am, you can cross ambala by 8am and be in the hills, kalka by 9:30 easily. From there its an easy ride to Shimla.
As you enter shimla, at the first red light, take a left in to the tunnel. this is the sanjauli bypass and will help u reach sanjauli, bypassing shimla traffic. from there carry on for kufri and theog.
once in theog, you will come across the sign for kharapathar-rohru, take a right from here. the roads now wont be wide, but traffic will be less.

at kharapathar, hptdc has come up with a brand new hotel, giriganga resort. its awesome. also, if possible , ride up the 6km jeep road to giri ganga shrine, the origin of the giri river, its one hell of a ride.

[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

Hey, That is the most straight forward and shortest route .... !! As for Zirakpur and stuff ... you dont have to go all the way to Rajpura from Ambala -- just after Ambala when u hit teh road towards Rajpur -- when you get to the 2nd red light , u can take a right turn there and that will take you to the original stretch of the Ambala - Zirakpur road -- and you get very light traffic on that so you get to zirakpur way faster !!!

And after Zirakpur till Kalka you will get light traffic but after that its a clean run to Kharapathar !!! Unless we have plenty of jack *** tourists worming their way up or down the hill -- that can be a pain ...

Have a good trip ....

Hey khaddu, I think that's the route I'll be taking and thanks for the wishes!

[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by BunnyPunia

follow the route khaddu mentioned. i have taken this route twice, no need to go all the way till rajpura.
if u start early from delhi, like 5am, you can cross ambala by 8am and be in the hills, kalka by 9:30 easily. From there its an easy ride to Shimla.
As you enter shimla, at the first red light, take a left in to the tunnel. this is the sanjauli bypass and will help u reach sanjauli, bypassing shimla traffic. from there carry on for kufri and theog.
once in theog, you will come across the sign for kharapathar-rohru, take a right from here. the roads now wont be wide, but traffic will be less.

at kharapathar, hptdc has come up with a brand new hotel, giriganga resort. its awesome. also, if possible , ride up the 6km jeep road to giri ganga shrine, the origin of the giri river, its one hell of a ride.

Yeah we plan to start from Noida around 4 AM (or at least hope to ), so shouldnt' encounter much traffic along the way. Thanks for the hotel advice, coincidentally I'd booked the same about 10 days back... now just waiting like anything for Friday to come!

[lordofgondor]

Hey Khaadu, I had this query against the route mentioned by you... shouldn't I take a right from Ambala Cantt for NH22 instead of crossing Ambala? If so, I am never gonna hit the Rajpura road, and hence would never encounter the red light mentioned by you? Please correct me if I am wrong, or kindly elaborate more on the route mentioned by you. You see I am a bit confused.

[Traveler]

How was your trip lordofgondor. I am planning a similar trip and wanted to know your experience with respect to Accommodation at Kharapathar, food and or course the road conditions. I plan on making this trip in my Baleno VXi 2006. You advise will be very helpful.