[Ketan]

This is an interesting thread! I will search for more threads on these destination to see if I can gather more information.
I'm planning to drive to Delhi from Bangalore starting October 14. I will have about 15 days on hand till October 29. I guess I will not be able to make it to Leh this year so I'm planning to take family around for some pilgrim places around and at the same time if I can enjoy the drive around these places. One more objective is to get my kid to play with some snow if I can do it for him, I hope I will have good chances in October end for this.

I have following places in mind after looking at this thread. If HVK and other folks here help me plan this one of the greatest trips of my life, It will be great help.

Hardwar
Hrishikesh
Badrinath
Kedarnath
Gangotri
Yamunotri
Hemkund (if possible)
Feel free to suggest places to this list if you think its worth going

I assume the road condition is been improved now compared to a few years back, it shouldn't be a big trouble to drive around this area and with better roads, we can save some time as well.
I'll also start searching for the best timing around these places since I read temple (Kedarnath) will be closed by end of October or so, need to check we are at right place at right time.
If I can lay out the plan well in advance, I can also deal with booking the places without much trouble, please feel free to share information on places to stay and wonderful roads to drive around, I wouldn't mind driving couple hundred kms for better places and roads.
As of now, the plan is to take my parents, wife and a kid with me so I want be able to get much adventurous here. However, I'll come back for a few reasons pending for quite sometime (Enfield ride to Leh, Car drive to Leh, Gangotri, Gaumukh, Tapovan trekking/camping and last is to either drive or ride Himachal regions that ADC and HVK sir are driving, I will stop here, the list is never ending).

Thank you.

[Ketan]

Ok Guys, I read Bhojbasa has got good lodging facility, I guess that can be a good place to let my family/parents stay while I go for the quick Gaumuk (or Gaumukh+Tapovan) trek. I know its not going to be very easy, but I'm ready to spend a day or two if I get an opportunity to do this.
If someone has got more details on this adventure around October last week, please share.
I'm still gathering information around other places that I mentioned yet to get the exact distance from Gurgaon (my brothers place which we will be using as a basecamp). And yes, the planning will start with the Bangalore<>Gurgaon trip first, I guess we have lots of information about that on the forum and should be easy to search.

I have forgot to ask an important question, (just started going thru tsks travelogue to Gangotri) Do I have to be driving a 4wd if I want to cover these areas in October 2-3 week? Please say 'not needed'!

[Ketan]

^^my bad, bhojbasa looks to be about 14kms from Gangotri and seems to be a place to halt for trekkers. Need to learn a lot of things it seems. Sorry mods, couldn't modify the earlier post while it was already beyond the cutoff time, if possible, you can merge the last three posts to cut this short.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Ketan

I'm planning to drive to Delhi from Bangalore starting October 14. I will have about 15 days on hand till October 29. I guess I will not be able to make it to Leh this year so I'm planning to take family around for some pilgrim places around and at the same time if I can enjoy the drive around these places. One more objective is to get my kid to play with some snow if I can do it for him, I hope I will have good chances in October end for this.

Hardwar
Hrishikesh
Badrinath
Kedarnath
Gangotri
Yamunotri
Hemkund (if possible)
Feel free to suggest places to this list if you think its worth going

I assume the road condition is been improved now compared to a few years back, it shouldn't be a big trouble to drive around this area and with better roads, we can save some time as well.
I'll also start searching for the best timing around these places since I read temple (Kedarnath) will be closed by end of October or so, need to check we are at right place at right time.
If I can lay out the plan well in advance, I can also deal with booking the places without much trouble, please feel free to share information on places to stay and wonderful roads to drive around, I wouldn't mind driving couple hundred kms for better places and roads.

A little late in the season but all these places close at Diwali, which is in Nov this year. Weather will be cold, but for most part dry. Roads should be good. There will be no crowds since the pilgrim season will be over. I am not sure if Hemkund Saheb will be open so late in the year.

Drive Plan:
D1: Bangalore-Bombay-Vapi
D2: Vapi-Chittorgarh-Kishangarh
D3: Kishangarh-Delhi-Hardwar (in time for evening aarthi?)
D4: Hardwar-Rishikesh-Deoprayag-Rudraprayag-Joshimath
D5: Joshimath-Badrinath-Joshimath-Chamoli-Ukhimath-Gaurikund
D6: Gaurikund-walk-Kedarnath-walk-Gaurikund-New Tehri
D7: New Tehri-Uttarkashi-Harsil-Gangotri
D8: Gangotri-Gaumukh
D9: Gaumukh-Gangotri
D10: Gangotri-Barkot-Jankichatti-walk-Yamunotri-walk-Jankichatti
D11: Jankichatti-Barkot-Musoorie
D12: Musoorie-Dehra Dun-Meerut-Delhi
D13: Delhi-Jaipur-Udaipur
D14: Udaipur-Bombay-Pune
D15: Pune-Bangalore

Originally Posted by Ketan

Ok Guys, I read Bhojbasa has got good lodging facility, I guess that can be a good place to let my family/parents stay while I go for the quick Gaumuk (or Gaumukh+Tapovan) trek. I know its not going to be very easy, but I'm ready to spend a day or two if I get an opportunity to do this.
If someone has got more details on this adventure around October last week, please share.
I'm still gathering information around other places that I mentioned yet to get the exact distance from Gurgaon (my brothers place which we will be using as a basecamp). And yes, the planning will start with the Bangalore<>Gurgaon trip first, I guess we have lots of information about that on the forum and should be easy to search.

No need to make any bookings. GMVN has lovely acco throughout the UK circuit. You can walk in everywhere.

I will be happy to provide you with a detailed route plan if you want.

I have forgot to ask an important question, (just started going thru tsks travelogue to Gangotri) Do I have to be driving a 4wd if I want to cover these areas in October 2-3 week? Please say 'not needed'!

4WD not required. Only difficult section could be Uttarkashi-Gangotri where you may encounter some slush, but that is also doable in any car.

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

A little late in the season but all these places close at Diwali, which is in Nov this year.

A big thank you, HVK sir.
I see you managed to fit in Musoorie and Dehradun as well, that's a wonderful travel plan I see. I remember you saying that you travelled these places and both the time around sept/oct. Do you think there will be snow in any of these areas?

I'm going to look at this in more details and there may be a few places (Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi, I can actually take Mumbai off the list here) where I may need a quick halt to see relatives/friends. So, need to either consider those if it seems to take much time, I guess I'm simply going to remove those halts and follow the plan.
There are a few places where I may need some advise on what route to take and so on, I'm surely going to look at your triplog, that will travel with me as a reference for sure.
Like you said, a detailed plan will definitely help. I will get back to you if there are any modifications in the list above so that we work on clear plan.
A big thanks again, also let me know if other BHPians or HVKians travelling these destinations around the same time, it may help.
Though I have done Bangalore<>Rajkot twice in the past in my PalioD, I still see this as a mother of other drives/challenging drive for me, will have a lots of learning, always want to be alert and make sure I execute it right.
have a good day!

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Ketan

A big thank you, HVK sir.
I see you managed to fit in Musoorie and Dehradun as well, that's a wonderful travel plan I see. I remember you saying that you travelled these places and both the time around sept/oct. Do you think there will be snow in any of these areas?

I'm going to look at this in more details and there may be a few places (Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Delhi, I can actually take Mumbai off the list here) where I may need a quick halt to see relatives/friends. So, need to either consider those if it seems to take much time, I guess I'm simply going to remove those halts and follow the plan.
There are a few places where I may need some advise on what route to take and so on, I'm surely going to look at your triplog, that will travel with me as a reference for sure.
Like you said, a detailed plan will definitely help. I will get back to you if there are any modifications in the list above so that we work on clear plan.
A big thanks again, also let me know if other BHPians or HVKians travelling these destinations around the same time, it may help.
Though I have done Bangalore<>Rajkot twice in the past in my PalioD, I still see this as a mother of other drives/challenging drive for me, will have a lots of learning, always want to be alert and make sure I execute it right.
have a good day!

Unlikely to see snow at that time, although I have heard of freak snow fall in Badrinath in end-Oct too.

Yes, work out a detailed plan, providing for enough buffers too in case of delays in UK, due to land slides, etc.

[contactme27]

Friends, what is the current process to visit Badrinath and which route should we need to take to visit the badrinath this may.

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by contactme27

Friends, what is the current process to visit Badrinath and which route should we need to take to visit the badrinath this may.

Shri Badrinath will be open from 05-May-2014.
Process

5) From last yatra season Temples Committee has started token system for performing darshans at Badrinathji to the devotees. Three stalls were installed at the Taxi stand at Badrinathji. From these stalls the devotees collect the token & get the tentative time for performing darshans at Badrinathji. The time allotted to every devotee for performing darshan of Lord Badrinathji was 10-20 Seconds.

6) From this yatra season Uttarakhand Govt. has started bio-metric registration system for the devotees going for the yatra of either Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri or Yamunotri. This system is mandatory for everyone. The Govt. has authorized Yatra Prashashan Sangathan Department for this system. The registration process details can be collected by contacting these nos:-
OSD, Yatra Prashashan Sangathan

Chardham Yatra Terminal, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

Toll Free No:- 18001804145 or Tel No:- 0135 2430190 Fax No:- 2433600
E-mail:- osdchardhamyatra@gmail.com

Route: Ex Haridwar
Haridwar - Rishikesh - Devaprayag - Srinagar - Rudraprayag - Karnaprayag - Nandaprayag - Badrinath.

Private/Public buses, and taxis ply from Haridwar to Badrinath. They leave very early in the morning.

You can get daily trains from New Delhi to Haridwar.
Alternatively you can fly down to Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport, and take a taxi/ bus to Haridwar.

As one reaches Haridwar only in the late afternoon , highly recommended to watch the Ganga Aarti, have an early dinner, and catch your ride next day to Badrinath.

Hope this helps.