[akroy]

Originally Posted by ateet.jayaswal

We would be taking the following route:

Bangalore - Vijaywada - Goalpur On Sea - Puri - Konark - Cuttack - Kolkata - Siliguri - Kalinpong - Gangtok - Phuentsholing (Bhutan) - Thimpu (Bhutan) - Paro (Bhutan)

I hope you are not taking NH34 from Kolkata !!
Pls continue on the GQ till you reach Darjeeling More (20km before Durgapur) which comes after Barddhaman, Panagarh...You can see right turn of Siuri (70km) and Shantiniketan...Follow the Siuri route
Darjeeling More - Ilambazar - Siuri - Rampurhat - Takipur - Moregram (150km) is a nice road and you can go in good speed and you will hit NH34 at Moregram, take left for Farakka - Malda - Siliguri...

I did Kolkata - Siuri in 2.5 hours (230km) in my Alto in Oct2006.

Kolkata - Moregram is in pretty bad shape (even it is bad after that but here you will loose good time) as you have to pass through bigger towns like Krishnanagar, Shantipur, Berhampur..

Try to do this route in daytime...If you want to make a night stop in Siuri, pls let me know, I will try to get some hotel phone numbers (my wife is from Siuri)

Now coming to food,
1) pls check my thread for A1 Plazas in Kol - Bangalore route in the forum..
2) tastes in orissa - Balushahi, rice-dal, khera (small rosogullas dipped in kheer much like ras-malai)
3) If you are taking NH2, dont miss Langchas, Mihidana-Sitabhog at Shaktigarh (you will find sweetshop on the highway itself, pack some for your onward journey )/ if atall you take NH34, then pls stop at Krishnanagar for Sorpuria, it is onetime experience (and Shantipur for sarees)
4) Hot gur-rosogollas are famous in Malda, dont miss out...
Sweets in Birbhum, Nadia, Malda districts tastes far better than that of Kolkata's...dont miss out...

I have gone till Malda so cannot much beyond it...only pls drive safe and slow till you reach Siliguri

Good Luck
Abhi

[ateet.jayaswal]

Push back at 4 AM IST on 25th Oct!!

[BunnyPunia]

Great topic!
Im plannin a mum-bhutan ride too (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...oute-help.html)

waitin for ateet to come back n share some info, abt the route and the entry formalities

[contactme27]

hello ateet, we have not seen your trip details... I am for a similar trip. can you share the information

[Sudipto-S-Team]

Your trip to Thimphu might be a bit marred by the construction work that is going on there. They are widening it.
Regarding Kolkata-Siliguri (the most tedious part of your route) you have got to complete this in one day. After Raigunge, there is no place to spend the night before Siliguri.
Regarding Roy's suggestion about taking Panagarh-Moregram highway - I went up via NH 34 and came back via Panagarh-Moregram. The time is identical. Because although Panagarh-Moregram is a better road, the extra distance means you spend the same time. So if you want to save on fuel take NH 34. If you want to enjoy the drive take Panagarh-Moregram.
While in Thimphu make sure to go to Punakha and Wangdi also.
When you come down from Gangtok, turn left from the Coronation Bridge towards Malbazaar and then on to Phuntsholing. I am sure you would have done your route homework.
If you want I can send you the log of my trip to P'ling last May.
One other suggestion - while in the mountains, instead of staying in touristy places, go for off-beat destinations. Many tea gardens in Darjeeling hills are now allowing tourists to stay. Not a bad idea.
Regards
Sudipto

[mobike008]

Ateet, hoping you have completed this phenomenal trip. Look forward to a detailed report and loads of pictures.

[ateet.jayaswal]

Team, my wife & I are back from the trip..I'll upload pics and the travellogue within the next 2 weeks.

Regret the delay, attributed to more travels (largly official) and a few more road trips (Bangalore-Goa-Bnagalore & Bangalore-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry-Bangalore)

See u'll soon!

[akroy]

Originally Posted by ateet.jayaswal

Team, my wife & I are back from the trip..I'll upload pics and the travellogue within the next 2 weeks.

Regret the delay, attributed to more travels (largly official) and a few more road trips (Bangalore-Goa-Bnagalore & Bangalore-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry-Bangalore)

See u'll soon!

Awesome ateet, eager to see the complete travelogue with pics.

Abhi

[dadu]

We await your travelogues (all three) eagerly.

Originally Posted by ateet.jayaswal

Team, my wife & I are back from the trip..I'll upload pics and the travellogue within the next 2 weeks.

Regret the delay, attributed to more travels (largly official) and a few more road trips (Bangalore-Goa-Bnagalore & Bangalore-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry-Bangalore)

See u'll soon!

[madan80]

well... its been more than 3 weeks since you have returned... post something ...

[sriturl]

A brief update would really help.
Is it do able? What was the vehicle you used, any learnings, bottle necks etc.

I seriously thinking about it, after this and Chevy_lover's post.
But he didn't drive by himself. So waiting for your update.

thanks.

[sidPAjero4x4]

Hi Ateet,
Old thread, but can you guide us on the Blore-Bhutan trip? We are planning the same next year, and any guidance will help!!
regards

[PGNarain]

Originally Posted by sidPAjero4x4

Hi Ateet,
....We are planning the same next year, and any guidance will help!!

Our own members Mr. J. Ravi's travelogue, you need not look much further!!

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...ml#post2742956

http://www.myfiatworld.in/showthread...ull=1#post3770

[Tanmay K]

Hi all

I'm planning on making this drive (from Delhi) next April. A point of concern for me is that my car insurance's geographical limit is India only.

I'm a bit hesitant at the prospect of driving my car in a new country without any insurance. From what I have read online, one of the documents required by RSTA to get a permit is the original insurance document (albeit a useless one since I'm not really covered outside of India).

Option 1: Go ahead without insurance.
Option 2: Buy something sort of a travel insurance, but for cars (if such a thing exists?)

Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Tanmay

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Tanmay K

Hi all

I'm planning on making this drive (from Delhi) next April. A point of concern for me is that my car insurance's geographical limit is India only.

I'm a bit hesitant at the prospect of driving my car in a new country without any insurance.
Option 1: Go ahead without insurance.
Option 2: Buy something sort of a travel insurance, but for cars (if such a thing exists?)

Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Tanmay

This exactly has been my querry whenever i think about taking my car to Bhutan. My insurance is not valid for Bhutan and i doubt any other are.
So its like driving in a different country without insurance. Gives me goose bumps for sure. I would'nt take the risk. Yet i see many BHPians going to bhutan in their own vehicle. Can somebody enlighten us on this issue .