[aryashiv1]

Once you take a left to Gobundher Road, please not the Toll naka is right in the begining now and not after 1 KM. They have shifted it now.

Also toll here is Rs. 15 and other two tolls are Rs. 30 now and not 25.

[mmxylorider]

Folks,

I am planning to make a Gujarat trip post Diwali. The route I have in mind and the base of initial planning is :

Pune->Ahmedabad->Diu->Somnath->Sasan Gir->Dwarka->Mt Abu->Pune

Mt Abu because we have always kept the last destination as a hill station of sorts with no planned activity. Just pure relaxation.

I've been through a couple of other threads (Discovering Gujarat/Delhi to Diu) - good information there, but my route plan has some locations not included. Will appreciate all comments/suggestions/accomodation recommendations. I have not finalized anything yet and help plenty of time to get this done.

Dates : 28 Oct-5 Nov, 2 Adults/2 Child (<8), vehicle-Xylo. See the snapshots for current planning status

[libranof1987]

I would very strongly advice you to leave Pune early.

By leaving at 6am, you'd reach Ghodbunder after 7.30am and that would mean heavy traffic at the intersection. You'll waste quite some time there.

I'd suggest you leave Pune by 4.30-5am; that way connecting to NH8 at Ghodbunder will be a breeze.

[paragsachania]

I have something similar lined up During Diwali staring 22nd OCT till 6th November.

Since I will be be touching most of the places you intend to cover just before you start to drive, I will try to post regular updates on the route conditions.

Last I have heard is that Somnath-Dwarka is not in great shape due to rains and I am yet to get a confirmation on the current status.

On Day 1: I will be leaving Bangalore and reach Ghorbunder(NH8 Intersection) around 5-30pm, take a break for at least 4 hours before I start driving to Surat from there.
I have heard that traffic till Surat will be heavy due to construction work and for the fact that I would've driven 1000kms from Bangalore, I will not want to spend the last 250kms in traffic and rather rest before I start again.

[hvkumar]

Lots of bad roads to battle, such as the Diu-Veraval-Porbandar sector.
I also heard that roads north of Samakhiyali towards Radhapur are also in bad shape.

[Fauji]

Just came back from Ahmedabd on Sunday via Pune. Yes, there is lot of road work happenning in Ghodbunder - Manor area. However, the deviations are well asphalted and traffic moved smoothly. After Ghodbunder, it is a breeze. But you will encounter truck traffic till Vapi. As advised by Libran, leave early so that you can breeze past the traffic and hit highway.

Ahmedabad today has good stay options - Lemon Tree, Sarovar portico etc. bargain hard to get good rates. even Ginger is there. If you want real experience of staying in a heritage property, then House of MGs is the best but is expensive.

[mmxylorider]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I would very strongly advice you to leave Pune early.

By leaving at 6am, you'd reach Ghodbunder after 7.30am and that would mean heavy traffic at the intersection. You'll waste quite some time there.

I'd suggest you leave Pune by 4.30-5am; that way connecting to NH8 at Ghodbunder will be a breeze.

Thank you and "First Reply Prize"...
I will probably leave the evening before and do a night halt in Navi Mumbai. An early start of 6:00 am from there is much more convenient for me and also allows for the additional 1.5 hrs of sleep!

[mmxylorider]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Lots of bad roads to battle, such as the Diu-Veraval-Porbandar sector.
I also heard that roads north of Samakhiyali towards Radhapur are also in bad shape.

and this is where your knowledge will be helpful. I am open to suggestions and recommendation on both route as well as sequence to avoid really bad roads. I am travelling with 2 < 8 kids and though Xylo provides some better ride, I don't want my family to have a bad experience. @v&v on the discovering gujarat thread quotes as below

Originally Posted by v&v

Back yesterday night after 3500 kms Gujarat (Saurashtra region) trip. Cities covered Ahmadabad, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Narara, Dwarka, Bet dwarka, Porbandar, Somnath, Veraval, Gir, Junagadh morbi and Udaipur.

....
Road condition :


Morbi - Udaipur - Via samakhayali, radhanpur, palanpur, abu road - Best road. Covered 530 kms in just 7 hrs.

Originally Posted by Fauji

Ahmedabad today has good stay options - Lemon Tree, Sarovar portico etc. bargain hard to get good rates. even Ginger is there. If you want real experience of staying in a heritage property, then House of MGs is the best but is expensive.

I have a cousin in Ahmedabad so acco should not be a problem unless she is out of town that time. Will know in few days once I finalize my plan and let her know. But Thanks for your advice on stay.

[v&v]

I would suggest following route would save lot of time.

Pune - Ahmd - Gir (stay at gir and visit somnath, diu, veraval. Somnath - diu road is in bad shape, so we skipped this as there isnt much to see) - Dwarka (visit kirti mandir - gandhi ji's birthplace porbandar) halt at Dwarka - Morbi - Radhanpur - Abu.

Do not miss Narara marine wild life sanctuary. it is 100 kms from dwarka. You also have option to see Pirotan island but will require one full day.
Need to sync with tide timing.

if you get late, you always have option to stay at morbi.


For gir , dont take any interior roads, all are in bad shape. Go via junagadh - mendarda - Gir.

From Gir - you can reach somnath via haripur,Talala its around 40 odd kms.

Only Gir - Porbandar - 50% of porbandar - dwarka is bad. Rest all is a bliss to drive.

PM me in case you need more info.

[paragsachania]

mmxylorider, Not sure if it was you but I spotted a MH-12 Xylo taking a break just before Joining the NH-8A at Morbi on OCT 30th somewhere between 5-30 and 6-00pm.
I was doing Jamnagar-Gandhidham at the same time and still on my second week of GJ sojourn.
When I looked at your itinerary the dates were different.
It a chocolate colored Xylo (?)

[deepakkher]

i am returning to pune from ahmedabad. can you help me with the directions? i followed the route directions from pune to ahmedabad last time and found your directions to be excellent and easy to follow

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Via Bombay is the best route option.
Advised not to take the Thane road from Kalamboli, best is to come towards New Bombay, turn off at Turbhe and cross the creek at the Airoli bridge.
Proceed via Mulund and Thane and take Ghodbunder road to reach NH8 - a fast drive from there all the way to Vapi.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by deepakkher

i am returning to pune from ahmedabad. can you help me with the directions? i followed the route directions from pune to ahmedabad last time and found your directions to be excellent and easy to follow

HOW TO BYPASS BOMBAY via New Bombay - North side

On NH8, 55 kms from Manor you reach Ghodbunder. This point is 28 kms after the toll gate.
The indication that you have reached Ghodbunder is:
Left is Thane 20 kms, Straight is Dahisar 8 kms, Borivli/Bombay. You will see Hotel Fountain at the junction. You reach Ghodbunder immediately after crossing the 1/4 km long River Ulhas bridge.
Before you reach Ghodbunder, you will see a few signboards pointing to Thane/New Bombay/Pune, etc.
Please DO NOT take any of those turns, take the left turn only at Ghodbunder. TURN LEFT and Continue on the road from Ghodbunder to Thane (you will cross a toll gate 200 mtrs into the road). Road is double road all the way.
You will shortly cross a ghat, and then come down to a place where the road runs parallel to the Ulhas River (to your left).
You will start seeing several buildings and restaurants on both sides of the roads as you start approaching Thane.
You will cross a few junctions where flyover construction is going on and you may experience some minor jams depending on time of the day.
You will cross the Hyper City (right side of the road) and R-Mall (left side).
At the end of 15 kms form Ghodbunder, you will hit Majiwade, the first messy junction (round), also a flyover under construction.
Just before reaching that junction, you will see on your left a large building with Vihang’s signboard, Vijay Sales showroom, Ford dealership and on the right side the Cinemax Multiples/Mall.

After crossing this small round (road very congested at this point) (you will see Big Bazaar to your left), you will reach another confusing junction (with a flyover going across - left to right). There are 3 roads here at this junction - immediately left turn is Nasik road, immediate straight is going into Thane city, and right (and then under the flyover) is your route (the road to Bombay). You will see a board saying Pune to your left - please DO NOT take that road. TURN RIGHT at this flyover junction.
Once you are beyond the flyover, keep going straight. Immediately after this junction, you will have another flyover which you must take - this flyover is 1.5 kms long, almost an elevated road (you will see ITC Fortune Hotel & Jupiter Hospital to your right and Hotel Lerida to your left). After coming down the flyover, the road naturally curves to left and you will see another flyover - take that also - this one is a 1-junction small flyover.
Keep going and you will reach Bombay octroi naka/ check post - landmark is a large Fort-type gate across the road, lorries all over the place and some muddy boards saying Bombay - Gateway to India.
After the octroi gate, within 1/2 km, you will cross the toll gate (Rs 30 toll), and after that a flyover (this is Mulund).

Within1 km, you come to another flyover - DO NOT go on this flyover, go below and turn to the left (sign boards saying Mulund-Airoli Bridge, Airoli, New Bombay, etc, right goes to Mulund). TURN LEFT and after crossing a check post again, you will reach another toll gate (Rs 30 toll). After the toll gate, you will cross the Thane Creek (backwaters) (1.5 km bridge). At the other end, you reach Airoli in New Bombay.

After crossing the bridge, you cross a round and a signal, followed by a dip down to a subway in a T-Junction. Turn RIGHT towards Pune (left goes to Thane, right to Kopar Khairne, Turbhe, Vashi, Pune).

This is also a double road - this is the Thane-Belapur road and you will see industrial units all over. The most prominent complex will be the Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City (DAKC Complex) to your left. You will also see a Shell petrol pump. There will be several flyovers, most of them pedestrian crossings. But AVOID 2 flyovers which curve to the Right (they go to Vashi).
You will go around 10 kms on this road - you will see Kopar Khairne local railway station to your right (opposite Reliance) and after that the Turbhe railway station (Turbhe is a slum-type place).

Within 1/4 km after you cross Turbhe railway station, you will see another flyover (right going to Vashi) - keep going under it.
You have reached the main Bombay-Pune road. After Turbhe, keep going - Nerul, Belpaur (CBD, Konkan Bhavan, Park Hotel to your right) and Kalamboli which is where the Expressway to Pune starts - around 15/20 kms from Turbhe.

Distances:
Ghodbunder-Thane, 15 kms
Thane-Airoli, 13 kms
Airoli-Turbhe, 10 kms
Time estimate: 1.5 housr from Ghodbunder to Expressway

[thumpingheart]

Bumping the thread after ages I guess, but I need a bit of info.

I wanted to know the current condition of Vapi-Nashik-Pune road. Planning to use it for a leisurely drive back to Pune and may be a visit to Sula winery on the way. No hurry to reach home. Will leave Vapi at about 9 am or so.

Does anybody know the condition of this road? I have heard its pretty good. Also I'll be travelling on a weekday (Tuesday) so hopefully traffic should not be a big issue.

[dmplog]

Planning to visit Sasan Gir towards this month end from Pune.
I saw detailed instructions from Pune till joining Ahmedabad Highway in preceding posts. However what is the route guidance thereafter?

Google Maps shows a route from Karjan > Padra > Borsad > Dhandhuka > Botad. Is the road condition better?

Or is it better to take a small detour via Vadodara ring road and take exit around Anand?

Please suggest.