Team-BHP - Mumbai - Pune - Kolhapur

Just completed a 6 day trip to south Goa and Karwar from pune

Took the Chorla route while going, was very comfortable, no issues at all, roads are in very good shape all the way.

Returned from Karwar via Anmod, again roads are very good , only faced one issue with Google maps taking the shortest route , had to take some short avoidable routes near quepem but otherwise enjoyable trip with one stop at kolhapur mcD . 565km in 10.5hrs

Hi Guys,

Drove back to Goa from Bombay a couple of days ago.
The toll boots are getting worse by the day. Even though a couple of them have been expanded to 8 lanes there were still traffic jams. Lost about 45 minutes at the 6 toll booths.Even the Expressway toll booth is taking longer than usual.
Used the Chorla Ghat as usual. Nothing new to mention. The Chorla Ghat road is as good as ever. Quite a few more speed breakers have been added in Goa. I counted 39 speed breakers between the Goa border and Mapuca. :Frustrati
Also on the NH4 they have laid sort of "Rumbling Strips" before each intersection on the road. Another pain.
Was stopped twice by Police. Once at Kolhapur (on the highway just near the Kolhapur flyover) and once in Belgaum City. They were checking documents especially PUC - so anyone driving down, beware!! No issues at all as all papers were in order. Very polite. Ended with "Please Drive Safe Sir"!!:eek:
Took me 10 hours this time including all stops.
Stopped at Sai International for breakfast. Sad to note that the food quality has gone down. Slow service. Tasteless food. Thank God at least the washrooms are still clean.
Regards,
SS

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee (Post 4189630)

Thanks for the warning, but isn't the car fuel system supposed to be tuned for the ethanol blend? Which car did you drive?

It's a Civic and is supposed to handle ethanol, but the petrol probably had a lot more than the ethanol 10% mentioned on the pump.

I'm still facing issues with the car because of this incidence.

Hi,

We (me, spouse and 6-year-old daughter) are doing our maiden Goa-Pune drive on Saturday. The plan is to start by 5:00 am. From this thread, the route is very clear - Chorla, Belgaum, Satara and then Pune. Wanted to know options for breakfast and restroom break for the family.

How much time would it usually take with sedate driving and 30 mins of break time?

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Vindy

Quote:

Originally Posted by VindyWheels (Post 4215436)

Budget for 8hrs-9hrs drive from Goa(depending on where your start point is).If you leave Goa by 5am,you should be at Tavandi by 8-9am and Pune Bypass by about 12pm.I suggest you plan your departure in such a way so that you are at Sankam for breakfast.

You can either stop at Belgaum-Sankam Residency (excellent buffet breakfast and economical).Else Kolhapur Mcdonalds,Sai International after Kolhapur(on your right),Kamat just before Sankeshwar ,then there is/was Goa Ves on Tavandi ghat alongwith a few other restaurants as well on Tavandi.Sankam gets my vote though.

Vindy,

Try Sai International at Kolhapur for average food, but the bonus part is clean washrooms (specially for the A/C restaurant). Next stop can be Hotel Ramdev or Hotel Panchamrutam in Belgavi. There are various Pizza joints etc in Belgavi where you can grab a few bites as well.

This would take around eight to ten hours with breaks.

All the best with your maiden drive. Have fun on the way and in Goa as well :thumbs up

Hi,

Do not take the kol-nipani-ajara-amboli-sawantwadi. The single road for almost 100kms is patchy on most of the journey. The problem is not with the road, but you won't find any connectivity in middle and only those who are routed by "google map" go through this part. Better take the Belgavi-Chorla Ghat", as this might be bit busy route, but you can many many connectives such as fellow riders and more villages in between if you are caught unaware due to any failure. I went to Goa from Pune via this Nipani-Amboli route and on my way back I came by Chorla-Belgavi route and found latter to be better than former.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranjitp1 (Post 4215495)

then there is/was Goa Ves on Tavandi ghat alongwith a few other restaurants as well on Tavandi....

Still there Ranjit and with it Kaveri and Satyavati.
There is a new Hotel White house too on the Ghat a bit lower I think.

There is nothing wrong with the nipani ajra sawantwadi road, and I still use in preference to Chorla to drive to North Goa. It has less traffic that is true, but if you park anywhere on it for 10-15 minutes, many vehicles will pass you from either side so I am never worried about any breakdown emergency assistance there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawyer (Post 4217042)

Agree with you. I am basically from Belgaum and I can vouch for the fact that Amboli route has more traffic and amenities like hotels, fuel stations than Chorla road. Infact there is no comparison. So chances of getting deserted are more on Chorla road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawyer (Post 4217042)

I would agree with Sawyer on this matter agree: . Increasingly, travellers going to Goa (North in particular) are preferring the Nipani Ajra Amboli route, may be attributed to the improvement in the road conditions (Chorla was always better). Also, there are few villages in this stretch so it isn't that deserted in my opinion.

My first drive to Goa by road was in 1992. But since 1995, I have used the Sankeshwar Gadinglaj Ajra Amboli route, and since 2009, the shorter road via Nipani Uttur. I used Chorla a couple of times in 2014 after hearing about it, but always found the Nipani road faster for North Goa; largely because it is shorter. The surface almost always is broken in places in the aftermath of the monsoon and fixed by the end of the calendar year, but it is still my preferred route. If one uses the better alternative out of Sawantwadi to get to NH17 instead of the narrow road past the police station, another fifteen minutes are saved.

Just drove from Mumbai to Goa via Chorla yesterday - 18 July 2017. Very heavy rains have damaged the Chorla ghat road at multiple places. Minor landslides and cave-ins also observed. Drive with caution on this road and check for further deterioration in driving conditions from cabbies at Belgaum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzuki san (Post 4236407)

Hi Guys,

Please note that Chorla Ghat is closed due to landslides and uprooted trees.
Suggest using Amboli Ghat instead.

Regards,
SS

Thanks for the information suzuki san. I will be off to Goa on the 29th and usually take the Chorla route as my destination is Vasco. Do you think the road conditions would have improved by then?