[Ajju16]

Hi all.... Plz suggest best route from Pune to Gokarna.
Gmaps showing 3 routes
1) Pune - Belgavi - kittur - Haliyar - Yellapur - gokarna
2) Pune - Belgavi - Hubli Dharavad - Kalaghati - Yellapur - gokarna
3) pune - Belgavi - ramnagar - Anmod ghat - NH66 Near Mobor beach Goa - Karwar - Gokarna .
all three routes showing almost same travel time with half an hour less or more.
Thank you

[nh1922]

Route Update Tilari Nagar

Route: Pune -> Nipani -> Gadhinglaj -> Tilari Nagar -> Dodamarg -> Mapusa (North Goa) -> Vasco (South Goa)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/76t7wCkzzLbF8rXt7

Short Update: The conditions are significantly better than they were earlier. There is a small diversion near Chandgad. Except that, it is a smooth drive

I took this route a few months back when I was heading to Pune from Goa. That was on
my motorcycle. This time though, I took my new Jimny along this route to Goa. Since I am a beginner, I took this route as it ensured there was only one ghat section and a lot of highway.

The highway till Nipani is the usual. Diversions along the way. Nothing to write much about. I started at 5 AM and finished the highway stretch by 9. Since I am a beginner, I didn't speed up too much.

From Nipani, we head to Gadhinglag. This section is very smooth as well. The route is very pretty and runs between fields and tall trees. As we approach Chandgad, there is a diversion due to road construction. Due to this, the route goes insider the village for 5-10 minutes and merges back into the original route. I missed out a turn on the maps and had to further drive through a village for 15 minutes to get back on track.

I considered the Tilari Ghat as it would be the only section and I felt it would be comparatively easier for a newbie. However, I was welcomed by a board stating that this is among the most dangerous ghats in india with a lot of accidents in last 6 months. While heading down the ghat, I could see why. Though the roads are decent, the hairpins are very steep with very less room on the left side. Its easy to lose control and fall into the small ditches on the side. I didn't feel this during my ascent last time but during the descent, it did scare me a bit. The section isn't all that long and merges into smooth roads.

Roads from Tilari to Dodamarg looked like they had been worked on. They were much smoother than they were last time I took this route. The craters are gone and the speed breakers are also removed.

Dodamarg to Vasco is the same old story. Roads in Goa are quite smooth.

Did a total of 481 KMs and reached home in 11 hours including breaks.

This is a very smooth route with very less commercial and public transport traffic. Its quite easy to maintain decent speeds. This also merges near Mapusa, making it easier to reach South Goa if you do not take the Anmod / Chorla Ghat routes.

Overall, a great alternative to Anuskura route. For enthusiasts, I'd still recommend Anuskura.

[salilbawa]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Hello Dr, thanks for the update. Any idea how the Tilari ghat route is at present? I might visit Goa in Nov, and am thinking of using this route then.

I am planning to go on my first Road trip to Goa. We are going from Mumbai to North Goa tomorrow morning around 4am in newly acquired XUV700.

A friend recommended Mumbai - Pune - Kolhapur - Nipani - Sawantwadi – Goa route saying this is shorter.

Another friend recommended Mumbai - Pune - Karad - Narayanwadi(leave NH48) - Malkapur - Manjare - Anuskura Ghat - Oni(NH66) and then North Goa.

Friends. Please advise which route is better and how much time each route will take.

Thanks

[ToothyPetrohead]

I have made a plan to travel in the first week of next month i.e. April and to take the Mumbai- Pune- Karad-Malkapur-Anuskura-Oni-Goa route .

I would like suggestions for good/decent clean hotels for food and toilets as travel is with family . Especially from Karad-Malkapur-Anuskura-Oni.

Thanks.

[sunny13]

I am planning to take the above stated route as well but the plan is to travel in a Day or two. Hence looking for quick suggestions on decent eateries for breakfast and lunch both ways too.

[Jangra]

I travelled last week to Goa from Mumbai via Anuskura Ghat. I do Goa 2-3 times a year but had never taken this route before.
Must say was totally impressed with it. Most of the diversions on Mumbai Bangalore highway is post Satara and if you take Anuskura route, you make a right post Karad and you hardly get 4-5 diversion.
From NH4 until you hit NH66 (100 kms before Northa Goa) is about 180 kms and roads are smooth with very less Vehicles and scenic.
Last 100kms into Goa on NH66 will take you 1.25hrs as it’s 6 lane and again very less traffic. This will be my route going fwd.
We left home at 6am and were in North Goa at 3.30 with about 45 min breakfast and bio break.

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by salilbawa

A friend recommended Mumbai - Pune - Kolhapur - Nipani - Sawantwadi – Goa route saying this is shorter.

Another friend recommended Mumbai - Pune - Karad - Narayanwadi(leave NH48) - Malkapur - Manjare - Anuskura Ghat - Oni(NH66) and then North Goa.

Friends. Please advise which route is better and how much time each route will take.

Thanks

I’ve taken the second route a couple of times in 2023 and my recent preference by far is the second route (Malkapur - Anuskura). Search back a few pages and you will get plenty of posts discussing this route in more detail.

Originally Posted by ToothyPetrohead

I would like suggestions for good/decent clean hotels for food and toilets as travel is with family . Especially from Karad-Malkapur-Anuskura-Oni.

Thanks.

Rane Dining is very nice. Below is the location pin. It’s also a pretty scenic spot to stop at. Again, more information if you back track some pages to 2022 / 2023 posts about this route.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbZck293Rtu58Nr79?g_st=ic

EDIT:

Just to make your work easier, this Post No. 4151 by me links back to some relevant posts that detail out the Anuskura route - one from member Paragsachania and another from my own trip in the Meridian.

[Floyd de Souza]

Google maps has been suggesting the NH66 route from Mumbai to Goa for a couple of weeks or so. It shows at least a half hour less than any other route. Any sanctity in this?

[hothatchaway]

I drove to Goa from Hyderabad last week and went through the Nipani Ajara Sawantwadi Nh66 and the stretch from Ajara onto the starting of Amboli has no roads and is a nightmare. Only after the ghat starts does it begins to improve.

Took the Mapusa Dodamarg Tilari Kolhapur while returning

[sinharishi]

Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza

Google maps has been suggesting the NH66 route from Mumbai to Goa for a couple of weeks or so. It shows at least a half hour less than any other route. Any sanctity in this?

Yeah. I am leaving for Coorg, with a stopover at Agonda. Google maps has been suggesting NH66 throughout. Someone who drove via NH66 suggested entering the highway at Mangaon via MPEW-Khalapur-Pali-Mangaon-NH66. However, BHPians from Mumbai/Pune recommend Anuskura route, even though there are diversions on NH48.

[Lux_Noob]

Originally Posted by Lux_Noob

Hi Folks, I am planning a Mumbai to Goa (Candolim) road trip in the last week of this month. Wanted suggestions on the best route and how much should I trust google maps on such long routes.

Finished the trip yesterday. Given my maiden long journey, played it safe by breaking the journey in Pune (staying with extended family). This way I also avoided the long weekend rush on both legs between Mumbai-Pune (by leaving on the 2nd day of the long weekend on both sides). Based on the forum recommendations, chose the Anushkura ghat route and found it to be great. There are very short patches of diversions on NH48 around Karad, which are tolerable. I hit this patch around 8-9 am. Started from Pune (Koregaon park) at around 6 am and reached Goa (Candolim) by 3.30 pm. Took only a 20 minute short break at Vitthal Kamath (somewhere before Karad) for breakfast. Food is okay but hygienic and washrooms are tolerably clean. Return journey was started at 8 am from Candolim and reached Pune (Koregaon Park) largely non stop at 5.30 pm (with very short tea and sugarcane juice breaks).

Learned some noob tips on using google maps
- If one put multiple stops on the gmap, say Pune-Karad-Oni-Goa, Gmap will try to take you to whatever the center point of that city/vilage it thinks is right before directing you to the next stop. For instance, I was being made to enter into Karad city from NH48 unnecessarily. Thankfully, not being very young, I am fairly comfortable in using offline maps (i.e. stopping the car and asking locals for directions ). A simple method if using gmap is to put exact points on the map e.g. “Saj Furniture world” on the highway at Karad (NH48) to make sure you exit NH48 at the right location and and “Pachal-Kolhapur-Fata” to make sure you exit at ONI and not Kharepatan to hit NH66 for Panaji.
Watch this video (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcJTpfIZhrk

) at 8.10 minutes to not be misguided by google at NH48 near Karad and take the exit near Saj Furniture/McDonalds. Google gave me the exact mis-guidance and I was saved by this video which I had researched prior, so I was prepared.
Similarly this video (

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEVCwo-vKmQ

) at 21.04 explains the exact turn from NH66 towards ONI.
- Gmap also tries to reroute around the Malkapur-ONI stretch to some narrow roads. Avoid it and just continue on the main road (it is the one which is the most well marked).
- in the ghat section, mobile signal is sparse, so make sure you have the offline route downloaded on your mobile before you start. In terms of network coverage in this section, I found Jio>Airtel>VI (family members have different sims).
- Anushkura ghat is quite picturesque but I passed it by on both legs at peak afternoon time and it was quite hot, so couldn’t spend too much time here but clicked a few pictures). The ghat is not very difficult to navigate even though it has some sharp bends but most of these are very wide turns which make it easy. Also lanes are marked very well so newbie drivers can just stick to their side of the road while turning. I do not think even first time ghat drivers will have any issue navigating this ghat. I do not know if I was lucky but there was barely any traffic on the ghat on both sides so maybe that helped me.

Car experience
Overall mileage (Q3) on both legs was around 13 kmpl with 95 RON petrol. As a side note, during the first few months of ownership, I was putting normal petrol in the car and would get shockingly high mileage of 18 kmpl on the WE highway in Mumbai, but never saw >13 mileage with 95 RON which is quite perplexing.
Overall with its great suspension, low NVH levels and significant power on tap which makes overtaking a breeze, Q3 turned out to be a superb companion for this long drive with barely any discomfort. Only negative thing I observed on my return journey was the engine became vocal temporarily on pedal presses on the latter half of the journey but I am guessing it maybe due to near non stop 9.5 hour run and high 30 degrees outside temperature. It seems car should be given at least 30 minute break every 4-5 hours. Thankfully, I had planned the trip close to my 1st due service, so car is going to get pampered pretty soon!

Cruise Control
Overall it is useful even though one may not be able to use it for long stretches given need to press brakes frequently which disengages it. But even if your legs get a 30-60 second break every now and then, it is still quite helpful on long trips. And engaging the CC back is also just a gentle tap of the lever. It actually made me wonder how great adaptive cruise control like in XC40 can be on such trips. Also helps you maintain speed limits on camera infested highways. I installed the radarbot app for speed camera warnings. It is quite vocal (read useful) on Mumbai Pune EWAY and till about 2 hours from Pune to Goa on NH48. Beyond this there was barely any speed camera warnings and none on NH66. You can start the app and lock the phone and put it away, it beeps and gives you a vocal warning in advance.

[madgoks]

Hello everyone,

I'm driving down to Goa from Pune end of this week. I plan to start around 0530/ 0600h from Pune and take the route through the Anuskura ghat. Plan to stop at the McDonald's near Karad for breakfast. Could someone suggest good places to have lunch?

Also where is it recommended to get fuel? What about the return route? Recommended places for breakfast and lunch and some place to get fuel.

TIA

[Axe77]

Originally Posted by madgoks

Could someone suggest good places to have lunch?

What about the return route ... recommended places for breakfast and lunch and some place to get fuel..

Please search and scroll through this thread and you should find answers to most of your questions.

[ToothyPetrohead]

“Life is short, take the scenic route”.

Well I did just that, after a lot of research and advice from our esteemed members on our group here as well as U-Tube videos of what to anticipate as I drive to Goa and the route I zeroed in on the Mumbai- Pune- Karad- Malkapur- Anuskura Ghat- Pachal- Oni and then connect to the NH66 highway at Pachal-Kolhapur-Fata to Goa.

Boy oh Boy! It is one of the best roads I have ever used till date. Having used the Amboli ghat road via Nipani many a times and the Chorla Ghat route out of South Goa to connect to the NH48 earlier this route is a zephyr of fresh air.

The twisties are more challenging if it is a novice taking this route but for a regular it is orgasmic with the beautiful well tarred roads with curves and minimal traffic en route.

One important point though restrooms and toilets for the lady folk is a bit of a problem so have to plan it well , as well as at places the network is sketchy as pointed out in the numerous posts above.

Offline maps helps a lot though. Petrol pumps are there along the way I didn’t have any problem either.

Rane Dining somehow I missed both times while going and coming. The Anuskura Resort 4.7 stars also ( for the bio break / snack) I did miss while going but saw a small turning when coming back .I didn’t stop there though. There was no clear board indicating the resort.

The resort that really came to our rescue was the Cherilyn Monte Resort (4.3 stars, Gorulewadi, Ozer Junction Oni, Tal, Rajapur) the board was faded out but due to my proper study of the route found it. It was excellent as a break the rest room and restaurant was clean and food was good. It is around 2.5 hrs. from Goa.

The road going was clear no traffic or jams at Lonavala. I have been caught up on three previous occasions at the approach to Lonavala due to heavy vehicular traffic up to an hour at times. (after leaving mumbai at 4:30 am)

Diversions galore from Satara to Karad in particular can be really annoying as at times the road was bad and two wheelers a nuisance coming wrong side also. Cops standing there were doing nothing about it.

Speed breakers on the NH66 to Goa also at certain spots like the yet to be started toll booths some quite uncomfortable if taken at speed. I did get caught up by a couple of them.

The only encounter for speed guns and cameras were on the expressway and getting out of Pune the usual ones later on the road was peaceful .One can maintain a constant speed.

On the way back a bit of confusion at Rajapur, the bridge was closed and no proper indications on how to continue forward as the service road was also blocked. Spoke to a few locals who directed me to take the turn (right) below the bridge take the opposite side service road and proceed to cross on to the main highway from wrong side.

Another hurdle came at Oni where the Google maps indicated to go below the bridge on service road (Took a wrong turn) but with the help of locals got on to the correct road once again. I had to proceed straight over a small bridge and ahead of it take a right turn to join the Pachal-Kolhapur-Fata below the overhead main bridge.

The road is scenic with windmills and beautiful multicolored Bougainvillea lining the median at many places NH66 besides Cassia fistula, also known as golden shower trees (Yellow flowers) and yellow flame trees along the way.

Caution for the two wheelers and tractors carrying harvested sugarcane and at times heavy vehicles mainly on the road nearing and around Malkapur. Ghat section along the curves blowing of the horn generously a must as oncoming traffic overtaking rampant at places.

Thanks to my tire pressure monitor one tire was losing air (I have a tire inflator also) but found a shop at Pachal and refilled the tire (no puncture).

The weather was hot temperatures reaching up to 42 degrees at times. Make sure to carry water to hydrate one’s self. I would also advise to drive during the day time and carry food and snacks as not many restaurants along this route unlike Amba Ghat side.

Certain stretches mainly in the ghat section along Raipatan and Pachal sections, if I am not mistaken the road is narrow two vehicle have to pass quite carefully.

While coming back I took the turn off the expressway at Panvel to continue on the Atal Setu Bridge to reach Dadar. I must saw quite a time saver. While going went the normal route via Navi Mumbai.

Going and coming took me around 10 hours and 45 minutes of commute with 3-4 stops along the way.

“The freedom of the open road is seductive, serendipitous and absolutely liberating” - Aaron Lauritsen

[cedricgonsalves]

Hi folks,
After reading the above comments, it seems that Karad - Malkapur - Anuskura - Oni is the best route to drive towards Goa from Mumbai/Pune.
However, I want to know what is the conditions of Ajra - Amboli route and also the routes that go via Bellgaum (Chorla/ Bhimgad wildlife - Anmod)
This would be really helpful as I have a trip planned on Monday 15 April.