[adi58]

I’ve just completed my road trip from Mumbai to Goa and back via the Amboli Ghat route. The NH48 stretch from Pune to Nipani is rough, with endless diversions and very poor road quality. However, Nipani Ajara Amboli, the roads are newly paved and wide, making for a smoother drive. Amboli Ghat itself, though, is in poor condition, but after the ghat ends, the roads improve significantly up to Sawantwadi. Don’t expect an average speed beyond 40-50 km/h for your entire journey.


Nipani-Ajara-Amboli

[CANPUSH]

Going to Goa this month from Pune.

I am aware Anuskura ghat is best option, yet I wish to visit Kolhapur either while going or while returning.

Has anyone recently travelled through Phonda ghat from Kolhapur to Kanakvali? If yes, how is the road quality?

What is latest status of Chorla ghat road?

Please update.

TIA.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

What is latest status of Chorla ghat road?

On the Chorla route, road from Belgaum to Delta Huts restaurant is 50-50. It is broken in quite a few places, but underbody scraping of the vehicle can be easily avoided by careful driving. Just don't drive too fast, as some of the bad patches are on curves and can catch you unawares. After Delta Huts, road is mostly good all the way till Goa, with the odd broken patch.

Currently, heavy commercial vehicles are not allowed in Chorla (though you might see the odd rule flouting truck), so that helps in maintaining a decent average speed. Even with my sedate driving, I could cover almost 100 km from Belgaum to my first stop in Goa in 2.5 hours, with one short Tea break at Delta.

This is the status as of 25th Oct.

Happy journey!

P.S: Please note that due to road widening work, there are lots of diversions (probably 80% of the route) from Kognoli toll plaza till Belgaum, and this will add to your travel time.

[roadie_swift]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Going to Goa this month from Pune.

I am aware Anuskura ghat is best option, yet I wish to visit Kolhapur either while going or while returning.

Has anyone recently travelled through Phonda ghat from Kolhapur to Kanakvali? If yes, how is the road quality?

What is latest status of Chorla ghat road?

Please update.

TIA.

If possible pls avoid the Kolhapur-Belgaum stretch. I traveled from Pune to Goa on 31st Oct, and this was the most painful stretch. Overall it took us close to 8 hours from Pune to Belgaum.

I think you can travel to Kolhapur from Pune and then take the Radhanagari route to Goa if you’re going to North Goa.

We actually ended up travelling via Dandeli - Anshi - Sadashivgad - Canacon to Palolem, and the roads were decent all throughout.

Cheers,
R_S

[pjbiju]

Just completed two back to back Goa trips from Pune. The first one was on 25-Oct and the second one on 30-Oct. The first trip was to Bogmalo and the second one was to Candolim. We took the Pune->Karad->Kokrud->Malkapur->Anuskura Ghat->Pachal->Raipatan->Oni->Rajapur->Kharepatan->Goa.

The roads up to Karad are now in better condition with some diversions. There is a level difference between concrete sections between the old and new ones at many places. So, you will find sudden dips and sudden climbs between these sections. There is a sharp bump like construction as you enter the bridge on the river Nira (after Kapurhol) that can take one by surprise and the car can be airborne if you are not careful.

Roads are good all the way to Anuskura ghat with some speed breakers (mostly unmarked) around villages. After Anuskura ghat, the roads are patchy for around 30 km. The road is riddled with small and sometimes large potholes. The smaller potholes are 1 or 2 inches deep and flat. So, any car with with a large sidewall (sidewall height) tyres can travel at higher speeds at most of the places. Do not take any shortcuts suggested by Google Maps and stick to the main roads. I have shown below two such suggestions by Google Maps that you need to avoid.




Roads are good once you enter NH66. There are speed breakers at some places around Rajapur.

If anyone is interested in Goan Seafood, you can try Ankita Classic Warkhand Road. This is just at the border of MH/Goa and is hardly a couple of min from the highway. They have a huge parking as well. If one starts at around 5 a.m. (highway near Warje etc.) from Pune, you will reach this restaurant by around 1:30 - 2:00 p.m.

Once you enter Goa, the speed limit is 70 kmph on the highway and you may find Goa police with speed guns along the highway. On the regular interior roads of Goa, the speed limit is 40 kmph.

We also noticed that between Oni and Malkapur at some places there was no network coverage for Airtel or Jio.

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by roadie_swift

I think you can travel to Kolhapur from Pune and then take the Radhanagari route to Goa if you’re going to North Goa.

R_S

Thanks for update

Any Idea of condition of Kolhapur - Radhanagari - Kanakvli route road conditions?

[roadie_swift]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

condition of Kolhapur - Radhanagari - Kanakvli route road conditions?

No idea, however I should be able to give you an update by tomorrow (5/11) EOD

Don’t really have any inputs, but I’m going to risk it nonetheless. Definitely not going to take the Belgaum-Nippani-Kolhapur route again.

Watch this space


Cheers,
R_S

[Darkcloud]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Thanks for update

Any Idea of condition of Kolhapur - Radhanagari - Kanakvli route road conditions?

I did this route last month on an ADV motorcycle. The road from beginning of Radhanagari sanctuary upto the start of Phondaghat is in a bad state. The entire stretch is full of potholes, some the sizes of craters, with no presence of any road surface in many parts. The road in Dajipur Sanctuary is the worst affected. As I travelled right in the middle of monsoon the craters were full of muddy water making the ride quite tedious. Cars on the route were having a very difficult time getting through.

Phondaghat itself is better than the above road but has a lot of small stretches at intervals with potholes and gravel. Some parts of the ghat had been turned into single lane due to landslide or unfinished roadworks.

Would not recommend this road if travelling by car or with a family.

[roadie_swift]

Originally Posted by Darkcloud

Would not recommend this road if travelling by car or with a family.

Okay, so this changes things. Looks like I’ll have to give Radhanagari a miss this time round. ☹️

But thanks for the heads-up, @Darkcloud.


Cheers,
R_S

[chandrachur]

We just completed our Goa Trip.

Pune to Goa (Via Anuskura Ghat):
Started from Pune (Balewadi) at 420 am.
Took the turning after Karad at 7 am. Upto Satara, the road was good. Even on Khambatki Ghat, the road was good.
Lots of diversions and sudden jumps and dips between Satara and Karad.
After Karad, till Anuskura, the ride was magical. No traffic, a lightly foggy morning, and a wonderful road. After the ghat, a small patch was rough.
After Oni, once you hit NH66, the road was buttery smooth. There are a few sharp turns where you have to brake, but overall it was good.
Found police with speed gun just after a construction diversion (the only one after Oni, just after crossing Goa MH border).

Reached Arambol at 1 pm. Overall, extremely smooth drive.

Goa - Kolhapur - Pune
While coming back, we went to Kolhapur for a one night stay.
Started at 530 am from Nerul Airbnb. Amboli ghat road was a big headache. Too narrow, with broken edges, no road signs. Every 500 mtrs or so, a rough patch of 200 mtrs. Thankfully, traffic was less.
Google took us through Ajara, Uttur then forced a turn towards Madhyal. Surprisingly, this road was good till Nipani.
After Nipani till Kolhapur, numerous diversions are there. The sudden jumps and drops were less this side though.

From Kolhapur, we started again at 530 am and reached Pune by 10 am. Diversions were not a big surprise by now.

In some diversions, they had bad speedbreakers. Be careful with these speed breakers.

Overall, if you don't have to go to Kolhapur, from Pune Anuskura ghat is certainly the best road now.

We took multiple breaks in each leg for breakfast, stretching and bio. Carry pee-safe sprays as restrooms in many places were not clean.
My Hyryder was super comfortable to drive.

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by chandrachur

Amboli ghat road was a big headache. Too narrow, with broken edges, no road signs. Every 500 mtrs or so, a rough patch of 200 mtrs. Thankfully, traffic was less.
.

Did you take direct road to Amboli from Banda or drove through Sawantwadi?

[chandrachur]

Originally Posted by CANPUSH

Did you take direct road to Amboli from Banda or drove through Sawantwadi?

Took the direct road as suggested by Google.

[alpha_omega]

Originally Posted by roadie_swift

No idea, however I should be able to give you an update by tomorrow (5/11) EOD

R_S - do you have any update on road condition? im planning to take this route for my upcoming bike trip to Goa.

[Sa!lor]

Hello everyone I need help planning trip from Kolhapur to Goa and return from Goa to Nashik.

Kolhapur to Goa ( 3rd Jan 2025 ) : As lot of people have suggested Amboli ghat section is not in good condition what is the alternate route that I can consider? I don't mind adding some extra kms if road conditions are better.
Should I consider any of the below routes :

Kolhapur - Kale - Kharepatan - Goa.
Kolhapur - Anuskura ghat - Kharepatan - Goa.
Kolhapur - Kagal - Nipani - Gandhinglaj - Chandgad - Goa.

Goa to Nashik ( 7th Jan 2025 ) : I want to avoid route via Pune and chiplun so I am considering below route with one night stop.

Goa - Gandhinglaj - Nipani - Kolhapur - Satara - Jejuri - Shikrapur - Alephata - Nashik.

Goa - Kharepatan - Anuskura ghat - Satara - Jejuri - Shikrapur - Alephata - Nashik.

Planning to go via jejuri as I visit jejuri every year and know some good night halt places in jejuri so plan is to drive from Goa to Jejuri on Day 1 and Jejuri to Nashik on Day 2.

If anyone has travelled on any of the routes and can give suggestions it will be very helpful for me to plan.

[CANPUSH]

I just completed Pune - Malvan - Goa - Pune trip.

The road I took and condition of road is as below:

Pune - Malvan - Goa

I drove Pune - Karad - Malkapur - Anuskura - Oni - Kankavali - Achra - Malvan - Kudal - Ponda

Pune to Satara condition is OK One can drive comfortably at 80 kmph but at places surface is broken and worn out. Satara to Karad there is road widening work going on hence at places either there is diversion or only one lane is available. It slows down your travel.
Starting at 6.40 am we reached Hotel Pankaj by 9.15 am

Once we get on to Malkapur road it is butter smooth surface till you decend Anuskura ghats. From the bottom of the ghat till you join NH66 near Oni road is bad in patches. NH66 is in very good condion except a small patch of 100 meters where only one side of road is available. It took us 3 hours 40 minutes to reach Kanakavali.

Kankavali - Achara road is excellent condition except patch of 1 km where road work is going on. Achara - Malvan - Chauke - Kudal road is in fairly good condition except few patches of potholes.

Kudal to Goa border road is good Once in Goa before Pernem there is one diversion where road is two lane but freshly laid.

After Mapusa there is one diversion for flyover construction that slows you down. Similarly at Alto Porvorim flyover construction diversion leads to congestion, however, there is alternate route.

Between Old Goa and Ponda road condition is good but there are sudden potholes.

For Return

We took - Ponda - Banda - Amboli - Ajra - Gargoti - Kolhapur - Pune route.

Banda - Amboli road starts with unpaved patch of 500 meters but later till Danoli road is ok with few rough and bad patches. Amboli ghat road is not in good condition lot of potholes and broken patches.

Once you divert for Ajra past Amboli road is freshly laid concrete road with 8 to 10 bridge patches where only one lane is available. Most patches are very short 10 to 20 meters only. Ajra - Gargoti - Kolhapur road is in very good condition but many small towns on the way. I took that road to avoid Nipani - Kolhapur section that is said to be bad due to many diversions.

Kolhapur - Satara section has many diversions. Few good and few bad. Unfortunately yesterday evening there was huge traffic. Further, there is diversion at Khandala that is usually jammed. It took us 6 hours to drive from Kolhapur to Pune.