Help on a BLR->Mahabaleshwar->Aurangabad->Hampi Circuit

santhosh_kumard · 22nd July 2009, 21:17

Errr.. first of all Apologies for a long Title.

I am getting in a whole week vacation

during September. So I am planning to do this circuit from Sep-4/5th to Sep-12/13th. I would prefer reaching back on 12th itself since after this long circuit I would really love a day of sleep/blog/photoupload

- I need a good vacation since its almost 2 years I had been to somewhere!.
- Thanks to recession, I do not have extravagant budget. The minimal, the better. But I got my wifey with me, so cleanliness and decent place must.
- Gotto do this in car. Only I drive and would not go above 100 on cruise speeds.
- I can start on Friday postlunch since most of the office will be empty by that time

.
- If there is any wifi in or around the places of stay, nothing like that. LOL!

My plan
---------
(1) BLR->Jog Falls.
-- Where do I stay to optimally maximise length travelled in that day and then see JOG Falls evening (or / and ) early morning?. I am trying to do this so that the next day I dont have to do a longer one.

(2) Jog Falls->Mahabaleshwar.
-- I am thinking of MTDC resorts ( hopefully available). Is there other good VFM options ?. How many days are required to see this place?. If there is shortage of time I might skip this and keep it for a later trip sometime, please advice.

(3) Mahabaleshwar->Aurangabad (via AhmedNagar)
-- I find many threads here univocal about MTDC, Aurangabad. So that is decided but how much time does it take to cover this strech and can I byepass Pune and still find a decent road?. AhmedNagar I read contains a couple of interesting places. So estimating around 3 hours there.

(4) Aurangabad->Ellora & Surroundings->Aurangabad
-- All Comments Welcome

(5) Aurangabad -> Ajanta-> Lonar
-- Reach Lonar by end of day and stay at MTDC. Watch Lonar Sunset / Sunrise. Any comments welcome.

(6) Lonar -> Solapur/Bijapur ?
-- Again there is this confusion here. Should I go till Bijapur or Solapur. Which is the best place to stay(VFM)?. Please advice on best routes.

(7) Solapur/Bijapur->Bijapur->Badami/Hospet?
-- Again I need to see Hampi ( Can skip Badami ? ). I may also be going for a visit early morning. Please do advice where do I stay and sorts?.

(8) Badami/Hospet -> Hampi -> Bangalore

Thanks for reading through this.

hvkumar · 22nd July 2009, 23:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by santhosh_kumard

My plan
---------
(1) BLR->Jog Falls.
-- Where do I stay to optimally maximise length travelled in that day and then see JOG Falls evening (or / and ) early morning?. I am trying to do this so that the next day I dont have to do a longer one.

Stay at Shimoga - Hotel Jewel Rock, and a few other hotels. Not very expensive, decent food. 2 hours before Jog Falls. Sagar, which is 1 hour before Jog, also has a small hotel.

Quote:

(2) Jog Falls->Mahabaleshwar.
-- I am thinking of MTDC resorts ( hopefully available). Is there other good VFM options ?. How many days are required to see this place?. If there is shortage of time I might skip this and keep it for a later trip sometime, please advice.

MTDC is a nice place, but not so well-maintained and often full during holidays/ weekends. Lots of budget hotels in M'War, although I don't know any.

Quote:

(3) Mahabaleshwar->Aurangabad (via AhmedNagar)
-- I find many threads here univocal about MTDC, Aurangabad. So that is decided but how much time does it take to cover this strech and can I byepass Pune and still find a decent road?. AhmedNagar I read contains a couple of interesting places. So estimating around 3 hours there.

The advantage of going via Pune is you have the advantage of a fast 4-lane road via Ahmednagar, besides going on the 4-lane GQ to Pune from M'war.

MTDC is a convenient location, decent acco, great parking, budget rates.

Heard of the A'Nagar Fort, never visited it.

Quote:

(4) Aurangabad->Ellora & Surroundings->Aurangabad

Quote:

-- All Comments Welcome

You can do the circuit of A'bad-Ellora-Grishneshwar-Daulatabad-A'Bad city in a day.

Quote:

(5) Aurangabad -> Ajanta-> Lonar
-- Reach Lonar by end of day and stay at MTDC. Watch Lonar Sunset / Sunrise. Any comments welcome.

Ajanta is a 2-hour drive. You can spend anywhere from 2-5 hours in Ajanta alone. You can drive direct from Ajanta to Lonar via Buldana (3 hours). There is only MTDC to stay at Lonar. Pretty small place, very lonely.

Quote:

(6) Lonar -> Solapur/Bijapur ?
-- Again there is this confusion here. Should I go till Bijapur or Solapur. Which is the best place to stay(VFM)?. Please advice on best routes.

Come from Lonar to Jalna (Aurangabad) and take the highway to Solapur via Beed and Osmanabad. Bijapur is 2 hours from Solapur on NH13.

Quote:

(7) Solapur/Bijapur->Bijapur->Badami/Hospet?
-- Again I need to see Hampi ( Can skip Badami ? ). I may also be going for a visit early morning. Please do advice where do I stay and sorts?.

Assuming you leave from Bijapur, you could be in Hospet/Hampi by midday, with an early morning start. But you need a day to see around Hampi.

(8) Badami/Hospet -> Hampi -> Bangalore

Thanks for reading through this.[/quote]

santhosh_kumard · 23rd July 2009, 12:54

Thank you HVK for the tips.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The advantage of going via Pune is you have the advantage of a fast 4-lane road via Ahmednagar, besides going on the 4-lane GQ to Pune from M'war.

HVK,
Via Pune, would I be required to go through the city or is there some by-pass which I can use to proceed to AhmedNagar?.

-Thanks

hvkumar · 23rd July 2009, 13:13

Unfortunately, you have to come into the city. But there is also another route which will help you avoid most of the city. Instead of turning off the Katraj bypass towards Khel Gaon/Bombay side, turn back towards Katraj and join the Pune-Satara old Katraj Tunnel route. There is a road from there to the Ahmednagar highway, but for exact details, I must leave it to Puneites to elaborate.

Quote:

Via Pune, would I be required to go through the city or is there some by-pass which I can use to proceed to AhmedNagar?.

santhosh_kumard · 23rd July 2009, 13:33

Damn!, Amazing quick replies. Thank you!. :-)

santhosh_kumard · 23rd July 2009, 20:55

HVK sir,
One more question I had is what is the route to take to go from Jog Falls to Mahabaleshwar ?. MapMyIndia shows me a wierd route via Panjim, which I am not really sure of.

-Thanks

hvkumar · 23rd July 2009, 21:02

There are 2-3 ways to go.

Option 1:
Jog Falls-Honavar-NH17-Kumta-Ankola-Karwar-Madgaon-Panaji-Savantwadi-Kanakavali-Rajapur-Hathkamba-Chiplun-Khed-Pholadpur-off NH17-Mahabaleswar

Apart from navigating Goa State, you also face the hills of NH17. Besides, the road from Pholadpur (where you leave NH17) to Mahabaleswar (30 kms) is bad.

Option 2:
Jog Falls-Siddapura-Sirsi-NH4 on the way-Hubli-Belgaum-Kolhapur-Karad-Satara-Wai-off NH4-Panchgani-Mahabaleswar.

Although road via Siddapura to Sirsi takes damage during rains, once you get onto NH4 25 kms before Hubli, it is a runway all the way till you reach Wai (Mahabaleswar Phata) where you turn off NH4 to M'war. Recommended route. You can do this drive morning to evening provided you leave early.

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS, Karnataka, Aug 2002
You can follow the Option 2 route in the above link, till the point where you turn off NH4

22nd July 2009, 21:17	#1
santhosh_kumard BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Back to BLR Posts: 176 Thanked: 15 Times	Help on a BLR->Mahabaleshwar->Aurangabad->Hampi Circuit Errr.. first of all Apologies for a long Title. I am getting in a whole week vacation during September. So I am planning to do this circuit from Sep-4/5th to Sep-12/13th. I would prefer reaching back on 12th itself since after this long circuit I would really love a day of sleep/blog/photoupload - I need a good vacation since its almost 2 years I had been to somewhere!. - Thanks to recession, I do not have extravagant budget. The minimal, the better. But I got my wifey with me, so cleanliness and decent place must. - Gotto do this in car. Only I drive and would not go above 100 on cruise speeds. - I can start on Friday postlunch since most of the office will be empty by that time . - If there is any wifi in or around the places of stay, nothing like that. LOL! My plan --------- (1) BLR->Jog Falls. -- Where do I stay to optimally maximise length travelled in that day and then see JOG Falls evening (or / and ) early morning?. I am trying to do this so that the next day I dont have to do a longer one. (2) Jog Falls->Mahabaleshwar. -- I am thinking of MTDC resorts ( hopefully available). Is there other good VFM options ?. How many days are required to see this place?. If there is shortage of time I might skip this and keep it for a later trip sometime, please advice. (3) Mahabaleshwar->Aurangabad (via AhmedNagar) -- I find many threads here univocal about MTDC, Aurangabad. So that is decided but how much time does it take to cover this strech and can I byepass Pune and still find a decent road?. AhmedNagar I read contains a couple of interesting places. So estimating around 3 hours there. (4) Aurangabad->Ellora & Surroundings->Aurangabad -- All Comments Welcome (5) Aurangabad -> Ajanta-> Lonar -- Reach Lonar by end of day and stay at MTDC. Watch Lonar Sunset / Sunrise. Any comments welcome. (6) Lonar -> Solapur/Bijapur ? -- Again there is this confusion here. Should I go till Bijapur or Solapur. Which is the best place to stay(VFM)?. Please advice on best routes. (7) Solapur/Bijapur->Bijapur->Badami/Hospet? -- Again I need to see Hampi ( Can skip Badami ? ). I may also be going for a visit early morning. Please do advice where do I stay and sorts?. (8) Badami/Hospet -> Hampi -> Bangalore Thanks for reading through this.
	() Thanks

23rd July 2009, 13:33	#5
santhosh_kumard BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Back to BLR Posts: 176 Thanked: 15 Times	Damn!, Amazing quick replies. Thank you!. :-)
	() Thanks

23rd July 2009, 20:55	#6
santhosh_kumard BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Back to BLR Posts: 176 Thanked: 15 Times	HVK sir, One more question I had is what is the route to take to go from Jog Falls to Mahabaleshwar ?. MapMyIndia shows me a wierd route via Panjim, which I am not really sure of. -Thanks
	() Thanks

23rd July 2009, 21:02	#7
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,463 Times	There are 2-3 ways to go. Option 1: Jog Falls-Honavar-NH17-Kumta-Ankola-Karwar-Madgaon-Panaji-Savantwadi-Kanakavali-Rajapur-Hathkamba-Chiplun-Khed-Pholadpur-off NH17-Mahabaleswar Apart from navigating Goa State, you also face the hills of NH17. Besides, the road from Pholadpur (where you leave NH17) to Mahabaleswar (30 kms) is bad. Option 2: Jog Falls-Siddapura-Sirsi-NH4 on the way-Hubli-Belgaum-Kolhapur-Karad-Satara-Wai-off NH4-Panchgani-Mahabaleswar. Although road via Siddapura to Sirsi takes damage during rains, once you get onto NH4 25 kms before Hubli, it is a runway all the way till you reach Wai (Mahabaleswar Phata) where you turn off NH4 to M'war. Recommended route. You can do this drive morning to evening provided you leave early. H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS, Karnataka, Aug 2002 You can follow the Option 2 route in the above link, till the point where you turn off NH4 Last edited by hvkumar : 23rd July 2009 at 21:04.
	() Thanks