[Irish]

Originally Posted by keralshobhit

@ Irish
You made my life really easy. found take your advice,leave Delhi borders by 3A.M, follow option 1, Break fast at Jalandhar Haveli.
I have booked Neelkanth Hotel in Katra at 1500 for 4 people with extra bed. There car will drop till Baarganga and back.

By the way, you could have also stayed at Bhawan an could have done an early darshan after taking bath (with hot water) at the room itself. I hope you have gone through my another post for which the link was provided.

Also the drop by hotel car is not a big deal. There are n number of auto rickshaws plying between Katra Bus Stand and BanGanga (distance is 2 kms approx).

Anyhow, this option (Neelkanth) also seems good.

All the best for your journey. Once again be alert during Foggy Drive and diversions enroute.

Jai Mata Di,
Irish

[keralshobhit]

Originally Posted by Irish

By the way, you could have also stayed at Bhawan an could have done an early darshan after taking bath (with hot water) at the room itself. I hope you have gone through my another post for which the link was provided.

Also the drop by hotel car is not a big deal. There are n number of auto rickshaws plying between Katra Bus Stand and BanGanga (distance is 2 kms approx).

Anyhow, this option (Neelkanth) also seems good.

All the best for your journey. Once again be alert during Foggy Drive and diversions enroute.

Jai Mata Di,
Irish

Big thanks to you for all your help, getting a room in Gauri Bhawan was my first preference, but there is no availability there. So i had to compromise to a hotel in Katra. I was keen to find a place which is a little aloof from commercial area. But i really doubt people coming there look for anything like that.
Yeah i know dropping to Baarganga is not a big deal and i mentioned the same to the hotel also , who were marketing it with yatra parchi, Which i already took online.
I will absolutely be very careful and keep all advices in mind.
thanks again
Jai Mata Di
Shobhit Kumar

[wanderernomad]

I guess this post is only of academic interest now but still road patch is bad near and roundabout Balachaur only and for a few meters at Pathankot.

[Mohitkumaar]

Ok Now I am digging up the old thread because I di not want to create a new one.

I am planning to got Jammu and Vaishni Devi after navratras in this month. This is because after Navratras are over, the crowd will be way thinner. My plan is to go sometime after 23 or in November after Diwali.

My main questions are:
1. I will be taking A-Star automatic with 3 people (me and parents). Will the car be able to make it? (Being an AT but with low range gbox I think it should!)

Depending on if I go in October or November I will have to stop over at different places:

October- Delhi >> Ludhiana >>Jammu
November- Delhi >> Panchkula, Chandigarh >> Jammu

2. When will the shrine be less crowded?
3 Which route is longer? October or November? I do not plan to do a strainght run so will either stop in Panchkula or Ludhiana, depending upon the month.
4. Which route has more hill driving?
5. If I go from Chandigarh, will I have to cross Himachal?


I will also keep on posting more questions as they come up.

[khoj]

2. Closer to and in winters December / January

3. Shortest would be Delhi >> LDH >> Pathankot >> Jammu >> Katra

4. Hill driving is only after Jammu so should be same in either case

that is if you go from

5. from Chandigarh to Ropar >> Una >. Pathankot >> Jammu >> Katra

I do not think there is another way to get to Jammu unless you want to do Shimla >> Manali >> Leh >> Jammu

Originally Posted by Mohitkumaar

2. When will the shrine be less crowded?
3 Which route is longer? October or November? I do not plan to do a strainght run so will either stop in Panchkula or Ludhiana, depending upon the month.
4. Which route has more hill driving?
5. If I go from Chandigarh, will I have to cross Himachal?


I will also keep on posting more questions as they come up.

[Mohitkumaar]

No I will not be going through Manali and Leh!

Any risk of Insurgent/terrorist activity on the route you suggested in J&K area?

Mohit

[rajcs]

Originally Posted by Mohitkumaar

I am planning to got Jammu and Vaishni Devi after navratras in this month. This is because after Navratras are over, the crowd will be way thinner. My plan is to go sometime after 23 or in November after Diwali.

My main questions are:
1. I will be taking A-Star automatic with 3 people (me and parents). Will the car be able to make it? (Being an AT but with low range gbox I think it should!)

Depending on if I go in October or November I will have to stop over at different places:

October- Delhi >> Ludhiana >>Jammu
November- Delhi >> Panchkula, Chandigarh >> Jammu

2. When will the shrine be less crowded?

Originally Posted by Mohitkumaar

Any risk of Insurgent/terrorist activity on the route you suggested in J&K area?

Mohit

You possibly guessed it right that the shrine would be less crowded soon after the Navratras. That has been my experience last year too.

A Star should not be problem at all. It will do well in any of the routes.

A Recent terrorist attack was reported from Kathua / Samba. But this is highly unusual and should not deter you in anyway. I feel any other part of the country can also be considered equally vulnerable or safe.

Wish you a happy journey. Jai Mata Di.

[Mohitkumaar]

Hmm for now, we have finalised on the post Diwali option.
Plan looks like this:
6 Nov>> Delhi to Chandigarh
7 Nov>> Chandigarh to Katra
8 Nov>> The actual visit (Still need to check availability of chopper tickets tonight)
9 Nov>> Back to Ludhiana
10 Nov>> Ludhiana to Delhi

[keralshobhit]

Well i did the same trip in my i10 1.1 Magna (Now stolen) in 2012 and it was clean sweep. I took Delhi-Ludhiana-Pathankot-Jammu-Katra.
No issues as such except the SOMA Project from Panipat to Pathankot was a pain, I am not sure what is the current status of roads now. From Jammu you will start getting wavy roads but not Hills as such. Hilly road will only start from Jammu City to Katra.
although i have a little different view about the rush, i have been to VD twice during the navratras and it was comparatively less crowded. The most probable reason can be that lot of people think on the same grounds the way you think and they plan there trip after Navratras. i wish you a happy and safe journey, DRIVE SAFE. Jai Mata Di !!!