[micrographics]

HI

I've decided to start my real first long drive from Bangalore on 8th April and the route I've planned is :

Bangalore-Hampi (1st Stop)
Hampi-Bijapur (2nd Stop)
Bijapur - Shirdi (3rd Stop)
Shirdi - Tadoba (probably 4th and the longest of 4 days)
Tadoba - Hyderabad (Last Stop)
Hyderbad - Bangalore

In this respect, I needs experts advice on following :

1. Road condition between Hampi-Bijapur-Shirdi and which route is best and shortest

2. Road condition between Shirdi - Tadoba (Chandrapur) and which route is best, shortest and safest.

The places to see enroute ?
Food quality enroute ?
Where to stay enroute ?

If anhyone can help in arranging the route map in details, then it will be very nice.

I look forward to each of you provide me best reply at earliest as my start date is 8th April, 2010.

[micrographics]

Strange, no reply ?

Please give your expert advice.

[COUGAR]

Shirdi to Tadoba:
Aurangabad-Jalna-Chikhli. chikhli is a good midway overnight halt if coming from Pune. A little before chikhli take a right turn - you will see boards directing you to Washim. At the jagat-naka in Karanja, turn right for Yavatmal. After Yavatmal, ask for directions to WARORA.

This route is mostly narrow country road (the kind i like), and while it is a fantastic bike ride, I am not too sure the speed demons will like this. Alternate could be to head north for amravati from Chikhli, join up on NH6(which i presume is now 4 laned) upto a place called Talere from where a 2 lane state highway leads to Warora via Wardha and Jamb. Did this route once when on the Gypsy and was pretty decent. One advantage of this is route is that it allows for a visit to Gandhiji's ashram in Wardha.

From Warora, there is an interior route that leads directly to Moharli (the main gate at Tadoba) ~35 kms, and this route skirts the Tadoba National park itself. But this would involve some bit of offroading: but nothing too dramatic. There is another route that actually bypasses Mohurli as well and leads straight to the Khatoda gate. Not sure if you would be allowed down this road without the permits.

The sole petrol pump in Warora is a good place to ask for directions for the direct route to Mohurli as well as to stock up on fuel since you wont be getting fuel inside the park. I normally tank up here as well as fill my jerry cans.

if you need to stock up on supplies however, you need to head south towards Chandrapur. Mohurli is ~40 kms north of chandrapur.

Hope this helps.

[micrographics]

Hi Cougar

Thanks for the advise. Can you guide me on following alternate route :

Shidri - Aurangabad - Ajanta - Ellora - Amravati - Tadoba

Regards

Rakesh

[COUGAR]

Suggest you do Ellora as a day trip ex-Aurangabad.

here is a rough iten:
Day 1 - Shirdi to Aurangabad. Sightseein in Aurangabad for rest of day.
Day 2 - Aurangabad-Ellora-Aurangabad. Enroute you can check out Daulatabad fort as well (highly recomended). If you get a good guide, then Daulatabad itself would make for an entertaining 4 hour military-cum-history-cum paranormal story session!
Day 3 - Aurangabad-Wardha. Make an early 5 am start from Aurangabad. Ask for the Jalgaon road. Ajanta caves are approx 110 kms from aurangabad (2 hours ride). Good roads all through. You will have to park your bikes/cars at a spot and then take the MTDC buses to reach the caves. Budget around 3-4 hours for the caves. Come back to the base point in the same bus service, have lunch and then proceed towards Jalgaon. After 35 kms on this road take a right turn at a place called Pardhi - you cant miss this turn. You will end up on the NH6 at Malkapur. Continue down NH6 till you cross amravati. 80 kms after amravati is the turnoff for Wardha. Suggest you spend the night in Wardha.

Next day ask for the road to JAMB and from there to Warora. From Warora you can turn towards chandrapur or direct to mohurli if you have the permits etc. Mohurli is the entry gate for Tadoba.

There is a shortcut road to bypass Jamb that goes directly to Warora and even chimur. This road will save well over 60 kms of driving. This shortcut was ok types in Nov 2008. Not sure of the latest. But the Jamb route should be fine.

Check my website for Aurangabad, Ellora and Shirdi details.

Hope this helped.

[litesaber]

I did Bangalore-Hampi/Hospet in Jan. Here is the thread where it was discussed.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...solapur-2.html

[micrographics]

Hi Litesbar

Thanks for ther reply.

In your thread you have not mentioned whether you took NH7 to go towards Hiriyur or took NH4 till Hiriyur.

@ Cougar

I've slightly changed my plan and may not go to Ellora and will go to Ajanta and then from there onwards to Wardha via Amravati.

Further can you suggest some good Hotel @ Aurangabad.

How is the road condition from Shirdi to Aurangabad.

[abheekg]

When you are driving to all the way here, why miss Pench Tiger reserv?
Its where the action of the 5 cubs is happening.
Its just 150kms from Jamb.

Call me on 9960332228 if you want further inputs or drop an sms.

Dr. A Ghosh

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by micrographics

Bangalore-Hampi (1st Stop)
Hampi-Bijapur (2nd Stop)
Bijapur - Shirdi (3rd Stop)
Shirdi - Tadoba (probably 4th and the longest of 4 days)
Tadoba - Hyderabad (Last Stop)
Hyderbad - Bangalore

1. Road condition between Hampi-Bijapur-Shirdi and which route is best and shortest

2. Road condition between Shirdi - Tadoba (Chandrapur) and which route is best, shortest and safest.

The places to see enroute ?
Food quality enroute ?
Where to stay enroute ?

Bangalore-Hampi:
NH13 from Chitradurga is still not in good condition, and truck traffic is heavy.

Hampi-Bijapur:
NH13 from Hospet till Hungund is not in good condition

Bijapur-Shirdi:
Bijapur-Solapur-Tembhurni-Karmala-Ahmednagar
You have to cross Solapur city to get onto NH9 (road to Pune)
You have to turn off NH9 at Tembhurni. Road widening is going on in NH9, so expect slow speeds.
From Tembhurni, it is a straightforward route to Ahmednagar, go with teh trucks, this is a major trucking corridor all the way to Ahmednagar.
Ahmednagar town has no bypass, but you will connect with Shirdi road easily at the junction where you pass through Ahmednagar town.
From Ahmednagar, it is 4-laned road to Shirdi.

Shirdi-Tadoba:
Let me suggest you a direct route, where you do not have to go on NH6.
Shirdi-take Ahmednagar road till Rahuri where you turn left-Shani Singnapur-Godegaon, where you join the lovely 4-laned SH60 highway coming from Ahmednagar-Aurangabad (cross through town)-Jalna, (continuation of 4-laned road)-take the road to Sindkhed Raja (and not Dehugaon Raja/Chikli) on Jalna bypass-Sindhked Raja-Sultanpur (where you can take a 10 km detour to see the Lonar Lake, created by a meteorite-Mehkar-Donagaon-Malegaon-Shelu Bazaar-Karanja-Darwha-Ladkhed-Yeotmal, ask for road to Karanji, (there is an alternative route also via Pandharkawada also)-Karanji (where you intersect the Nagpur-Hyderabad NH17, north of Pandharkawada)-Wani-Tadoba gates.

Road is good throughout, since this route is part of the alternative highway to Nagpur (till Karanja). Follow the signages based on the towns I have indicated, there are several alternative routes, hence do not ask passerbys for route suggestions. Facilities are poor, refuel in advance. Most towns have no bypasses, but you can make steady speeds of 100 kmph+ despite that the roads are not very broad.

Lonar Lake is just off Sultanpur and a good place to see - you can spend 2 hours to and fro there on the way.

If you want to go to Ajanta, please go from Aurangabad, to and fro. Avoid direct route from Shirdi to Ajanta - which your Google Maps and Navigators may recommend - since those roads are in a very bad condition. Stick to the road via Aurangabad. If you want to go to Ajanta, I suggest you drive on from Shirdi to Ajanat first, finish off your tour there and then come to stay at Aurangabad overnight to optimise on time.

Aurangabad has lots of hotels, depending on your budget. Budget hotels around Railway Station (but avoid MTDC, it is run very badly) and more upmarket hotels are along the Airport-Jalna highway (try the Hotel Janki Executive).

[micrographics]

Kumar

I did this trip last year and this year as discussed I'm planning to do Bangalore-Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Ajmer-Jaipur-Delhi-Vaishno Devi-Amritsar-Delhi-Dehradun-Delhi-Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi-Khajuraho-Bandhavgarh-Nagpur-Hyderabad-Bangalore.

For this trip you have already sent me best planned route etc.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by micrographics

Kumar

I did this trip last year and this year as discussed I'm planning to do Bangalore-Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Udaipur-Ajmer-Jaipur-Delhi-Vaishno Devi-Amritsar-Delhi-Dehradun-Delhi-Agra-Gwalior-Jhansi-Khajuraho-Bandhavgarh-Nagpur-Hyderabad-Bangalore.

For this trip you have already sent me best planned route etc.

Oops, I never noticed the dates, if you see your messages they are also in March (but in 2010), hence the confusion!

[DRIVEPASSION]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Oops, I never noticed the dates, if you see your messages they are also in March (but in 2010), hence the confusion!

HVK

Kudos to your expertise and on being an encyclopedia of info on highways and experiential driving!

Thanks to you and other BHPians I have managed to firm up my route and detailing for the Delhi - Shirdi - Pune - Goa drive.

Hey guys I am proud of being BHPian and being a part of this family!

On the return leg I have it all in place too just two queries:

1. On my inward bound drive I am planning to branch off NH 8 at Chikhli towards Shirdi so need options for stopping for eating - wife and kids with me
2. Options for tanking up in BPCL pumps



Cheers!

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by DRIVEPASSION

1. On my inward bound drive I am planning to branch off NH 8 at Chikhli towards Shirdi so need options for stopping for eating - wife and kids with me
2. Options for tanking up in BPCL pumps

To go to Surat, turn off on Surat Bypass to NH6 towards Dhulia via Navapur.
At Dhulia, take NH3 south towards Malegaon.
After Malegaon, take the left turn to Shirdi via Manmad & Kopargaon (clear signages there).

Good roads, except for some bad sections after Kopargaon.

Here is the GMaps guide:
Shirdi, Maharashtra, India to National Highway 6 - Google Maps

BPCL has a good network on pumps. Remember diesel is cheaper in MH.

[DRIVEPASSION]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

To go to Surat, turn off on Surat Bypass to NH6 towards Dhulia via Navapur.
At Dhulia, take NH3 south towards Malegaon.
After Malegaon, take the left turn to Shirdi via Manmad & Kopargaon (clear signages there).

Good roads, except for some bad sections after Kopargaon.

Here is the GMaps guide:
Shirdi, Maharashtra, India to National Highway 6 - Google Maps

BPCL has a good network on pumps. Remember diesel is cheaper in MH.

A few queries:

1. Is the travel time shorter than in the Chikhli - Saputara - Shirdi stretch
2. Is the distance more or less than option 1

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by DRIVEPASSION

A few queries:

1. Is the travel time shorter than in the Chikhli - Saputara - Shirdi stretch
2. Is the distance more or less than option 1

For a long-distance highway driver, distance is never a criteria for choosing the route to be taken.
The NH6-NH3 route is good highways with clear signages and the optimal route.
The route via Saputara is on state and district roads with lots of turn offs, poor signage. Moreover, the road is barrow and is being widened from Vansada towards Saputara. Not condusive for fast driving either. And Saputara is hardly an exciting hill station.
The other bad thing about the Saputara route is you either go through Nashik (which is a road widening mess) or via Saptasringi to Kopargaon which is also narrow roads.