Cant Decide ! Bhutan / Leh / Spiti

reply2ab · 6th July 2010, 16:54

Hello to all...

I am getting about 15 days of break from work and trying to motivate my wife to take a break too, initially i had planned to go to to Leh, but a close friend of mine who runs a guest house told me that its quite crowded and this year its just like any other touristy hill station...and i have already been to Leh 4 times. Not that it doesnt excite me but why not try out a different place. I have been to spiti too but for my wife all these places would be new.

So guys need your assistance to help plan a trip.

No. of People : 2
Days : 15 - 20 max
Month : July or August 2010
Vehicle : Bolero
Drive : Self Drive

I would love to go to Bhutan

Cheers !

ampere · 6th July 2010, 17:36

If you are in Noida and want to drive, logical would be Leh (I am not saying you cant drive to Butan!)

But my personal choice, if you can make it, is try Bhutan.

Kandisa · 7th July 2010, 10:53

When you 've already been to LEh so many times, there is no point in going during this crowded season. Go for Bhutan, you 'll love this place for sure. And 15 days will be a good timeframe to explore Bhutan.

vijus_n_n · 7th July 2010, 11:06

Hey...

If you are driving Balero I would suggest Bhutan . 2 weeks back I travelled Noida-Pokhara-Kathmandu-Siliguri-Bhutan on my enfield. You can see pics here Picasa Web Albums - Vijay

Reach me if you need any help in planning this route...

Cheers,
Viju

reply2ab · 9th July 2010, 00:10

Thank you guys (ampere / kandisa / viju) for the feedback and suggestions. I too want to go to Bhutan...will try and plan tentatively and lets see how things roll.

@ Viju ! What a trip man...awesome pics. Would love to know more.

Rough Route :

New Delhi - Agra - Kanpur - Allahabad - Varanasi - Sasaram - Patna - Begusarai - Purnia - Kishanganj - Baghdogra - Silliguri - Jalpaiguri - Phuntsholing - Thimpu

Approx : 3 Days to Bhutan 10 days to see bhutan 3 days return

Need inputs on :

1. If driving through Bihar is a good idea ?
2. What is the road condition between Sasaram - Baghdogra ?

prince_pervez · 9th July 2010, 00:47

Go for Bhutan. Thats almost, almost virgin around here. We can see some more of it for a change.

ampere · 9th July 2010, 06:58

Catch SS Traveller! He just did it.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...arjeeling.html

hvkumar · 9th July 2010, 08:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by reply2ab

I too want to go to Bhutan

Rough Route :

New Delhi - Agra - Kanpur - Allahabad - Varanasi - Sasaram - Patna - Begusarai - Purnia - Kishanganj - Baghdogra - Silliguri - Jalpaiguri - Phuntsholing - Thimpu

Approx : 3 Days to Bhutan 10 days to see bhutan 3 days return

Need inputs on :

1. If driving through Bihar is a good idea ?
2. What is the road condition between Sasaram - Baghdogra ?

Going to Bhutan in Jul-Aug is a bad idea, heavy rains. Better time would be Mar-Apr and Nov-Dec.

Read up about my Bhutan drive in the following link:
hvkumar: kumar'snortheastdrivingholiday

You can also get more info, such as log books, GPS route profile, photos, etc in the following:
NORTH EAST 2009 - hvkumar | Google Groups

Completely avoid driving through Bihar. Last year, my car was seized by cops for "election duty" near Purnea. The law and order scene in Begusarai, Khagaria and Purnea districts is not good even today and wit ekections due later this year, the region is totally avoidable.

Instead, continue on NH2 till Durgapur/Darjeeling More and go via Siuri, Rampurhat, Malda & Dalkola to Siliguri side.

The best road to Patna is via Mohania and Arrah, not via Sasaram. NH31 via Barauni, Begusarai, Kagaria and Purnea is terrible at all times.

There is no need to touch Siliguri, you can bypass it before Bagdogara and go directly to Birpara en route Phuntsoling (Bhutan border).

If you are planning so much of time in Bhutan, plan to see Eat Bhutan too, and exit on the Assam side via Samdrup Jhonkar - as I have done.

The ideal circuit would be:
Siliguri-Phuntsoling-Thimphu-Paro-Thimphu-Punakha-Trongsa-Jakar-Mongar-Trashigang-Samdrup Jhonkar-Guwahati

Remember that visas/car permits are given only on working days, so plan to arrive in Phuntsoling the previous night before a working day so that you can take both the permits (see details in my travelogue) in the morning.

Indian currency note Rs 1000 is not normally accepted in Bhutan, ATM facilities (except in THimphu) are non-exostent and no one accepts credit cards. Accomodation is dirt-cheap.

BTW, I have driven to Bhutan twice, and it is an excellent place to drive in and totally safe, except for the Samdrup Jhonkar-Rangiya stretch in Assam

6th July 2010, 16:54	#1
reply2ab BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Noida Posts: 29 Thanked: 2 Times	Cant Decide ! Bhutan / Leh / Spiti Hello to all... I am getting about 15 days of break from work and trying to motivate my wife to take a break too, initially i had planned to go to to Leh, but a close friend of mine who runs a guest house told me that its quite crowded and this year its just like any other touristy hill station...and i have already been to Leh 4 times. Not that it doesnt excite me but why not try out a different place. I have been to spiti too but for my wife all these places would be new. So guys need your assistance to help plan a trip. No. of People : 2 Days : 15 - 20 max Month : July or August 2010 Vehicle : Bolero Drive : Self Drive I would love to go to Bhutan Cheers !
	() Thanks

6th July 2010, 17:36	#2
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,948 Thanked: 12,935 Times View My Garage	If you are in Noida and want to drive, logical would be Leh (I am not saying you cant drive to Butan!) But my personal choice, if you can make it, is try Bhutan.
	() Thanks

7th July 2010, 10:53	#3
Kandisa Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Noida Posts: 1,118 Thanked: 559 Times View My Garage	When you 've already been to LEh so many times, there is no point in going during this crowded season. Go for Bhutan, you 'll love this place for sure. And 15 days will be a good timeframe to explore Bhutan.
	() Thanks

7th July 2010, 11:06	#4
vijus_n_n Newbie Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 12 Thanked: 3 Times	Hey... If you are driving Balero I would suggest Bhutan . 2 weeks back I travelled Noida-Pokhara-Kathmandu-Siliguri-Bhutan on my enfield. You can see pics here Picasa Web Albums - Vijay Reach me if you need any help in planning this route... Cheers, Viju
	() Thanks

9th July 2010, 00:10	#5
reply2ab BHPian Join Date: May 2010 Location: Noida Posts: 29 Thanked: 2 Times	Rough Route Idea to Bhutan Thank you guys (ampere / kandisa / viju) for the feedback and suggestions. I too want to go to Bhutan...will try and plan tentatively and lets see how things roll. @ Viju ! What a trip man...awesome pics. Would love to know more. Rough Route : New Delhi - Agra - Kanpur - Allahabad - Varanasi - Sasaram - Patna - Begusarai - Purnia - Kishanganj - Baghdogra - Silliguri - Jalpaiguri - Phuntsholing - Thimpu Approx : 3 Days to Bhutan 10 days to see bhutan 3 days return Need inputs on : 1. If driving through Bihar is a good idea ? 2. What is the road condition between Sasaram - Baghdogra ?
	() Thanks

9th July 2010, 00:47	#6
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,210 Thanked: 51 Times View My Garage	Go for Bhutan. Thats almost, almost virgin around here. We can see some more of it for a change.
	() Thanks

9th July 2010, 06:58	#7
ampere Team-BHP Support Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,948 Thanked: 12,935 Times View My Garage	Catch SS Traveller! He just did it. http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...arjeeling.html Last edited by ampere : 9th July 2010 at 06:59.
	() Thanks