New Delhi to Mhow to Dwaraka

wanderernomad · 3rd September 2010, 16:05

Planning to explore the heart of India during the CWG in October. Presently the plan is to Drive to Mhow and then explore the surroundings. If feasible would like to fit in a trip to Dwaraka as well. Days in hand 15. Would appreciate advise on what all to see and how best to plan out the trip starting Delhi and back to Delhi with atleast 4 days in Mhow.

hvkumar · 3rd September 2010, 21:34

Plan sounds good, but be prepared to face some bad roads.

Route would be as follows:

Delhi-Mhow:
Delhi-Agra-Gwalior-Shivpuri-Guna-Biaora-Dewas-Indore-Mhow.

The road from Agra onwards till Gwalior is now 4-laned except for some small sections near Pholpur. I am not sure of the Gwalior bypass is open, but the other towns Shivpuri and Guna are bypassed. From Gwalior, it is conventional 2-laned road - with poor facilities - and damaged sections. It narrows down after you cross Sarangpur.

From Dewas onwards, it is a lovely 4-laned road which you can take bypassing Indore all the way to Mhow.

I don't know how fast you drive, but you can do it in a day only if you leave very early from Delhi (<5 am), are a very aggressive driver and take hardly any breaks. Before Indore, stay facilities are poor although both Shivpuri and Guna have hotels.

Mhow-Dwaraka:
Mhow-Indore-Dhar-Jhabua-Dahod-Godhra-Halol-Baroda-Ahmedabad-Badogara-Limbdi-Bambanbhore-Rajkot-Jamnagar-Dwaraka

This is not an exciting stretch till Dahod. Traditionally, the road from Indore to the GJ border (and town of Dahod) has been bad and also a little unsafe. Once you enter GJ, road is great.

From Baroda, you have 2 choices: One is to go via Ahmedabad, the other is to go via Vasad, Borsad and Tarapur to Badogara where you join the A'bad-Rajkot highway. I prefer the Ahmedabad route because you can make excellent speeds on the Baroda-A'bad expressway, bypass A'bad totally (via the Sardar Patel Ring Road) and then get onto the high-speed Rajkot highway. After that also, road is fabulous all the way to Dwaraka, although it is only 2-laned.

You may not be able to reach Dwaraka the same day, depends on how bad the first leg is. Therefore, you may have to stay at Rajkot (or Jamnagar, if you are luckier), and reach Dwaraka the next day.

Return journey can be on the following route.
Dwaraka-Delhi:
Dwaraka-Jamnagar-Maliya-Samakhiyari-Radhanpur-Deesa-Palanpur-Abu Road-Pindwara-Sirohi-Pali-Jodhpur-Beawar-Ajmer-Kishangarh-Jaipur-Delhi.

You also have alternatives like going from Pindwara via Udaipur and Chittorgarh to Kishangarh to take advantage of the faster 4-laned roads, since the Pindwara-Jodhpur route may be narrower and has heavier traffic. But the Udaipur route will be much longer. You may find it difficult to do this drive in 1 day, although it is not impossible. Ideally, I would halt at either Ajmer or Jaipur, depending on how well I do (or even Jodhpur, if I am slow).

COUGAR · 3rd September 2010, 23:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The road from Agra onwards till Gwalior is now 4-laned except for some small sections near Pholpur.

Are you sure there are 2 laned sections before Gwalior? I did this route in Nov 2009 and dont remember seeing any 2 laned sections after leaving Agra.

The end of the 4 laned section approx 5 kms before Gwalior is quite sudden though!

hvkumar · 3rd September 2010, 23:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by COUGAR

Are you sure there are 2 laned sections before Gwalior? I did this route in Nov 2009 and dont remember seeing any 2 laned sections after leaving Agra.

The end of the 4 laned section approx 5 kms before Gwalior is quite sudden though!

Near Pholpur, I think some section is still incomplete, but that is actually inconsequential.

wanderernomad · 3rd September 2010, 23:59

`Thank you HV for the route. Well the Delhi-Mhow route is routinely done by my brother 4 times a year every six months so it is pretty much a known route with GPS logs. He starts around 5 from Delhi and reaches Mhow by 8 with about 4 breaks in between. And I am about 25% faster than him, hehe.
But this time my parents will be accompanying us and I want to show them the Taj so I plan on doing only till agra the first day. Next day will be spent there only and would start for Mhow early the next morning so I think it would not be a major issue hitting Mhow.
It seems that I will ahve to give dwaraka a miss or maybe include it in the return leg and make it more interesting. Your detailed route is tempting me no end.
Now what all can be planned around Mhow?

hvkumar · 4th September 2010, 00:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

Now what all can be planned around Mhow?

Mandu, Omkareshwar, Ujjain.

COUGAR · 4th September 2010, 00:13

how is the safety situation around MP roads right now?

ramkya1 · 4th September 2010, 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by COUGAR

how is the safety situation around MP roads right now?

I have colleagues HQed all over MP, about 70 of them who travel every day. From reports received from them, I would not drive at night in MP with family, if its just stags I would still take a chance.

--Ramky
------

mercedised · 5th September 2010, 01:20

Hello,

I am from Indore. At nights (after 7-8 P.M) donot do the Gwalior to Shivpuri section. I have done that section at 11 PM at nights too. But I would not advise a new tourist especially with family to do that. After Shivpuri there is no problem. You could do that at anytime, but the roads are not ok after Shivpuri till Dewas.

Why halt at Mhow only? You can directly go to Ujjain, from Dewas it is only 35kms and the road is super plane. Halt at Ujjain, a nice Holy place, there you can see 10-15 old temples. Then next day explore Indore or Mandu(minor hill station, but a must one time visit). After that you can visit:

1) Janapav (birth place of Lord Parshuram) situated at a small hill, the car goes uptill the temple.

then

2) Maheshwar

then

3) Omkareshwar

Thanks.

wanderernomad · 5th September 2010, 15:59

Thanks mate. Mhow since my brother is posted there and I would be staying there. Point taken about night travel in MP.

wanderernomad · 1st October 2010, 14:09

Will leave on Sunday for Agra and then onwards to Mhow on Monday. HV and mercidised need urgent updates on road conditions especially post the deluge we have had this monsoon. Also would appreciate locations of good food stops enroute especially agra mhow.

hvkumar · 1st October 2010, 14:12

Only update I have is that the Sirohi-Beawar-Ajmer road has broken up during the rains, expect some bad sections.

phamilyman · 1st October 2010, 15:58

sarkar,

u may try dr arn - he did a ride along down south as a north south trial run. else ping me for his email.

ExtremeTorque · 1st October 2010, 16:42

Hey wanderernomad, while doing the Jamnagar-Dwarka stretch, do try to visit NARARA marine national sanctuary about 50 KM from Jamnagar on the Jamnagar-Dwarka route An 18 KM deviation after the essar wadinar refinery will bring you to this place and a good season too. You can visit my TL's for more details on both Dwarka and Narara.
Dwarka - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...dary-city.html
Narara - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...full-life.html

hvkumar · 1st October 2010, 21:47

I don't think Narara is open yet, permits are issued only by mid-Oct.

3rd September 2010, 16:05	#1
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,552 Thanked: 1,296 Times View My Garage	New Delhi to Mhow to Dwaraka Planning to explore the heart of India during the CWG in October. Presently the plan is to Drive to Mhow and then explore the surroundings. If feasible would like to fit in a trip to Dwaraka as well. Days in hand 15. Would appreciate advise on what all to see and how best to plan out the trip starting Delhi and back to Delhi with atleast 4 days in Mhow.
	() Thanks

3rd September 2010, 21:34	#2
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,368 Thanked: 3,467 Times	Plan sounds good, but be prepared to face some bad roads. Route would be as follows: Delhi-Mhow: Delhi-Agra-Gwalior-Shivpuri-Guna-Biaora-Dewas-Indore-Mhow. The road from Agra onwards till Gwalior is now 4-laned except for some small sections near Pholpur. I am not sure of the Gwalior bypass is open, but the other towns Shivpuri and Guna are bypassed. From Gwalior, it is conventional 2-laned road - with poor facilities - and damaged sections. It narrows down after you cross Sarangpur. From Dewas onwards, it is a lovely 4-laned road which you can take bypassing Indore all the way to Mhow. I don't know how fast you drive, but you can do it in a day only if you leave very early from Delhi (<5 am), are a very aggressive driver and take hardly any breaks. Before Indore, stay facilities are poor although both Shivpuri and Guna have hotels. Mhow-Dwaraka: Mhow-Indore-Dhar-Jhabua-Dahod-Godhra-Halol-Baroda-Ahmedabad-Badogara-Limbdi-Bambanbhore-Rajkot-Jamnagar-Dwaraka This is not an exciting stretch till Dahod. Traditionally, the road from Indore to the GJ border (and town of Dahod) has been bad and also a little unsafe. Once you enter GJ, road is great. From Baroda, you have 2 choices: One is to go via Ahmedabad, the other is to go via Vasad, Borsad and Tarapur to Badogara where you join the A'bad-Rajkot highway. I prefer the Ahmedabad route because you can make excellent speeds on the Baroda-A'bad expressway, bypass A'bad totally (via the Sardar Patel Ring Road) and then get onto the high-speed Rajkot highway. After that also, road is fabulous all the way to Dwaraka, although it is only 2-laned. You may not be able to reach Dwaraka the same day, depends on how bad the first leg is. Therefore, you may have to stay at Rajkot (or Jamnagar, if you are luckier), and reach Dwaraka the next day. Return journey can be on the following route. Dwaraka-Delhi: Dwaraka-Jamnagar-Maliya-Samakhiyari-Radhanpur-Deesa-Palanpur-Abu Road-Pindwara-Sirohi-Pali-Jodhpur-Beawar-Ajmer-Kishangarh-Jaipur-Delhi. You also have alternatives like going from Pindwara via Udaipur and Chittorgarh to Kishangarh to take advantage of the faster 4-laned roads, since the Pindwara-Jodhpur route may be narrower and has heavier traffic. But the Udaipur route will be much longer. You may find it difficult to do this drive in 1 day, although it is not impossible. Ideally, I would halt at either Ajmer or Jaipur, depending on how well I do (or even Jodhpur, if I am slow).
	() Thanks

3rd September 2010, 23:59	#5
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,552 Thanked: 1,296 Times View My Garage	`Thank you HV for the route. Well the Delhi-Mhow route is routinely done by my brother 4 times a year every six months so it is pretty much a known route with GPS logs. He starts around 5 from Delhi and reaches Mhow by 8 with about 4 breaks in between. And I am about 25% faster than him, hehe. But this time my parents will be accompanying us and I want to show them the Taj so I plan on doing only till agra the first day. Next day will be spent there only and would start for Mhow early the next morning so I think it would not be a major issue hitting Mhow. It seems that I will ahve to give dwaraka a miss or maybe include it in the return leg and make it more interesting. Your detailed route is tempting me no end. Now what all can be planned around Mhow?
	() Thanks

4th September 2010, 00:13	#7
COUGAR BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Delhi Posts: 548 Thanked: 94 Times View My Garage	how is the safety situation around MP roads right now?
	() Thanks

5th September 2010, 01:20	#9
mercedised Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Indore Posts: 1,242 Thanked: 449 Times View My Garage	Hello, I am from Indore. At nights (after 7-8 P.M) donot do the Gwalior to Shivpuri section. I have done that section at 11 PM at nights too. But I would not advise a new tourist especially with family to do that. After Shivpuri there is no problem. You could do that at anytime, but the roads are not ok after Shivpuri till Dewas. Why halt at Mhow only? You can directly go to Ujjain, from Dewas it is only 35kms and the road is super plane. Halt at Ujjain, a nice Holy place, there you can see 10-15 old temples. Then next day explore Indore or Mandu(minor hill station, but a must one time visit). After that you can visit: 1) Janapav (birth place of Lord Parshuram) situated at a small hill, the car goes uptill the temple. then 2) Maheshwar then 3) Omkareshwar Thanks. Last edited by mercedised : 5th September 2010 at 01:21.
	() Thanks

5th September 2010, 15:59	#10
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,552 Thanked: 1,296 Times View My Garage	Thanks mate. Mhow since my brother is posted there and I would be staying there. Point taken about night travel in MP.
	() Thanks

1st October 2010, 14:09	#11
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,552 Thanked: 1,296 Times View My Garage	Will leave on Sunday for Agra and then onwards to Mhow on Monday. HV and mercidised need urgent updates on road conditions especially post the deluge we have had this monsoon. Also would appreciate locations of good food stops enroute especially agra mhow.
	() Thanks

1st October 2010, 14:12	#12
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,368 Thanked: 3,467 Times	Only update I have is that the Sirohi-Beawar-Ajmer road has broken up during the rains, expect some bad sections.
	() Thanks

1st October 2010, 15:58	#13
phamilyman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,975 Thanked: 4,673 Times	sarkar, u may try dr arn - he did a ride along down south as a north south trial run. else ping me for his email.
	() Thanks

1st October 2010, 16:42	#14
ExtremeTorque BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 379 Thanked: 20 Times	Hey wanderernomad, while doing the Jamnagar-Dwarka stretch, do try to visit NARARA marine national sanctuary about 50 KM from Jamnagar on the Jamnagar-Dwarka route An 18 KM deviation after the essar wadinar refinery will bring you to this place and a good season too. You can visit my TL's for more details on both Dwarka and Narara. Dwarka - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...dary-city.html Narara - http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...full-life.html
	() Thanks

1st October 2010, 21:47	#15
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,368 Thanked: 3,467 Times	I don't think Narara is open yet, permits are issued only by mid-Oct.
	() Thanks