[ramkya1]

Hai Friends,

Was searchng for good maps of North East, could not find detailed ones so made one. A print out is all one would need as a map to head out there.

Uploading updated maps with almost full details of Sikkim, been working in bits and pieces for 2 weeks now, refering many maps, books, travalogues and trekking blogs.

You'd not find such a detailed driving direction map even if you pay.

Your comments on corrections please.

Enjoy,

--Ramky

[SS-Traveller]

Sir, you appear to have missed out on the Darjeeling-Kurseong-Kalimpong-Mirik maps, as also the routes leading up to these places from both the Siliguri side as well as Sikkim side. Would also like to see your mapping of Arunachal, Assam & Meghalaya.

The Sikkim section seems to be more or less okay, except Nathu La is on a 4km northward extension of the main road connecting Tsomgo Lake to Baba Harbhajan Mandir.

[hvkumar]

ramkya1, ket me point out some mistakes in your map:

Dentam to Jorethang is not a trekking trail, it is a proper road which I have driven last year. It goes via Kandu, Hee Pul, Martak, Bermiok, Kaluk, Rinchenpeng, Reshi to Jorethang and Melli Bazaaar.

Jorethang to Namchi is 20 kms.

Position of Mangan is not correct, it is at the junction of the Phudong and Dikchu roads.

AFAIK, there is no road from Yaksum to Dzongiri, it is only a trekking path.

Road to Kechopari does not go from Pelling, it is a turn off on the Pelling-Yaksum road, 16 ksm from Pelling and 18 kms from Yakshum.

The Pelling-Yakshum-Tashiding-Legship circuit is totally wrong in your map.

The Rangli road goes to Nathu la, instead of to Gangtok as shown. Further, Chhangu and Tsango lakes are the same, you have shown them in different locations.

You must draw the road further from Rangpo/Melli Bazar to Sevoke/Siliguri so that there are proper bearings of the route. Please note to show the turn offs for Kalimpong and Darjeeling in that route.

You will have to relook at many of the place names you have written. Firstly, spellings are wrong - like Rengpo vs Ramngpo - but more importantly, I have never some of these place names on the highway, there are more prominent places which are not mentioned.

And Rangpo-Singtam is not a red line trekking path, that is the main highway from Siliguri to Gangtok!!

There are also 2 Melli Bazaars, one in SK and another in WB, both in the same place but I think, one is one the west bank and the other the east bank of the Teesta River.

[ramkya1]

HVK and SST,

Thanks for your comments.

I have consulted some American Trekking maps and cross checked with Outlook traveler trekking maps, they more or less co-inside, for e.g. Dentam to Jorethang is a popular trekking circuit, will check out again.

Melli Bazaar thro. Rangpo to Gangtok is a NH31A, sorry I forgot to mark that out properly.

Many maps give names differently, which would be authentic?

Will go through all the correction, would need your inputs to get this in shape, have a lot of work to get all the touristy places right, many monastries are still missing, I think.

--Ramky
==========

[Sutripta]

Hi,
Map needs work. How are you generating it?

Regards
Sutripta

[ramkya1]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Hi,
Map needs work. How are you generating it?

Regards
Sutripta

I know, map needs lots of work, will correct it as and when I get time.

It's done manually, time taking. Put picture of map on PPT, draw the routes on top of it, delete picture and mark out places. So the routes are more are less fine in scale depending on accuracy of reference map picture. Putting the places and distances needs cross checking with blogs, travalogues and trip logs.

I know GPS tracks work too, my process is more wholesoe, I hope.

--Ramky
=======

[Sutripta]

^^^
Always believed in most bang for the buck. So use the GPS tracklogs, and groundtruth those. Equivalent effort will lead to better quality of maps.

Maybe before starting the mapmaking process, one should list all the GPS trackplots available, and whether we have permission to use those.

Use the Soviet maps as basemap.

Regards
Sutripta

[ramkya1]

Hai People,

Have updated the Sikkim Map on the attached PDF. Still some more changes needed, process on.

--Ramky

[ac 427]

Hey Guys,

I am planning to do a Mumbai Sikkim Mumbai, I am planning to leave on 22nd sept, which is just round the corner.

I am planning to take this route.

I want to avoid the naxals, please let me know if the route is the best.


nh3
mumbai
nasik
malegaon
indore Guna
Shivpuri

Nh 25
Jhansi
Kanpur
Baranbankit

NH 28
Basti
Gorakpur
Muzzaffarpur


Nh 57
Darbhanga
PhulParas
Bhajan Pur

State HIghway 63
Basantpur
Jokihat
Thakurgahj

NH 31C
Batasai
Bagdogra

NH 31
Bairatisal
Shiv mandir
Matgara
Samardanga
Sevoke Bazar

Nh 31 A
Ranipool
Gangtok

Cheers,
ac

[ramkya1]

Perhaps the following link and attached pdf map would be of use to you as a driving direction.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...st-sikkim.html

I would suggest you to take Varanasi, Sasaram, Durgapur, take left turn towards Suri, expressway to Moregram, Farakka and Siliguri than the Muzzaffarpur route for safety reasons. If I want to travel with family, I would avaoid Gorakhpur, Muzzaffarpur, Purnia, Dalkola segment even if its is shorter. I would also avoid night drives in the Bihar section on all roads.

You need to plan to come back before election feaver starts in Bihar from mid October.

Hope this helps,

Ramky

Originally Posted by ac 427

Hey Guys,

I am planning to do a Mumbai Sikkim Mumbai, I am planning to leave on 22nd sept, which is just round the corner.

I am planning to take this route.

I want to avoid the naxals, please let me know if the route is the best.


...............................
NH 28
Basti
Gorakpur
Muzzaffarpur


Nh 57
Darbhanga
PhulParas
Bhajan Pur

State HIghway 63
Basantpur
Jokihat
Thakurgahj

NH 31C
Batasai
Bagdogra

NH 31
Bairatisal
Shiv mandir
Matgara
Samardanga
Sevoke Bazar

Nh 31 A
Ranipool
Gangtok

Cheers,
ac

[ac 427]

Hey Guys,

So do you think this can be done in 3 days ?

cheers,
ac

[tsk1979]

Note from mod: Threads merged

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by ac 427

Hey Guys,

I am planning to do a Mumbai Sikkim Mumbai, I am planning to leave on 22nd sept, which is just round the corner.

I am planning to take this route.

I want to avoid the naxals, please let me know if the route is the best.


nh3
mumbai
nasik
malegaon
indore Guna
Shivpuri

Nh 25
Jhansi
Kanpur
Baranbankit

NH 28
Basti
Gorakpur
Muzzaffarpur


Nh 57
Darbhanga
PhulParas
Bhajan Pur

State HIghway 63
Basantpur
Jokihat
Thakurgahj

NH 31C
Batasai
Bagdogra

NH 31
Bairatisal
Shiv mandir
Matgara
Samardanga
Sevoke Bazar

Nh 31 A
Ranipool
Gangtok

Cheers,
ac

I really cannot comment on the first part of your route, But the second part is definitely not the option I would choose.

If you can reach Sambalpur (on NH6) then my suggestion will be to peel off towards Angul - Cuttack (NH42). You will meet the GQ just north of Cuttack, when it is smooth sailing to Calcutta, or Panagarh if you take the Moregram route.

Others can advise you on the Bombay - Nagpur - Sambalpur section.

Where did you get the names of these places on the route?

Regards
Sutripta

[hvkumar]

I would completely avoid the first part of the route. It is too long to go via Shivpuri, and it is too dangerous to drive through those parts of Bihar.

Why don't you follow my route to reach Gangtok, which I did from Bombay last year?
Bombay-Nagpur-Raipur-Sambalpur-Kharagpur-Calcutta-Bardhaman-Darjeeling More-Siuri-Morgram-Malda-Siliguri-Gangtok.

You can trace this detailed route in my log book:
http://groups.google.com/group/hvkumar/web/s2s.xls

As you can see, I did a very aggressive drive, reaching Gangtok on the 3rd day morning, but that meant 2 spells of 36 hr + non-stop driving.

The OR-KH-WB border region between Jashpur and Kharagpur does have some Naxal problem areas, but I think you should not have any problem by day-time.

Aggressive Drive plan (but assuming no night driving) could be as follows:
D1: Bombay-Bhandara/Raipur
D2: Bhandara/Raipur-Calcutta
D3: Calcutta-Gangtok

[Sutripta]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

The OR-KH-WB border region between Jashpur and Kharagpur does have some Naxal problem areas, but I think you should not have any problem by day-time.

As of last year, I would prefer Sambalpur - Angul - Dhenkanal - Cuttack - Kharagpur to Sambalpur NH6 Kharagpur. It is longer but faster.

Don't know current road conditions.

@AC. On the map NH60 between Kharagpur - Ranigunj/ Durgapur looks very inviting. Don't think of it. Stick to the GQ.

BTW, what car?

Regards
Sutripta