[narendra_urs]

Folks,

Our 10th wedding anniversary is just a couple of weeks away and I've promised my wife a trip to Kirandul (the place where she grew up) to mark the occasion. We'd to postpone this trip several times in the past due to the naxal menace along the route.

Its been nearly 25 years since my wife left that place and she is very eagerly looking forward to this trip and I don't to disappoint her.

We'll be traveling in our Highway Star (Cruze LTZ AT) and I've thought of the following options for the onward journey.

Option A

Day 1: Bangalore to Vijayawada (660 kms)
Day 2: Vijayawada to Vishakapatnam (350 kms)
Day 3: Vishakaptnam to Kirandul (440 kms)

Option B

Day 1: Bangalore to Rajahmundry (820 kms)
Day 2: Rajahmundry to Kirandul via Vishakapatnam (630 kms)

I've done Bangalore to Pune a couple of times and Udaipur to Pune once. So driving 800+ kms isn't something that I'll be trying for the first time.

I need your inputs on the route, road conditions, decent accommodation on the way and anything to kept in mind from the safety perspective.

Cheers,
Naren

P.S: I prefer to drive only between 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

[2500cc]

I think if you start at around 3AM, you can reach Vishakapatnam the same day by 9PM, fellow bhpian has recently done this on Scorpio, So cruizing in cruze shouldn't be a problem.

Also the Bangalore-Vishakapatnam is in excellent condition and very safe. If you can accomplish this on day 1, the second day you can travel between Vizag-Kirandul during the safe hours (10AM-4PM)

Emergency accomodation shouldn't be a problem as you will be passing through major cities (if not good towns) once in every 2 hours.

Maybe, Our HVK sir can throw more light on specific things like hotels, traffic conditions and deviations (by-passes)

[supremeBaleno]

Isn't Kirandul in Orissa (and not Chattisgarh as mentioned in the subject of the thread) ?

EDIT : Just checked and found it is indeed in Chattisgarh. I had taken the Vizag-Kirandul train some 15 years ago to go to Koraput in Orissa and so assumed that the destination (Kirandul) is also in Orissa. My mistake.

[2500cc]

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[supremeBaleno]

Oh yes, exactly that one. That was my first trip to Orissa and given the low train fare, I assumed it would be a short journey. Was proven wrong when it took all day. But the scenery as you said was mind-blowing - to me, it felt like travelling through the lush countryside of Kerala. More so because we have this wrong impression in mind about Orissa - famine etc.

That is indeed a train to take. I remember how it would stop at almost all stations and was doing more of an amble than run. And villagers would run and catch up with the train with heavy loads on their head. Awesome.

P.S.: While googling for Kirandul, the search threw up some links about Flickr pages for this train - looks like it is a famous train/route.

[narendra_urs]

Initially we'd planned to drive down up to Vizak and take the train from there to Kirandul just to enjoy the scenic beauty. But decided against it since we'll lose an entire day and also due to the convenience we'll have with own vehicle for local travel at Kirandul.

Great to hear that Bangalore to Vizak roads are in excellent condition. Though I'm game to cover it on day 1, it may be too much for my in-laws who'll accompany us. I would like to know about the road conditions from Vizak to Kirandul and any precautions to take / anything to watch out.

Cheers,
Naren

[Fauji]

Naren,

You can comfortably do Vizag on Day one. Pls see my travelogue "meanders in Madhya bharat" for details. Can not give u link as I am replying through blacberry

[julupani]

Have to say one of the most beautiful and untouched parts of our country, the forests of south Orissa and Chattisgarh.

I have done the Vizianagaram to Jagdalpur section of NH43 a few times last year. As of now in the times of increased Maoist acitivity, I would suggest extending Day 2 upto Viziangaram, if you want to. Quality accomodation in Vizinagaram is the only doubt I have.

I say this because you want to keep as less time as possible in the Maoist area and cover it in complete day time. Roads are generally not too bad in this section of NH43. But road expansion works are going on in the ghat sections between Ramabhadrapuram and Simliguda. Also, the ghat section between Koraput and Jeypore is actually in pretty bad shape. Other than that roads are pretty good.

I havent actually gone to Kirandul itself, but have spent a few days travelling around Jagdalpur and almost all roads are in pretty good shape.

Also, I would like to suggest another route, ie taking the NH221 from Vijayawada to Jagdalpur. Can anybody provide any info about the condition of this road and the amount of Maoist activity on this section?? The advantages I see of this road are that truck traffic is low on this highway, it passes through some very beautiful areas and it also saves you on almost 400km of distance. Taking NH221 should almost half the distance between Vijayawada and Kirandul.

[recker_us]

Nothing to add to this thread.. Just watching it for a similar trip probably to my birthplace, Bhadrak in Orissa. I havent been there for last 20 years.. I might be following your trail when I take this trip.

[julupani]

You may want to have a look at other similar threads about a trip between Bangalore and Kolkata, which will cover the whole distance between Bangalore and Bhadrak. Upto Bhadrak it is a smooth all 4-way GQ ride, except for a small patch of 60kms between Berhampur and Balugoan, where 4-way occurs on and off. Also you may encounter a few patches of work of expansion of GQ to 6-lane between Bhubaneswar and Chandikhole. Number of patches will depend on how much later you take the trip. Work has started at a few places sometime during late last year.

[narendra_urs]

Originally Posted by Fauji

Naren,

You can comfortably do Vizak on Day one. Pls see my travelogue "meanders in Madhya bharat" for details. Can not give u link as I am replying through blacberry

Glad to hear that BLR - Vizak is comfortably doable in 1 day and Vizag to Jagadalpur stretch is also in good condition. Since, we intend to do some sightseeing at Vizak, we'll still break the onward journey into two parts BLR - Vijayawada and Vijayawada - Vizak. But while returning, we'll do Vizak - BLR in one go.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading travelogue. Excellent narration with lots of useful information.

Cheers,
Naren

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by narendra_urs

Glad to hear that BLR - Vizak is comfortably doable in 1 day and Vizag to Jagadalpur stretch is also in good condition. Since, we intend to do some sightseeing at Vizak, we'll still break the onward journey into two parts BLR - Vijayawada and Vijayawada - Vizak. But while returning, we'll do Vizak - BLR in one go.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading travelogue. Excellent narration with lots of useful information.

Cheers,
Naren

Naren,

I would strongly recommend you to do Bangalore - Vizag in one day and spend the next day in Viazg for sight seeing. There is nothing much to see in Vijayawada and you will be wasting a day.

If you feel that driving to Viazg is tough, the break in Rajahmundry. This will provide you time to go on a cruise on Godavari.

[narendra_urs]

Based on all the inputs that I've received so far, I've more or less finalized on the following plan.

Day 1: BLR to Visakhapatnam
Day 2: Visakhapatnam to Kirandul

This will be my first attempt to do 1000+ kms in a day. The max that I've done so far is 895 kms (Udaipur to Pune).

Though NH 221 reduces the distance considerably, some friends who live in Kirandul have told me to completely avoid that due to bad stretches & unsafe conditions.

[2500cc]

Originally Posted by narendra_urs

Glad to hear that BLR - Vizak is comfortably doable in 1 day and Vizag to Jagadalpur stretch is also in good condition. Since, we intend to do some sightseeing at Vizak, we'll still break the onward journey into two parts BLR - Vijayawada and Vijayawada - Vizak. But while returning, we'll do Vizak - BLR in one go.

Thoroughly enjoyed reading travelogue. Excellent narration with lots of useful information.

Cheers,
Naren

In this case, try to start soon on Day 2 from Vijayawada. You have lots of options around Vizag for sight seeing.

Araku Hill station
Borra Caves
Rushikonda
Annavaram temple

You cant cover all the above said places in a day, so choose what you want to see.

[narendra_urs]

For the first time, I'll be doing long distance travel without a day-wise plan. We would be starting from Bangalore @ 5:00 AM on 18-May and returning by 6:00 PM on 25-May. The idea is to start no later than 6:00 AM on each of the days and do as much distance as possible before 6:00 PM.

I'm very keen to join the elite club of people who've done more than 1,000 kms in less than a day and will give it a serious try. Will post the developments as soon as the trip is over.

Cheers,
Naren