[maheshmenon]

Guys,

Just did some quick check on the route till Delhi (after that its upto the Delhi Folks!). I haven't seen any other BHP'ian from Chennai on this thread, so I assume that I will get company only from Bangalore. So here it is:

UP LEG (Chennai-Delhi)

(1) Chennai - Bangalore (NH-4)
(2) Bangalore - Hyderabad (NH-7)
(3) Hyderabad - Nagpur (NH-7)
(4) Nagpur - Agra (NH-26 / NH-3)
(5) Agra - Delhi (NH-2)

DOWN LEG (Delhi - Chennai)

(1) Delhi - Jaipur (NH-8)
(2) Jaipur - Udaipur (NH-79 / NH-76)
(3) Udaipur - Surat (NH-76 / NH-8)
(4) Surat - Mumbai (NH-8)
(5) Mumbai - Goa (NH-17)
(6) Goa - Mangalore
(7) Mangalore - Bangalore (NH-48)
(8) Bangalore - Chennai (NH-4)

I guess I need more inputs from fellow members regarding the road conditions & other factors that my requiring re-routing to avoid certain hot-spots.

On my part, I'll try to do some reality check regarding Accommodation available and update

@ Dadu / Arindham / BLR folks : Feedback please

Cheers

[Sha]

Originally Posted by maheshmenon

UP LEG (Chennai-Delhi)

(1) Chennai - Bangalore (NH-4)
(2) Bangalore - Hyderabad (NH-7)
(3) Hyderabad - Nagpur (NH-7)
(4) Nagpur - Agra (NH-26 / NH-3)
(5) Agra - Delhi (NH-2)

Take GQ route to reach delhi which is fast can be reached in 2 days.
Check GQ thread very useful.

[mjothi]

@maheshmenon. Yes boss. Sha is right. Driving on the GQ is a breeze unless you have any specific reason to explore those hyd-nagpur roads.

[maheshmenon]

Originally Posted by Sha

Take GQ route to reach delhi which is fast can be reached in 2 days.
Check GQ thread very useful.

Originally Posted by mjothi

@maheshmenon. Yes boss. Sha is right. Driving on the GQ is a breeze unless you have any specific reason to explore those hyd-nagpur roads.

Since this is a long haul, preferred 2 different routes for the trip. Same road up & down does make the trip a little "predictable" also quite an opportunity to explore two different routes was too tempting to let go.

The "UP" route is a little shorter than the GQ. The distance from point to point is approx 500 km on an average and we could finish two legs at a time and finish it in 2 days too.

The "DOWN" route is on the lines of GQ till Mumbai, from there on the coastal road down to Mangalore is more scenic than the GQ post Mumbai.

Also I am a little sceptical about the whole GQ concept, we just finished the Chennai - Kolkata GQ trip a couple of months back and I don't think that this road exists in most stretches of Orissa though it is shown on tha NHAI website as completed stretches.

To conclude my whole point was to kick-start this thread to life or it will meet the death like most other long drive threads on this forum even before the planning stage

Cheers

[arindamray]

See your point, Mahesh.

But the roads in MP are horrible. In one thread, I read about 11.5 hours for a 200 km stretch. If that is the case, it is better avoided.

But again, there are quite a few good places to visit on the way

[krazydriver84]

So what are the plans?

What are the tentative dates we are looking at?

Can we have a headcount to how many people we are looking at. Maybe we can get an Escort or something

[arindamray]

Day 1/May 30: Bangalore - Pune
Day 2/May 31: Pune - Udaypur
Day 3/Jun 01: Udaypur - Delhi
Day 4/Jun 02: Delhi - Manali
Day 5/Jun 03: Manali - Leh
Day 6/Jun 04: Leh Sightseeing
Day 7/Jun 05: Leh Sightseeing
Day 8/Jun 06: Leh Sightseeing
Day 9/Jun 07: Leh - Kargil
Day 10/Jun 08: Kargil - Srinagar
Day 11/Jun 09: Srinagar Sightseeing
Day 12/Jun 10: Srinagar Sightseeing
Day 13/Jun 11: Srinagar Sightseeing
Day 14/Jun 12: Srinagar - Pathankot
Day 15/Jun 13: Pathankot - Jhansi
Day 16/Jun 14: Jhansi - Adilabad
Day 17/Jun 15: Adilabad - Bangalore

Tentative plan, suggestions please.

EDIT: Haven't talked about the leaves yet, so not sure if I will be to able to manage it through.

[Sha]

Originally Posted by arindamray

Day 5/Jun 03: Manali - Leh

Manali to leh takes two days. If there is traffic jam at rothang pass then 3 days to reach leh. last time got stuck for about 7 hours.

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by Sha

Manali to leh takes two days. If there is traffic jam at rothang pass then 3 days to reach leh. last time got stuck for about 7 hours.

Thanks Sha, for the input. Then we can cut down one day from Leh sightseeing may be, or extend the total trip by a day.

There is another option, to reach Manali in 3 days from Bangalore with stop over in Bombay and Behror on D1 and D2.

Do you think other sections are doable in the time allotted?

Ashish and others: Please do a quick reality check on the team size.

Will the elections play any spoilsport?

[Sha]

Leh requires atleast 4-5 days for sightseeing. We need one full day for rest to adapt weather conditions.
one more suggestion make base camp in chandigarh.
Day 1/May 30: Bangalore - Pune
Day 2/May 31: Pune - Udaypur
Day 3/Jun 01: Udaypur - Delhi(Chandigargh).

[maheshmenon]

Originally Posted by Sha

Leh requires atleast 4-5 days for sightseeing. We need one full day for rest to adapt weather conditions.
one more suggestion make base camp in chandigarh.

I've been to Leh in 2001, now that's a place where there are "n" number of sites around Leh to see so some filtering may be required ! I was there for 11 days and still had some places that were skipped.

The main areas would be
(1) Khardung la Pass
(2) Pangong-Tso Lake (via Chang La)
(3) Hemis, Spituk, Stok Monasteries
(4) Magnetic Hill, Pather Sahib Gurudwara, Shanti Stupa.
(5) Temple over looking Leh Airfield

As far as acclimatisation goes, it is mainly required for air travellers who experience a sudden change in the level of Oxygen, since this will be a driving expedition, the gradual climb towards Leh will take care of it. A good night sleep is all you need!!!!!

Cheers

[amohit]

I too want to come for this trip...but 2 problems

P1. Not enough guts to drive down all the way.
P2. Not sure if I will get leaves.

Regards,

[arindamray]

Originally Posted by amohit

I too want to come for this trip...but 2 problems

P1. Not enough guts to drive down all the way.
P2. Not sure if I will get leaves.

Regards,

for P1: You can tie up with somebody else.

[tsk1979]

The plans are emerging. June will be too early for me, and July is tourist season. I was earler thinking of late september, but sometimes heavy untimely snowfall can play havoc.
So right now a start of 14th August seems to be a good tentative date.
Will Leh be very crowded at that time?

[adc]

What is the internet availability after Manali, of course read that there are internet cafes there in Leh, how is the stability of the internet there?.

Do the Airtel data card work over there?