[Akadian]

Hi ramkya,

Excellent work! I opened your Jaisalmer log and took a peek. Liked it a lot and have saved a copy on my computer. My next trip, I'll make it clear to the passengers that this is an absolute must

[h@r$h@l]

Hello All,

I plan to do a 5 day trip to Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in 3rd week of March. But due to unavailability of train tickets on such short notice i was thinking of driving down. Its going to be only me and wifey and car in question is Fiat GP EP 1.3

google uncle states that the distance between Ahmedabad and Jaiselmer is approx 565 kms and the same between Jodhpur and Ahmedabad.

My plan is as below

Day 1. Drive from Ahmedabad to Jaisalmer. (566 kms)
Day 2. Spend in Jaiselmer
Day 3. Drive from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur (246 kms)
Day 4. Spend in Jodhpur
Day 5. Spend in Jodhur
Day 6. Drive from Jodhpur to Ahmedabad. (540 kms)

What i want to know is, has anyone done this route recently? how are the road conditions? and what should be the approx drive timings between each places.

All your valuable feedbacks will be much appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

Regards,

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

I plan to do a 5 day trip to Jaisalmer and Jodhpur in 3rd week of March.
Day 1. Drive from Ahmedabad to Jaisalmer. (566 kms)
Day 2. Spend in Jaiselmer
Day 3. Drive from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur (246 kms)
Day 4. Spend in Jodhpur
Day 5. Spend in Jodhur
Day 6. Drive from Jodhpur to Ahmedabad. (540 kms)

AMD-Jaisalmer take the Mehsana-Palanpur-Disa-Tharad-NH15-Sanchore-Barmer-Jaisalmer route.It is a good 9-10 hour drive.NH15 is a lonely highway-no security issues,but just that facilities are nil except for petrol pumps.The only place to eat is at Barmer.If you manage to exit AMD around 6am you should be in AMD by 4-5pm.Night drive not reccomended on this route.From Disa,do not take the Dhanera route to Tharad.Not reccomended.

Ahmedabad, Gujarat to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan - Google Maps

Jaisalmer-Jodhpur is a 5hr drive via Pokharan-Balesar.Road conditions are good.

Jodhpur-Pali-Sirohi-Abu Road-Mehsana-AMD.You should be able to do this in 8-9

Jodhpur, Rajasthan to Ahmedabad, Gujarat - Google Maps

[h@r$h@l]

thanks for the update. Seems driving all alone on that route is not the wise move. I got same feedback from others.

I guess i will do a break journey.

Regards,

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

thanks for the update. Seems driving all alone on that route is not the wise move. I got same feedback from others.

I guess i will do a break journey.

Regards,

There is absolutely no problems with safety.Absolutely safe.Me,wife and my 3yr old drove the stretch with no problems whatsoever.Link to the travelogue: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...than-m800.html

[hvkumar]

Jaisalmer-Jodhpur is 285 kms, possible for a high-speed driver in 3 hours.

It is better to spend that extra day in Jaisalmer, I don't think there is anything in Jodhpur to merit more than 1 day.

There is no need to break journey on the Ahmedabad-Jaisalmer, Jaisalmer-Jodhpur and Jodhpur-Ahmedabad sectors.

Highway between Jodhpur & Pindwara is narrow and has heavy truck traffic, do it by day only.

[Sacrosanct]

Did a similar trip in Dec 2011. Took the Mehsana-Palanpur-Disa-Tharad-NH15-Sanchore-Barmer-Jaisalmer route. Started from Drive-In Road at 6:15 AM and drove nonstop (3 drivers fighting for the steering wheel) till we reached Barmer at approx 2:00 PM. Had a lavish lunch at Barmer and proceeded to Jailsalmer. I think we had checked in at the hotel by 5:00. Don't worry on the safety issue, the highway is well maintained and not much traffic other than tourist vehicles and some army movement. It is lovely drive and you will enjoy it in your Punto 2 nights stay is recommended with 1 night in a tent in Sam Sand dunes.

Jaisalmer - Jodhpur is another 3-4 hrs of good drive in well maintained roads. Somehow all through the drive we had army trucks moving in a straight line on the left most lane and no other traffic. If you leave Jailsalmer by 11:00 AM then a 1 night stay is more than sufficient to cover Jodhpur.

Jodhpur-Pali-Sirohi-Abu Road-Mehsana-AMD took us about 11 hours as the road had potholes for around 80-100 kms when we left Jodhpur and average speed was 20-30 kmph, after that it was fine.

If your wife is comfortable in driving on highways then you will be able to manage the trip without any break journeys.

[buz]

I recently did this circuit in the last week of Dec. Few pointers and things to experience:

1. Have absolutely no worries about the Tharad-barmer-Jaisalmer route. Ensure you complete it in daylight. Look out for bounding goats all along!

2. The place to eat is just before you hit Barmer while going towards Jaisalmer. One way to spot it is that there is a BPCL petrol pump across the road on the other side.

3. At Jaisalmer, do check out the 8 July restaurant for a meal inside the fort in front of the palace. The hosts (an elderly couple) are intrusive but fun. Expect a lot of tamasha through your meal :-)

4. At Jodhpur, after visiting the Meherangarh fort, if possible, walk down to Ghanta ghar using the ramp at the start of the fort (ask people for directions) or take an auto till there. At ghanta ghar, do check out the following outlets - Makhan lassi (for outstanding lassi and rabri), shahi samosa (for a very tasty samosa) and janta sweets (for mirchi wade and pyaaz kachori). Ideally keep lassi for the end :-)

5. Jodhpur to Pali has very high truck traffic. Factor in extra time for the lowered speed in this sector.

6. If you can, do take the route off the Jodhpur Pali route towards Phalna-Bali-Ranakpur. The Jain temple at Ranakpur is not to be missed if you can spare the extra time in the travel.

Wish you a safe trip. Have fun!

[gajadonga]

Between Tharad-Sanchor about 15kms is bad on the Rajasthan side upto Sanchor but manageble.
Sanchor-Barmer driving day time no problem but in the night stick on to 100kms speed in this stretch as it has straight roads and zero traffic.
Last time when I did this stretch a bridge construction was going on and was difficult to break hard at high speed to avoid hitting the bund which was built to get off the highway.
At Jaisalmer if possible stay at Khudi village 40kms from Jaisalmer city.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by buz

1. Have absolutely no worries about the Tharad-barmer-Jaisalmer route. Ensure you complete it in daylight. Look out for bounding goats all along!

The roads are super-fast, but also watch out for camels suddenly ambling or running across the road, especially between Barmer & Jaislamer.

Remember to keep well within the tarmac since the sides have loose desert sand that can bog down the car. So pay extra care when swerving or pulling over to the side.

Sand storms are also quite common after Barmer. Much like the ones you see in Haryana & Punjab. Close your windows & keep going. DO NOT use your wipers obviously, and if you have to do so after the storm is past, wash both the windscreen & wipers with water manually (and not with windscreen washers) before using them.

[Milind]

Gurus - am planning for 10 day trip to Jaisalmer (onwards to Jodhpur, udaipur etc) with my parents starting from Thane on sunday 02/19.

Plan to leave at 9:00 am from Thane and drive till Mehsana on day 1. Day 2 would be from Mehsana to Jaisalmer (or Khuri Village)

Could you please advise me on good Diesel Fuels stops on this route.

Is the Badal Singh's Khuri village in between Barmer and Jaisalmer; can somebody point out that village to me on google map ?


Any advise is welcome & appreciated

Thanks

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Milind

Gurus - am planning for 10 day trip to Jaisalmer (onwards to Jodhpur, udaipur etc) with my parents starting from Thane on sunday 02/19.

Plan to leave at 9:00 am from Thane and drive till Mehsana on day 1. Day 2 would be from Mehsana to Jaisalmer (or Khuri Village)

Could you please advise me on good Diesel Fuels stops on this route.

Is the Badal Singh's Khuri village in between Barmer and Jaisalmer; can somebody point out that village to me on google map ?


Any advise is welcome & appreciated

Thanks

Pumps are not an issue,there are plenty of BP COCO pumps enroute.Fuel quality is good in the COCO pumps.Between AMD & Jaisalmer,there are COCO pumps at Sanchore & Barmer.You cannot miss them as they huge!

[h@r$h@l]

Originally Posted by buz

I recently did this circuit in the last week of Dec. Few pointers and things to experience:

1. Have absolutely no worries about the Tharad-barmer-Jaisalmer route. Ensure you complete it in daylight. Look out for bounding goats all along!

2. The place to eat is just before you hit Barmer while going towards Jaisalmer. One way to spot it is that there is a BPCL petrol pump across the road on the other side.

3. At Jaisalmer, do check out the 8 July restaurant for a meal inside the fort in front of the palace. The hosts (an elderly couple) are intrusive but fun. Expect a lot of tamasha through your meal :-)

4. At Jodhpur, after visiting the Meherangarh fort, if possible, walk down to Ghanta ghar using the ramp at the start of the fort (ask people for directions) or take an auto till there. At ghanta ghar, do check out the following outlets - Makhan lassi (for outstanding lassi and rabri), shahi samosa (for a very tasty samosa) and janta sweets (for mirchi wade and pyaaz kachori). Ideally keep lassi for the end :-)

5. Jodhpur to Pali has very high truck traffic. Factor in extra time for the lowered speed in this sector.

6. If you can, do take the route off the Jodhpur Pali route towards Phalna-Bali-Ranakpur. The Jain temple at Ranakpur is not to be missed if you can spare the extra time in the travel.

Wish you a safe trip. Have fun!

hey Buz,

Thanks a lot for your advise. I have made a clear note for the TO-DO's in Jodhpur. from one foodie to another

Finally i managed to get train tickets and hence the plan to drive down is out of the window. As it is family wasnt very keen on just us 2 driving all the way alone.

@ Buz janta sweets is now my host for the trip as they are very close to my uncle and they have arranged for my local transport within Jodhpur and my transport to Jaselmer and back.

The rough planning is as below

Day 1. Reach Jodhpur at 7 am and drive down to Jaselmer.
Day 2. Spend in Jaselmer
Day 3. After late breakfast check out from hotel and drive back to Jodhpur.
Day 4 & Day 5 Spend in and around Jodhpur and catch the evening train on Day 5 and back home.

Regards,

[skartik2]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

hey Buz,

Thanks a lot for your advise. I have made a clear note for the TO-DO's in Jodhpur. from one foodie to another

Finally i managed to get train tickets and hence the plan to drive down is out of the window. As it is family wasnt very keen on just us 2 driving all the way alone.

@ Buz janta sweets is now my host for the trip as they are very close to my uncle and they have arranged for my local transport within Jodhpur and my transport to Jaselmer and back.

The rough planning is as below

Day 1. Reach Jodhpur at 7 am and drive down to Jaselmer.
Day 2. Spend in Jaselmer
Day 3. After late breakfast check out from hotel and drive back to Jodhpur.
Day 4 & Day 5 Spend in and around Jodhpur and catch the evening train on Day 5 and back home.

Regards,

h@r$h@l,

Let me know if there are any changes in your plans. I will be driving to Jaisalmer with family on the 23rd/24th. I went through Ranjit's travelogue, the route is safe.

Kartik

[h@r$h@l]

Originally Posted by skartik2

h@r$h@l,

Let me know if there are any changes in your plans. I will be driving to Jaisalmer with family on the 23rd/24th. I went through Ranjit's travelogue, the route is safe.

Kartik

hey,

the route is pretty alright. No issues. We are leaving back for ahmedabad today evening by train. The only reason i skipped the driving part is cuz the mrs. Doesnt drive and also 1 full day each side wld b lost in transit. To and fro there are over night trains from ahmedabad and hence making it simpler.

Enjoy your holiday.