[kskthere]

Summer Escapade:

Hyderabad -> Hampi -> Dandeli -> Murdeshwar -> Goa -> Hyderabad
2 Balenos, 4 destinations, 2000 kilometers across 4 states!

After my recent drive to Warangal (A drive to Warangal in the summer!), I thought there could be no more crazy summer road trips until monsoon, but little did I realize how things change quickly. Thanks to a childhood friend for stoking my inner fire to travel that most likely paved the way to this journey. Below are some excerpts from that conversation (pardon me if it isn't relevant to the topic).

"Do we people become more conservative as we age?" - a probing question asked by a childhood friend while refreshing at a restobar on a sweltering afternoon.

"I guess so." - I replied, instantly.

"Imagine a situation where you have to choose between passion and career - a situation where on one hand, you've got nothing to lose; and on the other, everything is on the brink of ruin. Tell me, how would you deal with it?"

"I would have done it differently. Definitely, yes" - he proclaimed, as I remained silent.

"It's imperative that present generation of youth understands 'failure is a part of life' and that they need to have confidence to try out a more experimental and creative approach than just following a path already laid out. They need to be prepared for challenging situations and constantly do something new to achieve something. That flexibility they have now, unlike us. I'm not generalizing, but still many youngsters do not take risk when it comes to career." - he continued while explaining about his brother's son's situation. Apparently, as per him, that young lad, whose passion was cooking, faltered at a college culinary competition, and his father made sure he ended up in a medical college.

"I guess, at some point in life, we don't step out of our comfort zone and truly challenge ourselves. But what befuddles me is that we don't even give enough thought to try do something new."

I remained to stay silent.

"So, when was the last time you did something for the first time" - out of nowhere, he poked me again, staring straight back at me.

I was temporarily dumbstruck, and after a short awkward pause - "Don't remember, but at the back of my mind there is a long to-do list."

"Yeah, I know, a routine reply I get to hear. It's tough question to answer, but once you do things that you are passionate about, everything seems fresh. I know you are a man of many interests, and I remember once you told me traveling brings you happiness and peace. So, travel - before you run out of time. Experience that something new every time you travel."

It was truly an intriguing meeting. Just couldn't stop admiring his open-mindedness and optimism. I wasn't expecting it, so it threw me off during entire conversation. But it did fire me up, there's no question. On my way back home, with 'The gravel road' soundtrack playing, ironically I could see clear road ahead, and yet somehow felt a little heavy-hearted.

Reaching home I put the same question to my wife and surprisingly her answer was 'how about a long trip?'. This is something new, for her, and for me as well, as she's averse to long drives. That's when a road trip to Dandeli materialized, giving me an opportunity to fulfill my wish to do white water rafting and jungle safari. Once my niece has also shown interest, the plan was on. Since Dandeli was almost 13 hours drive from Hyderabad, we included Hampi as halting point in between. Then, one of my niece's friends suggested to also visit Murdeshwar, so it also made it to the list. And then, on the last day of the tour, we planned to take a detour to Goa before heading back to Hyderabad. Hence, the summer drive was extended from 5 days to 7, and from 1 destination to 4.

With dates (May 17th to May 23rd) finalized and hotels booked, altered final itinerary looked like this:

• Day 1 - Reach Hampi and explore some places
• Day 2 - Early morning exploration and reach Dandeli
• Day 3 - Watersport activities and sightseeing in Dandeli
• Day 4 - Jungle safari in Dandeli and reach Murdeshwar
• Day 5 - Reach Goa by evening
• Day 6 - Explore Goa as much as possible
• Day 7 - Return to Hyderabad

[kskthere]

Day 1 - Hyderabad-Hampi:

Hampi is famous for its ruins belonging to the erstwhile medieval Hindu kingdom of Vijaynagara. It is charismatic even in its ruined state, attracting thousands of visitors every year. Vast stretches of boulder-strewn hills make the backdrop of Hampi unique. Dotted around the hills and valleys are 500 plus monuments. So spending just 6 hours to explore this world heritage site looks stupid, but no complaints as we know why we were here.

Our initial plan was to start early (4 am) on May 17th and reach Hampi before 3 pm; visit Virupaksha temple in the evening and cover as much as possible the next morning. Since we did not want to strain ourselves on the first day itself, we hit the road on 16th midnight, drove all night and reached Hampi by 10 am. Booked (through booking.com) two AC suites in Hotel Clarks Inn. It is located at the entrance of Hampi quite opposite to famous ASI museum, Kamalapur. The vast stretches of Hampi are within 6 km from the hotel, so it is a great choice for accommodation. We were greeted cordially by the staff; check-in process was quick and smooth, and escorted to our rooms. Ambience of the hotel was good. Rooms were clean and spacious, with all in-room amenities. Food was on the expensive side, but excellent. As we reached early, we had enough time to rest before sightseeing in the evening. Had lunch in the hotel, and I took a power nap. Went out at 4 pm and it was dreadfully hot outside . So anyone planning to visit Hampi in summer - think twice. It's a terrible idea. We managed to visit Hazara rama temple, Virupaksha temple and Hemakuta sunset point. Had dinner at the hotel itself and crashed into bed.

Night drive briefly halted somewhere near Aspari:




Hotel Clarks Inn in decent location:


Nice ambience at the reception:




What better way to start exploring than taking a groupfie:




A grand entry to monumental Hampi:


Hazara rama temple:






External walls decorated with bas-reliefs:








Wanderers :


Virupaksha temple:






Au revoir. Sunset point, Hemakuta:

[kskthere]

Day 2 - Hampi-Dandeli:

By the time we reached Vijaya Vittala temple (6:30 am), there was no one to be seen. From the parking lot, it's a 10-minute walk to reach the temple complex. Electric vehicles are available at ₹20 for a two-way journey. There was refreshing cool breeze blowing, so we enjoyed walking to the temple. Spent nearly 2 hours exploring the magnificient architecture. Wanted to visit some more places, but with sun beating down and we feeling hungry, went back to the hotel. After reaching hotel, I came to know a goof-up I made while booking. I remember to include breakfast also in booking but it was not the case, so had to pay ₹1840 for breakfast alone . Nonetheless, the buffet breakfast spread was delicious and worth the money. After checking out of the hotel, we covered Lotus Mahal, Elephant's Stable, Zanana enclosure and Queen's bath before heading towards Dandeli. Archeological Museum was closed on May 17th and even though there was free entry on 18th we skipped it due to lack of time.

Started the day where we ended :


Cool morning breeze caressing skin was refreshing:


Entrance to temple complex:


Spectacular Stone Chariot:


Take a moment to bask in the glory..:


..and feel elated:




Above picture credit goes to:










As the epicentre of Hampi's attractions, Vijaya Vittala Temple is the most extravagant architectural showpiece:


Returned on electric vehicle:


Lotus Mahal:


Elegant Elephant's Stable:


Hampi was like hot oven in summer, so shield yourself from the sun:


By 12 noon, we were out of Hosapete and took NH67 via Koppal. Four-lane work is in progress on NH67, and this road is deserted till Hubli with no proper food options or decent tree shade to stop. After about 3 hours of drive, finally made a brief pit stop to have homemade snacks. Reached Starling River Resort in Dandeli by 5 pm, checked in to our allotted suites and strolled through the resort for some time.

Starling River Resort:


Overlooking river Kali from balcony was breathtaking:


Just magnificient:


Night view:

[kskthere]

Day 3 - Dandeli:

Dandeli is a small town in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, situated alongside jungles of the western ghats. It is also known for its adventure activities on the river Kali, and jungle safaris. Located close to the Supa Dam on Kali, Dandeli offers options for white water rafting and canoeing.

Starling River Resort is situated along the banks of the mighty Kali river. It is an ideal retreat for all those seeking some moments of tranquility amidst scenic natural views. One can book tents, cottages, suites or dormitory through official website or through marketing agents. If coming from Dandeli town then take left to join Kulgi road and again left towards Badakanshirada-Harnoda road to travel all the way to the banks of river Kali to reach this resort. It's a 15-min drive and view on both sides of the road is captivating. We booked two AC suites. Usually, stays in Dandeli are sold as per-person-packages, which include accommodation, food and some free activities. There are plenty of homestays available and some famous hotels/resorts have their official web page. Also, there are some marketing partners created websites too, through which one can book accommodation - Ex: dandeli.com, kalitide.com etc. These agents operate syndicates of some homestays, resorts and other hotels. They usually quote lesser price compared to official websites. One needs to use one's bargaining skills to good effect to get better deals. If anyone planning to Dandeli specifically for watersport activities then Bison Resort and Hornbill River Resort are better choices. Bison is located right adjacent to the activity area, and Hornbill is also not too far away.

Soon after having sumptuous breakfast, we proceeded to water-sports activity point in Ganeshkudi, an hour's drive from Starling resort. On reaching the point, we came to know that there was no white water rafting activity on that day as not enough water was released from Supa dam. It was really disappointing. There are 3 types of rafting's available: long, medium and short. Rafting takes place at two time intervals: 9 am and 2 pm. The tour organizers give tourists a choice of a 9-km 4-hour run, a 4-km 2-hour run or a 1-km 1-hour run. We did last one which basically nothing but boating, facing only 1 rapid (which was moderate on that day). Other activities we did were kayaking, zip-lining, jet-ski boating and zorbing. Though a bit disappointed for not doing long rafting, the day was spent with full of fun all the same. Also, we managed to do some free activities included in our package, such as coracle ride, archery, 10-ball pool, table tennis etc. We wanted to go for evening jungle safari, but postponed it to the next day. So the evening was spent lazing out in swimming pool.

Woke up early to watch this gorgeous scenery:


Witness spectacular sunrise over river Kali:




Sitting at banks of river and sippin' a cup of coffee is, literally, an experience to die for:


Pristine beauty of surrounding landscape was magnificent to gaze at:




AC Cottages:


Outdoor dining hall beautifully covered with climbers:


Can't get enough:


Route to the resort:


On way to water-sports activity point:


And adventure begins:










Activities at the resort:












Meanwhile, a shoot for cover pic:

[kskthere]

Day 4 - Dandeli-Murdeshwar:

Woke up early in the morning to get ready for jungle safari in Kali Tiger Reserve (KTR). Safari is an almost 1-1/2 to 2-hour drive deep into forest covering nearly 14 km. KTR is a habitat for Bengal tigers, Indian elephants, leopards and also black panthers. The forests in Dandeli are home to over 300 species of beautiful birds. The most prominent bird one can come across is Hornbill. Tourists are permitted entry from the Kulgi gate of the reserve, which is about a half an hour’s drive from Starling resort.

We reached booking counter by 5:45 am, took tickets and were allotted an open safari jeep entirely for us. There were some 18 safari jeeps lined up and the place was swarmed up with people quickly. Our jeep driver told us (in Kannada) not to have high expectations about wildlife sightings, but to enjoy the safari. Even though we didn't understand the language, we could grasp what he meant. After thumbs up, the much-awaited jungle safari had started and we entered the reserve around 6:15 am. Ours was the first safari jeep to enter into the woods and the excitement was palpable. He told us actual deep forest starts after about 2 km. Into a few minutes of drive, we could see an arch with 'Kali Tiger Reserve' written on it, and statues of a tiger and a black panther on either sides. We could gradually see actual dense deciduous forest. It was calm and quiet except for occasional song of birds with only safari jeep engine's growl reverberating. Then a deep hooting call of a langur claiming his territory, and also sounds of jungle fowls. A few minutes later we saw another vehicle behind us. Our jeep made a pit stop for a few minutes at S.R. Bhagwat sunset point to view dense forest from top. Though we had only regular sightings of deer, jungle fowls, peacocks, wild squirrels etc, we didn't rule out our chances of seeing extremely territorial big cats (especially tiger). It was a little disappointment in the end, but to summarize the visit in two words – amazingly beautiful.

That anxious moment:


Road piercing through forest:


A selfie to remember:


S.R. Bhagwat sunset point:






That's all we could see:




After checking out of the resort, we headed straight towards Murdeshwar and reached hotel RNS residency by 5:30 pm. This hotel is located on the coast of the Arabian sea. We booked two beach-side rooms, and the view from balcony is nothing short of amazing.

Murdeshwar Temple is one of the Mukti Sthala and boasts the world’s second largest Shiva statue. The temple complex begins with a huge 20-storied Gopuram. The unique feature of this Gopuram is that devotees can enter the Gopuram and can go to the top from where they can view the surroundings. The whole Murdeshwar temple complex is modern except the main Sanctum. While whole temple premises is aesthetically designed and looks beautiful at the backdrop of sea, maintenance outside the temple was horrendous. It's very crowded with limited parking space and garbage thrown everywhere on the roads (auspicious Somavaar made things even worse). We were stuck in traffic for half an hour right at the entrance of our hotel. Later, we managed to visit the temple just before closing time, and forgot all the stress watching breathtaking effigy of Lord Shiva and Gopuram in lights. It's truly worth visiting this place.

Stunning view from balcony of hotel RNS residency:






Mighty Murdeshwar:


Glorious Gopuram:














Hotel RNS residency on the coast of the Arabian sea:

[kskthere]

Day 5 - Murdeshwar-Goa:

This was supposed to be the last day of our trip, but my brother-in-law insisted that we see Goa as well, since we've come this far. That triggered an extension of tour to two more days, and I immediately booked a hotel in Calangute.

But before that we've spent a good hour's time in Murdeshwar beach, followed by free breakfast in RNS hotel, and later we went to temple to take lift to reach the top of the Gopuram and check surroundings from top. Need to buy a ticket and the security guard will guide you to take any one of the two lifts available (closes by 12 noon). Lift stops at 18th floor, and the floor has windows on four sides to view scenic surroundings.

Never to miss another sunrise view:


Beach time:






A sight to behold from top of the Gopuram:






Now, it's all Goa time; started at 11 am and reached Goa by 5 pm. We booked accommodation in Neo Calangute beach resort, which was on the hustling-bustling road leading to Calangute beach. Though hotel rooms are good, there is no dedicated parking space available. Need to park vehicles in an open space opposite to the hotel (they charge exorbitant Rs.100 for 12 hours). The hotel is a boon for shoppers though. We did dinner in Capricorn Goa Restaurant, and had one of the worst biryanis ever .

[kskthere]

Day 6 - Goa:

We all know what Goa is famous for - beaches, shacks, drinks and sea food. We tried everything in one day; covering Calangute beach in the morning, Fort Aguada after breakfast, Anjuna beach and flea market in the afternoon, Baga beach in the evening, and not to forget late night shopping. It was a very hectic day, but thoroughly enjoyed. We could see skin tanning on everyone's face .

Goa diaries:


Goa hai bhai:






Fun unlimited:


























Fort Aguada:




Pose for Paparazzi:


Flea market in Anjuna:


Lunch at Cafe Looda:






Lip-smacking seafood:


Anjuna beach:




Goan Avengers @Baga beach:


Nightlife at Baga:


Crunchy stone chocolates to take home:

[kskthere]

Day 7 - Goa-Hyderabad:

So, that's that - Last day!

We wanted to do parasailing early morning, but those activities start only at 9 am. Considering our long drive back (725 km, 15 hrs) to Hyderabad, had to give it a miss. With mixed feelings, we started our return trip at 10 am and reached home by 2 am on May 24th, bringing the curtain down to one of the memorable journeys. Total distance covered, home-to-home, was 2020 km. Behind-the-wheel time was almost 50 hours.

I wouldn't recommend anyone to visit the places we visited in summer, but we didn't have time to alter the plan later. In the end, I was very happy that nobody fell sick during or after the journey. I thought there will be motion sickness but no problem at all. My main worry was about my daughter, who fortunately adjusted well and didn't show any signs of fatigue, as does my wife. The best part was Baleno's performance. For almost 5 days we were on the road driving afternoons with sweltering heat outside, but Baleno's AC kept us cool inside, and returning a remarkable FE of 20 kmpl with AC on all the time. In spite of fully-loaded all the time, never at any point I felt it under performed, even at Tillari ghats on return journey from Goa to Hyderabad.

Ironically, just like the first picture, the last one taken at windmills:

Personally, it was a very satisfying summer road trip; this is my longest yet. It tested my endurance levels and driving skills - at nights, on ghats, day-after-day long drives - and the result was confidence boosting. I hope to embark on many more such trips in future as well. Thanks for reading .

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!

[RajeevSharma]

Excellent travelogue. Your wording is precise, coverage extensive, pictures lively and fun must have been unlimited. It is a boon to travel in a like minded group and sometimes not with a fixed plan that made Goa happen for you and multiplied your joys many folds.

[kskthere]

Originally Posted by RajeevSharma

Excellent travelogue. Your wording is precise, coverage extensive, pictures lively and fun must have been unlimited. It is a boon to travel in a like minded group and sometimes not with a fixed plan that made Goa happen for you and multiplied your joys many folds.

Thank you very much for your kind words @RajeevSharma.

True that. A great atmosphere is created when you have like-minded people around and an unfavorable situation can be converted to favorable one.

[kskthere]

A short video clip of our trip:

https://youtu.be/79TZzqMhoKU

[Samba]

Lovely travelogue. Rated 5*

This travelogue is like a 'time travel' to me.
I was virtually travelling with you while reading it. A decade back, i used to visit all these places during weekends from Bangalore. My good old memories just got refreshed.

Thanks for sharing.

[kskthere]

Originally Posted by Samba

Lovely travelogue. Rated 5*

This travelogue is like a 'time travel' to me.
I was virtually travelling with you while reading it. A decade back, i used to visit all these places during weekends from Bangalore. My good old memories just got refreshed.

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you very much @Samba. Glad you liked it.

Even though driving along the coastal belt was quite exhilarating, expansion work on NH66 literally causing chaos at most parts. At some sections, while we were traveling on the right side, oncoming traffic was on the left side. No proper (or removed) signboards and barricades was leading to this. Otherwise, it was fun all along.

[Vikki@Hyderabad]

Which route did you take on your way back to Hyderabad? Any info on road conditions?