[amit_mechengg]

Originally Posted by advaitlele

@Amit - nice pix you got there. I am planning to go to Ganpatipule this month end and initially had planned to go via Umbraj - Amba Ghat route and meet NH17 at Chiplun. Your photos are kind of forcing me to change the route and go via Varandha Ghat.

I was refraining from doing that route as I heard its not a good road. Questions for you (and Ashish Pallod - the GURU of these roads)
1. How long it takes from Pune - it seems we stay pretty close by - you in P.S. and I in Aundh.) So from res to crossing the Varandha ghat and touch NH 17. How long it takes and approx how many KMs for that? Considering I have to travel long way ahead and with a baby.
2. How is the road condition adn traffic condition. I am planning to leave home around 4.30 am.
3. How is the support system en route? Food / Mechanics / Puncture repair etc. just in case.

And keep the photos coming. I am tempted to this route sooner than later.

the road is okay and i dont remember the exact time, but the distance in kms is very less. no traffic at all, but no food, no mechanics no puncture repair walas. whenever you go to konkan these stuffs are very rare. i have tubeless with nitro fill so i dint bother about punctures much. but if you dont have a good condition car dont dare to drive through konkan.

everthing right from engine brakes tyres to driver should be in perfect condition.

it took around 2 hours with stops i think so to cross the varandha, but ST buses flow through this route. so incase you are stuck they can come handy

[amit_mechengg]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Amit, can you please post detailed driving directions from the end of the bridge to the temple? Thanks!

its a very much straight forward road and i dont think one can get lost on this route. you have to follow the road till it end in same pattern. dont turn where roads are small or with no tarmac.

for those who want complete map here it is.

[roamer]

Originally Posted by advaitlele

@Amit - nice pix you got there. I am planning to go to Ganpatipule this month end and initially had planned to go via Umbraj - Amba Ghat route and meet NH17 at Chiplun. Your photos are kind of forcing me to change the route and go via Varandha Ghat.

I was refraining from doing that route as I heard its not a good road. Questions for you (and Ashish Pallod - the GURU of these roads)
1. How long it takes from Pune - it seems we stay pretty close by - you in P.S. and I in Aundh.) So from res to crossing the Varandha ghat and touch NH 17. How long it takes and approx how many KMs for that? Considering I have to travel long way ahead and with a baby.
2. How is the road condition adn traffic condition. I am planning to leave home around 4.30 am.
3. How is the support system en route? Food / Mechanics / Puncture repair etc. just in case.

And keep the photos coming. I am tempted to this route sooner than later.

Varandha Ghat is very handy if you are going to Mahad/Mandangad from Pune. But Its is quite patchy and lonely except the tea and food stalls on the top of the ghat. The road is always patchy with potholes and hairpins, so you have to drive carefully. Never try it in the night. Always drive thru this ghat in daylight only.

But since you will be going to Ganapatipule, the original plan of yours is quite good and fast. The Umbraj-Kumbharli ghat-chiplun is very good road, and fastest route to reach Ratnagiri.

[amit_mechengg]

the Karde beach is very beautiful and you feel as if its a private beach of yours. its a piece of mind.

we went for a dolphin ride, the boat leaves at sharp 7am and the trips continue till 10-12 depending on the public. but there is hardly any rush at karde.

clicking a dolphin is a tremendous tough job. they rise hardly for a second or 2. thanks to panasonic its the fastest camera i have ever used. sony and samsung sucks when it comes to quick processing. i managed only 2-3 snaps of the dolphins. they dont do fancy tricks like jumping out of the water and all.

[SX4LOVER]

Originally Posted by advaitlele

@Amit - nice pix you got there. I am planning to go to Ganpatipule this month end and initially had planned to go via Umbraj - Amba Ghat route and meet NH17 at Chiplun. Your photos are kind of forcing me to change the route and go via Varandha Ghat.

I was refraining from doing that route as I heard its not a good road. Questions for you (and Ashish Pallod - the GURU of these roads)
1. How long it takes from Pune - it seems we stay pretty close by - you in P.S. and I in Aundh.) So from res to crossing the Varandha ghat and touch NH 17. How long it takes and approx how many KMs for that? Considering I have to travel long way ahead and with a baby.
2. How is the road condition adn traffic condition. I am planning to leave home around 4.30 am.
3. How is the support system en route? Food / Mechanics / Puncture repair etc. just in case.

And keep the photos coming. I am tempted to this route sooner than later.

@advait: i did the ganpatipule trip from pune in Aug this year. While going i took the satara-karad-malkapur-sakharpa-hathkhamba-Gpule route. just a small bad patch before ambaghat. excellent scenic views. i started from lohegaon at 7 AM and reached MTDC Konkan Huts at 1 30 PM. I suggest you stay in the konkani huts as they are a few metres away from the beach.

While coming back decided to take the chiplun-helvak-pali road-satara route. good roads and excellent views. only a couple of petrol pumps while approaching NH before satara, and no resros, repair guys etc.

i too feel like taking the varandha ghat route after seeing the pics.

[deepaktpatil]

Nice writeup Amit and well supported by beautiful pictures. Keep it flowing

[SX4LOVER]

hi amit! im not able to spot karde on the konkan map. can u help me with its location. also, are there any other good places to stay while visiting dapoli? (I think im going to ask my friends about it who stayed in dapoli or near it, maybe)

[amit_mechengg]

after 1 day stay at karde and the morning dolphin ride i checked out from sagar hill and proceeded towards ladghar. ladghar is famous for Tamas Teerth or red sea. the red stones in the sea give a red highlight to the sea. but i could not see the same as the sun was not so bright.

on my way i visited the KESHAV RAJ mandir. you have to walk through a hilly area with lots of bettle nut plantations. after a 20 min walk you reach the temple. its amazing and a fresh water stream comes down the hill upto the Gomukh.

[SX4LOVER]

seems like a very nice temple to visit. how far is it from dapoli? im still not able to locate orientation of karde and ladghar with reference to dapoli. i think ill try wikimapia or google

[vikrantj]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Amit, can you please post detailed driving directions from the end of the bridge to the temple? Thanks!

Hey Sawyer ,

Just follow the road , you can't miss the temple . There are a few signs but you may miss them but you can't definitely miss the temple

--Vikrant

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by vikrantj

Hey Sawyer ,

Just follow the road , you can't miss the temple . There are a few signs but you may miss them but you can't definitely miss the temple

--Vikrant

I assume that the temple is the white one up in the hills to the left of the end of the bridge crossing over to it and the road winds its way up and to the left after the bridge.
Thanks guys, I did not have the time for this the first time around.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by SX4LOVER

seems like a very nice temple to visit. how far is it from dapoli? im still not able to locate orientation of karde and ladghar with reference to dapoli. i think ill try wikimapia or google

Imagine a long stretch of beach with headlands at both ends. Karde starts at the south end and as you go north, the beach becomes Murud and near the northernmost end, Harnai.
Ladghar is south of the headland at the southern end, immediately south of Karde.
From Dapoli, one takes a left at the police station for Ladghar, while heading straight on the Harnai road that runs past the station for Karde, Murud and Harnai. After some 10 kms on that road, before a bridge, there is a marked left turn for Karde and Murud. And on that road you turn on to, just before the Murud beachfront, there is another left, marked by a huge board, that takes one to Karde.
A road between Karde and Ladghar is under construction, which will be just a 5 kms one. For now, Karde to Ladghar involves backtracking all the way to Dapoli and takes about 45 mins.

[advaitlele]

Thanks All,

I think I will stick to my earlier planned route for this trip. Varandha ghat would be on agenda in Jan end/ early Feb trip.

I have opted for homestay option; that is what I always do in Kokan trips. I get to taste some authentic kokani food (and of couse Ukadi che Modak and Sol Kadhi) with home stay option. I wont get that in MTDC; though the location is fantastic.

Amit - keep pouring in more photos.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

@amit,
nice pics and travelogue.
karde is nice homely beach away from crowd and commercialization.
as sawyer said, this is the right time to visit that area.

Originally Posted by advaitlele

Questions for you (and Ashish Pallod - the GURU of these roads)
1. How long it takes from Pune - it seems we stay pretty close by - you in P.S. and I in Aundh.) So from res to crossing the Varandha ghat and touch NH 17. How long it takes and approx how many KMs for that? Considering I have to travel long way ahead and with a baby.
2. How is the road condition adn traffic condition. I am planning to leave home around 4.30 am.
3. How is the support system en route? Food / Mechanics / Puncture repair etc. just in case.

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

the road is okay and i dont remember the exact time, but the distance in kms is very less. no traffic at all, but no food, no mechanics no puncture repair walas. whenever you go to konkan these stuffs are very rare. i have tubeless with nitro fill so i dint bother about punctures much. but if you dont have a good condition car dont dare to drive through konkan.

everthing right from engine brakes tyres to driver should be in perfect condition.

it took around 2 hours with stops i think so to cross the varandha, but ST buses flow through this route. so incase you are stuck they can come handy

Originally Posted by roamer

Varandha Ghat is very handy if you are going to Mahad/Mandangad from Pune. But Its is quite patchy and lonely except the tea and food stalls on the top of the ghat. The road is always patchy with potholes and hairpins, so you have to drive carefully. Never try it in the night. Always drive thru this ghat in daylight only.
But since you will be going to Ganapatipule, the original plan of yours is quite good and fast. The Umbraj-Kumbharli ghat-chiplun is very good road, and fastest route to reach Ratnagiri.

Originally Posted by advaitlele

Thanks All,

I think I will stick to my earlier planned route for this trip. Varandha ghat would be on agenda in Jan end/ early Feb trip.

@advaite,
all the above posts are self explanatory.
varanadha ghat is most beautiful during monsoon. please ref my travelogue[ monsoon masti on 15th august].
ideally, for ganapatipule tour, i will prefer itinerary as
pune-umbraj-koyna dam[ stop for 30 min]-kumbharli ghat-lunch at hotel abhishek in chiplun-nh17-ganapatipule-stay at a/c konkani huts no 1 or 2 or 3 at mtdc----
---back journey-ganapatipule-sangameshwar-stop for 1 hour at shivsruti at derwan off sawarde[ 20 km before chiplun]-lunch at hotel abhishek in chiplun-nh17-30 min stop at parshuram temple at lote parshuram-nh17-poladpur-ambenali ghat-shopping and dinner at mahabaleshwar-back to pune .

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Amit, can you please post detailed driving directions from the end of the bridge to the temple? Thanks!

Originally Posted by amit_mechengg

its a very much straight forward road and i dont think one can get lost on this route. you have to follow the road till it end in same pattern. dont turn where roads are small or with no tarmac.

for those who want complete map here it is.

Originally Posted by vikrantj

Hey Sawyer ,

Just follow the road , you can't miss the temple . There are a few signs but you may miss them but you can't definitely miss the temple

--Vikrant

Originally Posted by Sawyer

I assume that the temple is the white one up in the hills to the left of the end of the bridge crossing over to it and the road winds its way up and to the left after the bridge.
Thanks guys, I did not have the time for this the first time around.

mind my words, route to anjarle temple is tricky.
route---
cross anjarle creek bridge-continue till t junction-left goes to anjarle/right goes to mandangad-keep left-t junction-straight goes to anjarle/ right goes to kelashi-go straight-t junction-left goes to somewhere/straight small road goes to temple[ this is very narrow road and one should drive slowly and carefully.
there are no signs at any junction.
if route other than i mentioned exist, please post the route for mass benefit.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

mind my words, route to anjarle temple is tricky.
route---
cross anjarle creek bridge-continue till t junction-left goes to anjarle/right goes to mandangad-keep left-t junction-straight goes to anjarle/ right goes to kelashi-go straight-t junction-left goes to somewhere/straight small road goes to temple[ this is very narrow road and one should drive slowly and carefully.
there are no signs at any junction.
if route other than i mentioned exist, please post the route for mass benefit.

Most roads in the area are a little tricky, being criss crossed by other roads. And all the boards are in marathi, which is fine if one knows the script, but if not....the next time I am in south India, I shall not crib about the signs that are only in the local language and scripts!
Ashish, thanks for the clarification. On the other hand, if the first t left that has to be taken is a relatively straight road compared to the right that goes to Mandangad, your instructions also call for keeping on going straight after the bridge is crossed.