Have had multiple follow-ups with the service centre and they claim this vibration is normal in the car.

BHPian ramprebagar recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

I have a 2021 XZA+ with around 41K on the ODO. I am facing an issue with vehicle vibration during idle and crawl speeds(when under 1500 rpm). While I used to have mild vibrations in the the steering, this has now become prominent after a major breakdown service(where the entire fuel system, Compressor, Alternator, Water Pump and Timing Belt were replaced) and the entire car has this vibration. Have had multiple follow ups with the service center and they claim this vibration is normal in the car and showed me another manual Safari with 50K+ kms on the ODO which has vibrations. I consulted another standalone garage and they believe it could be weak engine & transmission mounts that is causing this vibration. However, they are not 100% sure of this and would want to diagnose further after replacing the mounts if the problem still persists. Unfortunately, they are unbale to source the spares and hence was not able to get the mount replacement done. I am thinking of talking to the ASC again to see if there is any respite to this situation as this vibration is highly bothersome in slow speed traffic which I encounter to and from my commute to work.

Any other members experienced/experiencing this issue with the Safari, please see if you can give me any pointers.

Here's what BHPian Karthik1100 replied:

I was looking for someone to address this issue. I have a Harrier, which has clocked around 88k. Occasionally it vibrates at 1500 RPM, I also suspect weaker engine mounts. During that time I move my car a little then it disappears. Another possibility is idle RPM is too low for the engine, you can ask the service guy to set it to 1550 RPM.

Here's what BHPian ramprebagar replied:

The current Idle is at 750 RPM. I had this checked in another Safari as well at the service center and it was set to 750. I am planning to do a test drive with the Service Center again with another technician to see if he is able to diagnose the issue. Will update once I complete that.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Have also test-driven the Alcazar and Creta & am not considering the C5 Aircross.

BHPian supertinu recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Folks, I am in the market for a spacious 5 STR SUV (7 STR is a good bonus) and after looking at Safari, XUV700, Alcazar, Creta, and Tuscon I have figured that nothing can really beat both XUV700 or Safari in terms of the value prop, even more so for XUV700. I have driven Safari AT, XUV Diesel AT/MT & XUV P AT. Just sharing my high-level thoughts about XUV700

Positives

• Both diesel and petrol AT were extremely easy to drive and car-like compared to my XUV500. Light steering and very responsive engines make it seem very sprightly. Safari felt a bit heavier and SUVs like to drive mainly due to lesser power
• Both AT are extremely smooth to drive and have no jerks, felt the diesel to be a tad bit smoother maybe due to more torque. Safari was equally smooth
• Diesel Manual was actually a lot more fun but then the ease of AT can't be beaten
• Interiors are very pleasing and of acceptable quality except for the bad plastic roof/cover that sits on top of the screen. found fit-n-finish a tad better than Safari
• 12 speaker Audio system is good but Safari was a tad better in terms of more base
• AWD option in XUV which I am inclined for

Negatives

• Main negative I felt was the V in NVH, diesel vibrations are felt at idle and I did not see any improvement compared to my XUV500, same with Safari. Petrol was a bit better but still not completely vibration-free
• AT has a bit more lag than manual but it is not a deal-breaker

Will test drive diesel again before deciding, it's the vibration aspect which was a bummer. NVH is where Tuscon certainly excelled a fair bit, but it's a spacious 4-str only. 5th passenger for long drives is a no-go

Here's what BHPian Thyag had to say on the matter:

If considering Tucson, have you thought about C5 Aircross?

Engine & Comfort-wise it is on a different level in itself. You can also get good offers.TD it and decide for yourself.

Here's what BHPian supertinu had to say on the matter:

I have a strong preference to stick to brands with volume and more long-term stability. Citroen doesn't inspire much confidence.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I fall in love with this beast, every time I drive and it gives the best comfort on long journeys be it broken road or smooth Tarmac.

BHPian fusionbang recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Monsoon Drive:

Embarking on a monsoon drive is an exhilarating experience where nature’s beauty comes alive in the most vibrant shades. The rain-washed landscapes, misty hills, and the scent of wet earth create a mesmerizing backdrop for your journey. As you navigate winding roads, the rhythm of raindrops on your windshield and the cool, refreshing breeze heighten the thrill of the adventure. Whether it's a serene countryside route or a challenging mountain trail, a monsoon drive offers a unique connection with nature, making every moment on the road unforgettable.

Last year’s monsoon drive was an amazing experience with my old XUV group, it helped understand the car better as it was new for me and it lived up to the expectations. Since then I have been enjoying every moment with the beast and it puts a smile on the face every time I take the car out on the road.

With all the busy schedule at work, was able to be part of this year’s monsoon drive with the same group as last year, albeit it was with the entire family this time.

Below was the itinerary for this drive:

1. 25/07/2024 - Bengaluru —> Shivamogga
2. 26/07/2024 - Shivamogga —> Jog falls —> Honnavar
3. 27/07/2024 - Convoy drive
4. 28/07/2024 - Honnavar —> Bengaluru

The convoy drive for the MD was crafted around Kollur from Honnavar and return back via Marvanthe beach. I think one has to drive around that circuit to admire the beautiful nature during monsoons.

Day 1 was just a straight forward drive to my in laws place to stay back for the night and cut short the journey into half for the next day. Jog falls was added to the itinerary considering Friday’s the crowd would be less and it would be a peaceful visit. As expected, it was the best decision and we could see the majestic jog falls to our heart’s content, with rains and fog playing spoilsport in between.

After having lunch at the Mayura restaurant(only one available) at jog falls, we started our drive to the resort booked at Honnavar. Due to the rains was hoping not to come across any road blocks, as that was the only route and we had to spend additional 3 hours on the road, if we had to take a detour. But we had to face the nature’s act and there was tree fallen right across the highway and had to stop for 30-40 mins. Thanks to the forest department, they had people who came in and cut the tree and cleared the roads for the traffic. Apart from this there was no untoward incident which stopped our journey.

We reached the resort around 4 pm, got freshen up had tea and went out to one of the secluded beach closer to the resort which was very clean. My kid had a good time at the beach and we all loved the evening breeze before rains came our way.

Next day was the convoy drive and we were all set by 8:30AM after having sumptuous breakfast. Drove through some beautiful narrow roads leading to a meadow with full of greenery. Honestly, we loved that place and it was surreal to look at the beautiful nature. Clicked some pictures of the cars, and moved on to the lunch spot in Kollur. Post lunch we had enough time and added Marvanthe beach to the itinerary. It was first time for my family at the beach and they enjoyed the beautiful view from the shores.

It was a straight drive back to the resort after this and we settled for the day after a nice dinner, to be ready for the drive back home the next day.

It was an uneventful drive back home on the last day and we were fresh as day one. I fall in love with this beast, every time I drive and it gives the best comfort on long journeys be it broken road or smooth Tarmac.

Here is the ODO after this amazing drive.

Great to see this mileage from this big car and not far off from some of the midsize SUV’s.

Will be back with some more updates from another weekend drive and the 4th paid service and a small insurance claim :( Stay tuned!!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Some of the parts cost seemed prohibitive. Specially the fuel filter, PM2.5 filter and AC filter.

BHPian Rodie09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello All,

Got 3rd Free Service (First major Service) done on my Safari. I am sharing the details and overall experience for others to benefit.

Long post alert

@mailtoansh, specially for you as you head for your 3rd Service.

• Model - Safari XZA+ Adventure 7S
• Kilometers - 10800
• Service - 1 year/15000 km/ 3rd Free Service
• City - Pune
• Service Center - Garve Tata, Hinjewadi near Blue Ridge
• Drop time- 1000 Hrs 22/07/24
• Pick time- 1400 Hrs 23/07/24

Most of the service except washing was done in a few hours but I could not go the same day. Hence the next day pick up.

Dent to pocket - Rs.15,267

Prescribed Service Items:

• Engine oil change 5 L Synthetic
• Wheel Alignment and balancing
• Air Con Filter changed
• Diesel Filter changed
• Sunroof greasing
• PM 2.5 Filter
• Windshield Fluid
• Tyre Rotation
• Brake pad cleaning
• Consumables

Additional Items

AC Air Duct Clean

DEF 5 litres

Software not updated, they say it's updated already. It was done in Feb last, so I am unsure. They cleared the errors though and say it'll be smooth.

Overall experience - Very Smooth

Workshop Facility - Though a smaller SS, it was a neat and clean, well organized place. They take limited cars and being Monday morning mine was the second car. The place was never overstuffed or cluttered with cars in my 2 visits in 2days. Overall I'd rate it Excellent.

Staff - Polite and courteous. They hear you. I'd say at par with any other brand SS. Perhaps better.

Quality of work done -

Based on what I could see, it was excellent. No scratches, no grease marks, and properly washed. They even did some rubbing on minor scratches on the fender. Proper paperwork done in a professional way.

Cost -

Some of the parts costs seemed prohibitive. Specially the fuel filter, PM2.5 filter, and AC filter. I did not get to see even the discarded parts so sadly I left to trust them and had no other choice. Even if I can ask for discarded ones, they can bring them from any other bin and show me. What I did not like is that it does not look like a free service at all at 15K+ cost. They have put a high charge to damn everything, even the rags and solvents and grease. Of all things, is tyre rotation also chargeable? Greasing of sunroof, lubrication of door, etc. Then what is really done in Free service? Happy to be enlightened if someone can. I must say they are going as per system so this is not dealer or SS-specific.

Would I recommend this place? Yes, very much. Overall less/limited load, and better attention lead to better quality.

Minor problems that I shared with SS and Response/rectification

• Wind noise from driver window - Known Issue
• Wiper noise - They did something to the arm, noise was reduced but not gone completely
• Grinding noise while starting to move in the mornings (rainy season) - I was told this happens, no big deal. But I see they did brake pad cleaning and charged in the bill.
• Water dripping from hatch struts long after washing - I was told this is normal
• Overall shaking (mild) when trying to accelerate from a standstill - I was told this is normal
• The left rear speaker gives up at high bass at times - Nothing done and I didn't want them to fiddle much anyway
• All window panes come up wet if rolled down and up long after washing - I was told this is normal

Invoice detail (attached as PDF too)

My advice to anyone is to check out the TMSC app. It is helpful.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

So far, the experience has been great, and sometimes I feel that it is a little bit of luck for us or that people have actually exaggerated the issues that they have with their Tata cars.

BHPian prompt.ankitg recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Well, it’s been about 7-8 months of owing and driving Tata Safari Accomplished Plus, Automatic Transmission. So far, the experience has been great, and sometimes I feel that it is a little bit of luck for us or that people have actually exaggerated the issues that they have with their Tata cars. I'm keeping my fingers crossed to continue having the same feeling throughout my ownership experience with Tata Safari, but never have I felt that I made a wrong choice, picking Safari over XUV 700, Innova HyCross, Alcazar, Tiguan, Kodiaq, Tuscon, and several other cars I got to drive and test. My ODO meter has now clocked 16,000km in a short period, and I must say that the distance has been a combination of city, highway, day, evening, and midnight drives. [b]ve come from the Honda experience where sales service was not even a question, but here are my key takeaways from the ownership experience so far, and I will also add a few things that could get better:

Areas where I enjoyed owning and driving the Safari:

a. Suspension is smooth, and the overall ride quality is great. Have driven more than 800/900km in a single day without breaks and the car doesn't make you feel tired. I also like those prompts on "Driver alertness/attention," which comes from the system when you drive continuously without breaks.

b. The automatic transmission has been fine despite variations in speeds and terrain, and it generally does its job well.

c. The seats are very comfortable, and ventilation does help in extreme temperatures. We have a capital seat configuration, and all the passengers feel happy and not tired. We also have a dog who has accompanied us for 70%- 80% of the total ODO reading, and we think the car accommodates it well.

d. Boot space is perfect with the last rows folded. In fact, unloading from the car tells us that we were super loaded on all the trips. However, with the six-seater (all rows open) configuration, you cannot expect much space for luggage.

e. I like the stability of the car; this factor is a wow amongst all other ancillary stuff related to the technology that the car offers. I can tell you with experience that I feel very comfortable driving Safari at 100+ versus any other car in this segment. This could be due to many factors, which I don't understand, but sitting in Safari's driving seat, you feel that you are in better control. In fact, it gives you a feeling that you are in a steady state, and you can cruise with ease and still control your car if an unfortunate object or animal comes on the way. I have driven the car in MP, where a lot of cows and other animals cross the highway, and this is the area where I felt very happy driving safari, and I could easily accelerate and apply brakes where needed.

f. Air cooling, even at ~50 Degrees, was ok. However, I would expect the second-row passengers to get better comfort from the middle vents and not the ones on the side panel. The third-row passengers get better air from the vents they have.

g. Space and utility placeholders are good, and there are too many; sometimes, you can forget where you kept your stuff.

h. The dashboard technology is good, and it is supported by a great camera and software system. Besides a few glitches that I encountered before the software updates, it has been a smooth experience.

i. This is an unpopular opinion, but IRA is definitely a great support in the experience. I like reading the statistics, and the connectivity features are handy many times. I also like IRA's comfort when I have given my car for service or valet parking.

j. Again, this is a contrarian view. My experience with Tata Motors After Sales Service (Prathammalik and Jasper in Hyderabad, Metro Motors in Karnal) and Dealer for Purchase (Metro Motors) has been excellent. In fact, they are more responsive than many other brands. The Tata Motors customer support team has been responsive, too.

Areas where I expect some improvements:

a. ADAS is great, but I am annoyed by the frequent alerts. These alerts do not really help in Indian conditions.

b. My visibility on the pillar side is limited due to the design of the car.

c. Seat welcome and memory features can be improved.

d. OTA for software updates should be there; it is difficult to spare time and go for updates.

Areas where I am a little disappointed:

a. I don't know if I have many, but I feel that the 19-inch configuration sometimes bothers you on the smaller bumps. I am not sure if it has to do with air pressure at that time or in general.

b. The finishing of the final product could have been better. I have seen the JBL logos coming out from the speakers, and I also noted that the red lights on the door inside needed pasting when they came out.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I checked out the Mahindra XUV700, Skoda Kodiaq, Toyota Innova Hycross, Hyundai Alcazar and Tucson, VW Tiguan and several other vehicles.

BHPian prompt.ankitg recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Well, it’s been about 7-8 months of owing and driving Tata Safari Accomplished Plus, Automatic Transmission. So far, the experience has been great, and sometimes I feel that it is a little bit of luck for us or that people have actually exaggerated the issues that they have with their Tata cars.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed to continue having the same feeling throughout my ownership experience with Tata Safari, but never have I felt that I made a wrong choice, picking Safari over XUV 700, Innova HyCross, Alcazar, Tiguan, Kodiaq, Tuscon, and several other cars I got to drive and test.

My odometer now reads 16,000km in a short period, and I must say that the distance has been a combination of city, highway, day, evening, and midnight drives. Have come from the Honda experience where sales service was not even a question, but here are my key takeaways from the ownership experience so far, and I will also add a few things that could get better:

Areas where I enjoyed owning and driving the Safari:

1. Suspension is smooth, and the overall ride quality is great. Have driven more than 800/900km in a single day without breaks and the car doesn't make you feel tired. I also like those prompts on "Driver alertness/attention," which comes from the system when you drive continuously without breaks.
2. The automatic transmission has been fine despite variations in speeds and terrain, and it generally does its job well.
3. The seats are very comfortable, and ventilation does help in extreme temperatures. We have a capital seat configuration, and all the passengers feel happy and not tired. We also have a dog who has accompanied us for 70%- 80% of the total ODO reading, and we think the car accommodates it well.
4. Boot space is perfect with the last rows folded. In fact, unloading from the car tells us that we were super loaded on all the trips. However, with the six-seater (all rows open) configuration, you cannot expect much space for luggage.
5. I like the stability of the car; this factor is a wow amongst all other ancillary stuff related to the technology that the car offers. I can tell you with experience that I feel very comfortable driving Safari at 100+ versus any other car in this segment. This could be due to many factors, which I don't understand, but sitting in Safari's driving seat, you feel that you are in better control. In fact, it gives you a feeling that you are in a steady state, and you can cruise with ease and still control your car if an unfortunate object or animal comes on the way. I have driven the car in MP, where a lot of cows and other animals cross the highway, and this is the area where I felt very happy driving safari, and I could easily accelerate and apply brakes where needed.
6. Air cooling, even at ~50 Degrees, was ok. However, I would expect the second-row passengers to get better comfort from the middle vents and not the ones on the side panel. The third-row passengers get better air from the vents they have.
7. Space and utility placeholders are good, and there are too many; sometimes, you can forget where you kept your stuff.
8. The dashboard technology is good, and it is supported by a great camera and software system. Besides a few glitches that I encountered before the software updates, it has been a smooth experience.
9. This is an unpopular opinion, but IRA is definitely a great support in the experience. I like reading the statistics, and the connectivity features are handy many times. I also like IRA's comfort when I have given my car for service or valet parking.
10. Again, this is a contrarian view. My experience with Tata Motors After Sales Service (Prathammalik and Jasper in Hyderabad, Metro Motors in Karnal) and Dealer for Purchase (Metro Motors) has been excellent. In fact, they are more responsive than many other brands. The Tata Motors customer support team has been responsive, too.

Areas where I expect some improvements:

1. ADAS is great, but I am annoyed by the frequent alerts. These alerts do not really help in Indian conditions.
2. My visibility on the pillar side is limited due to the design of the car.
3. Seat welcome and memory features can be improved.
4.  OTA for software updates should be there; it is difficult to spare time and go for updates.

Areas where I am a little disappointed:

1. I don't know if I have many, but I feel that the 19-inch configuration sometimes bothers you on the smaller bumps. I am not sure if it has to do with air pressure at that time or in general.
2. The finishing of the final product could have been better. I have seen the JBL logos coming out from the speakers, and I also noted that the red lights on the door inside needed pasting when they came out.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Tata Motors is celebrating a new milestone of 20 lakh SUV sales, since the launch of its first SUV, the Sierra.

Tata Motors is celebrating a new milestone of 20 lakh SUV sales, since the launch of its first SUV, the Sierra, in 1991. To celebrate this, the carmaker has announced the ‘King of SUVs’ festival with special prices and benefits of up to Rs 1.40 lakh on its range of ICE and EV SUVs.

As part of the ‘King of SUVs’ festival, the starting prices of the Harrier and Safari have been reduced to Rs 14.99 lakh and Rs 15.49 lakh (ex-showroom), respectively. Benefits worth up to Rs 1.40 lakh are available on select variants.

The carmaker is also offering benefits and discounts on other SUV models. The Nexon.ev gets benefits of up to Rs 1.30 lakh, while the Punch.ev is offered with a discount of up to Rs 30,000.

Benefits as part of the ‘King of SUVs’ festival are valid for all bookings till July 31, 2024.

Tata's further plans are only on ALFARC platform on which the ICE Sierra will also be based and the EVs that will be based on Acti.ev and JLR's EMA architecture for the Avinya brand.

BHPian DRPSREDDY recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Tata Motors proudly brought the D8 platform from JLR that Discovery was based on for the next gen SUVs that are now launched as Harrier and Safari.

Both these cars are doing good. But what next? Tata Motors had announced that there would be more variations of the platform that spin out a sedan, a coupe, or an MPV.

But it seems Tata has lost much focus on more products except to get a 1.5L petrol powertrain and an EV out of the platform. The current and only Fiat-derived powertrain 2.0L Kryotech engine is the current sole engine. This engine is clearly unrefined, underpowered, and outdated in today's terms. Fiat seemed to have asked a bomb to retune the engine with a hike in torque or alternatively asked to choose the 2.2L engine instead which will take the costs off the roof. Fiat (or Stellantis) reportedly stopped working further on diesel engines and is planning to get in Hybrids for next-gen SUVs. Tata is clearly caught off guard as they did not invest in their own engines and rather banked on European partners who foot expensive engineering bills that are not feasible for Tata.

Tata's further plans are only on the ALFARC platform on which the ICE Sierra will also be based and the EVs will be based on Acti. ev and JLR's EMA architecture for the Avinya brand. As of now, no new car seems to be planned that is based on the D8 as it requires a larger, 1.6-2.0L petrol powertrain or Hybrids that TATAs lack or are not interested in developing. They have also haulted the turbocharged variants of the 2.2 varicor engine that just turned reliable with Hexa.

So this seems to be the end of the JLR D8 platform.

Here's what BHPian shortbread had to say on the matter:

Perhaps the answer for future powertrain options comes from JLR as well.

Considering the localisation drive for the JLR lineup recently announced, which will include assembling the Ingenium engines in India (confirmed by Rory O'Murchu JLR's Product Line Director in his Autocar interview) this year. 5 years ago, this might have been farfetched, but now it makes sense. Mahindra has really raised the bar for powertrains in the segment and Tata could really do with the Ingenium's specs. Perhaps reserve the top state of tune for the JLR's India lineup and reserve the lower ones for Tata.

This also resolves the biggest gap in its powertrain lineup, Petrol engines. The current sales of Harrier and Safari are diesel only, a fact that's often overlooked when discussing sales volumes.

Ingenium family has a comprehensive line-up of 3 & 4cyl engines:

PETROL - AJ150 & AJ200

Inline 3: 1.5 L

• 260 Nm, 160 Ps

Inline 4: 2.0 L

• 320 Nm, 200 Ps
• 365 Nm, 250 Ps
• 400 Nm, 300 Ps

DIESEL - AJ200D

Inline 4: 2.0 L

• 380 Nm, 163 Ps
• 430 Nm, 180 Ps
• 430 Nm, 200 Ps
• 500 Nm, 240 Ps

The volumes will help JLR's India operations and keep the money flow in-house rather than paying Fiat for its archaic units. The Ingenium engines have been around for some time, and after resolving its previous teething issues, these are proven units now. Instead of the expensive Aisin or ZF automatics JLRs use, continue with the localised Hyundai autos.

This makes better sense than Tata spending time and resources on its own separate lineup of engines for its bigger cars.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Sound quality - This was a huge step down from the Safari. The audio quality was not at all up to the mark for me.

BHPian NotanF1driver recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello all,

My Seltos GTX+ 7DCT was bought in October 2023. Though I have not used the car a lot, I have some thoughts, which I think sharing here will help others.

• Ride quality - this has always been a sore point for the Seltos. However, I think that this version has this shortcoming sorted - I have not felt that the ride was bad by any means. I felt it to be a bit better than my previous car (Safari XZA+ 2021) at low speeds. The damping felt more comfortable.
• Size - My opinion is that this is the best size for a car. It can handle city streets and does not feel small on highways. The Safari felt huge in the city.
• Rattle sound - Not sure if this is a common problem. I have heard rattling sounds from the roof of the car very often. Once I hear it, I can't unhear it. After a lot of investigation, I narrowed down the cause to rattly plastic covering on the roof rails. I have taped them all up.
• Sound quality - This was a huge step down from the Safari. The audio quality was not at all up to the mark for me. Every time I listen to a track, I feel so sad about the sound system.

How I improved audio quality

I wanted to improve the audio quality so much, but I did not want to tamper with the speakers and end up with a void warranty, etc. I did a lot of research (technically, googling) with no real outcomes.Then I remembered reading a post by GTO saying that one could get better audio by using equalizers. So did I. Follow the below steps.

• Messed up with the equalizer in the HU (Had done this on the day of delivery) which is just 3 bands. Bass and trebles were set to +7 and mid at +2. This has a bit of an impact on audio, but don't expect much.

• Enter the idea. I tweaked the equalizer setting on my phone (Galaxy S23 Ultra) in the settings option to a custom EQ. One thing I noticed was that if I changed even one bad to the + side, the audio felt too compressed and atrocious. Instead, I reduced the mids and kept the bass and trebles at 0 to get a "u" shaped EQ.

• The problem is that this setting is global and would apply to the audio output on the phone (BT speakers, TWS, etc.) where you don't need it.

• Solved problem by adding a routine to automate the use of this EQ. You may see the screenshot below.

• I think I enjoy the audio better now. The only downside is that in the HU, I have to keep a higher volume level. This is expected since I pulled down some frequencies in the EQ. Note - I prefer the pleasing sound signature of JBL and hence prefer a "u" shaped sound signature. Hence did the same. You may have a different preference.

Hope this helps. Cheers!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The SUV performed flawlessly and returned me an average fuel efficiency of 13.3 km/l with the AC on for the round trip.

BHPian iskandariya recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hemkunt Trip

With the temperature mounting in the plains and giving exposure to the kid of flora fauna also being on the agenda for his summer break, planned a trip to Hemkunt. As per the initial planning, the itinerary was:

• 1st June'24 - Chd to Rudraprayag
• 2nd June'24 4AM - Rudraprayag to Gobind Ghat
• 2nd June'24 Trek to Govind Dham
• 3rd June'24 Trek to Hemkunt & Return
• 4th June'24 Valley of Flowers
• 5th June'24 Trek Down to Gobind Ghat and start return till Rudraprayag
• 6th June'24 Rudraprayag to Chandigarh

Ensure a light backpack, with a focus on synthetic and easy dry clothes. Decathlon was of great assistance for trekking sticks, shoes. Medicines, proactive and reactive both.

Also got myself a Solar Panel, guess was being over cautious, but after the 2013 incident wanted to be fully protected in case of a calamity to have a backup to keep the mobiles fueled. Added 2 Power Banks also to the mix, Potronics were the chosen choice, one with wireless and the other being standard 10000mah. A portable collapsible Electric kettle was also in the mix.

Only thing left was prepping the vehicle. I chose the Safari over Scorpio N to avoid the extra body roll and have a more planted feel for the other occupants who weren't so accustomed to motion sickness.

Hence Safari was fueled up, my right rear wheel used to lose some amount of air every now and then but never go below 24psi. Upon checking it was found to be a small puncture near the wall hence mushroom puncture was the option adopted. I feel others would have also done but I think it is better to be safe than sorry. Trip meter reset.

After this got the car Cleaned prior to the Trip

The car was parked, packed and kept in ready-go-to condition.

Assuming everything was set I just had to drive. Till the drive, I was contemplating and was simply excited.

Just then around midnight prior to Departure, I realised I forgot to top up the Urea/Adblue, went to 4 pumps of Indian Oil and finally got the 10L box. Then topped the Urea which consumed a full 10L against my assumption of 5L which was needed.

Got free by around 1 am, post that rested and reached my polling booth at 06:45 AM; to my surprise, I found a long queue at my polling both early morning itself. Hence we got free from our Duty by around 07:30 AM picked up my brother and set off for our Trip.

We took the Yamunanagar Saharanpur Rishikesh route... and made good time till the Roorkee bypass and it was here that we met a traffic jam of 15mins - Google maps was quick to guide us to the service lane which avoided much of the traffic.

After crossing it we were green all the way to Rishikesh, where the traffic coos diverted us to Jolly Grant Airport road because of the jam inside Rishikesh at Laxman Jhula.

We had another family joining us who were travelling from Dehradun and were stuck in that jam.

Then traffic officials diverted us to the forest area hill route and then beyond to Old Tehri route and from there to Srinagar bypassing the complete jam we did end up covering more miles but the route was great, scenic, traffic-free and loved the drive.

We ended up driving 17 hours and reached direct to Gobind Ghat.

Next morning post having breakfast we set off for Gobind Dham / Ghangharia. One takes a Cab to Pullana Village and from there the 10km trek starts, the last 3km are steep post-iron bridge. (Which prepares you for the next day's 6km trek)

We stayed at Hotel Kuber at Ghangharia/ Gobind Dham. In fact, the only booking I had made prior was with the Hotel owner. Aman, a great person very helpful and soft-spoken. He really was reachable throughout my planning stage.

Ghangharia has a wide variety of food, just be careful about the portion and quantity and quality.

Next day we set off for the Hemkunt trek. While the trek is steep, the views are awesome and so is the vibe. While it took 6hrs for 10km in the first leg this 6km was to take at least 6hrs with a time-bound clock ticking as one needs to reach atop by 2PM.

Above once you reach all tiredness goes away the view is mesmerizing and you are served with the World's Highest Langar at the World's highest Gurudwara.

Reaching down is a different game altogether, don't over extert.

Valley of Flowers though open had only blue poppy hence we decided to skip it for now and return to Gobind Ghat the next day.

Next morning we started at around 10AM reached Gobind Ghat, around 1PM and then decided to continue further and started our journey at 2PM.

Encountered some traffic at Joshimat and after that, it was mostly clear so pushed on.

I would like to compliment Uttrakhand Traffic / Homeguard police both are nice, well well-present throughout the state. The administration has also worked well to keep the Hotels/ Restaurants open all across the highway 24x7.

You also have Gurudwara across the route which is open 24x7 in case you need to stop rest and take route updates in either direction.

I reached Srinagar at around 11:30pm and stopped for tea, at Naani ki Rasoi. Why I am mentioning them categorically is they brought 2 biscuits along with tea without asking for it while I was contemplating about it and all this at midnight.

After that, I was set for the next leg and we pressed on crossing Rishikesh at 1am. The town was alive, especially near the Lemon Tree Hotel.

After that, I had the intention to go on but my passengers stressed we needed to stop. Hence just before Haridwar at Raiwala, we stopped for food at a Vaishno Dhaba (avoid).

After this, we went on to Chandigarh and reached at 6AM and then straight to bed.

Vehicle Feedback

• Performed Flawlessly and gave me an average of 13.3kmpl with AC for the round trip.
• My arm aches a little, the hydraulic steering while it is planted gives good feedback, but aches after a long drive.
• The sunroof (closed) provides a good view.
• Power delivery is smooth, AT performed well no complaints and was peppy throughout under normal mode.
• Brakes were upto the mark
• Only observation I had was, while coming downhill on Kaizegs turns the steering used to make a shuddering noise at the wheels-end, not felt at the steering though. (Experts can share feedback on this) - Would be taking the vehicle for a minor service checkup and get this also highlighted.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.