Its another bucket list of roadtrip got fulfilled with lot of excitement, adventure, un expected twist and turns. Bought a Thar recently to do a Leh Ladakh trip this year & few 4x4 Rides . As usual a plan remains a plan. Left with no vocation/holidays , suffering from fever for more than a week and a incomplete plan.
Since we did a Leh Ladakh road trip last year, we kept Leh as optional and wanted to hit the Spiti route and exit via Manali in 10 days.
Decided just few days before the trip, we started from Chennai and planned to cover newer routes. More than excitement of driving through toughest and dangerous roads of India, we are more worried about lack of preparation and plan. But we are good at creating a fantastic plans that are meant to fail miserably. We just went with the flow.
Here is the itenary planned
Chennai - Hyderabad - Nagpur - Agra - Delhi - Haridwar - Rishikesh - Uttarkasi (Yamunotri/Gangotri as optional) - Narkand (Shimla) - Kinnaur - Kaza/Spiti - Rohtang - Manali - Delhi - Chennai
We have covered almost all places except Chitkul (went till Sangla and returned due to Vehicle issue), Chandrataal- Due to road closure and Yamunotri/Gangotri, Shimla & Kulu(Hot water springs).
Surprise was Mussorie visit & Stay. Here is the day wise trip details
Day 1- Chennai - Nellore - Ongole - Hyderabad - Nagpur
Day 2 - Nagpur - Agra - Aligarh
Day 3 - Aligarh - Roorkie- Haridwar - Rishikesh - Mussorie
Day 4 - Mussorie - Uttarkasi - Bandkot
Day 5 - Bandkot- Narkand - Kinnaur (Chitkul half way till Sang la) - Chango
Day 6 - Chango - Spiti - Key Monastery - Battal Camp
Day 7 - Batal camp - Rohtang - Mahri - Manali - Mandi
Day 8 - Mandi - Kurali - Karnal - Panipet - Sonipet - Noida - Yamuna Expressway - Gwalior Bypass
Day 9 - Gwalior Bypass - Jhansi - Seoni - Nagpur ByPass
Day 10 - Adilabad - Bhikoor - Hyderabad- N5 Toll - Nellore - Chennai
Day 1 - Chennai - Nellore -Ongole- Hyderabad - Nagpur
Started around 5.30 AM from my room in Perumbakkam (Near Sholingnallur) and pick up my friend at Nandanam Metro around 6.15 AM. We took the Basin bridge route towards Red Hills, Tada & Nellore.
More than excitement, we were little worried about our preparations. I removed the back seats from my Thar and kept our luggage. Infact had a bed and Sleeping bag to take rest in the vehicle itself.
This time, we do not require any Inline permits since we are not going to Leh and via Kashmir-Ladkah or Manali. So only carried Thar RC, Insurance, Pollution Certificate , Driving license and Aaadhar Card of us.
Chennai to Nagpur is a complete NH Drive except after Ongole to Hyderabad which is a statehighway but mimicked as NH. The plan was to hit hyderabad around Noon.
We had breakfast after Nellore and reached Hyderabad around 2.30 PM. Driving mostly in 80-100Km range only. Unfortunately the mileage was very bad and AC is not working properly. Later on we found out one the back tyres had low air pressure and that might have costed the mileage.
Reached Nagpur around 10 PM . Fortunately the climate was good and the route was pleasant because of recent rain enroute. We didnt expect a cloudy climate in Telangana where we suffered a 40* hot furnace climate last year in May. So we were able to manage the day without AC.
Day 2 - Nagpur - Agra - Aligarh
Similar to Day 1 from Chennai to Nagpur, Nagpur to Agra was also a Highway drive. It was raining in few places in Maharastra and Madhyapradesh border. We are fortunate with the climate today as well.
Usually we decided to target stay in Agra and reach Delhi next day. This time we decided to go to Haridwar and thought will explore the new route. So we decided to take the Aligarh route.
Unfortunately it has rained heavily and google maps put us into the Agra town. After rain, with heavy water logs it was a horrible traffic and got stuck in Agra for more than an hour. we should have tried alternate route avoiding the town entry. Somehow managed to move out of Agra and took Aligarh road.
It started raining and driving in a 2 lane road was bit difficult with lights on and tiredness. we had dinner few km's from Agra and booked Oyo in Aligarh. It was such a bad decision, because the hotel we booked was very bad . Its inside an haunted complex and very badly maintained. Just to take rest we made a bad decision.
We forget to seal the holes meant for seat fitting and water has entered in side the vehicle in Agra roads. Few places water logs were around the bannet height. That was mistake and we drenched the bed and luggages. We stayed in the hotel and planned to start next day
Day 3 - Aligarh - Roorkie- Haridwar - Rishikesh - Mussorie
Woke up early and started from Aligarh towards Haridwar. Landscape started changing from Aligarh towards haridwar. The route was next to the ganges canal for almost half way.
Ganges was in full flow in all places. We reached Haridwar around Noon and i took bath in the Ganges(Finally).
It was very crowded and we thought will skip Manasa temple and leave to Rishikesh. Actually we were expecting Haridwar as a hillstation and was bit disappointed.
Acutal plan was to hit Haridwar, Rishikesh and Uttarkasi. From Rishikesh, we thought will hit Mussorie and go to Uttarkasi next day. We decided to go to Mussorie and started the journey
Mussorie climate was awesome and we had a nice strong coffee enroute. Actually enjoyed the climate but not the traffic. Since it was Weekend crowd started pouring into this mighty hillstation.
We dont want to book a room in side the town and decided to book a room enroute uttarkasi. Asusual Google was not helpful and put us in a long journey from one side of mountain to other side of it for our room. We were not able to find the room and circling around the same place for half an hour. But i enjoyed the drive. Never did a sharp and narrow road in a mountain that was crowded like a City Slum area (Sorry to refer slum if it offends anyone). yes it was a densely populated town on a hill top and the way locals parked their vehicles was awesome. In a such a narrow road, they parked their vehicles giving way for another vehicle to commute.
Finally we found our room and stayed over there. Had the compliment breakfast and started to Uttarkasi. Here is the view from the hotel
A view enroute into the misty hills
Day 4 - Mussorie - Uttarkasi - Bandkot
Day 6 - Chango - Spiti - Key Monastery - Battal Camp
We started from the cottage we stayed @ Chango towards Spiti.
A view of appletrees in the hotel
Scenic Valley view enroute Spiti
Grease Moto Club from RE (Just before Spiti)
Spiti (Kaza)
Highest retail outlet at Kaza
Check post - Spiti to Manali Route
Battal Camp:
Day 7 - Batal camp - Kunjum pass- Rohtang - Mahri - Manali - Mandi
Kunjum Top
Rohtang Pass
Rohtang Pass @13058 Feet
Day 8 - Mandi - Kurali - Karnal - Panipet - Sonipet - Noida - Yamuna Expressway - Gwalior Bypass
Day 9 - Gwalior Bypass - Jhansi - Seoni - Nagpur ByPass
Day 10 - Adilabad - Bhikoor - Hyderabad- N5 Toll - Nellore - Chennai
Since we did a Leh Ladakh road trip last year, we kept Leh as optional and wanted to hit the Spiti route and exit via Manali in 10 days.
Decided just few days before the trip, we started from Chennai and planned to cover newer routes. More than excitement of driving through toughest and dangerous roads of India, we are more worried about lack of preparation and plan. But we are good at creating a fantastic plans that are meant to fail miserably. We just went with the flow.
Here is the itenary planned
Chennai - Hyderabad - Nagpur - Agra - Delhi - Haridwar - Rishikesh - Uttarkasi (Yamunotri/Gangotri as optional) - Narkand (Shimla) - Kinnaur - Kaza/Spiti - Rohtang - Manali - Delhi - Chennai
We have covered almost all places except Chitkul (went till Sangla and returned due to Vehicle issue), Chandrataal- Due to road closure and Yamunotri/Gangotri, Shimla & Kulu(Hot water springs).
Surprise was Mussorie visit & Stay. Here is the day wise trip details
Day 1- Chennai - Nellore - Ongole - Hyderabad - Nagpur
Day 2 - Nagpur - Agra - Aligarh
Day 3 - Aligarh - Roorkie- Haridwar - Rishikesh - Mussorie
Day 4 - Mussorie - Uttarkasi - Bandkot
Day 5 - Bandkot- Narkand - Kinnaur (Chitkul half way till Sang la) - Chango
Day 6 - Chango - Spiti - Key Monastery - Battal Camp
Day 7 - Batal camp - Rohtang - Mahri - Manali - Mandi
Day 8 - Mandi - Kurali - Karnal - Panipet - Sonipet - Noida - Yamuna Expressway - Gwalior Bypass
Day 9 - Gwalior Bypass - Jhansi - Seoni - Nagpur ByPass
Day 10 - Adilabad - Bhikoor - Hyderabad- N5 Toll - Nellore - Chennai
Day 1 - Chennai - Nellore -Ongole- Hyderabad - Nagpur
Started around 5.30 AM from my room in Perumbakkam (Near Sholingnallur) and pick up my friend at Nandanam Metro around 6.15 AM. We took the Basin bridge route towards Red Hills, Tada & Nellore.
More than excitement, we were little worried about our preparations. I removed the back seats from my Thar and kept our luggage. Infact had a bed and Sleeping bag to take rest in the vehicle itself.
This time, we do not require any Inline permits since we are not going to Leh and via Kashmir-Ladkah or Manali. So only carried Thar RC, Insurance, Pollution Certificate , Driving license and Aaadhar Card of us.
Chennai to Nagpur is a complete NH Drive except after Ongole to Hyderabad which is a statehighway but mimicked as NH. The plan was to hit hyderabad around Noon.
We had breakfast after Nellore and reached Hyderabad around 2.30 PM. Driving mostly in 80-100Km range only. Unfortunately the mileage was very bad and AC is not working properly. Later on we found out one the back tyres had low air pressure and that might have costed the mileage.
Reached Nagpur around 10 PM . Fortunately the climate was good and the route was pleasant because of recent rain enroute. We didnt expect a cloudy climate in Telangana where we suffered a 40* hot furnace climate last year in May. So we were able to manage the day without AC.
Day 2 - Nagpur - Agra - Aligarh
Similar to Day 1 from Chennai to Nagpur, Nagpur to Agra was also a Highway drive. It was raining in few places in Maharastra and Madhyapradesh border. We are fortunate with the climate today as well.
Usually we decided to target stay in Agra and reach Delhi next day. This time we decided to go to Haridwar and thought will explore the new route. So we decided to take the Aligarh route.
Unfortunately it has rained heavily and google maps put us into the Agra town. After rain, with heavy water logs it was a horrible traffic and got stuck in Agra for more than an hour. we should have tried alternate route avoiding the town entry. Somehow managed to move out of Agra and took Aligarh road.
It started raining and driving in a 2 lane road was bit difficult with lights on and tiredness. we had dinner few km's from Agra and booked Oyo in Aligarh. It was such a bad decision, because the hotel we booked was very bad . Its inside an haunted complex and very badly maintained. Just to take rest we made a bad decision.
We forget to seal the holes meant for seat fitting and water has entered in side the vehicle in Agra roads. Few places water logs were around the bannet height. That was mistake and we drenched the bed and luggages. We stayed in the hotel and planned to start next day
Day 3 - Aligarh - Roorkie- Haridwar - Rishikesh - Mussorie
Ganges was in full flow in all places. We reached Haridwar around Noon and i took bath in the Ganges(Finally).
It was very crowded and we thought will skip Manasa temple and leave to Rishikesh. Actually we were expecting Haridwar as a hillstation and was bit disappointed.
Acutal plan was to hit Haridwar, Rishikesh and Uttarkasi. From Rishikesh, we thought will hit Mussorie and go to Uttarkasi next day. We decided to go to Mussorie and started the journey
Mussorie climate was awesome and we had a nice strong coffee enroute. Actually enjoyed the climate but not the traffic. Since it was Weekend crowd started pouring into this mighty hillstation.
We dont want to book a room in side the town and decided to book a room enroute uttarkasi. Asusual Google was not helpful and put us in a long journey from one side of mountain to other side of it for our room. We were not able to find the room and circling around the same place for half an hour. But i enjoyed the drive. Never did a sharp and narrow road in a mountain that was crowded like a City Slum area (Sorry to refer slum if it offends anyone). yes it was a densely populated town on a hill top and the way locals parked their vehicles was awesome. In a such a narrow road, they parked their vehicles giving way for another vehicle to commute.
Finally we found our room and stayed over there. Had the compliment breakfast and started to Uttarkasi. Here is the view from the hotel
A view enroute into the misty hills
Day 4 - Mussorie - Uttarkasi - Bandkot
Started from Mussorie to Uttarkasi around 8 AM. Started enjoying the road and scenaries enroute after 3 days of Highway drive except the Mussorie roads.It was a less crowded route cruising inside the mountains and forest region of Dev Bhumi (Uttarakhand and Himachal)
Reached Uttarkasi around 2 PM and went to Uttarkasi kasi viswanath temple.
Reached Uttarkasi around 2 PM and went to Uttarkasi kasi viswanath temple.
The roads were bit patchy though driveable took us more time than planned. We thought we can reach Narkanad tonight but end up staying on Thar itself near Bandkot
Day 5 - Bandkot- Narkand - Kinnaur (Chitkul half way till Sang la) - Chango
Started early in the morning from Bandkot.
We started from the cottage we stayed @ Chango towards Spiti.
A view of appletrees in the hotel
Scenic Valley view enroute Spiti
Highest retail outlet at Kaza
Check post - Spiti to Manali Route
Battal Camp:
Day 7 - Batal camp - Kunjum pass- Rohtang - Mahri - Manali - Mandi
Kunjum Top
Rohtang Pass
Rohtang Pass @13058 Feet
It was Misty and started raining at the Rohtang Top. Cant see the roads for few KM's .
Rohtang Pass view enroute Manali
Day 9 - Gwalior Bypass - Jhansi - Seoni - Nagpur ByPass
Day 10 - Adilabad - Bhikoor - Hyderabad- N5 Toll - Nellore - Chennai
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