Not all those who wander are lost – J.R. Tolkien
Not one truer thing was ever said by Mr Tolkien in spite of all the fantastic work he’s done throughout his years of service to English literature. One of my favorite things to do as a traveler is to set off on impulsive, spontaneous, expansive and erratic road trips. Be it with a bunch of your closest, craziest friends, your significant other, your family or just by yourself, road trips give you an odd kind of high – I think it comes from an elusive sense of liberation, freedom, that odd thrill of an escapade and a little bit of marijuana thrown in for good measure (just kidding, be a responsible driver if you’re behind the wheels 😛 ).
I strongly believe that travelling is so much more about the journey than about the destination itself. Much of the fabled self-discovery, the small defining moments, the profound thinking, observing and changing happens as much along the way as it happens at the place you travel to. Friendships forged in gold are born out of road-trips – there’s so much to experience, so much to share, celebrate and exalt in, you re-discover not just your companions, but even yourself, in so many ways.
So here’re our top 5 route-picks for the most enthralling, memorable and breath-taking moments of your nomadic lives 🙂
Click The Picture to Begin One…
5. Mumbai – Goa – NH17
The National Highway 17, connects Panvel, near Mumbai to Kochi, in a 1296 KM long stretch. The country’s 7th longest highway, the route passes through the coastal states of Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala & Karnataka. More commonly known as the Bombay-Goa highway, the 582 KM long stretch from Panvel to Panjim is one of the prettiest roads around the country.
Winding through beautiful rural wilderness for most parts, the NH17 is a challenging task for most accomplished drivers – the narrow Ghats overlooking steep valleys can be a real handful and needs a steady hand. The view is generally brilliant throughout the drive with lush greenery and a whiff of sea-breeze just around the corner at all times. Road is a 2-car pass for most part but almost always in top condition. You can maintain a breezy speed but always be mindful of the hairpin curves. When you finally get to Goa, do read about my recent trip to the place for some handy tips and stories at Playing the Guide in Goa .
Route – Mumbai – Panvel – Khed – Dapoli – Ratnagiri – Sindhudurg – Sawantwadi – Pernem – Panjim
4. East Coast Road – Chennai – Pondicherry – Potpourri Highway
The 113 KM stretch on State Highway 49, connecting Tamil capital Chennai to one of India’s prettiest Union Territories – Pondicherry, is known as the East Coast Road. The road starts from inland Chennai city before hitting Uthandi, from whence, it becomes a two-lane beachside toll road. Meandering alongside the majestic Bay of Bengal, this road is one of the prettiest sights around the country and is dotted by plenty of tourist attractions that can serve as periodic pit-stops for those in the mood for sight-seeing and history hunting. Historically a French occupied territory, you will see plenty of French influence in the little fishing hamlets along the way.
Here are some popular tourist destinations along the way worth checking out if you have the time:
ISKCON Temple Chennai – the ISKCON Temple at Akkarai, Sholinganallur is the largest Radha Krishna temple in Tamil Nadu, built over an area of 1.5 acres and five levels.
Muttukadu Boat House – is located 23-25 KMs off Adayar. The water sport facility run by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corp. offers water sports like wind surfing, rowing, water-skiing, speed-boat riding, etc.
Dakshina Chitra – if you’re an art enthusiast, this Living Arts center is a must visit. Located 25 KMs from Chennai, Dakshina Chitra is a heritage village – an attempt to preserve some aspects of traditional South Indian living by constructing a ‘living’ village, using several traditional South Indian measures. The center focuses on folk performing arts, craft and architecture of South India.
3. Dehradun to Nainital
The distance from Uttarakhand’s capital to Nainital – one of the country’s prettiest hill stations, is close to 275 KMs and a 5-7 hour drive by road. The state of Uttarakhand lies on the southern slope of the Himalayan Range, and is blessed with plenty of mountainous forest cover.
The route from Dehradun to Nainital is through National Highway 72 which connects Ambala to the holy city of Haridwar & National Highway 74, which connects Haridwar to Bareily in Uttar Pradesh.
There’s plenty of nature’s bounty to be devoured along the way – passing through the fabled Kumaon hillside. You will also pass countless ancient shrines including the famous Haridwar & Rishikesh temples, so if you have a religious inclination, this road-trip could well serve multiple purposes. Finally settle into Nainital – a beautiful lake city. Be sure to stay there for a couple of days at least before making your way back or trudge along further to Mussoorie – another pretty little hamlet nestled within the hills.
Another attraction along the way is the beautiful Jim Corbett National Park, which is a slight detour away from the route.
2. Gangtok – Yuksom
Yuksom is a historic town in the north eastern frontier state of Sikkim. A state surrounded on 3 sides by 3 separate countries in Nepal, China & Bhutan, the 140 odd KM long route from the state capital of Gangtok to Yuksom, is a breath-taking course, cutting through the eastern Himalayas.
The 3 hour long drive is significant in many ways, because depending upon which side you travel towards, a small detour could easily land you up in another country altogether. The Yuksom side of the road will provide brilliant views of the legendary Kanchenjunga range – the 3rd highest peak in the world, whereas a few KMs east off Gangtok on the same route, and you will reach the Nathu La Pass – one of only 3 open passes between India & China, to cross into Chinese Autonomous Tibet.
There’s a striking Tibetan & Buddhist influence in this mountainous frontier state. The state is also a rich bio-diverse ecosphere for rare, ancient & extinction threatened species of flora & fauna like the snow leopard, Asiatic black bear, red panda, Himalayan musk deer, chestnut-breasted partridge, rhododendrons & several exotic orchids. A visit to the Khangchendzonga National Park will open you up to several popular, challenging trek routes deep within the Kanchenjunga valleys. Visit the Sikkim Tourism Board’s website for further details here .
1. Manali – Leh Highway
Rating this route number one was by far my easiest task. Known as one of the most challenging routes within the country, the Manali – Leh Highway begins from the great northern plains and takes you to the highest motorable road in the world. Grueling and rewarding at the same time, this 470 KM long road-trip has been a life-changing experience for most travelers.
The route passes through the green valleys of Kullu & Manali, worships the Pir Panjal Range, the Great Himalayan Range, the Zanskar Range and finally the Ladakh Range. It conquers two river basins and several challenging high passes on the way to one of the most beautiful cold deserts in the world. The route has history written all over it – it’s a corollary of what was once known as the famous silk route and is now a vital lifeline for the Indian army. BBC , Lonely Planet and Fox Traveller have rated this as one of the best road-trips in the world and you will only know why once you’ve experienced it 🙂
Plenty of groups make this trip on bikes or packs of cars. One of the best programs I’ve come across for this route is ‘ Roads Less Travelled’s Lakes & Ladakh Festival – Jeep Safari ! The guys know exactly what they are saying when they say “it is naive to think that Ladakh can be simply discovered on a trip to Leh. Ladakh’s essence has to be explored through steady steps of determination and faith.”
As tempting as this route is to do by yourself, I’d recommend you either move in a larger group or enroll yourself for a guided program like the one above. The route as enchanting as it is, is very grueling and hazardous. You might be mildly pleased with yourself for heeding this word of advice after 3-4 instances of punctured tires 🙂
All pictures on Manali-Leh by Prachi Nadkarni
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