Taking a road trip in India is serious business considering it requires some meticulous planning and detailing. But once that’s out of the way, there’s plenty of fun to be had on the road! With numerous destinations to head to across the country, the options are endless when it comes to road trips in India. We’ve gone on to pick out a handful of the best trips you could take, from different cities in the country. Get planning already!
1. Kolkata to Puri
Best if you begin at dawn, this trip will see you covering a distance of around 500 km. One of the most scenic road trips in India, the journey takes around 10 hours. With lush greenery and beautiful sights to awe you along the way, this one’s bound to be memorable. Take the Kharagpur-Balasore route and you will be right on target for Puri. Once in Puri, don’t forget to enjoy the sunset by the beach and tuck into some yummy seafood.
2. Manali to Leh
Considering you won’t always be driving through places with inhabitation, this road trip requires extra planning. Make sure to carry enough food and water to get you through in case of emergencies. The distance from Manali to Leh is around 472 km. While this can be completed in a day, we suggest you make it a weekend trip and take two days to properly enjoy the journey and the sights along the way. Also, considering the shift in altitude, the stopover would give you enough time to aclimatise as well.
3. Visakhapatnam to Araku Valley
One of the easiest and shortest road trips on the list, this journey will only take you around 3-4 hours and involves a distance of about 114 km. With gentle curves, lush surroundings and tranquil vibes all around, the experience will definitely be a delight for travel enthusiasts. Make sure to stop by Borra Caves on your way.
4. Delhi to Manali
Another one of the road trips in India that require meticulous planning, the distance between Delhi and Manali is over 550 km. Ideally done over two days, this journey will see a shift in the terrain as you move on. The roads are sheer bliss except for an occasional rough patch between Kiratpur and Sunder Nagar. A similar bottleneck is between Chandigarh and Roop Nagar as the surfacing is not the best. So, a mid-route stopover is recommended as it would give you enough rest as well as an opportunity to explore the region.
5. Bombay to Goa
What’s not to love about a road trip that will take you to the sun-kissed beaches and wild parties of Goa? While it can be a long journey of over 580 km, you can go ahead and make it fun. Add some peppy music, delicious food and a few pitstops to the mix! Follow the route to Pune from Mumbai, then on to Belgaum and branch to the right at Sankeshwar. And you will be in the sunshine state before you know it. You can even make it a two-day trip.
6. Chennai to Pondicherry
One of the top options for short road trips in India, you can choose to go from Chennai to Pondicherry, covering a distance of 156 km. Take the East Coast Road or ECR from Chennai. With the sea on one side, you get to enjoy a truly pleasant drive of 3-4 hours. The preferred time to travel is from October to February. Although the road is a two-lane highway, the traffic is swift and there are very few bottlenecks along the way. Wide well-maintained roads, glimpses of the sea and some quick stretch to rejuvenate and energise you as you move towards the historical French colony – that’s what you can look forward to on this trip.
7. Agra to Jaipur
Agra and Jaipur are two significant nodes of tourism in India, and when you add Delhi, you have the Golden Triangle of tourism in India. Owing to this, Agra and Jaipur are well-connected by a state-of-the-art highway and is a preferred option for driving enthusiasts looking for great road trips in India. With a distance of 240 km to cover, the journey would take around 4-5 hours, depending on factors like traffic conditions and pit stops.
8. Bangalore to Bandipur
Combining everything from culture and food to nature and wildlife, this is probably one of the most remarkable road trips in India for travel lovers. Covering a distance of around 230 km, this trip takes you from Bangalore to Bandipur Forest through Mysore. Make sure to stop at Channapatna, a town en route to Mysore that’s known for its wooden toys. Load up on Mysore’s special masala dosa once you get to the city. Perhaps, spare some time to visit the famed Mysore Palace before you get back on the road and head to Bandipur’s thriving wildlife. If you’re lucky, you might get to spot the Royal Bengal Tiger there!
9. Shillong to Cherrapunji
Just over 50 km and a trip that will barely take you over two hours, what earns this route a mention here would be because of the immense number of sights you get to see along the way. Waterfalls, caves, gorges, quaint villages, splendid views…it’s more an experience than a journey. While the drive may not be too long, this one’s bound to be one of the most memorable road trips you’ll get to have.
10. Mumbai to Mount Abu
Probably the longest one so far, the journey from Mumbai to Mount Abu (in Rajasthan) will have you covering a whopping 765 km. Best taken over two days, you can first head to Surat or Ahmedabad and spend the day exploring the city. Set out afresh the next day and cover the remaining distance to Mount Abu. That way, you get to see more, try out more food and, of course, explore more!
11. Ahmedabad to Diu
A coastal town in Diu Island, Diu is probably one of the least explored cities of the country. With a bridge connecting the island to Gujarat, the place is quite accessible. So, why not head out on a road trip? While the first two hours of drive from Ahmedabad to Bhavnagar is a breeze, the last few kilometres can be a tad slow considering traffic and road conditions are definitely not the best. The preferred plan is to start early and have your first pitstop at Bhavnagar for breakfast and then continue on your way.The distance is around 364 km and it would, ideally, take around 7-8 hours to reach Diu. Once you get there, you have age-old forts, beaches and natural caves to explore.
With so many options to pick from, why wait any longer? Go on and plan your next road trip soon!
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