By There are so many wonderful bucket list road trips in india that you must take once in your life time. So,Are you one of those who prefer to drive & enjoy the scenic roads to your holiday destination? Awesome, then go on reading the below post.
It doesn’t really matter what you do or how old you are, all of us deserves a little break from the routine time to time. So, to feel fresh and live a little away from chaotic work hours and de-stress , what can be better than heading for a road trip and make some fond memories along the way.
Here is a list of some impressively beautiful places and routes jotted down by our fellow travel bloggers that you should all take once in your lifetime!
Mysore to Srirangapatna – by Ellis Veen , Backpackadventures.
Why you should do this road trip : A road trip from Mysore to Srirangapatna might be short but will offer you a lot of things to see and do. Srirangapatna is surrounded by beautiful countryside. If you want to escape the city this is a perfect day out with nature, culture and history all packed in a spectacular road trip.
Distance: from Mysore to Srirangapatna it is only 20 kilometers.
Best things to do: It is best to start your day early to visit the Ranganathittu bird sanctuary that is midway between Mysore and Srirangapatna. Mornings are a great time to see the more than 200 bird species that are recorded here including storks, pelicans and kingfishers. Crocodiles also swim in the Kaveri river and are a common sight. Besides the noise of the birds it is a very peaceful place that is a must visit near Mysore.:
After Ranganathittu you can drive through the palm fringed rice paddies to Srirangapatna. The ancient capital of the Mysore kingdom is full of history with ancient temples and palaces. The most important temple is the Ranganathaswamy temple that makes Srirangapatna a holy pilgrimage town up to this day.Just like Ranganathittu, Srirangapatna has a scenic location right next to the Kaveri river that defines this beautiful road trip from Mysore.
Add a twist: Srirangapatna is an off the beaten path destination for foreign travelers. If you just walk around this small town you will find ancient temples that aren’t in any of the guidebooks.
Kaza-Manali Highway- by Pubali and Indranil, Paradise Catchers
Have you ever been a part of a trip where your mind wants to reach the destination, but your heart doesn’t? Kaza-Manali Highway, a 200 odd kilometers road trip, in the summer month of June, sounds like a ‘Dev Anand-Nutan’-like road trip experience where some subtle hand movements on the steering wheel take you miles. Well, it is not. But that is where beauty meets the bold.
This road trip started from Kaza, main town of Spiti Valley in Himachal and ended in Manali.
Why should you do this trip: The trip ran though snow-white mountains, gushing rivers flowing over the road, a mountain pass, snow walls, mountain goats grazing on green pastures, waterfalls and mountains reflecting from small lakes. All squeezed in one road trip and an adventurous one.
Best things to do: If you are wondering what else to do other than watching the scenery, here are few suggestions.
Walk over the snow walls while you watch the car pass by over the rocky roads with flowing water. Try homemade parathas and hot chai in a small village dhaba. Take a break at Kunzum pass, it is mesmerizing all around.
Add a twist: Still want more. Break your one-day journey into two, to spend a night at a campsite near the Chandrataal lake.
Jaipur to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan – by Mariellen Ward, Breathedreamgo
Why you should do this road trip : Rajasthan is one of the most tourist-friendly regions of India, and there’s a reason. It’s beautiful, fascinating, and full of history and spectacle.
It’s also easy to get to from the capital, Delhi, where many people land and begin the “Golden Triangle tour” of India – namely, Delhi – Agra – Jaipur. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is known as the Pink City, and it’s an exciting city to explore.
However, the time comes to leave, and the most obvious direction to go is west, towards the interior of the desert state and eventually Jaisalmer, at the far reaches.
Distance : According to Google maps, it’s 559 kilometers’ and a 9 hour and 29 minute car drive.
Best things to do : If you drive directly from Jaipur to Jaisalmer, it could take only about 10 hours, according to Google maps, without stopping. But it would be a tragedy to miss everything in between
From Jaipur, head west towards Pushkar and Jodhpur. The landscape here is flat, scrubby desert, with the rolling hills of the Aravalli range. It’s not exactly spectacular, but it can be picturesque, and of course the culture of the state is on display in every turban, sari, fort, palace, camel, and peacock. Pushkar is an ideal place to chill out, and Jodhpur is a bustling city with many fascinating historical sites, especially Mehrangarh Fort.
From Jodhpur, you can continue to head west towards Jaisalmer, but you would miss one of the most enchanting places in all of India – Udaipur. There is nothing like enjoying the view of Lake Pichola and the Lake Palace Hotel from a rooftop lounge or restaurant – or hotel room, if you’re lucky. The final stretch takes you back to Jodhpur, and then on to Jaisalmer. This stretch of road is frankly flat and featureless. But the payoff is arriving in Jaislamer, at the edge of India, and seeing the 11th century fort and the Golden City rising from the earth like a sandcastle. Magical.
Add a twist: The Mirabai Museum in Merta, Ajmer Sharif Dargah at Ajmer, Barefoot College tour near Kishangarh, Kishangarh Fort at Kishangarh, Ranakpur Jain Temple near Udaipur.
Bangalore to Idukki – by Sinjana, backpacknxplore
Why you should do this road trip : Idukki is my favorite part of India and Idukki is my favorite district in the Western Ghats of India. Located in picturesque Kerala, Idukki is famous for hill stations like Munnar, Thekkady, and Chinnakanal.
Distance : It is located about 550 km from Bengaluru. The road from Bengaluru to Idukki is in a great condition, so despite the distance, it is a smooth drive for the most part.
Best things to do : Last time we went to Idukki we found rock excavation going on to increase the width of the roads. That certainly makes it more enticing and safer for road-trippers. The roads get narrower towards Chinnakanal and Top station, but that’s expected on any hilly terrain. Throughout the road trip, you will be treated with mesmerizing views of green mountains and sparkling lakes.
This is one of the best places to visit in monsoon – the early and late stages of it. You will be greeted by innumerable waterfalls and colorful blossoms all around. In summer, the temperatures remain moderate in Idukki and in winter part of Munnar is also covered in snow. So, this is the kind of road trip that you can take any time of the year except during the peak monsoons.
Add a twist: The best places to visit on this road trip are – Periyar lake, tea gardens on Munnar and Chinnakanal, Anayirangal dam, Eravikulam national park, and Matupetty dam.
Chennai to Pondicherry – By Mar Pages , Onceinalifetimejourney
Why you should do this road trip: While Chennai is a typically south Indian city by the sea and has incredibly rich colonial and modern past, it is also remarkably close to one of the most fascinating places in India, Pondicherry, the only French colony in the country and one of the smallest states.
On the way, you can also stop at two other amazing spots, the UNESCO-listed temple complex of Mahabalipuram and the alternative city of Auroville which is one of the most popular places to visit in Pondicherry.
Distance: 150km about 3h drive
Best things to do: In Pondicherry, the best thing to do is to walk around the Tamil and the french Quarters and admire the architecture that is so unique of the place.
In the French Quarter, look out for the pink Notre Dame des Angels church, Gandhi’s statue and take a stroll along the shore. In the Tamil Quarter, visit the Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple and the offices of INTACH, the heritage association, if they ar available, ask for a walking tour.
Add a twist: On your way stop at Mahabalipuram which spreads over a large area and covers three mains sites: The stunning carved Tiger’s Cave, the sea facing 8th century Shore Temple built by the Pallava Dynasty and the 7th century monolithic chariots at the Pancha Rathas.
Around these three there are also lots of other places worth stopping at such as the rock carving called Arjuna’s Penance. Continue on your way to Pondicherry and stop at Auroville, an experimental community built in the outskirts of Pondicherry in 1968 to accommodate 50,000 people from all over the world.
Don’t miss the chance to walk the path to see the Matrimandir, the spiritual center of the city.
Bangalore to Kodaikanal- by Anwesha Guha, goingplaceswithanwesha.
Why you should do this road trip: Kodaikanal often termed as the “Princess of the Hill Stations”, is a divinely beautiful town with riveting natural beauty, located in the hills of the Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district.
The most compelling reason to visit this hill station apart from its beauty, is its weather. The best time of the year to enjoy in Kodaikanal is early summers (from March to June) but you can visit at the end of the year (from December to February) as well. The cool misty atmosphere of Kodaikanal acts as an oasis of serenity for the tourists.
Kodaikanal will instantly take away all your stress through its exquisite forest valleys, striking lakes and waterfalls.
Distance: Kodaikanal is about 465 kms away from Bangalore and can be reached roughly in 8 hours making it a comfortable ride via car/bus. The fastest and best route would be to go via NH44 covering Hosur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, and Dindigul
Best things to do: The prime attraction of this hill station is its star-shaped man-made lake, which attracts visitors throughout the year.
The next best thing Kodaikanal has is the beautiful freshwater reservoir known as Berijam Lake, named after one of the collectors of Madurai who was significantly responsible in creating it.
The adjacent Shola forests are a hit with the traveler for locating exotic animals and birds. If you are looking for spots to catch a bird’s eye view of the entire hilly region, then head to Dolphin’s Nose located at an altitude of 6600 ft.
Another view point worth visiting is Pillar rocks (a set of three gargantuan rocks, located 400 ft high, giving a view to die for. The space between the rocks is called the Devil’s kitchen or Guna Caves deriving its name from an old Kamal Hassan movie Guna which was shot here.
Don’t forget to stop by Coakers Walk (a 1 km long beautiful mountain trail), Kurinji Andavar temple (dedicated to Lord Murugan), Bryant’s park and Bear Shola falls. One of the amazing ways to explore the hill station is to cycle in and around Kodaikanal.
Add a Twist
If you leave very early in the morning, you can stop by Sri Chandra Choodeswara Temple in Hosur. Or you can visit Sirumalai Reserve forest from Dindigul which is a great picnic spot and falls on your way to Kodaikanal.
Road trip from Amritsar (Punjab) to McLeod Ganj (Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh) and to Rishikesh (Dehradun district, Uttarakhand) – By Inma , Aworldtotravel
Why you should do this road trip: To learn about some of the most predominant religions of India (such as Sikhism, Buddhism, and Hinduism)
Distance: 674km and over 15 hours if you are driving your own car or have a driver. Otherwise, if you are using public transportation, those times can almost double.
Everything will ultimately depend on the state of the roads, especially between McLeod Ganj and Rishikesh. As it is trickier than it seems in the beginning, I’d recommend you to leave the planning to the pros.
Mine was custom-made by India Someday, a company I trust 100% and will use again in the future.
Best things to do: In Amritsar, visit the golden temple (Mecca of Sikhism) and enjoy one of the most foodies states in India. Try some of the most significant dishes of Punjabi cuisine with the food tours offered by Windsong boutique homestay.
In McLeod Ganj, my favorite part of the trip, trek to Bhagsu waterfalls, chill in one of the many terraces such as the one at Pink House hostel and admire the Dhauladar range, as well as remember to check out the Dalai Lama readings calendar to see if it matches the dates of your visit. Check more things to do in Dharamsala here.
Finally, in Rishikesh (cradle of yoga on the banks of the Ganges River), it is quite common to stay in an ashram and advance in the practice of this discipline for a few days, weeks or months. Try Yoga Niketan.
Add a twist
In addition to the above, there are numerous sites of interest among these cities. It is beautiful to admire the calm and green north of this country – sometimes depicted as chaotic, dirty and noisy by the international mainstream media – and admire, among many other things, wonders such as the city of Chandigarh, whose urban planning plan is attributed to the architect Le Corbusier at the beginning of the last century.
Agra – Fatehpur Sikri – By Annie Robinson, Offgoesannie
Why should you do this road trip?
The short roadtrip from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri provides the perfect opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of Agra’s tourist overflowing streets.
After a morning exploring Agra’s stunning Taj Mahal, adventuring out to this tranquil abandoned city is an amazing way to spend a more relaxed afternoon. It’s a really easy drive from the city center, basically down one straight road right to the fort entrance.
Distance: 36km, approximately 1 hour by car.
Best things to do: Fatehpur Sikri is divided into two main sections – Fatehpur, home to the Jama Masjid mosque, and Sikri, containing the stunning old Emperor’s palace. All housed within one fortified wall, the inner buildings date back to the 16thcentury.
Abandoned after just 15 years of occupation, this sprawling fortress is guaranteed to captivate you as you wander around the well preserved ruins. Whilst the mosque is free to enter, it’s worth paying the 550 rupee (tourist) / 35 rupee (Indian) entry fee to explore the main attraction of the palace complex.
Allow two hours to explore the palace walls, finding out more of the awesome stories hidden between the stunning red sandstone buildings.
Add a Twist: Your road trip from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri will naturally take you through the small village of Korai on the way. It’s worth stopping here for some local street food with a truly authentic experience.
So if you are planning to end 2019 with a bang by spending some quality time with loved ones, hope you will enjoy riding on to these destinations.
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