1 week ago
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I started readying this travel successful August 2024 with a person who had a fewer days disconnected to beryllium consumed by year's end. We decided to maximize the clip by taking a Rajasthan Road Trip during Deepavali.
My 4th Generation City was completing 9 years, and I felt this was besides an fantabulous accidental to get it crossed the 90,000 km people (but that is simply a taxable for different post)
We opted to enactment successful homestays alternatively of hotels due to the fact that we wanted to roam arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable during the days alternatively of lying by the poolside. We conscionable request a cleanable country and a cleanable bath and tin negociate a fewer insignificant inconveniences.
I got my car thoroughly serviced astatine Nelly Auto, tally by BHPian @noelnelly, earlier departure, and upgraded the alternatively anemic headlights of the 4th procreation City.
Day 1: Mumbai to Anand - 450 km
Since we lone wanted a abbreviated stopover, we opted to enactment successful Anand alternatively of Vadodara oregon Ahmedabad since it was a spot cheaper.
Given the fearfulness stories that I person heard astir the Mumbai-Ahmedabad roadworthy since monsoon, I decided to commencement precise early, and we deed the roadworthy from Thane astatine 5.30 americium equipped with chips, snacks, and tons of water. Thankfully, we did not conscionable immoderate congestion, though the roadworthy was not precise bully each the mode to the Gujarat border. We were stopped astatine the borderline by cops who checked the car for alcohol, but since we had not carried anything, they fto america spell aft 10 minutes. After a abbreviated halt for breakfast, we continued to Anand and acknowledgment to the overmuch amended roads successful Gujarat, we managed to scope by 2 pm. The Vadodara-Ahmedabad road is fantastic, and I truly enjoyed the drive.
We grabbed a precocious luncheon oregon aboriginal meal astir 5 p.m. earlier bed. Unfortunately, the upwind was atrocious and hot, a portent of things to come.
Day 2: Anand to Udaipur - 320 km
We near astatine 6.15 americium from Anand and managed to scope Udaipur astatine 11 americium connected the beauteous roads successful Gujarat and Rajasthan, with a little halt for meal and tea. The upwind was a small cooler than Gujarat, but not much. We spent the archetypal evening exploring the awesome City Palace successful Udaipur, which was rather remarkable, earlier going crossed the Crystal Room located wrong Taj Fatehgarh (this is simply a abstracted summons and wholly not worthy it; seriously, don't discarded your money); we past went to a adjacent elevation to ticker the sunset implicit a water and mountains. Remember that this involves a 30-40 min ascent to scope the top, truthful if you are readying to bash the aforesaid delight deterioration sturdy shoes.
Before returning to our homestay, we enjoyed a fantastic Rajasthani Thali astatine Navidya Restaurant (located wrong Amantra Hotel).
Day 3: Udaipur to Kumbhalgarh & Back - 160 km
We had an fantabulous meal astatine the homestay and met the owner, who is related to the household of the erstwhile rulers of Mewar. He shared immoderate absorbing anecdotes astir the past of his home, stories from the earlier days, and astir his family.
We departed for Kumbhalgarh, wherever I made a mistake; Google Maps showed maine a toll-free roadworthy to Kumbhalgarh, which would instrumentality the aforesaid clip arsenic a toll road, and similar an idiot, I opted for the same. Unfortunately, astir of the roadworthy was nether operation with galore unpaved sections, making maine crawl passim the travel to Kumbhalgarh. The Fort itself was impressive, and we spent a bully 3 hours exploring the Fort earlier taking the toll roadworthy backmost to Udaipur, which was successful overmuch amended shape; we managed to scope our homestay by 6 p.m. earlier stepping retired to a adjacent edifice for immoderate bully acold brew and pizza. The Second Longest Wall successful the World is rather a sight.
Day 4: Udaipur to Jaipur - 400 km
We near astatine 6.30 americium from the homestay. Unfortunately, we had to aftermath our big to fto america retired of the door, but I was keen connected getting to Jaipur aboriginal this Diwali day. The thrust from Udaipur to Jaipur passed Nathdwara, Bhilwara, and Ajmer, and we reached Jaipur astir 5.5 hours aft departure with conscionable a little beverage halt astir 8 americium astatine a McDonalds connected the way.
We reached our Jaipur Home Stay, a charming bungalow successful a beauteous country with a fantastic ex-army big and an in-house restaurant. The country was beautifully decorated, with thoughtful touches, from bully humanities pictures connected the partition to beautifully selected serveware and doilies.
After check-in, we near for Jaipur, wherever we visited Jantar Mantar archetypal and past City Palace. There, we bumped into Akram, an earnest Rickshaw operator who was truly helpful. We hired him to instrumentality america astir that time and the next. From City Palace, we continued to Jal Mahal and past Gatore ki Chatriyan. Akram past dropped america disconnected astatine Hawa Mahal, and we had meal successful a adjacent rooftop edifice with a beauteous presumption of the fireworks, a acold beer, and immoderate bully food.
Day 5: Jaipur - 0 km
The adjacent day, we began the excursion to Amer Fort, which was ace crowded but stunning. We had a fantastic usher who took america astir the Fort and explained immoderate of the unthinkable past of the Kingdom. Did you cognize that the Amer Fort, oregon Amber Fort, arsenic it is called interchangeably, is the location of the third-longest partition successful the world?
We past visited the Panna Meena Stepwell adjacent Amer Fort earlier going to Jaigarh and Nahargarh.
Jaigarh is simply a implicit discarded of clip since determination is thing to spot present but a large cannon (after which the Fort is named), and you tin locomotion on the ramparts. It mightiness beryllium bully successful bully weather, but astatine 35 degrees, it was beauteous blistery and uncomfortable.
Nahargarh is amended than Jaigarh, with beauteous sunset views of the metropolis and a tiny but charming palace inside.
From Nahargarh, we went to prime up a fewer souvenirs earlier returning to our homestay and having meal there.
You tin thrust to each 3 places, and determination is ample parking, but since this vacation progressive a batch of driving, we did not instrumentality retired the car connected this time and were blessed to beryllium chauffeured around.
Day 6: Jaipur to Pushkar - 150 km
We near Jaipur astir 10 americium and reached Pushkar astatine 12.30 pm, wherever we booked a bully structure stay. The edifice is simply a 15-minute locomotion to Pushkar Lake and has a operation of tents and rooms, a beauteous garden, adjuvant staff, and a polite and well-behaved nonmigratory German Shepherd. We had a bully meal astatine the edifice earlier heading for a locomotion astir Pushkar Lake and visiting a mates of temples astir the lake. We spent a bully 3+ hours walking astir earlier stopping for dinner.
Day 6: Pushkar to Ajmer & Back - 35 km
This day, we started with an excursion to Ajmer to sojourn the Shrine of Moinuddin Chisti. We parked a region distant astatine a well-marked parking batch since a benignant alien warned america astir a postulation jam person to the Dargah. Thanks to the bully samaritan, we avoided a mess; it was truthful crowded that determination was hardly immoderate spot to walk. We managed to sojourn the Dargah and return, but we were exhausted by the clip we got backmost to Pushkar, truthful we decided to walk the evening lounging successful the edifice to retrieve from the vigor and the crowds.
Day 7: Pushkar to Jaisalmer - 451 km
We near Pushkar astir 10 am, reached Jaisalmer by 4 pm, and checked into our homestay. We chose this homestay due to the fact that of the beauteous presumption of Jaisalmer Fort from its rooftop, and it was a specified 10-minute locomotion from the Fort itself. We had a Rajasthani Thali for meal earlier walking down to the Fort and back.
Day 8: An evening successful the Dunes astatine Jaisalmer - 0 km
I had immoderate enactment to drawback up connected the pursuing morning, truthful we had an fantabulous meal successful the homestay and a tete-a-tete with a beauteous Spanish mates pursuing the aforesaid itinerary but successful reverse.
At 2 pm, We near for our nighttime successful the dunes experience. After a sojourn to a haunted colony (there are a batch of stories astir it, but really, determination is not overmuch to spot there) but it is the past restroom halt earlier you deed the dunes, we past stopped astatine a tiny water earlier we rendezvoused with the camels astatine astir 4 pm.
We past embarked connected an hour-long camel thrust into the dunes. On the way, we spotted immoderate deer, galore beauteous birds, and the ker and sangri trees, which signifier a captious portion of Rajasthan's diet, particularly successful this arid area.
Reaching the dunes by 5.15 pm, we enjoyed beverage and immoderate pakodas portion watching the sunset. There were 2-3 different couples from different circuit groups, but everyone was dispersed out, and we did not spot oregon perceive them until the pursuing day.
After sunset, we were served a elemental but hearty repast earlier they made our beds connected 2 charpoys. We conscionable laic back, looking astatine the stars successful the sky, the Milky Way, and adjacent immoderate tiny comets. After a tiny but hearty breakfast, the adjacent day, we broke campy and near connected the camels to rendezvous with the Jeep, which would instrumentality america backmost to our edifice by 10 am.
Day 9: Exploring Jaisalmer - 0 km
We archetypal visited Patwaon ki Haveli and Jaisalmer Fort earlier going for meal astatine the Lal Garh restaurant, wherever we had 1 of the champion meals successful Rajasthan aft Navidya successful Udaipur.
There are 5 Havelis, aged homes of affluent merchants that look beauteous from the extracurricular with intricate carvings. You tin sojourn each five, and each Haveli has a abstracted complaint to spot inside, but lone the archetypal one, which has the longest queue, is good preserved inside. The others are not successful bully signifier and adjacent person bats roosting everywhere.
We past near for the Fort, but we were rather done with Forts by now, truthful we lone spent a small clip exploring the fort. The palace wrong the Fort is besides not successful bully signifier compared to others successful Rajasthan.
Day 10: Jaisalmer to Jodhpur - 266 km
After a elemental meal of Parathas, we near for Jodhpur by 9 americium and reached by 1 pm. After checking in, we decided to walk the evening successful the edifice and relax.
Day 11: Jodhpur - 0 Km
We woke up astatine 5 americium to scope Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park to spot the sunrise. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that the Park is closed until 8 americium successful wintertime (though this November it was frankly excessively blistery to beryllium counted arsenic winter). Thankfully, our Uber operator waited portion we confirmed the parkland was closed earlier returning to our edifice for a snooze.
We returned to the Park astatine 8.30 am, and it was beauteous nice. There are 2 well-marked trails with beauteous views of Mehrangarh Fort successful the background, and the parkland is afloat of birdlife. We walked for 2-3 hours earlier walking down to Jaswant Thada from the Park (a 10-minute locomotion away).
Jaswant Thada is stunning, and we spent good implicit an hr exploring the monument and its gardens earlier walking down to Mehrangarh Fort, my favourite fort successful Rajasthan. It is wonderfully designed and decorated. After you circuit the palace area, bash sojourn the gardens down the Fort.
From Mehrangarh, we took a cab to Mandore Gardens. Seeing however poorly these past monuments are kept with minimal supervision oregon attraction is simply a travesty.
These stunning Gardens if good managed could beryllium truthful beauteous but the negligence was bosom wrenching. We went to Umaid Bhawan Palace from Mandore earlier returning to our hotel.
Day 12: Jodhpur to Vadodara: 559 km
We near early, astir 7 am, and managed to scope Vadodara by 3 pm, passing done Abu Road and Palanpur successful reasonably dense postulation earlier hitting the Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway. We relaxed successful the edifice successful the evening.
Day 13: Vadodara to Thane: 526 kms
We departed Vadodara astir 9 am, and the travel to Surat was successful precocious postulation but comparatively effortless. The infinitesimal you transverse into Maharashtra, determination is simply a noticeable quality successful roadworthy quality. Potholes are acold much frequent, the roadworthy aboveground is atrocious compared to Gujarat and Rajasthan, and it has go hard to support adjacent a 60-70 kmph pace.
Once we reached adjacent the Fountain Hotel junction, I was stuck successful an atrocious jam that continued a just region connected Ghodbunder Road. Thankfully, it opened up aft Bhayandarpada, and I managed to scope my residence by 4:30 p.m. I did not marque immoderate stops connected the mode but for 2 speedy toilet breaks.
The Highlights:
1) The City is simply a joyousness to thrust connected agelong journeys if the roads are decent. The seating presumption is comfortable, and the fantabulous VTEC motor cruises effortlessly until 120 kmph (on expressways wherever the velocity bounds is 120). The spot is ace comfy and does not origin immoderate operator fatigue. It is simply a breeze to overtake erstwhile needed, though sometimes you request downshifts.
2) The near broadside armrest is not well-positioned to remainder your arms good for agelong drives, but it was not excessively atrocious either. Other than that, I person nary complaints astir the car.
3) During my past agelong thrust travel successful 2022, my car returned an mean implicit 17 km, but connected this trip, I hardly managed 14-15 kmpl contempt akin driving styles. Is this the interaction of Ethanol blending oregon motor aging?
4) While the roads successful Gujarat and Rajasthan are excellent, cattle person go a elephantine menace successful those states. They abruptly locomotion into postulation oregon beryllium successful the mediate of the road; honking your horn astatine them has nary effect. I hardly managed to debar hitting them connected a mates of occasions. If you are gathering roads and keeping a 100 oregon 120 km velocity limit, it is captious to obstruction these roads; otherwise, determination are bound to beryllium accidents
5) Restrooms stay a problem. There are not capable hygienic and cleanable remainder stops with cleanable restrooms.
6) Wither Maharashtra Roads: It is distressing to spot the atrocious information of Maharashtra roads contempt precocious tolls. Sudden potholes, severely concretised stretches, mediocre and uneven surfaces?it is similar each imaginable contented is disposable each 1-2 kms. Forget different countries; Maharashtra present lags down astir states successful India successful presumption of the prime of roadworthy infrastructure?such a bittersweet authorities of affairs for this large state.
7) Touts de Jour: We truly request immoderate ceremonial mechanics for managing touts astatine tourer locations. The infinitesimal you scope a location, you are inundated by guides chasing you oregon radical trying to merchantability you something. It gets truly wearying.
Overall, I americium blessed that roadworthy trips successful India are present an enjoyable anticipation alternatively than a chore. I americium readying my adjacent travel for 2025. Suggestions are ever welcome.
