July 4th, 2018 by OYO Team

 

There is probably no better way to experience the charming local lifestyle, stunning vistas and rugged cliffs of India’s varied landscape than from behind the wheel. Driving across the country allows you to experience the best that India has to offer, not the usual metropolitan cities, but the real ‘off-the-beaten-path’ destinations that will have you exclaiming in excitement, “Wow, I can’t believe this place actually exists!” Often accompanied by fearless cattle meandering along all over the place, and characterized with unique, rare and unexplored landscape; road trips in India is the definitive way of discovering the real India. From lonely and secluded Himalayan roads to serene and tranquil coastal roads, picking which routes you want to explore might be tough because there are so many good ones, which is why we are here to steer you in the right direction. So pack your bags and get ready to embark on one (or more) of these 5 amazing road trips in India.

1) Manali Leh highway

  • Route: Manali – Rohtang Pass – Tandi – Keylong – Jispa – Zing Zing Bar – Baralacha La (Pass) – Bharatpur – Sarchu – Ghata loops – Nakee La – LachuLung La – Pang – More Plains – Tanglang La – Upshi – Karu- Leh (Khardung La)

A paradise for everyone in love with the wanderlust of open highways, mountains and beautiful rivers, this patch of road guarantees a thrilling adventure. A journey that takes you from the plains of India to the world’s highest motorable road, this is an excursion everyone should embark upon once during his or her lifetime. The highway passes through the Pir Panjal Range, The Great Himalayan range, The Zanskar Range and finally the Ladakh Range and crosses two river basins and several high passes. The landscape changes dramatically as you head from the green valleys of Kullu and Manali to the barren and brown shaded areas of Chandra and make your way through Lahaul Valley into the cold desert of Ladakh. The road is a tributary to the ancient silk route and now is used as an important highway by the Indian army.  BBC, Lonely Planet and Fox Traveller have rated this as one of the world’s best road trip and definitely not without a reason.

Several tourists take the Manali-Leh highway on bikes and SUVs to reach the world’s highest motorable road. Some take the usual route of regular tourists, while some adventure freaks enjoy this beautiful road on a Jeep Safari in a totally different manner. They go not as tourists but as travellers, enjoying every slice of their journey, be it camping at Pangong Lake or even getting stuck in road blocks! Fun on the road trip starts here. Rest assured, we guarantee you a ride of your lifetime!

The road to nirvana starts here as the road is beautifully lined with mountains on all the sides and the landscape looks nothing less than as if painted by the God himself.

2) The Konkan Delight – National Highway 17

  • Route: Mumbai to Goa.

Probably every Mumbaikar has been on this 582 km stretch of well-built highway. This road connects Panvel, near Mumbai to Kochi, passing through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala and Karnataka. National Highway 17 is also known as the Mumbai-Goa Highway and is the 7th longest highway in India with 1,296 km of stretch. The road winds through forests, hills, rivulets, rivers and streams generally flowing westwards towards Arabian Sea. You also get a beautiful view of paddy fields and coconut trees that follows you throughout this beautiful landscape.

3) The Wild West – Golden triangle

  • Route: Delhi-Jaipur-Agra-Delhi .

Travel on the historic Golden triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur). This highway is packed with historic places and marvels, signifiers of the ancient cultural heritage of India. You can also travel the desert wilderness circuit of Jaipur-Jodhpur-Jaisalmer. For those inclined towards getting up, close and personal with rare and endangered wildlife, go for the exotic Jaipur-Ranthambore road, that gives you an opportunity to get a glimpse of majestic tigers and the beautiful green landscape of Rajasthan.

4) The Potpourri Highway

  • Route: Chennai-Pondicherry East Coast Road.

The 113 km east coast road in Tamil Nadu built along the coast of Bay of Bengal connects Chennai with Pondicherry. The highway runs along the Bay of Bengal, which glistens in the sunlight. Also, the road is dotted with facilities like luxury resorts, food joints, tourist spots and places of interest and adventure sport arenas. This road is also well known as the ‘Potpourri highway’.

5) The Road to Kanchenjunga

  • Route: Gangtok-Yuksom.

A beautiful road in the lap of the eastern Himalayas starts at Gangtok passing the beautiful snow capped mountains of east. Take this road to Yuksom for views of the mighty Kanchenjunga or head east towards the Nathu La pass, where India and China are just a millimeter away.

From majestic mountains and the cold weather, the green coastal plains and golden-hued deserts, India has it all. If you truly want to experience the real India and get close to the diversity all across, then a road trip is a must! Pack your bags and get ready for the adventure of your lifetime.

About OYO Team

We’re people who love to travel and it’s a pleasure to share our experiences from around the world with you here. You’ll see our favourite destinations, quirky stays and budget stay. Also the best wedding banquet halls and the most lit party destinations. You’ll also find insightful opinions about why we travel in the first place and what it’s really like out there. Enjoy the blog and please tell us what you think - feedback welcome!