Kolkata - Kumayun on a self drive tour in 2019 Renault Captur.
Kolkata - Varanasi - Lucknow - Bhimtal - Mukteswar - Nainital - Binsar - Kusani - Chaukori - Munsiyari - Patal Bhubaneswar -
Mayawati Ashram - Tanakpur - Lucknow - Varanasi - Kolkata .
Trip log for your reference.
6th Oct 2019 .
Kolkata Patuli home - ODO 0000 - 1406 Hrs .
Burdwan Renaissance home - 125 Kms - 1730 Hrs.
7th Oct.
Burdwan - Varanasi .
Burdwan Home - 0530 hrs .
Panagarh bypass - 189 kms - 0600 hrs
Asansol - 225 Kms - 0630 hrs.
Shan-e-Punjab Top chanchi , breakfast - 315 Kms - 0814 hrs
Barhi - 403 kms - 0926 Hrs .
Dehri on Sone - 550 Kms - 1137 hrs .
Varanasi hotel Kriti green - 690 Kms - 1500 hrs.
Trip includes a breakfast and lunch break plus two tea breaks . Road condition - After Dhanbad there are few diversions but manageable , once you enter U.P , diversions are irritating , dusty with bad patch due road constructions / expansion work .
8th Oct.
Varanasi - Lucknow.
Left Varanasi Hotel - 0655 hrs .
Handia - 0900
NH2 exit / NH30 ent - 1000 hrs - 846 Kms.
Rae Bareily - 1130 Hrs - 927 Kms.
Lucknow Hotel shivam inn - 1300 Hrs. - 1014 Kms.
Trip includes breakfast break and one tea break . There are plenty diversion due to NHAI road expansion work , major one is near Handia, but due to dussera holiday road was less crowded . Shivam Inn is in Gomti Nagar , next to Singapore mall , an upmarket area of Lucknow .
9th Oct .
Lucknow local sightseeing by hired vehicle , car on rest .
10th Oct.
Lucknow - Bhimtal.
Left Lucknow hotel - 0630 hrs .
Sitapur -0835 Hrs. Breakfast
Shahjahanpur Bypass - 1000 Hrs - 1185 Kms.
Bareily Bypass - 1145 Hrs - 1260 Kms.
Uttarkhand border toll plaza - 1330 hrs - 1332 Kms .
Bhimtal TRH - 1600 Hrs - 1403 Kms.
Road was good all throughout , except one railway level crossing near Bareily , usual chaos . Stopped for breakfast and tea breaks and refuel break . Bhimtal KMVN TRH is in awesome location with a superb view of the lake , we got instant booking there , and have good secured parking area , if you prefer solitude then this is the place for you , and make a day trip to Nainital rather than staying there .
11th Oct.
Bhimtal - Mukteswar .
Bhimtal KMVN TRH left - 0940 hrs .
Bhowali - 1150 Hrs.
Mukteswar Himalayan breeze Flair resort -
1530 hrs - 1477 Kms .
From Bhimtal , went to Naukuchiatal , did boat ride on lake , on reaching mukteswar , went to KMVN , but did not like , then went to Trishul orchard resort , did not like either , finally settled in this new property , trip includes a
Lunch and tea break .
12th Oct .
Mukteswar - Nainital .
Himalayan breeze flair left - 0803 hrs.
Mukteswar temple .
Chaul ki Jali - 0940 Hrs - 1481 Kms.
Nainital KMVN TRH - 1140 Hrs - 1530 Kms.
Breakfast and refuelling break .
Nainital KMVN located near Tallital , which is in strategic location with Superb view of naini lake , only problem is parking is bit tight .
13th Oct.
Nainital local sight seeing ,
Car on rest .
14th Oct.
Nainital to Binsar .
Left Nainital TRH - 0803 hrs.
Bhowali - 0836 Hrs.
Tanked up 20 ltrs diesel.
Kainchi 0940 Hrs. Breakfast stop.
Almora bypass 1107 Hrs - 1589 Kms.
Forest check post Binsar - 1227 Hrs.
Binsar TRH - 1320 hrs - 1627 Kms.
Binsar forest check post to Binsar TRH is about 11 kms steep hilly ride upto a height of 8000 feet, some of the portion of this road is narrow and surface made out of gravel , while climbing these portion use only first gear with full throttle on accelerator . Binsar TRH is awesome, you can a view a large range of Himalayan peaks likes Trishul , Chaukhamba , Poncho chulli , Nanda ghunti etc..
15th Oct.
Binsar to Kausani .
Left Binsar TRH - 0830 hrs.
Crossed Bageswar - 1100 Hrs.
Baijnath - 1230 Hrs.
Kausani TRH - 1430 Hrs - 1729 Kms.
Road from Binsar forest entry to Bageswar is very good and scenic. Bageswar town is congested , after Bageswar drive almost flat Surface till Baijnath along Gori Ganga river is pleasant , then we stopped at Baijnath for temple visit , Baijnath to Kausani again uphill and winding road , surface not so good .Kausani KMVN is very good with large car park .
16th Oct.
Kausani to Chaukori.
Left Kausani KMVN TRH 0940 Hrs.
Visit Anashakti Asram
Crossed Bageswar 1140 Hrs
Stopped at zaika Dhana for Kumayuni lunch.
Chaukori Ojwasi resort - 1400 Hrs - 1816 Kms.
Zaika dhaba is about 10 kms from Bageswar .
Ojwasi resort is a fantastic place to stay with large car parking and viewing terrace .
17th Oct.
Chaukori - Munsiyari
Left Ojwasi Chaukori - 0810 Hrs.
Thal - 0941 Hrs.
Tejam - 1053 Hrs - 1862 Kms.
Birthi - 1235 Hrs.
Kalamuni top - 1326 Hrs.
Khalia top gate - 1340 Hrs.
Munsiyari KMVN TRH - 1400 Hrs. - 1911 Kms.
Chaukori - Udiyari bend - Thal road is good , Thal - Tejam overall good , few places broken , car with low GC must cross with extreme caution , Tejam - Birthi very scenic drive with broken road one or two places , we stopped at Birthi falls for Tea and Maggie break and to enjoy the beauty of the falls , there is a KMVN TRH at Birthi , you can opt for a night stay here , then continued till Kalamuni top , which is the highest point on this road at about 9500 Ft , then downrride to Munsiyari KMVN TRH,
KMVN TRH is good with large car parking .
18th Oct 2019.
Munsiyari local sight seeing , Nanda Devi temple , Barkot village etc. Car on rest , hired local taxi .
19th Oct.
Munsiyari - Patal Bhubaneswar .
Left Munsiyari KMVN - 0703 Hrs - 1911 Kms .
Birthi 0853 - 0915 Hrs.
Nachni - 1020 Hrs.
Thal 1050 Hrs - 1980 Kms.
Udiyari bend - 1148 Hrs - 2000 Kms .
Berinag crossing - 1156 Hrs - 2003 Kms .
Patal Bhubaneswar - 1400 Hrs.
Shailsa resort - Patal Bhubaneswar - 1545 hrs - 2038 Kms .
Our Initial plan was to return from Munsiyari via Madkot - Jauljibi - Ogla - Pithoragarh route , but with local input and drive till Barkot with local car changed our mind , due to construction work this road is in very bad shape and closing / opening time imposed , so we decided to come back via Thal and go to Patal Bhubaneswar , Patal Bhubaneswar was a terrific experience with a hole 90 ft long cave entrance and the cave itself , KMVN TRH we did not like also they did not have dedicated parking space , we stayed in a private resort ' Shailsa Resort ' , which was good with large parking , about 3 Kms from the cave .
Trip includes breakfast , tea and refuelling breaks .
20th Oct.
Patal Bhubaneswar - Mayawati Ashram - Tanakpur .
Patal Bhubaneswar - 0715 Hrs - 2038 Kms.
Panar x-ing -0933 Hrs. Breakfast break .
Lohaghat - 1140 Hrs.
Mayawati Ashram - 1220 Hrs - 2136 Kms .
Lohaghat - 1330 Hrs .
Tanakpur KMVN TRH -1640 hrs - 2228 Kms.
Roads are very very bad rather horrible condition between Ghat and Lohaghat section, and again between champabat and Tanakpur due to road expansion work , few stretches are good where construction is completed , suggest avoid this route till complete expansion work is completed . Was there in Mayawati Ashram at right time and in absolutely right moment for lunch / Prasad break . Tanakpur KMVN TRH is ideally located , right on highway . Got a good scrubbing of the car after a long and muddy / dusty ride .
Trip includes a breakfast break and lunch/Prasad break at Mayawati asram.
21st Oct.
Tanakpur - Lucknow .
Tanakpur KMVN TRH - 0652 Hrs - 2228 Kms.
Khatima - 0719 Hrs.
Pilvit - 0800 Hrs.
Puranpur - 0840 Hrs.
Khutar - 1010 Hrs.
Gola bypass - 1044 Hrs.
Sitapur -1250 Hrs - 2456 Kms.
Lucknow Ginger Gomtinagar - 1430 hrs - 2555 Kms.
This road was through MDR ( Major district road ) , was smooth ride , only hitch was Sitapur Railway crossing and road through Sitapur bazar , other wise no hassle , had a breakfast stopover at a Bengali owned dhaba near Puranpur , had a tea break . Lucknow Ginger was good with secured parking and sumptuous breakfast .
22 nd Oct .
Lucknow - Varanasi .
Left Lucknow Ginger - 0741 Hrs.
Rae Bareilly - 0900 Hrs.
Unchahar - 1004 Hrs.
Kunda - 1100 Hrs.
Entrance at NH2 Allahabad bypass tollgate - 1139 Hrs - 2738 Kms .
Handia toll gate - 1221 Hrs.
Varanasi Satkar hotel on NH2 - 1520 Hrs - 2880 Kms .
Trip includes Lunch break , road good otherwise traffic jam near unchahar railway crossing and diversion area for ongoing over bridge work , huge traffic jam after handia and Varanasi and 3 other places where NH2 widening work in progress .
23rd Oct 2019.
Varanasi - Burdwan Renaissance .
Hotel Satkar - 0555 Hrs - 2880 Kms.
Sasaram toll - 0800 Hrs.
Dehri on Sone - 0905 Hrs.
Aurangabad bypass - 0935 Hrs.
Shan e Punjab topchachi - 1300 Hrs - 3257 Kms . Lunch break.
Dhanbad more - 1416 Hrs.
Damodar Bridge - Bengal border - 1451 hrs - 3325 Kms .
Junction mall DGP - 1540 Hrs .
Renaissance home - 1637 hrs - 3446 Kms .
There are few diversion till UP / Bihar border which are troublesome , once you enter Bihar then Jharkhand there are diversion due road widening work, but they are not so much problematic like in U.P. there are traffic jam on the Bridge over sone river , it's slow traffic but was moving . Rest of the trip was good , stopped for lunch at your usual Shan - e - Punjab dhaba at Topchachi .
24 Oct 2019.
Burdwan Renaissance - Kolkata .
Left Renaissance - 0737 Hrs.
Reached Patuli Home - 1020 Hrs - 3575.7 Kms .
Summary -
Total Kms home to home 3575.7 Kms .
Night stays .
Burdwan - 1
Varanasi - 1
Lucknow - 2
Bhimtal - 1
Mukteswar - 1
Nainital - 2
Binsar - 1
Kausani - 1
Chaukori - 1
Munsiyari - 2
Patal Bhubaneswar - 1
Tanakpur - 1
Lucknow - 1
Varanasi - 1
Burdwan - 1
Total 17 nights - 18 days .
Drive details, text and photo courtesy: Debasish Dey, Bipasha Dey in October 2019.
* Indian Roadie Preferred Route
* Indian Roadie Preferred Itinerary
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