Road trip from Delhi to Bangalore via Kolkata, Vizag by Vinod Vnv in December 2021

Trip Update - Delhi - Kolkata - Vizag - Bengaluru (3600 kms) by Vinod Vnv in December 2021. 

Route: 
Delhi - Lucknow - Varanasi - Kolkata (including Sundarbans) - Bhubaneswar - Vizag - Vijaywada - Tirupati - Chitoor - Bengaluru. 

Delhi - Lucknow: Yamuna Expressway and Agra-Lucknow Expressway. 
Lucknow Stay : Hotel Golden Apple, Mahanagar, Lucknow. Enough parking, not a crowded locality. 
Delhi to Lucknow drive time 6 hrs.
Lucknow - Varanasi via Purvanchal Expressway
We had 2 exit options one at Sultanpur and second at Ajamgarh. Choose Sultanpur. it joins main lucknow varanasi highway after 15kms. 
Lucknow-Varanasi highway has lot of diversions for ongoing work.
Midway Stop - Motel NH56. Good place to stop after Sultanpur.
Lucknow Varanasi is 5 hrs drive time.
Varanasi - Kashiwishwanath Temple visit.
The new corridor is not complete. Work is going on. Visitors are not allowed.
Evening Aarti @ AssiGhat,Boating.
Temple Darshan - 
We bought the  Sugam Durshan ticket @ 300 per person from counter near temple. . Online one day in advance booking also available.
Krishna Ganpat Rao Badal - 9305131515 - Can facilitate darshan and tickets. We used his service.
Visited Sarnath too.
Stay : Homestay @ Brij Enclave with parking. 2 bhk appartment.
Varnasi - Kolkata - 14hrs Drive
Overall roads are in good shape. Ansansol to Kolkata has very high traffic.
Try KheerMohan @ SnoeKhap, Bihar.
Dhankuni toll is a mess. Expect upto 1 hr to cross. 
Stay - Vedic Village.  5 nights in Kolkata.
Sundarban visit: 2 days 1 night. 
Godhkhali ferry ghat is the entry to Sundarbans. Paid parking available.
Kolkata - Godhkhali via Canning, Basanti took about 3 hrs for 90 kms. Last 20 kms is under repair.  
Tour Operator: Ujjal Banerjee 96744 30575 arranged stay and boat. Recommended.
Kolkata - Vizag - 15hrs drive.
Kolkata - Balasore is good and fast.
Orissa - All the way from Balasore till Berhampur -  Lots of flyover construction is in progress. This consumes a lot of time and progress is slow.
Once in AP good roads with lots of speed cams 
Between Vizag - Annavaram (Around 30km is single lane bad patch)
Annavaram has lots of hotels for night stay. We stayed at SAL Residency.
Lunch after Bhubaneswar. Hotel Samrat. Bamboo mutton is the signature dish. Must try.
Vizag - Vijayawada - Nellore - Naidupeta - Tirupati - Bengaluru - 13 hrs drive.
Fantastic highway all the way. Naidupetta to Tirupati - 40kms is bad. Rest all is good. 

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* Drivelog