Road trip from Delhi to Nainital (Delhi_Nainital)/ Bhimtal and back by Rishi Sinha in October 2019 ...
* Delhi to Nainital via Pilkhuwa, Gajraula, Moradabad Bypass, Bazpur, Kaladhungi, Khurpatal.
* Pilkhuwa is now 6-laned till Hapur bypass. Speed limit is 100 kmph.
* Post that till Moradabad Bypass is 4-laned, smooth roads.
* Moradabad Bypass to Bazpur till kaladhungi is 2-laned with lots of local 2-wheeler traffic. It gets too narrow at some stretch.
* Kaladhungi to Nainital via Khurpatal is mix of good and bad roads, once the climb starts there are some broken patches.
* You save entry fee from this route and also save one toll on NH-9
* Nainital to Delhi via Kathgodam, Rudrapur, Rampur, Gajraula
* Till Kathgodam roads are good, wide enough as compared to the Khurpatal road.
* Crossing Kathgodam-Haldwani was smooth, albeit lot of traffic.
* Rudrapur-Haldwani road to Patharchatta is just awesome!
* The entire stretch from Rudrapur to Rampur via Bilaspur is in a mess! Too many diversions. Lost a lot of time here.
* Rampur to Delhi was smooth via NH9
* Onward journey took 5.5 hours
* Return took 7.5 hours
* The Bhowali-Jeolikote stretch upto Kartik Resort was the best part, 2-laned road, all smooth, not a single pothole! A driver's paradise.
(copied)
