Delhi to Dharamshala

Route
Delhi - Ambala - Chandigarh - Rupnagar - Kiratpur - Una - Kangra - Dharmasala- McLeodganj

Distance
525km

Best Part
Una to Kangra to Dharmasala. This route is breathtaking. The road is not the smoothest but its character more than makes up for the lack of smoothness.

Description
From Delhi to Chandigarh is a good four-lane road, part of which is under construction but you will make good time. From Chandigarh to Kiratpur, the road is mostly flat and passes through wildlife sanctuary. From Kiratpur, the road starts into the mountains and the turns and curves and the scenic beauty of the forest is bound to win your heart. But the progress is a little slow as the speed drops. From Kangra to Dharmasala, the real climb starts and the view of the Dhauladar range is very good.
Then move on to the township of McLeodganj. Now that is the seat of His Excellency The Dalai Lama... This is far better than the main city of Dharamshala in all senses. Just 15 or so kms. If you wanna stay, this is the place.

Stopovers
Stop at Ambala for breakfast. Next stop at Kiratpur for lunch. Evening tea can be at Kangra if you are not too enthusiatic, else at Dharmasala itself which is 20 kms ahead.

Fuel Stations
All along. No problem in refueling at any point. However people of McLeodganj get their fuel from Dharamshala (10 km far).

Tips
If you are planning to do it in a day, (which can be done) try not to waste time on stretch till Kiratpur. After that the speed drops as the climb starts.

Time to visit
Of course summer is traditionally the best part of the year to visit any hill station....But you wont be frozen to death even in Jan. I went in Jan. Sun compelled me to take off my woolens at a time...But ya once sun goes down it goes in minus. Got the spirit? Go in Jan-Feb...It rains, snow falls, chilling cold, hot in day...everything will be there.

Distances
Delhi............Dharamshala....525
Chandigarh.....Dharamshala....255
Chandigarh.....Una............130
Una..............Dharamshala....125
Shimla...........Dharamshala....250 (via Hamirpur)
Manali...........Dharamshala....135

More detailed route Rupnagar onwards....
Punjab->
Rupnagar-Ghanauli-Bharatnagar-Nirmohgarh-Kirtapur-Anandpur Sahib-Nangal-Bhakra (About 60-70 km)
HP->
Una-Amb-Nainpukhar-Dera Gopipur-[NH 88]-Ranitaal-Kangra-Dharamshala (About 120-30 kms)

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RETURN ROUTE (distances given approx, on a guess work)

Dharamshala-{20KM}-Kangra-{16}-Ranitaal- {20}-Jwalamukhi-{12}-Nadaun-{5}-Bhatta-{23}- Hamirpur- {16}-Bhota-{28}-Ghamarwin-{25}-Bilaspur-Arki-Shimla

Distances
Kangra........Hamirpur.......65 km
Hamirpur.....Bilaspur.........50 km
Bilaspur.......Shimla..........85 km
Shimla........Chandigarh.....115 km

Delhi to Manali

Route
Delhi - Chandigarh - Manali

Distance
570 km

Best Part
This road tests a bikers skills to the MAX! 300kms of plain roads, followed by ghat sections which become challenging as you climb the 7000ft climb to Manali. This route should be attempted only by guys who have decent or good bike touring experience.


Description
This route is one rocking experience. This road grows on you gradually. To begin with, this road is one straight never ending road till a bit further than Chandigarh. One can easily rip the bike consistently on 3 digit speeds. Roughly 50kms after Chandigarh, the ascent to Manali starts. The initial 160km ascent till Mandi reminds you of driving of ghats of small hill stations like Mahabaleshwar. The real fun starts after Mandi. The temperature becomes pleasant and narrow ghats test your biking skills to the max!

Stopovers
Lunch at Chandigarh

Fuel Stations
Lots of fuel stations on the way. Some even accept credit cards.

Tips
I recommend stopping at Mayur dhaba (140kms approx from Delhi) for breakfast. This guy makes awsome parathas. Start by 6 in the morning to ensure that you reach Manali before dark.

Delhi to Lahaul Spiti

Route
Chandigarh - Shimla - Matiana - Narkanda - Wangtoo - Powari - Pooh - Khaab - Malling - Nako - Chaango - Sumdo check post - Tabo - Dhankar - Kaja - Kunjum Top - batal - Chhatru - Gramphoo - Rohtang - Manali - Chandigarh
Distance
1250 km approx.

Best Part
Road till Pooh. This route is breathtaking after Shimla. The road is not the smoothest but its character more than makes up for the lack of smoothness.
Return after Rohtang is good too..From Pooh to Rohtang the terrain is hostile

Description
From Delhi to Chandigarh is a good four-lane road, part of which is under construction but you will make good time. The road approaching Shimla starts into the mountains and the turns and curves and the scenic beauty of the forest is bound to win your heart. But the progress is a little slow as the speed drops. There is a sheer downfall road of 30 kms from Narkanda towards rampur, which puts high pressure on the front brakes of a vehicle.

After Powari the greenery starts to disappear. But thats the beauty of this route. It seems like vegetation has been shaved off the mountains. River Sutluz and Spiti meet at Khaab. Then we move on to Nak, another stopover. After Nako, the road becomes tremendously rough with sand and landslides. Within little less than 3 hrs, the road hits the Sumdo check post after crossing tough landsliding area of Chango. Sumdo is the gateway to Spiti. The NH22 ends at kaurik, 7 kms from Sumdo and 4 from China. Tabo has a famous monastery. Then we move on to Kaja. Road keeps getting worse.

7kms offtrack from the Tabo-Kaja road is Dhankar, another famous monastery town. it is the ex-capital of the area. Kaja is the administrative center of sub-district of Spiti. Kaja can be reached in10-11 hrs from Tabo. Kaja has the world's highest fuel retail outlet. 11 km from Kaja, is the offtrack Ki monastry. It is the largest monastery of Spiti region. Then there is the Kibbar village, which is the world's highest inhabited village at 4250 m.The road from Kaja to Kunjam Top is the cruelest. There is a temple of Kunjam devi, which should'nt be missed.Then you reach Rohtang via Gramphoo. Then to Manali and Chandigarh.

Stopovers
1. Matiana or Narkanda [near Shimla]. Former is cheaper.
2. After 280 kms and 14 hrs, there comes Nako. Some private guest houses available here. Its a village with a lake. No phone faciltiy here.
3. 11 hr drive from Nako takes you to Kaja. There are PWD rest house available.
4. 13 hrs from here is Manali
5. From Manali, Chandigarh is at a 8 hrs drive.


Fuel Stations
Fuel will be available normally till Shimla. After it your fuel cans will be used.
Fuel pumps are at- Powari and then Kaja.

Tips
You must carry fuel cans.
Breathing might be difficult at some higher ares, so avoid physical strain or excitement. This is just a caution. Normally people do not face that much problem. But ya it is a rule of Science that levels of oxygen decline as you go up.
Sun burn is common.
Refuel properly at Powari and Kaja.

Time to Visit
May-June
Sept-mid Oct

Route Map [click to enlarge]

Delhi to Leh Laddakh

The route-
Delhi, Chandigarh, Manali[NH21], Rohtang, Tandi, Keylong, Jispa, ZingZingBar, Baralacha La-Sarchu {HP}
Sarchu--Lachalung La, Nakee La, Pang, Kangla Jal, Sanghta(Ruspu), Debring, Talang La, Rantsu, Upshi, Stanka, Shey, Leh

Distances-
Chandigarh -(191)- Bilaspur -(166)- Manali Total-272
Manali -(51)- Rothang La -(13)- Gramphoo -(43)- Tandi -(8)- Keylong -( Jispa -[37])- Darcha -(15)- Patseo -(Zing zingbar -[30])- Baralacha La -(32)- Sarchu. Total-229
Sarchu -(42)- Naki La -(13)- Lachulung La -(19)- Pang Camp -(43)- Debring -(19)- Tanglang La -(29)- Rumtse -(15)- Rong -(16)- Upshi -(13)- Karu -(16)- Thikse Monastry -(19)- Leh. Total-224

[P.S. This classification done in four part represents an ideal per-day riding distance]

From Chandigarh to Manali, one optional route may be-
Chandigarh-Panchkula -(36)- Kasauli -(29)- Solan -(49)- Shimla -(62)- Narkanda -(86)- Khanag -(- Jalori Pass, Banjar, Aut, Kullu, Patlikuhl -[107])- Naggar -(24)- Manali
(P.S. This route is 147 km longer than the previously mentioned route)

Optional return route-(i.e from Leh to Delhi)--
Leh -(- Saspol -[125])- Lamayuru -(- Mulbek -[110])- Kargil
Kargil -(58)- Drass -(- Zoji La -[62])- Sonmarg -(- Kangan -[85])- Srinagar.
Srinagar -(56)- Anantnag -(130)- Udhampur -(62)- Jammu.
Jammu -(102)- Pathankot -(119)- Jalandhar -(69)- Ludhiana.
Ludhiana -(110)- Ambala -(71)- Karnal -(35)- Panipat -(97)- Delhi.

Delhi to Jaisalmer

Time to Visit Aug-Nov;Feb-March

The route-
Jaisalmer -[109]- Pokhran -[61]- Phalodi -[162]- Bikaner -[140]- Ratangarh -[35]- Fatehpur -[stated below]- Delhi

Description- We travel from Fatehpur to Bikaner on NH11॥then from Bikaner to Jaisalmer on NH15। This part is sandy...and after Pokhran there is nothing but the Thar. Both roads are good though....
Bikaner is an old and important settlement...May saty at night. There are temples, a fort, rail route, good hotels, etc.
After Bikaner we travell via some green area of Gajnaur to Phalodi. Phalodi is an imortant trade center. Pokharan is an 30-40 min drive from here....Again there are temples here plus a fort, though not as majestic as say Bikaner. But is more desert than Bikaner. Too sandy here.
It is famous for the place of nuclear tests by India in 1974 and 1998. The place is called "Shakti Sthal". It comes when we move from Pokhanr city to Jaisalmer, bit offraod though.
Then we move on to Jaisalmer via Lathi [an army station].
Two destinations must not be missed here apart from the Camel Safari. the first is the village of Kuldhara. Villagers do not go ever near it after dusk. They say it is haunted.
Second place is 6 kms from here. Thats is temple of Tanot Mata. Lagend has it that in war many soldies and civilians were killed there. But who ever took shelter in the temple came out nscratched. Sheels were fired on to the temple too. But whichever fell into the campus, didnt . Those failed shell are still can be seen at a display site nearby.
Indo-pak border is kms from Tanot.

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Well coming back to the route to reach Fatehpur from Delhi, we have the option of two routes which are as follows. Route B is shorter by a good 150 kms-
A.Delhi -[265km via Gurgaon on NH8]- Jaipur -[107]- Sikar -[50]- Fatehpur
Description- Road is superb till Jaipur [the NH8]..After that its good too till Fatehpur [the NH11]
B.Delhi- [87km via Gurgaon on NH8]- Rewari -[53]- Narnaul -[70]- Jhunjhunun -[50]- Fatehpur
Description- The NH8 part is excellent of course. From there to Fatehpur the road is not as broad as NH8 but it a well layed and undamaged. There might be traffic on this road though congestion might be mainly confined to the cities of Rewari, Narnaul and Jhunjhunun.

So summing up both routes-
Route A [approx 920 km]
Jaisalmer - Pokhran - Phalodi - Bikaner - Ratangarh - Fatehpur - Jhunjhunun - Narnaul - Rewari - Gurgaon - Delhi

Route B [approx 765 km]
Jaisalmer - Pokhran - Phalodi - Bikaner - Ratangarh - Fatehpur - Sikar - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi

Pictorial description- [click to enlarge]



Few pictures of the city of Bikaner


The train on the road itself in the city of Bikaner



Junagarh Fort

A colony

Delhi to Pilani

Well lets start from the Pilani one....
Time to visit- Aug-Nov; Feb-Mar
i.e. when the academic session of Birla is on
There are two routes to choose for Pilani. Second one has more sand...

Route I:-
Delhi -[72 km]- Rohtak -[47]- Bhiwani-[approx 85]- Pilani
Total Distance 200-210 KMs
Total Time Almost 5 hrs
Description- This is a direct sort of route, passing through small and big towns. Barren area comes at the end of the journey for 30-40 KMs..


Route II :-
Delhi -[72 km]- Rohtak -[47]- Bhiwani-[approx 80 via Lohani-Kairu-Bahal]- Rajgarh- [40] - Pilani
Total Distance 240-45 KMs
Total Time Almost 6 hrs

Description-The route till Bahal is in Haryana. Till here the route is normal, bit barren...But as we move towards Rajgarh, the sand begins. The 40 km road from Rajgarh to Pilani is a narrow road....Barely accomodates to trucks. It runs along a semi-desert type vegetation. Road is good. One should carry enough water from Rajgarh.