Why Road Trips Are Becoming More Popular in India
There is something special about the idea of hitting the road without having a particular schedule, standing in line at the airports, and rushing to catch the train. Currently, road trips in India have developed from a rare experience into one of the most common ways to travel around the country. According to the latest trends in tourism in the country, people pay more attention to domestic travels, weekend trips, and self-drive vacations. The statistics provided by the Indian tourism industry shows that domestic tourism keeps growing, and in recent years, almost 2.95 billion domestic tourist visits took place.
It is not hard to guess the reasons why people choose road trips as a way to see the country. First of all, during such travel, a person does not concentrate on the destination itself, but on the entire road. Any roadside tea stalls, waterfalls, bends of the mountain, and villages’ markets are part of the story. Unlike the flight that moves people from point A to point B in several hours, road trip reveals the layers in-between. It is as if a person reads each page of a book and not just skips to the last page of the story.
Researches conducted in scientific environment also prove that road trips have a positive influence on a person’s wellbeing due to reducing stress and providing unforgettable experience through social interaction and exploration.
Features That Make India Perfect for Scenic Road Trips
One can say that India is a dream destination for all road-tripping fans because few places in the world are as diverse in geography as this country. In a matter of hours, a traveler can go from snowy mountains to the tropical rainforests, from arid deserts to beautiful beaches, and from crowded cities to deserted rural lands. Each state feels like a totally new world for exploration.
Development of the infrastructure has also contributed to popularization of road travel. Nowadays, expressways, modernized highways, and improved connections between tourist destinations create convenient conditions for long-distance travels by cars, SUVs, and motorcycles. According to the travel trend reports, road-based tourism is becoming more and more popular with people preferring weekend escapes and vacation flexibility.
India is famous for the uniqueness and variety of its routes. Sometimes, the road trips are full of adventure and difficulties with amazing mountain passes, other times they are peaceful and take place along the coastlines. There are routes that provide travelers with the opportunity to see the ocean from the road and highways with majestic peaks of Himalayan mountains on the horizon. Such diversity gives everyone an opportunity to pick up his/her favorite route and drive along it.
Manali to Leh – The Ultimate Himalayan Adventure
Talking about the best road trips in India, the Manali to Leh Highway is definitely mentioned first of all. It is one of the greatest drives in the world passing through the majestic Himalayas and offering travelers an amazing combination of passes, mountains, rivers, valleys, and barren terrains that resemble an alien landscape.
What is special about this route? Manali to Leh Highway offers travelers a lot of memorable highlights that include crossing the high-altitude passes like Rohtang La, Baralacha La, and Tanglang La as well as the constantly changing views of the nature.
Feature Details
Distance Approx. 470 km
Best Season June to September
Key Highlights Rohtang Pass, Pangong Lake, Sarchu
Difficulty Level High
Ideal Vehicle SUV or Adventure Motorcycle
Before driving through the Manali to Leh Highway, a driver should be aware of the difficulties that he/she might face due to weather conditions.
Mumbai to Goa – India’s Most Famous Coastal Drive
Without exaggeration, Mumbai to Goa road trip is the most popular coastal journey in the country. This road follows the major parts of NH66 and gives travelers an opportunity to enjoy the green landscapes, winding roads, villages, and beautiful coastline of India.
What makes this route special? The constantly changing variety of the landscape is the feature of this journey. It includes the coasts of the Arabian Sea, villages, rivers, coconut groves, and beaches. Along the way, travelers can stop and visit Ratnagiri, Ganpatipule, and Alibaug that will introduce them the local culture and delicious fish.
Feature Details
Distance Approx. 570 km
Best Season November to February
Key Highlights Alibag, Ganpatipule, Ratnagiri
Difficulty Level Low
Ideal Vehicle Sedan or Estate
It should be noted that unlike some mountainous routes, the journey from Mumbai to Goa is great for families, couples, and beginners of road-trips.
Chennai to Puducherry via East Coast Road
One more interesting option is to drive through East Coast Road that connects Chennai and Puducherry and passes along the coastline offering travelers continuous views of the sea. This road is not too long but every kilometer of it is impressive and amazing.
Feature Details
Distance Approx. 135 km
Best Season Throughout the year
Key Highlights Basappa Temple, Mamallapuram, Auroville
Difficulty Level Low
Ideal Vehicle Sedan
One of the highlights of this route is the fact that travelers can admire the Bay of Bengal for the whole period of driving and pass by the famous UNESCO site Mahabalipuram and the internationally known city Auroville that is famous for its experiments in sustainable living.
Bangalore to Ooty – Through the Nilgiri Hills
Those travelers who want to escape the hot climate and experience the coolness of the mountains, will like the route that starts in Bangalore and finishes in Ooty and goes through Nilgiri Hills. In this case, travelers will feel like they go from one world to another.
The route sometimes passes through the Bandipur National Park and gives travelers an opportunity to see elephants, deer, peacocks, and other animals.
Feature Details
Distance Approx. 230 km
Best Season November to March
Key Highlights Doddabetta Peak, Avalanche Lake
Difficulty Level Medium
Ideal Vehicle Sedan or Estate
Ooty itself offers lots of options to explore as it has botanical garden, lake, heritage railway, and tea estates. All this is just an introduction to the beautiful hills that this route passes by.
Guwahati to Tawang – Northeast India’s Hidden Gem
It should be said that the region of northeast India is still not discovered enough by tourists despite the fact that it has lots of beautiful spots and places to visit. Guwahati to Tawang is one of the examples. This route passes through Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and offers travelers to discover the landscapes that are unique.
Feature Details
Distance Approx. 530 km
Best Season October to December
Key Highlights Kaziranga National Park, Sela Pass, Nuranang Waterfall
Difficulty Level Medium
Ideal Vehicle SUV
This route is filled with amazing mountains, forest, rivers, and even the Buddhist monastery. As a highlight of this trip, travelers can see the majestic and beautiful Sela Pass surrounded by snow-covered peaks and crystal clear lakes.
Ahmedabad to Kutch – Into the White Desert
Another interesting option is to take the road from Ahmedabad to Kutch that is one of the most interesting and unusual routes in the country. In contrast to previous trips, here travelers will find not the mountains or forests but the vast spaces and the white salt desert of the Great Rann of Kutch.
Feature Details
Distance Approx. 540 km
Best Season October to March
Key Highlights Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary
Difficulty Level Medium
Ideal Vehicle SUV or Estate
Along the road travelers can meet the traditional Gujarati towns and colorful villages that offer travelers the opportunity to discover local handicrafts, music, and cuisine. During the Rann Utsav festival travelers can watch the cultural performances, buy the products from artisans, and enjoy luxurious tent accommodation.
What makes this road trip unique is the scale of the landscape and its openness.
Jaipur to Jaisalmer – Rajasthan’s Desert Highway
There are few road trips that can show the royal heritage of India as this route. The route starts in Jaipur and finishes in Jaisalmer and passes through Rajasthan showing magnificent forts, palaces, colorful markets, and desert landscapes.
Feature Details
Distance Approx. 500 km
Best Season November to March
Key Highlights Kailana Lake, Mehrangarh Fort
Difficulty Level Low to Medium
Ideal Vehicle Sedan
In the course of the trip, the traveler can meet different cities of Rajasthan, including Jodhpur that gives travelers the opportunity to discover amazing forts of the city.
Jaisalmer is known as Golden City and is a perfect end of this route. The rising sandstone fort looks amazing during the sunset, and the nearby sand dunes give travelers the opportunity to make safari on camels.
Essential Tips for a Safe and Memorable Indian Road Trip
Proper planning can determine the outcome of the road trip. In order to have a safe journey, one should make sure that the vehicle is ready for the road and equipped with everything necessary, including the supplies, first-aid kits, spare tires, and offline maps, especially in case of remote areas of travel.
Weather conditions play one of the crucial roles in the trip. The mountainous roads may experience snowfall or landslides and monsoon routes become slippery and foggy. Specialists recommend not to travel by night and to follow the local weather forecast.
Here are a few tips that will help to have an enjoyable road trip:
Plan fuel stops in remote areas.
Download offline navigation maps.
Have emergency contact numbers available.
Keep sufficient amount of cash for remote areas.
Respect the local culture and traditions.
Take frequent breaks.
Flexibility is also an important component of successful road trip. Sometimes the best moments happen when the traveler decides to leave the road and go on an unexpected adventure.
Conclusion
India is the country of unforgettable road trips. No matter whether one goes through the Himalayas, the coast of Konkan, Rajasthan’s deserts, or the hidden beauties of the Northeast, there is a chance to see something unique and wonderful.
Road trip is an absolutely different travel experience that gives travelers an opportunity to immerse into the nature, culture, and local communities in a way that is impossible with any other type of travel. Now, when the development of the infrastructure and popularity of domestic tourism continue, there is the best time to explore the country.