Bangalore - Gangtok

How to Reach Gangtok(Sikkim) from South India.

Bangalore to Gangtok - UP ....Gangtok to Chennai - Down...more then 6000 km on 10 days at Rental Car(Ritz) covering 12 states of India.

Before starting,I have to admit,I am not good narrator,this my first blog about my trip to share with you all,so forgive any grammatical mistake or spelling mistake..Just sharing our experience and also this trip  is adventurous and risky trip too,So plan your trip with some more knowledge on Climate and weather.But its life time experience for us which Covering 12 states ,Each state have a unique culture and different language  and second language is English on National Highways. Hindi is not must for exploring this trip..except madhya pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

Me and Vijay started from Bangalore on 26th Aug at 5 AM, Since it's first day we want to drive a vehicle as much we  both can on NH44. Our stepney tyre was punctured one on vehicle handover itself,So we have a been told to stop some local shop do by our own.So we stopped at Kurnool by 9:30AM and took two hours for puncture,wheel balancing and alignment  and next destination we have stopped for a lunch at Hyderabad(wifi bawarchi) by 2:00PM...yes your are right..we had briyani only ;) .

Near by Nandhi Hills :) Namma Bangalore 

We have a been driving night  to stop at Nagpur(Maharashtra)but border road are so much damaged. So it stopped our speeding ...ya i forget to say ..our vendor have rule  speeding of violating 120 km/hr we have to pay Rs.500/- even as responsible driver..we didn't touch anytime at speed of 120 km/hr..But its very difficult to limiting speed of 100  km/hr till NH 44 lane..

We have checked into Nagpur by 11:00 PM crossed by 1100 km and check into room no 107 ...you may ask me ..why i am saying ..please be patient go through.

Day Second(27th Aug) starting with great hope.since we have covered first day 1100 km..we thought we will reach Varanasi by end of the day.

Since we have been travelling on NH 44..so we have to travel on the bhander forest and Tiger reserved tourism,really difficult part to cross. Later we have to start journey on NH 34 and NH 30...i never called its national high way..its village road...worst part road at Jabalpur, I have stopped at local dhabba shop for Tea..pure milk  Tea..please try  while travelling on these part of area,one good thing i have a crossed Narmada River..

Left Sridhar(Me) and Right Vijay

We have a stopped at 10 PM checked into REWA RAJ VILLAS at rewa(Madhya Pradesh) got room no :107 only, I have  a really tired because of road condition because we have to keep changing the gear but Dinner from Hotel so good.I have tried panner stuff i am not able recollect the name ...Garlic naan/Butter Naan really good.

Day Three(28th Aug),NH 135 Road's are better then NH34 but one thing to be careful..cow's are sitting on national highway ...Once we enter to Utter pradesh close to RTO  by 7:30AM ....We have been stopped by RTO appointed local people...We are very much aware they have stopped because of MH registration...But they are trying to find the reasons to threat us. Yes they found our vehicle registration number only three number instead of four digit number.we have been threaten by local..apart from Hindi..no one speak other language. We have a been asked to pay 3000/- Rs .i have asked vijay to empty the wallet..i was negotiating with my own hindi to local people and few minutes later police people came.some what i have negotiated to Rs 1500/-  but i have told , i have to withdraw from the ATM.so they sent local people along with vijay..our lucky there ATM open by 10 AM only..so police ask to pay how much we have..so we have paid Rs.300/- we have been stuck more then 1:30 hour made scared us. Even vijay was tensed because police acting like these, how others people react. I have asked vijay to take pic but is not ready to step out from car because those areas are Maoist hit area. But i have forced him to take  few clicks ..

UP Border

It might be another 60 KM for Varanasi ...we have to cross one bridge where Ganga River flowing so much fast ...It made us to think how worst affected by Varanasi. Very worst road  those sixty kilometer..we have reached Varanasi by 2 PM..Really Varanasi worst affected because of Ganga River. But i want click on Ganga river view of KASI..There are 87 Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the River. But i am not able to see those Ghats because of danger level flow of Ganga River. Even police stopping religious activities in Ganga...But luckily we got one local boy..He told he will take to certain level of Ganga river.Since so much force in the river.He struggled to boat as well. I really feel blessed boating in Ganga River and getting blessing of  Kasi Vishwanth Temple.

Ganga Entrance ..so much damaged

Ganga View

Ganga View

Ganga River Flow touch's Light's

We really had  hard day to come out of Varanasi,such density area..Driving Car is very difficult. Once again we have been stopped in the Signal like morning ..police trying to find reason to get bribe..They asked pollution Certificate,i have said vehicle not yet completed year,Since we are so tired,if u seen my selfie clicks,it will clearly tell you how much dehydrated,i haven stopped for hour and i don't have choice rather then paying Rs 500/- really got irritated and tensed ...I have asked vijay to book hotel out of city but luckily we got Hotel Rivera palace at Varanasi city..once again we got room no:107...ambiance really good..

Day Four(29th Aug),We are very badly want to leave Varanasi before normal traffic starts,We have started AH1 and NH 19  roads are really good after two days. those roads connecting Delhi and kolkata..we are crossed Bihar  and Jharkhand and had our lunch at dhaba on the highways ...you cannot find any hotels those area..so better stop at dhaba if your at national highway. After 550 km travel we have reached Suri (West Bengal) and check into superb ambiance hotel Bequest inn room no:107 once again. past four days we got room no:107...we never asked any rooms specifically ..on fourth day we have crossed touch four state's.

Day Five(30th Aug),West Bengal...Such populated and well developed state ..where you can find most passengers are travelling on top of the bus/van. Even state highway road is good one..on road both side it had agriculture land ...very much happy to see green paddy.But local people wont respect the National High way ..most of local vehicle parked at national high way, we have to be careful.One more thing WB assembly passes resolution to rename state as Bangla,Bengal though opposition party opposed but it was passed on the assembly..this also cherish in our mind. Since the place very close to Bangladesh and Muslim population area we can see every 2 kilometer there stop board and CRPF,Police there..

We have stopped at malda for our lunch ...which is really not good most expensive too..we started driving, Because of google map..we have been diverted shorter router which close to Bangladesh Border..Even most of Muslims look like south Indian because of physical appearance and way of  living very close to South Tamil Nadu Muslims ..

Finally we have reached Siliguri.. we got check into RAJDARBAR Hotel....Here we got different Room no ..Siliguri is big city which we didn't expect,Lot of Big Hotel presence of Sikkim and Darjeeling Tourism.Even somebody planning for Darjeeling or Sikkim can stop at Siliguri for they stay and you can find so many transport for both destination.

Day Six(31st Aug),We have started to Gangtok(Sikkim) and need to drive on NH10  almost 120 km. We had our Breakfast on the Hill area...momos from Tibetan Hotel....really soo good :) .Before entering to the state.We have to stop and show our Indian Identity proof to Security force.

Siliguri to Sikkim Road

Road are so much damaged

So much military vehicle

Welcome to Gangtok(Sikkim)

Gangtok(Sikkim)Vikew

City view

Small City(Gangtok) which had all administration located there. But well maintained traffic by police ..Even people also follow the traffic rules..which i never seen any other state's really good. Such small city but well planned city.

M.G.Marg shopping area

M.G Marg ..Shopping area

Our next destination is Darjeeling..Yes our life time journey is waiting. words cannot sufficient to express the feeling which we crossed .

Gangtok to Darjeeling pic's

This is not blur pic's.. its full of fog

Natural Fall's

Such Dark night and full fog not even 5 meter visibility to drive ...we have driven...

Nature at its best

Fog lamp  no use :)

All vehicle moving slowly because of visibility concern

Life time experience driving on these mountain with lot of Hairpin's  no visibility because of fog and raining...finally reached Darjeeling and check into Hotel Sanderling Darjeeling...not even average hotel.very difficult getting into car in Darjeeling..

Unforgettable day in my journey...

Day Seven(1st Sep), Darjeeling made us lazy to wake up from bed,Since we thought of purchasing local Darjeeling Tea for our family. We both awakes and roamed in and around to find the Tea. We went to old market(mahakal tempel) which is recommended by local people .We bought  some of the Flavors of Darjeeling.Even i have tired a cup of Darjeeling Tea so good. 

Early Morning at Darjeeling

Mahakal temple entrance

Mahakal temple

Mahakal Temple

Darjeeling full of mist and fog..every ten minutes ...fog was cherish us all ...

Fog affect :)

Darjeeling Train

We had plan getting down from Darjeeling through Nepal,Which had more Natural view,So we have taken long route,Even most of hairpin was covered with fog,so we are started driving slowely but we are unlucky because mist and fog full covered ..we cannot see the view.  I was got Airtel Nepal welcome message activation on my mobile, we have been stopped by west bengal police..just normal check near to border ..we have stopped for money and locals also stopped there for the document check,Cop was asked to wait and it went thirty minute,Later cop was called checking us,i have  told i was coming from Bangalore and he said ur coming so far away go safely...some what we are lucky  ..some where we got diverted because GPS doesnt work properly..though we touched Pasupathy temple and came down to siliguri via Gurkaland..we have refilled the fuel on way to Siliguri ..even we had taken the pollution certificate because of UP police torture, but it  saved us further stops..we have stopped by local traffic police close to Siliguri..I have the shown pollution certificate first...so no more further check :).we decided stop by Malda(WB) which is 220km for way Since NH12 was a good one,  But unexpected heavy traffic on NH12 which made all vehicle stand for close to five kilometer and we also clueless about things but one local guy told short cut...and it was around 10:30PM, it will be difficult to get at Hotel after .so i started driving in night till 2:30 AM early morning. Asked vijay to sleep for some time.

Tea Estate 

Tea Estate Close to Nepal border

Darjeeling to Chennai ..easiest and safest route  with lot of toll ;)

Day Eight(2nd Sep),Vijay given me break because of night drive ..he started by 4 AM..we are lucky crossed the islampur and other density area at night itself to avoid traffic and people crowd  ...but National Bandh supported by state ruling party..so every where  TMC party people gathering and grouping  from 30 to 50 people to protest  on the motor bike ride with Big stick...we take on State Highway to avoid city traffic reach Kolkatta and road was really so good as like national highway. Road's are empty and i have notice few police on junction and TMC party people protest.I have stopped vehicle at one remote village to try sweet's before touching Kolkata,Yes,i have a tried WB famous rasgulla, gulbajamun and samosa..it cost not even 40 rupees and tasty too.

we have started on the state highway and both side green paddy as i mentioned on the fifth day.Agriculture is very strong in West Bengal..I have stopped around 11 am...taken bath at motor pump water which is flowing for the agriculture land ;) ..earlier i did in my primary school time at my father village.. 

Around 2 pm stopped on Highway AH1 Dhaba had our lunch..we just crossed Howrah Bridge by 4 pm next stopped at 6 pm at ODISA RTO to take Entry permit...But Lorries standing for 2 kilometer slowly moving..really feel pity for the lorry driver because of RTO's attitude towards on the each state.

We thought stopping at Cuttack or Bhubaneswar to stay hotel..But we are so tired since driving continuously and hungry to so we  had our dinner at dhabba on NH16...we stopped at 11pm before 60 km to Bhubaneswar one normal lodge.

Day Nine(3rd Sep), Starting day with blessing of Lingaraj temple (Bhubaneswar) after driving 60 km a day. Old temple and Heritage site  its controlled by Central Government, It can be maintained better as well ..had our breakfast idil and vada near to temple at local shop...very cheap one and good too. after entering to Andhra ..we stopped for our lunch at Andhra meal but veg since its saturday.

Around 4 pm ..reached Visakhapatnam had tea,so much traffic,so didn't enter to city using NH16/AH45 ..we have stopped once again Highway Dhaba for dinner around 8:30PM, I have crossed Godavari River at Rajahmundry around midnight with so much tolls and roads are good to drive fro for night driving and i was keep driving and crossed Krishna River at Vijayawada and around 1 AM.

Day Ten(4th Sep)...continues without break of last night  because of  Ganesh pooja on 5th Sep, I have to be at home because of my mom request..early morning crossed Ongole and Nellore  before to Tamil nadu border we have stopped for Tea to refresh for another 130 km.we stopped at Gummudipoondi Tamil nadu entrance for RTO,Only State RTO know about self driving car without our explanation they issue the state permit ,Reached my Home in Chennai around 10:30 AM  completed goal.

Happy we reached our Target earlier as we have planned and I have celebrated Ganesh pooja with my five month twins daughter. Happy Ending with lots of memories and cherish my life time.

Trip expenses...just Sharing Fuel,Toll and Car Rental not included Food and Hotel or Misc things.

Car Rental - Rs.27000/-(Round off)

Fuel - Rs.10585/-

Toll -  Rs.3847/-

Toll Expenses Day wise

26th Aug - 1219
27th Aug - 240
28th Aug - 105
29th Aug - 340
30th Aug - 50
31th Aug - nil
01th Sep - 50
02nd Sep - 625
03rd Sep - 1218
04th Sep- 45

Thanks to Car Rental and Support Team (JustRide) and Vijay.. Special Thanks to My wife/Mother because they didn't stopped me on my trip, though my Twin Angels just Five month older. 

Hope this information will help you to explore my incredible INDIA... Jai Hind!

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