[dark_horizon]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I have uploaded a log book of mine which has both the Kolhapur-Amba Ghat-Ratnagiri-Ganapatipule route as well as the Ganapatipule-Bombay route. On this occasion, I had taken approximately 5.5 hours from GPule to Bombay.

Thats a very detailed triplog. Thanx for it. How do you manage to write down such details while driving ?

[hvkumar]

Been maintaining such log books for all my bike and car trips last 23 years. Write on the movie in a diary and type it out later.

[vikram18]

Originally Posted by rkavthekar

Hello,



Query 3: Is there a good hotel around Karad where we can have good breakfast?

Hotel Sangam at Karad is pretty decent

[rkavthekar]

Thank you all for the inputs. Appreciate your help. Looks like I am all set for the drive. Desparately waiting for Saturday!

takecare and drive safely

Rajesh

[Volt]

@rkavthekar: on your way back, make a slight detour to Malgund, about 2 km from Ganapatipule. Malgund is the birthplace of the famous Marathi poet Keshavsut. You can also visit the 'Prachin Konkan' museum there which has some nice displays in a natural setting. They also have a small eatery in this museum which serves amazing 'ukdiche modak'. This detour should take you about an hour but will be well worth it.

Wish you a safe journey.

[rkavthekar]

Originally Posted by Volt

@rkavthekar: on your way back, make a slight detour to Malgund, about 2 km from Ganapatipule. Malgund is the birthplace of the famous Marathi poet Keshavsut. You can also visit the 'Prachin Konkan' museum there which has some nice displays in a natural setting. They also have a small eatery in this museum which serves amazing 'ukdiche modak'. This detour should take you about an hour but will be well worth it.

Wish you a safe journey.

Hey Thanks!! Would definitely visit Malgund, Prachin Kokan and if possible, Jaigad. Also, will do anything for "Ukdiche Modak"!!! :-). However, not planning to go to Ratnagiri and Pawas. Would like to relax more there.

My last long drive was last May (1st May 08). Desparately looking forward to the drive and time off at Ganpatipule.

Thanks once again for all those who gave their inputs and suggestions.

takecare and drive safely

[rkavthekar]

Originally Posted by rkavthekar

Thank you all for the inputs. Appreciate your help. Looks like I am all set for the drive. Desparately waiting for Saturday!

takecare and drive safely

Rajesh

Hello everyone and here's the report post my drive to Ganpatipule on last weekend. I was desparately looking forward to this drive and feel good after completed it.

I was not sure to take my Indica which has already run over 96K or to take new i10. We were 4 adults + 1 Kid. Finally, the decision was to go with Indica as it did not have any issues, plus additional factors that favoured Indica were internal space, Diesel motor and trust it has created over a course of 96K running.

As usual Friday was pretty busy and had very less time to packup things. Came home late on Friday night (almost past mid night). We had decided to leave Pune early morning by 5:30 after picking my my cousin and his wife. So, slept for only 4 hours. Got up at 4:00 AM. Left my house around 5:00 AM, reached his place by 5:15 and started at 5:30AM. However, as soon as we hit the B'lore bypass from Sinhagad road, cousin remembered that he forgot his cell and so back we went into the city and for all practical purposes, we started our journey by 6:00AM.

Route decided while going to Ganpatipule was as follows:

Pune -> Karad -> Malkapur -> Pali -> Nivali Phata -> Ganpatipule.

NH4 upto Karad was excellent and had less traffic. By 8:00AM we were at Hotel Sangam having good breakfast.

From Karad we took Kale Phata towards Malkapur. This road is 80% in excellent condition and 20% in OK condition (few pot holes). Its worth to take this road as it saves almost 60-65 kms (by avoiding going via Kolhapur) and thus save almost 1.5 hours. The route did not have heavy traffic, but neither was lonely. One can view beautiful Windmill farm on this route.

Amba Ghat is excellent. Gradient is not steep. No pot holes, and has moderate traffic. Its also very scenic. We reached Amba Ghat around 9:45AM. We stopped in Amba Ghat to appreciate the view.

From Amba Ghat till Ganpatipule, road is full of twists and turns. Lots of ups and downs. At Pali, we took right towards Mumbai and after travelling around 20kms, we reached Nivali Phata. Took left at Nivali phata to travel 32 kms to Ganpatipule.

Total distance travelled while going to Ganpatipule was 346 kms with travel time 6.5 hours including 2 halts.

We reached Ganpatipule just short of 12:30.

Resort is excellent. Had excellent sea view from our rooms. Resort was quite full with mostly MH-02 cars. The restaurant at MTDC is OK. You have other options (restuarants outside MTDC) as well. We did try a few of them. You don't get "Ukdiche Modak" at MTDC. You have to go out and give a order in advance (probably 2 hours advance notice)

On return journey, we started late from Ganpatipule. We started around 10:10AM after having good breakfast.

Route taken on returning journey was as follows:
Ganpatipule -> Nivali Phata -> Chiplun -> Poladpur -> Mahabaleshwar - Wai -> Surur Phata -> Pune

NH17 from Nivali Phata upto Khed is not all that great. Pot holes have been filled but the whole road as such is not resurfaced. You cannot gather too much speed because of the same and moreover, its lots of twists and turns, ups and downs. We passed Drive Inn restaurant near Sangameshwar. Suprisingly the HP Petrol Pump at Khed Phata was closed. Wanted to fill the Diesel there, but then since it was closed, we decided to fill at BP Pump at Poladpur. Road between Khed and Poladpur is excellent. Its completely resurfaced road. Kashedi Ghat is excellent.
BP Bunk at Poladpur was also out of Diesel. According to the attendent there, a new Indian Oil bunk had started operations on Poladpur Mahabaleshwar road. Did a tankful there. Filled 27 litres with odo reading 550 translating to 20.3 kmpl

We reached Mahabaleshwar at 2:30 and Mapro Garden at 4:30PM. We had our lunch at Mapro Garden and started around 5:45PM. Reached home at Pune 7:30PM.

Total distance travelled : 352kms Time taken 9:30 hours with major stops at Mahabaleshwar and Mapro gardens.

I will uploads the photographs soon. However, I would like to close this post by strongly recomending the route we took while going to Ganpatipule to all who are travelling from Pune. Its completely fatigue free and a fast one and easy to drive on NH4.

Finally, would like to thank all those who gave their valuable inputs before I took this drive.

takecare and drive safely

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by rkavthekar

I would like to close this post by strongly recomending the route we took while going to Ganpatipule to all who are travelling from Pune. Its completely fatigue free and a fast one and easy to drive on NH4.

@rkavthekar,

good to know that you are back with route updates.
its pretty fast drive from pune to karad within 2 hours.

[rkavthekar]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

@rkavthekar,

good to know that you are back with route updates.
its pretty fast drive from pune to karad within 2 hours.

Yes, road is very good and I never exceeded 100km/hr. It was a very comfortable drive at around 90km/hr.

takecare and drive safely

[rkavthekar]

Here are some pics from my recent drive to Ganpatipule

Amba Ghat


Another view of Amba Ghat


Ganpati Temple


Pradakshina Marg


A room with a view



Way to Beach


Ganpatipule Beach



Konkani Houses resort by MTDC


The Creek


Konkani house complex by MTDC


A view from Breakfast Table


Hope you have enjoyed the photographs

takecare and drive safely

[arindamray]

will the patan-chiplun route be shorter/faster?

[udaydesai]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I have uploaded a log book of mine which has both the Kolhapur-Amba Ghat-Ratnagiri-Ganapatipule route as well as the Ganapatipule-Bombay route. On this occasion, I had taken approximately 5.5 hours from GPule to Bombay.

Each year in the month of aug-sept i travel to ganapatipule. It takes me 7 hrs to reach.

[sschivate]

Rajesh,

I have done the same route (Pune - Karad - Kokrud - Malkapur - Ratnagiri) on 23-26 Jan, 2009. The road conditions are excellent, throughout, with some patches between Kokrud and Malkapur having potholes, but not much.

In my experience, this is the shortest route to reach Ratnagiri from Pune (and I have traversed Kumbharli, Tamhini and Mahabaleshwar ghats). It also helps that >50% distance is covered on 4-lane NH4.

The turn-off at Kale phata is correct description, it is ~5-6km after you exit the Karad city flyover. There is a road sign, but it is quite close to the exit, so be watchful.

After exiting NH4, there are three junctions where you could go wrong, till you reach Malkapur, and signs are not very clear. So better ask around at every fork/T-junction.

You can PM me for any other details.

Regards,
Sameer.

[rkavthekar]

Originally Posted by sschivate

Rajesh,

I have done the same route (Pune - Karad - Kokrud - Malkapur - Ratnagiri) on 23-26 Jan, 2009. The road conditions are excellent, throughout, with some patches between Kokrud and Malkapur having potholes, but not much.

In my experience, this is the shortest route to reach Ratnagiri from Pune (and I have traversed Kumbharli, Tamhini and Mahabaleshwar ghats). It also helps that >50% distance is covered on 4-lane NH4.

The turn-off at Kale phata is correct description, it is ~5-6km after you exit the Karad city flyover. There is a road sign, but it is quite close to the exit, so be watchful.

After exiting NH4, there are three junctions where you could go wrong, till you reach Malkapur, and signs are not very clear. So better ask around at every fork/T-junction.

You can PM me for any other details.

Regards,
Sameer.

I agree that its probably the shortest route to Ratnagiri and almost more than 50% of distance is done on 4 lane NH4.

If someone doesn't want to miss out the right turn at Kale Phata, the best way is to count number of flyovers from Hotel Pankaj in Karad. You need to take right under 5th Flyover. Also, the idea is to keep on looking for directions to Kokrud. I noticed that at quite a few places, directions are given for Kokrud. Once you past kokrud, you get on to a bridge. Immediately after the bridge, you need to take right turn to Malkapur.

Takecare and drive safely

[pas2005]

For current updates on Pune-Ganpatipule-Pune route,
I travelled by Wagon-R around 25-10-09 to 29-10-09.
I followed the Pune -satara- Koynanagar-chiplun-Nivli Phata-Ganpatipule. Road condition Over NH-4 is best, Umbraj-Patan- Koynanagar is ok ( Surface worn out in some places). After Koynanagar , for a few Km's road is not good. As soon as you enter Ciplun Jurisdiction , the road quality improves & is good while climbing down the Ghat to Chiplun. Chiplun - to Ganpatipule is quite good.
All in all the above route seems to be the best & fastest.
While returning I took the following route,
Ganpatipule- Chiplun- Poladpur- Mahabaleshwar- Wai-Pune.
Chiplun-poladpur is full of turns, traffic & Ghats (Very tough for people suffering from motion sickness). Poladpur-Mahabaleshwar road has a few small sections of worn out surfaces. Overall good roads.
Hope this is helpful.