[adi_petrolhead]

So what is better? I am starting from Lonavala on a Tuesday morning. At first was gonna take the shortest route via Amboli ghat. But since then the recent damage done to that part, I decided to go via Anmod. That is the longest route and shows me about 11.5 hours from Lonavala to Vagator. While the one via Chorla shows about 10.5 hours. I am okay with an additional hour if the roads are better. I just want to decide so that I dont have a dilemma when I reach Belgaum.

[bagman]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

So what is better? I am starting from Lonavala on a Tuesday morning. At first was gonna take the shortest route via Amboli ghat. But since then the recent damage done to that part, I decided to go via Anmod. That is the longest route and shows me about 11.5 hours from Lonavala to Vagator. While the one via Chorla shows about 10.5 hours. I am okay with an additional hour if the roads are better. I just want to decide so that I dont have a dilemma when I reach Belgaum.

My suggestion (please feel free to discard it): Stick to your original plan. The road from Belgaum --> Bhimgad National Park --> Castle Rock --> Anmod is scenic. Just ensure you enter after 7am and exit before 6p.
Given the thick vegetation and the dense foliage, even the afternoons look like late evenings.

But yes, if your eventual destination is Vagator i.e. North Goa, this is a longer route (the extra hour, as you pointed out).

Another suggestion: Take this road to Vagator and on your way back take the Chorla Ghat..

[suzuki san]

Hi Guys,

A friend of mine has just driven from Goa to Bangalore via the Chorla Ghat. He says that the Chorla Ghat is in good condition and he did not experience any real bad roads. Just the odd pothole which can easily be avoided and a couple of rough patches - which have always been there. He was driving a Baleno.
This run was done 3 days ago.

Cheers,
SS

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

So what is better? I am starting from Lonavala on a Tuesday morning. At first was gonna take the shortest route via Amboli ghat. But since then the recent damage done to that part, I decided to go via Anmod. That is the longest route and shows me about 11.5 hours from Lonavala to Vagator. While the one via Chorla shows about 10.5 hours. I am okay with an additional hour if the roads are better. I just want to decide so that I dont have a dilemma when I reach Belgaum.

Stick to Amboli ghat. Going south and again driving north is not worth it. Do continue till Sawantwadi and onward to Goa. Do not take the shortcut suggested by Google Maps after Danoli village.

[royalbeat]

Drove from Mumbai to Goa yesterday. Few pointers to help others:
1) Mumbai - Belgaum - Goa route is in pretty decent condition. We are staying in North Goa so this route is slightly longer but roads are more or less good. Bonus point is that it is a very scenic route passing through Bhimgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

2) Carry your RTPCR negative reports even if you are fully vaccinated . We had narrow escapes at couple of check points. Let's say we were lucky otherwise we would have been turned back even though both me and my wife are fully vaccinated (more than 14 days have passed for both of us since we had our second shots)

3) We were traveling with our pet. Few places where you can stop are:
- BP COCO Express Pune (good place with couple of eating option)
- Sai Fast Food, Yelur (this is just before Kolhapur, when driving from Mumbai-Goa)
- BP Kongolli (this is about 15 minutes before Nipani)
- Khau Katta, Belgaum (good market area with street parking)

[bagman]

Originally Posted by adi_petrolhead

So what is better? I am starting from Lonavala on a Tuesday morning. At first was gonna take the shortest route via Amboli ghat. But since then the recent damage done to that part, I decided to go via Anmod. That is the longest route and shows me about 11.5 hours from Lonavala to Vagator. While the one via Chorla shows about 10.5 hours. I am okay with an additional hour if the roads are better. I just want to decide so that I dont have a dilemma when I reach Belgaum.

Keen to know the road you finally took?

[soumenbanerjee]

Dear teamBHP-ians,
I am planning a trip to Panhala Ghat with family. Route-wise, I will be going all the way till Kolhapur using NH 48. But I am skeptical about the condition of this highway, after the massive rains and flood in Kolhapur. Has any one from BHP family has made the NH48 stretch from Pune to Kolhapur and comment on the road condition please

[royalbeat]

Hi, the roads from Pune to Kolhapur are not too bad. There are some potholes but nothing major. We used this road yesterday.

[adi_petrolhead]

Originally Posted by bagman

Keen to know the road you finally took?

Leaving next Monday! Will update once I am back, but while going to Goa, I am going to take the Amboli route via Sawantwadi. I am starting my journey from Ahmedabad, stop over somewhere in Pune, and Pune to Goa next day.

[vp_morpheus]

Originally Posted by royalbeat

Drove from Mumbai to Goa yesterday. Few pointers to help others:
1) Mumbai - Belgaum - Goa route is in pretty decent condition. We are staying in North Goa so this route is slightly longer but roads are more or less good. Bonus point is that it is a very scenic route passing through Bhimgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

2) Carry your RTPCR negative reports even if you are fully vaccinated . We had narrow escapes at couple of check points. Let's say we were lucky otherwise we would have been turned back even though both me and my wife are fully vaccinated (more than 14 days have passed for both of us since we had our second shots)

3) We were traveling with our pet. Few places where you can stop are:
- BP COCO Express Pune (good place with couple of eating option)
- Sai Fast Food, Yelur (this is just before Kolhapur, when driving from Mumbai-Goa)
- BP Kongolli (this is about 15 minutes before Nipani)
- Khau Katta, Belgaum (good market area with street parking)

Thanks for this post. I am travelling to Goa from Mumbai this Thursday. I have been double vaccinated in July and hence concerned about the negative RTPCR report requirement you mentioned in your post.

Could you help by telling us where you were stopped and requested for the negative report. Was it in MH or Karnataka/Goa?

[royalbeat]

Originally Posted by vp_morpheus

Thanks for this post. I am travelling to Goa from Mumbai this Thursday. I have been double vaccinated in July and hence concerned about the negative RTPCR report requirement you mentioned in your post.

Could you help by telling us where you were stopped and requested for the negative report. Was it in MH or Karnataka/Goa?

We were stopped twice - first before entering Belgaum, second before entering Goa. Both the times we were let off by their respective senior officers after checking our vaccination certificates. The junior officers on duty at both the places were adamant to send us back and get the negative RTPCR.

[Hobs Crk]

Hi guys, I'm planning on driving from Mumbai to Panjim this weekend. Should I stick to Amboli ghat or are there better options? What's the condition of the roads and how much time should I expect to take if I drive with two stops of 30 min each?

[Rustom]

Originally Posted by royalbeat

We were stopped twice - first before entering Belgaum, second before entering Goa. Both the times we were let off by their respective senior officers after checking our vaccination certificates. The junior officers on duty at both the places were adamant to send us back and get the negative RTPCR.

@royalbeat, Thank you for the detailed responses. Much appreciated. We are planning to take the Nipani-Ajra-Amboli route to Sawantwadi-Vengurla next week and will be leaving the highway at Goa Ves a while before Belgaum. Is the RTPCR check done at the very first toll when we enter Karnataka (Kognoli??) or is it much closer to Belgaum.

We are fully vaccinated and are going to take our certificates with us.

Thanks in advance!!

[IamNikhil]

Originally Posted by Hobs Crk

Hi guys, I'm planning on driving from Mumbai to Panjim this weekend. Should I stick to Amboli ghat or are there better options? What's the condition of the roads and how much time should I expect to take if I drive with two stops of 30 min each?

Just drove down the route via Amboli. It's decent enough, with the usual bad patches due to the incessant rains. The real bad stretch lies after Amboli, while entering Goa. That's a disaster.

Originally Posted by Rustom

We are planning to take the Nipani-Ajra-Amboli route to Sawantwadi-Vengurla next week and will be leaving the highway at Goa Ves a while before Belgaum. Is the RTPCR check done at the very first toll when we enter Karnataka (Kognoli??) or is it much closer to Belgaum.

We are fully vaccinated and are going to take our certificates with us.

Our RT-PCR and vaccination reports were checked at the Kognoli Toll Plaza itself.

[Rustom]

Originally Posted by IamNikhil

Our RT-PCR and vaccination reports were checked at the Kognoli Toll Plaza itself.

Thank you @IamNikhil

Has anyone taken the Kolhapur-Radhanagari-Phondaghat-Kankavali route very recently? I would like to avoid the RT-PCR check by sticking to Maharashtra itself but have never gone via Phondaghat. My wife has scratched Gaganbawada as it was closed due to landslides last month.