[Shreyans_Jain]

This is a photo-logue of a journey I recently completed with my wife and daughter. The idea was to have a trip for wifey’s birthday. Maharshtra in monsoons seemed an ideal destination. There was no fixed plan or itinerary as such, we wanted to have complete freedom and flexibility, and do everything on the fly. The only one thing that was non-negotiable was with regards to the perfect monsoon experence, which to our minds meant Mahabaleshwar. Otherwise, the thought process was to have an open mind, visit new places and cover as much ground as possible/comfortable. Basically, we packed up just about our entire wardrobe, tanked up the car, and drove off. By the end, we had covered more than 4500km over 12 days across 9 states - Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, MP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Chattisgarh and UP. We visited Indore, Aurangabad, Mahabaleshwar, Hyderabad and Bastar. Our wheels of choice - our designated highway tourer, Jeep Compass.

[Shreyans_Jain]

The poha at Chappan Dukaan (56 shops), Indore, is to die for.



Omkareshwar Jyotirling, on the banks of the Narmada. The geology enthusiast in me couldn’t but smile at the sight of these rocks.


Entertainment in the hinterlands.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qa7g5ZLUr...GO4R-se1MN64ZH

Solar farm en route Aurangabad


Hotel Lemon Tree Premier. Old timers to Aurangabad will know this place used to be Hotel President back in the day. It wowed me when I was little. Two and a half decades later, it wowed my kid.


Aurangabad is heaven for history buffs. Snippets from Ajanta Caves











Bibi ka Maqbara. Taj of the Deccan.



Daulatabad Fort. An unconquerable fort that is a true masterpiece of military engineering.

[Shreyans_Jain]

The incomparable Ellora Caves. They have Jain, Buddhist as well as Hindu structures. One can easily spend an entire day exploring the complex. A true wonder of the world.

[Shreyans_Jain]

The highlight of the trip for us was Mahabaleshwar. We spent two days there, and by god, the weather was mind blowing. Jungle, rain, wind, waterfalls, fog and mist. Totally worth driving 1500km to experience, for this was exactly what we came for.







Strawberry Cream

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gIMuJqdH4jY?feature=shared

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MH9tcIBBTwY?feature=shared

Sights from Hyderabad



Chowmalla Palace.



Golconda Fort



Birla Science Center. A must visit for kids.


The magnificent Falaknuma Palace. Epitome of grandeur, and by far the most superlative Taj property I have been to.




We drove to Chhattisgarh with the single point agenda of seeing Chitrakot Waterfall in its full glory. It so happens to be situated in the heart of Bastar, a region which was a hotbed of Naxalism until recently. The entire area has extremely dense forests with small roads, through which flows the Indravati river. A swollen Indravati river. Chitrakot is one of the most massive waterfalls in the country, whose face extends upto as much as half a kilometer wide during monsoons, and has a 100 foot drop. It is called the Niagra Falls of India. The camera does not do justice to the scale of the spectacle.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UAuw7Ve5V...HI_jT0nGW4IuBP

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[rknair]

Thanks for sharing. You seem to have enjoyed it a lot. Did you feel safe driving between Hyderabad to Chitrakoot? It has been on our bucket list for a while but have not yet dared considering the remote place and naxalite problems in the area.

[NomadicLife]

That is a fantastic trip covering so many beautiful places. Ajanta and Ellora being historical heritage, Chitrakoot falls is none the less. Its a beautiful place during monsoon. Nicely written trip details.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Originally Posted by rknair

Thanks for sharing. You seem to have enjoyed it a lot. Did you feel safe driving between Hyderabad to Chitrakoot? It has been on our bucket list for a while but have not yet dared considering the remote place and naxalite problems in the area.

The base for Chitrakot is Jagdalpur, which is a proper town. Hyderabad to Jagdalpur is a two lane road, but it is properly paved and sees a fair amount of traffic. We crossed a few CRPF camps on there way, and there were a few check points as well. I don’t think there is any security issue as long as one sticks to the main roads and highways and tourist places. In fact, on my way back, I crossed the entirety of Chhattisgarh, eastern MP and Bundelkhand by night.

There is enough to see in Bastar to make it a proper weekend getaway. Hotel and food available is also not an issue.

[Hayek]

Amazing journey Shreyans. Do share more color on the journey - a day by day itinerary and description of your experiences would be much appreciated.

[AdvanceStarter]

Seeing that thick layer of grime on the Compass fills my heart with joy. This is a vehicle that is made for such long road trips and it is heart warming to see it in its element. I'm sure you must have had a great time on this cross county trip. You've stoked the fire in me to pack my bags and head out on a long road trip.