[Aben62]

Sharing a brief writeup on our recent trip from home in Pune to Northeast India and back in our 2009 model i10 Sportz.

My wife and I now in our early 60s decided to do a road trip to Manipur where we have been spending time as Volunteers since 2016. We normally fly Pune – Kolkata – Silchar and then proceed by road to Jiribam in Manipur. This time we decided to travel by road and make a sightseeing adventure of it. Our trusted i10 was available and recently serviced. Two years ago, I replaced the old tires with Continental brand tires which had significantly improved the ride quality. After installing the new HSRP number plates, fog lamps and dashcam we set off from Pune on the 9th of Feb and returned to Pune on 19th April 2025.



Some General Information:

We normally drove from 8 or 9 am to 4 or 5 pm at a speed of 60 – 80 kmph. Both of us drive, though I prefer highways while my wife prefers town driving. We made it a point to check into a hotel before dark and strictly avoided night driving.

On the advice of a friend, we switched over to premium petrol for the trip since the car is already 16 years and has 90K on the odometer. This improved performance noticeably, especially while (uphill driving) climbing.

I normally did not make any advance hotel reservations. I would check the options, availability and tariff on Google Maps and online sites and then physically visit the preferred hotel and check the room before closing the deal. For homestays, I would call ahead a day in advance.

Overall, the roads were good though abruptly smooth 4-lane highways would give way to ‘diversions’ which were little more than dirt tracks or in one case a dry riverbed! Beware, during the monsoon!

We carried our own electric kettle and Borosil electric pot along with ready-mix tea sachets, noodles, soup powder, rice etc., which came in handy on numerous occasions. We frequently bought fresh eggs and hard-boiled them for the journey which served us for lunch along with fresh and dry fruits. We also carried a clean bedsheet, our own pillows and light blanket for use at the cheaper hotels. Luggage was packed in duffle bags for easy storage on the rear seats and boot.

We found the front seats of the i10 comfortable for long drives. Both of us have back issues so we use seat cushions bought online and back belts for additional lumbar support. We carried along a tube and tablets of painkillers for occasional muscle relief. Other than feeling stiff on some mornings, we came across fit and fine.

We relied heavily on Google Maps (on mobile), which usually worked well enough but in tight spots, would suddenly reroute us which led to many tricky situations.

We were surprised to see mainly smaller cars like ours on the long rough stretches. Hardly any Thar or Jimny to be seen where they are most needed!
I regularly read posts, especially Travelogues on the Team-Bhp site which helped me plan and execute this road trip.

The car did admirably well on this 6700 kms road trip and brought us home safely without any breakdowns. I sent it to the Hyundai Service Centre yesterday for a thorough checkup. The Service Advisor informs me that apart from the usual, there is a small hole in the silencer which will need to be changed, a ribbed belt needs to be changed, tire rotation and alignment to be done.

The Itinerary we followed was:

Feb 9th – March 5th Pune to Jiribam (Manipur). Total Distance Covered 3400 kms.
States traversed: Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur.



Day 1. Pune – Ch. Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) via Ahilya Nagar (Ahmednagar). We left after breakfast and drove the 250 kms reaching late afternoon.

Day 2. Ch. Sambhaji Nagar – Wardha via Samruddhi Mahamarg. We got on to Samruddhi using the Jalna entry gate. It was an awesome experience driving along the Mahamarg with hardly any traffic. Late afternoon we exited Mahamarg at the Wardha exit and drove towards Sewagram.

Day 3. Sewagram. We visited Gandhiji’s ashram. The complex is well maintained, and it was a moving experience to walk through the same cottages and rooms where Gandhiji lived and worked together with his companions during the years of the freedom struggle.



Day 4 – 9. Wardha – Rajnandgaon - Bilaspur - Ambikapur - Daltonganj – Bodhgaya. We had originally planned to go to Gaya via Katni but heard that the highway was jammed due to the Mahakumbh traffic. So detoured via Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. The road was not that great, but we got to see the rural sights and mining areas. Sad to see the environmental havoc and air pollution. Overnight we observed a layer of soot settled on the car parked out in the hotel open parking at Rajnandgaon. Driving through, we observed that Jharkhand has better forest cover.





Day 10. Bodhgaya. We visited the Mahabodhi temple, Museum and other sights. The Mahabodhi temple complex is well maintained, and we were moved to see devotees from so many southeast Asian countries spend time in serious worship and meditation.



Day 11. Bodhgaya to Darbhanga via Patna bypass, Muzaffarpur. Roads were generally good. Hit a rough patch entering Bihar from Jharkhand; Google maps took us on a tricky route bypassing Patna. At Muzaffarpur city we were stuck in a traffic jam.

Day 12. Darbhanga to Gajaldoba via Fulbari. Good roads except for a few kms of moonscape when entering West Bengal from Bihar. We wanted to avoid the crowds at Siliguri and decided to take the scenic route to Assam via Gajaldoba on the Teesta River.

Day 13. Gajaldoba. We visited the Teesta Barrage and enjoyed boating in the wetlands to see the migratory birds.





Day 14. Gajaldoba to Bongaigaon via the Dooars scenic route. Good forest cover and tea gardens. Pleasant drive over good roads and less traffic.
Day 15. Bongaigaon to Udalguri. Google maps took us down a route which was strictly offroad for 10-15 kms.

Day 16. Udalguri to Kaziranga. Good roads but crazy rumble strips from Udalguri to Tezpur! Driving along the ‘Wildlife Corridor’ to enter Kaziranga is a scenic experience.

Day 17. Kaziranga. Awesome national park. We did the morning jeep safari which we enjoyed very much! We also visited the Orchid Park, Bamboo Park, Herb Garden, Cultural show. We were pleased to interact with the knowledgeable young guides at each site.





Day 18. Kaziranga – Dimapur (Nagaland). Good drive through scenic tea estates and forest cover.

Day 19 – 24. Nagaland. We parked the car at the hotel and travelled to the interiors of the state on a visit along with friends. Mountain country throughout.






Day 25. Dimapur – Haflong (Assam). Good roads. Haflong is a delightful hill station in the Dima Hasao district of Assam.




Day 26. Haflong – Jiribam via Silchar. Leaving Haflong we got onto the under-construction highway which was a 40 kms nightmare stretch. Single road of loose cobbles, thick dust and heavy truck traffic It was touch and go but we got through. The rest of the highway was a dream. We entered Manipur at the Jiribam town check post.

6th March – 2nd April in Manipur



After giving the car a well-deserved wash, we parked it (covered) at a local NGO office at Jiribam and travelled 6 hours (60 kms) by Gypsy to the remote village in Tamenglong district where we work. We spent 3 weeks there and then an additional one week on a trip to different villages in Tamenglong and Noney districts before returning to Jiribam. Work on the roads in Manipur hills are ongoing for past few years and an endurance test for man and vehicle.


3rd – 19th April. Jiribam – Pune. Total Distance Covered 3300 kms.
States traversed: Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.



Day 1. Jiribam – Khliehriat (Meghalaya) via Silchar. The car started right away, and we set off in good spirits. We enjoyed a light breakfast at a roadside eatery at Silchar and took the road to Shillong. The drive on the plains of south Assam was smooth but the nightmare began as soon as we reached the Meghalaya hills. Trucks jammed both sides of the narrow highway for miles. We squeezed through hoping that the situation would ease. No such luck. The black-top simply vanished, leaving us with a stony, muddy, winding, steeply climbing track populated with heavy trucks, stone laden tippers snaking down the slope towards us (Trucks towards Shillong were halted on the plains). The car was sorely tested but we followed a couple of Altos and Sumos zig zagging through the heavies. No 4x4s to be seen! The first town we reached was Khliehriat in the midst of the Jaintia hills mining area (limestone, coal) and cement factories. We managed to get a room in a guest house before dark and thankfully settled in for the night. Again, sad to witness the environmental havoc. Taps in our hotel room ran reddish tinged water due to the pollution of the ground water.



Day 2. Khliehriat – Shillong. In the morning after breakfast, I went down to the parking lot to load the car and was greeted with a punctured tire. I was also informed that there was a strike called in the area, so everything was shut. There was still some pressure remaining in the tire, so we cruised slowly till we found someone to fill the air. We managed to reach Jowai town where we got the puncture fixed. Onwards to Shillong. Before reaching the city, we got the car nicely pressure-washed so as not to embarrass our hosts where we would be staying.



Day 3 – 4. Shillong. Enjoyed a good rest and home-cooked food at Risa Pines Homestay. We have already seen the sights during our previous visits so did not step out much except to enjoy pine-scented morning walks.




Day 5. Shillong – Williamnagar via Nongstoin. Scenic route. The road is winding with sharp turns throughout. Not much traffic. The flora changes from temperate to tropical as one crosses Shallang town leaving the Khasi hills to enter the Garo hills.

Day 6. Williamnagar. This is a small town, headquarter of East Garo hills district. We had spacious lodging so we took an additional day off to rest, do our laundry etc.

Day 7. Williamnagar to Alipurduar via Bongiagaon. Scenic drive along the North Garo hills to exit Meghalaya. Got on to highway 17 at Paikan. Crossed the mighty Bhramaputra on the Naranarayan Setu and got onto the NH 27. This is an agrarian zone and the maize crop had just been harvested and was being dried by the roadsides. Road signs proclaimed that this was the habitat of the Golden Langur, so we drove slowly. As we neared Alipurduar the road condition suddenly deteriorated due to ongoing 4-lane work. Heavy truck traffic and dense dust screen prevailed. Driving blindly, the car bumped heavily over a high hump, and I feared a breakdown. Fortunately, nothing happened. We entered Alipurduar town via a narrow road (still highway I was told) and spent the night at a comfortable hotel.

Day 8. Alipurduar to Araria (Bihar) via Cooch Behar, Fulbari. Next morning was pleasant enough when suddenly the sky clouded over, and it rained heavily. Anxiously, I inquired about the road conditions. 4-lane work was still in progress on the highway ahead, so we were advised to proceed via Cooch Behar. It was a welcome detour, driving past rural Bengal in the rain to reach Falakata. The road was good. We were back on NH 27 and reached Fulbari, continuing down the ‘chicken-neck’ towards Kishanganj. The border road exiting West Bengal was again a moonscape and many diversions later we entered Bihar. The highway improved greatly. An agrarian zone, the maize crop was still standing tall though waterlogged due to the recent heavy rain. We were able to reach Araria town before dark where we found a hotel to spend the night.

Day 9. Araria to Muzaffarpur. Pleasant drive on good highways with disciplined traffic till we reached Muzaffarpur where it became chaotic. We spent the night at a good hotel and woke up refreshed.
Day 10. Muzaffarpur to Varanasi. The drive began well on the highway towards Chapra. Then Google Maps did the usual number on us diverting us onto the Chapra bypass. Things got chaotic thereafter. We ran into heavy traffic, long jams, narrow dangerous detours. Maps seemed to be at a loss, suddenly asking us to take a U-turn in the midst of a traffic jam. The detour took us close to Arrah. Thankfully we got onto the road to Varanasi reaching our homestay on the banks of the Ganges before dark.
We were delighted to meet another couple doing a road trip from Kolkata to Uttarakhand in their Punch. We shared experiences and were inspired by their adventures.



Day 11. Varanasi to Panna. We had been thinking of spending the day at Varanasi, but it became increasingly windy and dusty. In fact, dust storms were predicted across north India at the time. We decided to carry on towards Madhya Pradesh. We reached Panna early in the evening on good roads though it was blistering hot during the afternoon drive. As we could not find a suitable room at Panna due to the long weekend and wedding season, we were advised to try our luck at Madla, a forest settlement closer to the National Park. We were fortunate to find a great homestay there where we spent a couple of nights.

Day 12. Madla. After a nice early breakfast, we drove to Khajuraho. We managed to beat the heat, and our knowledgeable guide took us on an hour-long informative tour of the temple complex. The site is maintained nicely with manicured lawns, a shaded restaurant and clean washrooms! Post lunch we returned to Madla and after a siesta we went on the night-safari in the buffer zone of the Panna national park.





Day 13. Madla – Pauni via Jabalpur. Next morning we set off once again and were blessed with good roads throughout. Intense heat notwithstanding, we made a good time reaching our agro-resort at Pauni early evening. After chai and pakoras to energize us, we strolled under the trees watching the numerous bird species flitting around.

Day 14. Pauni – Ch. Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) via Samruddhi Mahamarg. We woke up early the next morning to the sound of birds tapping on the windowpanes of our cottage. Walking outside, trying to identify the many bird species chirping in the low branches above, was a delight. A hearty breakfast under our belts and some aloo parathas packed for the journey, we got back onto the highway towards Nagpur and then Wardha where we got on to the Samruddhi Mahamarg. Late afternoon we exited the Mahamarg at the Jalna exit and drove towards Ch. Sambhaji Nagar to our stopover on Paithan road.



Day 15 – 16. Ch. Sambhaji Nagar. Rest days with family.

Day 17. Ch. Sambhaji Nagar to Pune via Ahilya Nagar (Ahmednagar). It was the Saturday of the long Easter weekend and anticipating heavy traffic, we left early. Crossing Ahilya Nagar using the new elevated corridor was a breeze and we made it to Ranjangaon without effort. After that the drive till our home in Pune was quite crowded and chaotic. Thankfully we reached home safe and sound by 4 pm.

In closing, a line of appreciation for Sanjay Hyundai Service Centre, Hadapsar, Pune who have done an excellent job maintaining our car since we bought it in 2009. Also, to ‘Care It Detailerz’, Aundh, Pune who did a paint job and fixed up the loose bumpers in 2023 and installed the fog lamps and dashcam before this trip.

[Secretariat]

Delightful. This is how memories are made - a long drive, leisurely done, to some of the wonderful parts of our country. Would have loved to read more of your travelling around Nagaland, even though you didn't drive, and some views of Tamenglong and Noney districts, where few go to.

Brought back many memories of my NE trip, expecially the Silchar - Jiribham stretch and the Silchar- Shillong stretches. Sad to see how bad the Silchar-Shillong section has become. Some things, like the sudden strikes also don't seem to have changed.

You are obviously very closely connected to Manipur. How is the security situation in Western Manipur for a casual traveller ?

Bravo on a wonderful trip.

[Figopian]

Thanks for sharing.
I am going to ask my wife to read this
In the late 40s she is saying she is not fit anymore for long drives and road trips, what you did in your 50s, 60s in an i10 is a testament of desire, love and passion for driving, hats off to you!!

[justwheels]

Many thanks for sharing this great trip with all of us.
And kudos for talking up this trip by road. A well planned road trip should be such that creates memories so strong that last with you forever, and your trip shows how delightful it was for you both.

Notwithstanding that both of you are on the other side of 60s, it shows there is no age to make memories, and clearly you are an inspiration to anyone of any age. Thanks again for rekindling the desires to drive and explore this beautiful country.

[ABHI_1512]

Congratulations for completing a stupendous travel Aben62. That you crossed two of the worst stretches of highways in the entire country in an i10 and came out unscathed is simply mind blowing. I shudder to think what would have happened had you taken the car from Jiribam to Noney, that too when the rains have already started in the region.

That your car made it through the Haflong to Harangajao stretch and then the abysmal Silchar- Sonapur stretch without getting broken down tells me that you have some amazing driving skills. People outside the NE have no idea about those roads and that it is very difficult to do those stretches in a hatchback since there is every chance of getting underbody hit with those massive craters.

Enjoyed reading through the whole log, would have ideally liked to see some more pictures but that’s okay. I wish you and your better half many such amazing journeys. Absolutely loved the account.

[ishaan_jc]

This journey is one for the books sir! What a feat of endurance and determination. Congratulations on completing it and I hope it gave you a lot of memories to cherish.

I was just wondering, did you face any difficulties with traveling into Manipur? With the locals, or anything else in particular as situations there aren’t that great. I have some close friends from there who update me on the same.
I hope you can reflect on this - giving a perspective through the eyes of a travelling non-resident.
Your journey meanwhile was nothing short of inspiring.

[SID7115]

This is one great journey sir. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
It is a truly commendable feat to be achieved, to be driving to a place far in the Northeastern corner of India from Pune.

It would be great if you can share some insights on how the car performed on the road.
I too have an i10 and am a fan of its small size and maneuverability, so would like to know how it performed on both open highways and broken roads.

[Aben62]

Thanks for your feedback :-)

I read your Travelogue on your trip to the 7 Sisters. Incredible journey!

Western Manipur (Tamenglong disttict) being Naga area is quite peaceful. Always travel with a local person who knows the current conditions and can speak both Manipuri and Naga dialects. Avoid travel after dark.

One needs to differentiate between the interior areas which are insulated from what happens in other parts of the state and the highways which are prone to bandhs, blockades, landslides.

Road conditions are getting better. Need a SUV for the interior. If it has rained heavily then 4x4 needed. During July - Aug, even this may not get through. Locals use 4x4 Bolero pickups and Gypsys modified with extra spring leaves to increase the ground clearance and also avoid breaking. NH37 connecting Jiribam to Imphal is a work in progress. New bridges have been built over the Barak and Makru rivers which make the drive easier. Imphal to Noney has more or less been completed. Noney to Jiribam is still under progress and will be difficult during the monsoon months. Risk of landslides is always there. Trucks and oil tankers move in convoy with security escort so at any point of time there are long lines of vehicles either parked on the side of the narrow roads or moving slowly holding up traffic.

Since past couple of years, ILP is required for Manipur. One month ILP is easy to obtain. Just apply online and then at the checkpost get the printout by paying Rs. 100/. Always carry it with you and remember to surrender it when you exit.

Best wishes.

[Aben62]

Thanks for your feedback :-)

The car performed amazingly well. I too was surprised at the ease with which it handled the rough stretches. I have driven jeeps for years and use a Gypsy in Manipur which requires sheer strength to drive in the absence of power steering and other features of modern cars so it was a pleasure to handle the i10.

We used premium fuel and topped up the tire pressure with nitrogen whenever available. These steps improved the performance and ride quality significantly.

I haven't calculated the mileage as yet but on good roads cruising between 60 - 80 kmph we got around 500+ kms from a full tank (35 lit I think). On the bad stretches using 1st and 2nd gear for hours, its anybodys guess :-(.

Engine performed very well. Ours is the 2009 model kappa engine. Never had an issue even during the steeper climbs. The Suspension also performed very well. Couple of instances where the undercarriage scraped on the more uneven stretches but no damage except for a small hole in the silencer. The AC also kept us cool even when it ws 40 deg + on the concrete highways.

Next time, I'd love to do the trip in a Jimny if I can afford one :-|