Do you want to experience even more of what this diverse and mesmerizing country of India has to offer? Then nothing can be as exploratory and fulfilling as a road trip! From the chilly Himalayan mountains in the North to the green plateaus of the South – no matter what is your vibe, there is something for every tour enthusiast. Believe it or not, whether it’s a short trip of a few hours or a 3-day cross-country exploration – a road trip across the countries of India or to India is possible. This blog gathers the best tips for you to plan a road trip planner in India or to India. Thus, your trip will be hassle-free full of freedom, and filled with adventure.

Choose Your Route Smartly

If you do not want to make your own route, no problem. There are many popular road trips in India – short or long. It is all up to your personal choice. Here are some classic Indian road trips that you can choose from:

● Mumbai to Goa—580 km (360 mi): This is going to be a gorgeous trip through the Western Ghats to the beaches of Goa. Obviously, this is considered one of the most popular Indian road trips.

● Jaipur to Jaisalmer—559 km (347 mi): This is a great opportunity to travel through various villages and explore authentic Rajasthani cuisine and culture.

● Manali to Leh—479 km (298 mi): This is going to be a treacherous yet beautiful road trip through the Himalayas. Also, this will get you great exposure to different cultures.

● Ahmedabad to Kutch—400 km (250 mi): This is your thing if you want to know about Gujarati art and culture. Also, this will let you explore various wildlife sanctuaries and an untouched landscape of salt flats which is totally unique to the region.

Determine Your Travel Times Depending On Weather Conditions

Remember, you need to avoid monsoons in the south and heavy snowfall in the northeast. Simply head south if you have a plan for a winter road trip. Contrarily, for a summer road trip, head north for a Himalayan adventure. This is how you can avoid the heavy monsoon rains in the south.

● Also, travel times are important since in some cases, certain roads are only open for a specific time of the year. For example, the Leh Manali Highway is only open from summer through about mid-October, which is for 5 months. Even during that period, the highway keeps closing frequently for short periods because of rockslides or heavy snowfall.

● Make sure you consider your return trip when you are planning to drive back to the place where you started.

● Be careful with your tire pressure when you are on a road trip to or in India. This is because on cold days, the tires are likely to lose pressure, and during hot days, they are likely to gain pressure and expand.

Choose A Vehicle Depending On the Condition of The Road

While some routes are better maintained and smoother, others will be a little disappointing. That is why motorbikes are the most popular option in India since they are easy to drive even where four-wheelers can’t be taken. Plus, if you’re on a road trip in the northeast, it will be safer to take an SUV with a 4-wheel drive to enjoy the high mountain passes safely.

● Some roads might be a little disappointing and inconvenient because of potholes and cracks. In fact, you might find the rural roads completely unpaved. Considering this, pick a sturdy vehicle with good shocks especially when you are travelling on poorly maintained or maybe on rural roads.

● While choosing a vehicle, also think about what kind of impact it will leave on your experience. If you are taking a motorbike on a road trip through the mountains, it will be a quite different experience than if you’re on an SUV.

● Make sure your car has enough room especially if you are road-tripping with a couple of other friends.

● Think about other forms of transportation too, such as why not a rickshaw, or an auto?

Break Your Road Trip Into Manageable Days

For a convenient road trip plan on spending no more than four to five hours each day on the road. Driving all day can be tiring and driving into the night can take its toll. Plus, you would want to stay alert. Since you will be spending a lot of time on the road, mark pleasant spots where you would want to check out or you can also use those spots for taking breaks.

● For example, a 559 km road trip from Jaipur to Jaisalmer takes about 9 hours when you are driving on a well-maintained national highway. However, you will love to explore all the small villages you will be passing through along the way. And that can make your road trip a little longer. Thus, a 2-day road trip might spread over 3 days to know the country and its culture.

● If you have a plan to road trip on a cycle, It might make you schedule more frequent stops for rest. Know your physical limits and push yourself accordingly.

Prepare Legal Documents For Your Ride

Make sure you have both physical and digital copies of your insurance and registration. Technically, you won’t really need physical copies of these. You can just upload them and access them digitally on your phone whenever required. However, it’s still smart to have the physical documents because these will be useful when you can’t access the app.

Learn Some Phases In Local Languages

If you speak the local language, locals seem to be more helpful. Do not need to be fluent in those languages. Just learn some common phrases.

Take Offline Backups For The Maps And Navigation

When you get on the road, you can not expect to have reliable network service all the time. Therefore, if you are solely relying on Google Maps, that might get you into trouble sometimes. Make sure you save a map for offline use as well.

Hopefully, you found this blog helpful. For more such informational blogs, keep in touch with us!