Pune - Kolhapur - Goa - Pune (Diwali Vacation Plan)

[bimlendrak]

Hello Folks,

I need itenarary help for my next trip.
We are planning to 4-5 days trip after diwali as Kid's school will be closed for 2 weeks.
We are 2 families both having kids. Will be travelling by Maruti Van (Petrol + LPG).

Our trip plan is like :

Day1 - start from Pune , reach Kolhapur before noon, Stay there. Visit temple, Rankala lake in evening.
Day2 - Start from Kolhapur to Goa. Reach Goa by noon. Visit beach/market in evening. Stay in Goa
Day3 - Visit South Goa, Church, fort. Stay and relax in Goa.
May come down to Vengurla by evening and stay there
Day4 - Start from Goa/Vengurla to another place in Konkan to take one day stop.
Our ideal stop should be 250 kms from Goa, near to Mahabaleshwar.

Day 5- start from the above stop and drive till Pune via Mahabaleshwar. will visit few spots in Mahabaleshwar en route.

Our main agenda is to drive 5 hr (250 kms) each day and relax, enjoy. visit places where our Kids should not feel bore as well.


Inviting your valueable suggestions/inputs for this trip.

Thanks
Bimlendra

 

[cous wheels]

Suggest avoid Amboli ghat route towards Goa. My swift met with an accident during Dec13 and people drive like mads on that stretch and vehicle isnt there control at all.
If you are driving in night please avoid the route completely.

No injuries to anyone luckily.

Have a safe drive and enjoy your trip

 

[hemantp]

I agree ppl drive crazily on this road, mainly because there are regular (even daily) travelers on that route. But I think that is the best option when going from Kolhapur and especially when one wants to enter north Goa.

So far, I have taken following routes when reaching Goa:

*) Amboli - This is the best option. Patches/potholes once you leave NH4 coming from Kolhapur, the Ghat itself will have more rough areas and one should drive in 2nd or max 3rd gear. Be careful of drivers busy watching waterfalls while driving.

*) Karul ghat road - bad condition around gagan bawad. ghat is long and difficult but great! Crowded by buses.

*) Phonda ghat - bad road. same as above.

*) Chorla ghat - From Belgaum. Narrow ghat roads. Make sure you fill up fuel before leaving Belgaum as we couldn't find one till Saqulem. Road quality was good when we traveled in 2013.

*) NH4A-Alnavar - Worst condition when I drove last year December. There are big potholes once you leave NH4. The ghat also narrow/potholed.

Other options are Yellapur - South Goa - good roads but may be far from Kolhapur.

Then, Kolhapur -> Amba ghat road - this will have some traffic but I have never driven.
Kolhapur -> Karad -> Kumbharli - I think that too will be long. Kumbharli ghat has few dangerous bends, I was scared as it was my one of the first ghat driving experience.