One look outside the window and you’re left sweating: the summer is really ruthless this time around. Admit it, all you want to do right now is shut your laptop, pack your bag, coax your friends to do the same, and set out on a long journey. But wait – before you shut your laptop, take 5 minutes out to go through the following road trip suggestions for the summer!
And yes, don’t forget to book the best car for the long haul – without even paying the security deposit!
- Delhi to Leh, via Manali
Distance | 1000 km
Ideal duration | 5 days
Is there any road trip list that doesn’t include this legendary journey? Leh is considered to be a pilgrimage spot for every traveller in the country. What better time than right now to hit the road? Take the route to Manali via Chandigarh, and indulge in a host of adventure sports. Thereafter, carry on driving to the remote Spiti Valley, across the Baralacha La to the heaven that is Ladakh. The road will be difficult and challenging, but a spectacular reward awaits at the end.
- Mumbai to Goa, via Pune
Distance | 700 km
Ideal duration | 3 days
This road trip finds its place way too often in cult fiction and Bollywood, and it is only natural that you seek to escape the heat this summer by undertaking it. The scenic Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a sight to behold. As you cut through the mountains of the Western Ghats, you’ll reach Kolhapur, and enter Goa via Pernem. Thereafter, drift along the 130-km coastline from Mandrem to Polem while savouring the local culture, cuisine and the beaches.
- Darjeeling to Tashiding, via Gangtok
Distance | 250 km
Ideal duration | 4 days
As if the stunning Darjeeling wasn’t enough, we encourage you to explore the North-east more with this beautiful trip across Sikkim to Tashiding. Stop over at Do Drul Chorten Stupa and other famous monasteries to discover inner peace before you drive across the dizzying Zig Zag road to the high-altitude town of Pelling. Later on, as you reach your destination, take a moment to mesmerise yourself with the mighty Mt. Kanchenjunga looming in the backdrop.
- Chennai to Kanyakumari, via Pondicherry
Distance | 900 km
Ideal duration | 4 days
From the bowels of French-imprinted Pondicherry to the tip of India, Chennai to Kanyakumari is another fabled trip you can take this summer. Take the splendid East Coast Road, via the World Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram, to the immensely poetic Pondicherry. The next day, pay your homage at the temples of Nataraja, and then head straight for the bewitching Kanyakumari!
- Bengaluru to Alappuzha, via Munnar
Distance | 650 km
Ideal duration | 8 days
A journey that will take you to the heart of the lush valley and then to the coast, Bengaluru to Alappuzha takes you across NH7 and NH47 to the idyllic hill station of Munnar. Lose yourself in the wild before reaching the backwaters of Alappuzha.
- Goa to Udupi, via Gokarna
Distance | 350 km
Ideal duration | 4 days
How would you like to drive on a gorgeous road that is sandwiched between a river and the ocean? Well, find out the answer en route Udupi from Goa. After experiencing seafood at Karwar, and of course, the Om Beach at Gokarna, get ready to hit NH66 that is nestled between Suparnika river and the Maravanthe beach! Also, don’t forget to visit the Kapu lighthouse in Udupi.
