Grand Himalayan Road Tour (GHiRT)- What to Visit?

Monkjoel · Mar 18th, 2008, 12:40

thanks aishah, yes almost all my road trips have been memorable... and thanks for the editing and advise... appreciate that.

i missed jaisalmer in this trip... wants to visit that sometime soon... lets see... will keep you posted.

cheers.

ks_bluechip · Mar 18th, 2008, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monkjoel

hi KS,

i just checked your travel blog... you seem to have very extensive experience of road travel/car etc. but still my 2 cents on your questions...

well, you can surely do 80% of himalayas in one trip i.e. Himachal, JK, Uttranchal etc. but Arunachal side you got to do separately...

About the car, i feel Indica might give you some trouble, yes it has an internal heater, but the breakdown avg. on the road is too high and the last thing you want to do while traveling is to spend most of the time locating a garrage... also its ground clearance is pretty low... You can decide on any Petrol vehicle with good ground clearance like Gypsy or any CRDI disel vehicle... like scorpio, bolero, tavera, qualis etc. i had bought scorpio for this very purpose, and till date it has never let me down, i recently did south india and covered around 7K kms in 20 odd days, it was fabolus, check out the photo gallery at http://picasaweb.google.com/anishjoel/OnRoad

i also do delhi-dharamshala almost twice a month, and its good ground clearance is very handy... if you can get a 4x4 nothing like it... about those jeeps you mentioned and showed pics... they are highly UNreliable for himalayn road travel, unless you are a mechanic or having one in the group with all necessary tools and spares...

about the drivers skills, well, highway travel and mountain travel are 2 different heavens with no real corelation... so you got to have some very experienced mountain driver for this... well i wont mind getting an offer to be your Sarthi for this... :-happy traveling... search your inner being thru your outer travel.

cheers.

Monkjoel: Thanks for sharing your pictures .... very nice pictures indeed, particularly, the beach & sunset ones. Many of your pictures (of Roads) remind me of my own GIRT trip ... and they are proof of recently-upgraded quality of Indian Roads (which, I talked about so much in that thread).

Thanks for your advise on Himalayan Road trip... and how to split that into 2 parts. Actually the 2-day old GHRT idea is at an early stage still and probably the actual trip at least 6 months away or more! Still getting these ideas and comments on IM will be valuable inputs for me.

Yes, I do think my Indica may not work out for GHRT..... A bit of disappointment that (for the Indica, I mean, not seeing the Himalayas after so much of India). I noted you have suggested several others vehicles. Scorpio should be a good option, I agree; it was one of the otions I considered before buying Indica, but fuel-economy was paramount in my criteria then.

Anyway will keep in touch, via this thread ..... and remember the "Sarathi" offer

. Do you have any plan to do a GHRT like tour?

ks_bluechip · Mar 18th, 2008, 14:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by amarshah

Another option would be the Tata Safari. On the costlier front would be the Ford Endaveour or Hyundai Tuscon. (I have got few decent reviews on the Tuscon myself...) But sticking with a maruti or tata would be a good bet in remote places.

Hi Amar .... Endeveour, Tuscon, etc sounds great! But as you said .... too costly!

A related question though: By any chance are these SUVs available on Monthly Rental-basis? Or for that matter even Indian stuff like Scorpio, Safari, Bolero ..... can one rent them on monthly basis for self-driving ..with insurance cover etc.? [like one would rent a car/suv in the US from say Enterprise, Hertz or Avis].

puchoo · Mar 18th, 2008, 14:29

They are but be prepared to put down a lot of money. The self-hire/drive system is still in its infancy in India. I did a little research for a friend who wanted to hire a car to drive around in Maharashtra for a week and all the operators i spoke to wanted a security deposit almost close to the cost of the car itself.. but to be fair this was about 10 months ago...maybe things have changed?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

... Monthly Rental-basis? Or for that matter even Indian stuff like Scorpio, Safari, Bolero ..... can one rent them on monthly basis for self-driving ..with insurance cover etc.? [like one would rent a car/suv in the US from say Enterprise, Hertz or Avis].

amarshah · Mar 18th, 2008, 14:40

Yes such options are present but yet not fully developed and operational. Avis does offer its international customers. In Goa Sai Service offers it to all. But the costs a very high.

Also i always recommend driving the car for some time and getting used to it before embarking on GHRT type of journeys.

shashank.aggarwal · Mar 18th, 2008, 14:47

I agree with Amar, I always thought that rental cars are not meant for long journey..atleast at this stage in India, when the credibility and the standards and always be doubted..

If its you cars, it might be a very old vehicle, but you know every voice it generates and what it means, you understand the limits and capabilities...when it can pushed and when it cannot...

ks_bluechip · Mar 18th, 2008, 15:01

Shasank, Amarshah, Puchoo: Noted your replies ... I kind of knew this situation (on car rentals in India) ... but decided to ask; just in case things have changed here in recent times. - KS

amarshah · Mar 18th, 2008, 15:12

i am longing for it to change.. but it seems its going to take its own sweet time. Infact i did have a word with Avis & hertz about it, they were blaming the govt and IRDA (insurance agency) for the delay stating the necessary Rules & Regulations are not set for providing cars on self hire.

From all over India i have only experience easy availability of self drive cars in Goa. I had hired one for unlimited KM a Zen for Rs 650 per day. Not sure if it was legal or not though, the person giving it to me said it was Govt approved but i doubt it..

puchoo · Mar 18th, 2008, 15:22

i doubt it too...but one never knows!

Dilliwala · Mar 18th, 2008, 16:57

With apologies to Sadaji - 'Travel' is a general term. A specific event like the one under discussion is a tour or a trip.
"I am going on a trip/tour"
"I am going on a travel" ?

Aishah · Mar 18th, 2008, 17:25

KS - I think Dilliwalla has a point here - would you like it changed to 'trip' or 'tour'? The other thing is if we shortened it a little it might just all fit onto the Home Page - e.g 'What to see on Grand Himalayan Road Tour (GHRT)? I think 'tour' is better than 'trip' and I think you used that word for your GIRT.
Let me know, I'll watch out for your post!

ks_bluechip · Mar 18th, 2008, 18:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aishah

KS - I think Dilliwalla has a point here - would you like it changed to 'trip' or 'tour'? The other thing is if we shortened it a little it might just all fit onto the Home Page - e.g 'What to see on Grand Himalayan Road Tour (GHRT)? I think 'tour' is better than 'trip' and I think you used that word for your GIRT.
Let me know, I'll watch out for your post!

Aishah: OK, please change it to Tour (Yes, Dilliwalla has a point) ..... Do you want to make it just "Grand Himalayan Road Tour(GHRT)"? ... .any other way you want shorten/change also is fine with me ... KS

Dilliwala · Mar 18th, 2008, 18:59

'GHiRT' is pronounceable.

Not to be mixed up with 'girth' though.

Khak · Mar 18th, 2008, 19:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

Ronak; Thanks for the info. I would like to buy that book. How does one order with Strand? Is it online website or by phone? and do they take Credit Card? and do they send by courier? let me know all the details, Thanks, again - KS

There is a series of books titled "Driving Holidays in the Himalayas : XXXX" by Koko Singh, where XXXX stands for Ladakh, Zanskar, Himachal, Sikkim etc. It is available in many big bookstores.

http://www.indiaplaza.in/search.aspx...Koko%20Sing h

deeps79 · Mar 18th, 2008, 19:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by ks_bluechip

Hi deeps79: Good to see your post after some time gap. I am now learning to use DSLR in "non-auto" modes! Already know a bit about exposures and f-stops! Hope to take the DSLR to Bhutan in April and use it more sensibly!

Hmmm.... more I think about it, the more exciting it sounds.

And you say Sept-Oct is best?

- KS

Well, work has been quite hectic at my end......but i have been following it somehow and ur pics on flickr too. This post was too exciting to not leave a scrap and i am following it religiously becuase one day i am gonna do this too....

I think Sep-Oct would be a good time because before monsoon (in this yr) is just around the corner......so that time period will give u enough time to prepare for it. Personally from limited number of travel, i have seen the better views post mid sept rather than early april or so......but then again i havent travelled as much as other members here

I too wish that there are reasonable places to rent a car for this kind of drive.......or for that matter any driving holiday in hills............

btw i have updated all the pics on my jaisalmer and jodhpur trip on flickr album. I think you have seen few of them, rest are there to be seen

Mar 18th, 2008, 14:40	#35
amarshah Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 661	Yes such options are present but yet not fully developed and operational. Avis does offer its international customers. In Goa Sai Service offers it to all. But the costs a very high. Also i always recommend driving the car for some time and getting used to it before embarking on GHRT type of journeys. __________________ Cheers Amar Year 2008 Trips - http://amards14.googlepages.com/

Mar 18th, 2008, 14:47	#36
shashank.aggarwal Mr. Tagless Join Date: May 2007 Location: ~ Dilli ~ Posts: 4,759	I agree with Amar, I always thought that rental cars are not meant for long journey..atleast at this stage in India, when the credibility and the standards and always be doubted.. If its you cars, it might be a very old vehicle, but you know every voice it generates and what it means, you understand the limits and capabilities...when it can pushed and when it cannot... __________________ Travelogue - Around India Random Reviews

Mar 18th, 2008, 17:25	#41
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 3,807	KS - I think Dilliwalla has a point here - would you like it changed to 'trip' or 'tour'? The other thing is if we shortened it a little it might just all fit onto the Home Page - e.g 'What to see on Grand Himalayan Road Tour (GHRT)? I think 'tour' is better than 'trip' and I think you used that word for your GIRT. Let me know, I'll watch out for your post! __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

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Mar 18th, 2008, 12:40	#31
Monkjoel Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dharamshala Posts: 7	thanks aishah, yes almost all my road trips have been memorable... and thanks for the editing and advise... appreciate that. i missed jaisalmer in this trip... wants to visit that sometime soon... lets see... will keep you posted. cheers.

Mar 18th, 2008, 15:01	#37
ks_bluechip Maha Guru Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 840	Shasank, Amarshah, Puchoo: Noted your replies ... I kind of knew this situation (on car rentals in India) ... but decided to ask; just in case things have changed here in recent times. - KS

Mar 18th, 2008, 15:12	#38
amarshah Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 661	i am longing for it to change.. but it seems its going to take its own sweet time. Infact i did have a word with Avis & hertz about it, they were blaming the govt and IRDA (insurance agency) for the delay stating the necessary Rules & Regulations are not set for providing cars on self hire. From all over India i have only experience easy availability of self drive cars in Goa. I had hired one for unlimited KM a Zen for Rs 650 per day. Not sure if it was legal or not though, the person giving it to me said it was Govt approved but i doubt it..

Mar 18th, 2008, 15:22	#39
puchoo Maha Guru Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Delhi & Himachal Pradesh (Shimla) Posts: 2,636	i doubt it too...but one never knows!

Mar 18th, 2008, 16:57	#40
Dilliwala Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dilli Posts: 2,890	With apologies to Sadaji - 'Travel' is a general term. A specific event like the one under discussion is a tour or a trip. "I am going on a trip/tour" "I am going on a travel" ?

Mar 18th, 2008, 18:59	#43
Dilliwala Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dilli Posts: 2,890	'GHiRT' is pronounceable. Not to be mixed up with 'girth' though.

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