“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey” could be the best quote for describing road trips in India. There’s no better place than India to experience the vastness of different cultures altogether. From the oldest city to the newly formed Union territories, India is filled with surprises.
Therefore, to experience the real flavours of India, road trips are the best option. And the “golden quadrilateral” is something to consider.
Your favourite people, 5846 km, 12 states, 81 cities, one road, one trip and memories for the rest of your life.
For all those adventure seekers, this impeccable road trip would be the epitome of their travel stories.
So, here’s the guide perfectly curated for you to experience every possible thing on this grand road trip.
Info: The Golden Quadrilateral is a national highway network connecting the most of the major industrial, agricultural and cultural centers of India.
It forms a quadrilateral connecting the five major cities of India, viz., Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Jaipur.
The Beginning
The journey starts from the country’s capital, Delhi, reaching the city of love, Agra will be the first milestone (231 km).
Take as much as time you need to explore the wonder of the world “Taj Mahal” and other heritage sites which the city has to offer.
12 hours’ drive from Odisha, lie the city of Destiny, Vishakhapatnam. 12 hours on the go must be really tiresome so give your body some rest and when you’re travelling spirit is back on track, start exploring the city.
Vishakhapatnam is all about landscapic and attractive beaches. Quite a perfect place for romanticizing your trip and take along some beautiful moments with your loves ones.
Do you know which is the longest natural urban beach in the country? Well its Marina Beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The city is home to Fort St. George, build in 1644 and now turned into a museum showcasing the city’s roots as British military garrison and East India Company’s trading outpost.
Apart from the historical significance of the city, the state is pretty much aesthetic in terms of its wilderness.
It’s the home for two of the very famous hill stations, Kodaikanal and Ooty. Also, take some mini stops at Vellore, Bangalore and take a detour to Mysore.
At the distance of 289.7 km lies the diamond city of the world, Surat. It is called so because about 90% of the world’s diamond is polished in this city.
The top 3 things to do in Surat is to visit the Surat castle build in 16th century by Ahemdabad King Sultan Manmood-III to defend the city form frequent attacks which has devastated it.
Secondly, if you’re someone who finds ghost stories very intricate then Dumas Beach is a must visit place. It is listed among top 35 haunted place in India.
Ah!! Who doesn’t like waterparks? I guess majority of us do enjoy going there, right? Amaazia waterpark is one of the Asia’s largest water park and we are quite sure you won’t regret going there.
Gujrat tourism is pretty much acclaimed all over the world.
The next morning visit the famous Allahabad fort. Follow the flowing Yamuna till you reach the ancient city of India, Varanasi (121.5 km).
Without wasting anymore time, start exploring the most celebrated Ghats of Kashi, visit the lord Shiva temple popularly known as Viswanath temple and settle down at Dashashwamedh Ghat by the evening to watch the ever glorifying ganga arti.
Freshen up yourself, rest a bit, give your stomach a good meal and start off again to reach Allahabad (474 km from Agra). Stay the night here. The next morning visit the famous Allahabad fort. Follow the flowing Yamuna till you reach the ancient city of India, Varanasi (121.5 km). Without wasting anymore time, start exploring the most celebrated Ghats of Kashi, visit the lord Shiva temple popularly known as Viswanath temple and settle down at Dashashwamedh Ghat by the evening to watch the ever glorifying ganga arti.
The next day calls for Mohania (situated in Kaimur district in the state of Bihar) but before that visit the famous Kachaudi gali to have some delicious kachaudi and rabri. It takes about 2.7 hours to reach Mohania. The city is known for its agriculture, farming and mostly it is visit as a pilgrim site. If you’re a religious person then you must visit the Satti Devi Mandir and white Hanuman Mandir. After a drive of about 1 hour from Mohania you’ll enter another ancient city of India, Sasaram. The place has a great historical significance. The tomb of Sher Shah Suri built in 16th century is the main attraction of Sasaram.
Welcome to Eastern India
Fasten your seat belts, play your favourite track, buy enough snacks and just keep on driving until the road takes you to the city of joy, Kolkata. The city will welcome you with all its warmth and will definitely make you feel like home. Maybe take a day to feel the aura in its air. Hitch on the tram and it will take you to the world of books. Lastly, have some hardcore authentic Bengali brunch at 6 Ballygunge Place. Or you can leave everything behind and just sit beside the Ghat with a cup of chai accompanying you.
Be Ready with the Swim Suites
Be beach ready as you enter the soul of India, Odisha. There are plenty of things to do here but amongst everything the best part is the Puri beach and Jagannath Temple. The Jagannath temple has some really fascinating history behind it and the most mysterious fact is that the structure of the temple is such that it does not cast any shadow at any given time of the day.
12 hours’ drive from Odisha, lie the city of Destiny, Vishakhapatnam. 12 hours on the go must be really tiresome so give your body some rest and when you’re travelling spirit is back on track, start exploring the city. Vishakhapatnam is all about landscapic and attractive beaches. Quite a perfect place for romanticizing your trip and take along some beautiful moments with your loves ones.
Andhra Pradesh is also a very important pilgrim site for the Hindus. The famous temple of Tirupati Nath popularly known as Sri Ventakeswara Temple is dedicated to the supreme god Vishnu which sits at the top of Tirumala hill.
Do you know which is the longest natural urban beach in the country? Well its Marina Beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The city is home to Fort St. George, build in 1644 and now turned into a museum showcasing the city’s roots as British military garrison and East India Company’s trading outpost. Apart from the historical significance of the city, the state is pretty much aesthetic in terms of its wilderness. It’s the home for two of the very famous hill stations, Kodaikanal and Ooty. Also, take some mini stops at Vellore, Bangalore and take a detour to Mysore.
Embrace the History
The next destination is all about magnificent fortress of Pune. Although Pune is also called as the ‘Oxford of the East’ due to the large number of educational institutions which attract the international students. There’s a lot of touristy things to do in the city. Also, its recommended to visit Lavasa city to feel the Italian vibes in India (approx. 2 hours from Pune). And if you have some extra time to spare then visit Lonavala and Khandala. Now, it’s time to enter the city of dreams, Mumbai. The place itself doesn’t need any explanation so it’s totally upon you how to spend your stay here. Although don’t forget to visit the marine drive and get sloshed by those wild waves and shop the latest trends at hill road, Bandra.
At the distance of 289.7 km lies the diamond city of the world, Surat. It is called so because about 90% of the world’s diamond is polished in this city. The top 3 things to do in Surat is to visit the Surat castle build in 16th century by Ahemdabad King Sultan Manmood-III to defend the city form frequent attacks which has devastated it. Secondly, if you’re someone who finds ghost stories very intricate then Dumas Beach is a must visit place. It is listed among top 35 haunted place in India. Ah!! Who doesn’t like waterparks? I guess majority of us do enjoy going there, right? Amaazia waterpark is one of the Asia’s largest water park and we are quite sure you won’t regret going there. Gujrat tourism is pretty much acclaimed all over the world.
Get Ready to Dignified
Every person at some point wants to feel the royal-ness in their life and what better place than Rajasthan can you think of. Their way of welcoming you, their hospitality and off course their vast colorful culture is the epitome of aesthetics. Starting with the city of lakes, Udaipur to the city of Maharajas, Jaipur covers up every bit of their culture and folklore. Indulge yourself for a makeover which includes all the Rajasthani stuff and be a part of their creation.
And with Jaipur we successfully complete our 5846 kms of journey on a happy note witnessing the vast culture and heritage of our beloved country India.
