Road trips for 2024

In 2023, we covered the length and breadth of the country, testing cars and bikes, and found roads so scenic that left us wondering if these are paintings on nature’s canvas. In a crowded India, we were able to find roads with almost zero traffic – these can be on your to-do/go-to list in 2024.

Gulmarg to Bota Pathri (15 km):

Manali to Leh (430 km):

Thanks to the Atal Tunnel, the Manali-Leh road trip can be done in two days (earlier it took four days). Thanks also to the Atal Tunnel, Manali to Keylong can be crowded. But beyond Keylong (one day to Leh), it’s a driver’s/rider’s delight. Dark-grey tarmac over light-brown mountains – a road cannot get more scenic.

Kaza to Manali (180 km):

It’s the toughest road to drive on (it can take 10 hours, thanks to 80 km of driving over rocks, crossing the Kunzum Pass). If rocks don’t slow you down, the views will – straight from Mars.

Jaisalmer to Sam (50 km):

Any place west of Jaisalmer is empty – to Sam sand dunes, to Ramgarh, to Longewala, to Tanot. Choose your road, and disappear into India’s wild, wild west.

Udaipur to Jawai Bandh (180 km):

Want to see the oldest rocks in the world, carved by wind over millions of years? Head to Jawai, west of Udaipur – the region is so empty that you may see crocodiles in water bodies and leopards in nearby hills.

Gangtok to Nathu-la (60 km):

The wind is so strong up there, that you can hear the rocks whistle. That’s where Nathu-la takes its name from – in Tibetan, ‘Nathu’ means ‘listening ears’, and ‘la’ means ‘pass’. The road is possibly the most scenic in this part of India.

Pasighat to Dibrugarh (150 km):

Driving from Arunachal Pradesh to Assam can be worlds apart – while the density of population increases, you can find islands of calm, right on the road.

Konark to Chilika Lake (90 km):

This route goes by the Bay of Bengal, and then via numerous lagoons, ultimately touching Chilika (biggest lagoon in India). The smell of dead fish may bother some people in some places, but the road to Chilika is just so chill.

Chennai to Mahabalipuram (60 km):

It’s the most crowded route on this list, but you will find empty places on the way – you just have to explore 1-2 km on each side of this East Coast Road.

Rajkot to Gir National Park (180 km):

Till Junagadh, it’s just another highway, but from Junagadh to Gir National Park is a driver’s delight (the location to set on maps is Sasan Gir).

Pune to Ganpatipule (310 km):

The fastest route is via Satara, but fast isn’t fun. Take the road via Mahabaleshwar, and you’ll be transported into the savannah grasslands of India. The journey is amazing, and so is the destination (Ganpatipule).

Indore to Mandu (90 km):

Possibly no other place packs in so many medieval India sites in a few square km as Mandu does – Hoshang Shah Tomb, and the palaces of Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati. But this place isn’t just for history buffs, it’s also for geography lovers (passes through the Vindhyas).

Chikkamagaluru to Mullayanagiri (40 km):

From the coffee capital of India to the highest peak of Karnataka, it’s a lovely drive. In just 1-2 hours, the temperature drop can be more than 10-degree C, and the road passes first via coffee plantations and then via forests. Bliss!

Delhi, Mumbai, or any city:

Can’t drive outside your city? Even within your city, you can find islands of tranquility – you just have wake up early and explore. For example, an early morning drive around the quiet Lodi Gardens in Delhi, or in front of the Asiatic Society and around Horniman Circle Garden in Mumbai, can be as refreshing as any.