Road trips from Mumbai - the motorbike rides

Road trips from Mumbai - the motorbike rides:

Mumbai, with its grime and rush-hour traffic can be quite soul-sapping for those who love to travel by road.  A bike trip from Mumbai to nearby places makes for a great weekend getaway. And the the terrain sure does not disappoint. In our previous post we covered road trips from Delhi. For our readers in Mumbai, here is alist of places for road trips from Mumbai.

Mumbai road trips on my Royal Enfield

Lonavala/Khandala

Lonavala

There is probably not a soul in Mumbai who doesn’t know about Lonavala – it’s easily the most popular weekend getaway from Mumbai and Pune. But no matter how crowded or mainstream, a bike trip from Mumbai to Lonavala is an experience in itself – vastly different than taking a cab or bus.

Some might consider the ride in rains dangerous, but the drive becomes extremely pleasant and refreshing during rain – just wear a water-proof jacket and you’re good to go. The surroundings are most beautiful and green during the monsoons and perfect for an invigorating road trip from Mumbai.

Road Conditions  : 2 wheelers are not allowed on the Mumbai – Pune expressway, but the old Mumbai – Pune Highway is in a really good shape, and with all the cabs and buses taking the expressway, it leaves you with an extremely open road with hardly much traffic. (Personal best time recorded : 1.45 hours)

Dhabas : Unfortunately, there are not many dhabas on the road apart from the few options that you see just as you leavePanvel. There is a McDonald’s drive thru and a few restaurants as you leave Panvel.

Alibaug

Alibaug Beach

Although a crowded beach, Alibaugpresents a good short-distance road trip from Mumbai.

Road Conditions : The road is a part of theMumbai – Goa highway, which is pretty crowded, and the lack of a divider restricts you from driving too fast throughout the journey. However, the highway is being renovated, with road width being doubled and a divided introduced, which would greatly speed things up.

That being said, with the weather on your side, the 4 -4.5 hours ride should be a breeze.

Find more Hidden Destinations in India, visit Holidify.com

Kashid + Murud

Murud-Zanjira

Kashid is the closest thing you’ll get to asecluded beach at a driving distance from Mumbai. With a clean white sand beach and a few adventure sports, you can never be disappointed if you’re looking for arelaxing beach and a good ride.

Murud beach is about 40 kms further away from Kashid and it has a fort built in the sea – makes for an interesting watch.

Road Conditions : The road from Mumbai to Alibag is pretty decent, and should be renovated soon. Alibag to Kashid (and onwards to Murud) is a thin winding road, but almost all of the 1 hour journey is along the coast, making it a wonderful drive, and more than making up for the potholes on the road.

Bonus tip : If you’re looking to add some variety to your journey, you could instead take the road via Roha while coming back. It ends up around 40 kms longer, but there is a small sanctuary on the way, which makes the drive very green and picturesque.

Dhabas : Food is a slight issue in Kashid – there are no dhabas after Alibag, and only a few home made food options in Kashid,mostly specializing in sea food. Vegetarians might find it hard to find good veg food.

Mahabaleshwar +Panchgani

Elephant Peak, Mahabaleshwar

This is the longest drive we’ll suggest you in this list of road trips from Mumbai – but we’re sure you won’t regret it.
Mahabaleshwar is around 300 kms from Mumbai, but account for the factor that it’s a hill station, so the last 50 kms take a long time. But the drive up the hillpresents some amazing views, and maybe you can stop by a strawberry farm on the way.

Road Condition : Take the old Pune highway, pass Lonavala, don’t miss thePune bypass and take the Pune – Bangalore road. This road is a part of theGolden Quadrilateral project and hence in perfectly maintained shape. Take the exit for Wai from the highway, and follow the signboards after that.

Find more Hidden Destinations in India, visit Holidify.com

Malshej Ghat

Malshej Ghat

With numerous waterfalls and dams, and a couple of forts, Malshej Ghat is one of the popular spots for road trips from Mumbai and Pune. Monsoon again is the best time to visit when the entire route is green and picturesque. Just around 130 kms, the ride might leave you wanting for more.

Road Condition : Half of the time would be spent in getting out of the city traffic. You won’t be out on the open till half an hourafter Kalyan, by which time you would almost be there. The road to Malshej Ghat from Mumbai is in a decent condition, so you won’t face much troubles.