Pro-tips to plan a road trip to Himachal

May 16,2021

Pro-tips to plan a road trip to Himachal

By: Ankit Mehra

It would be complimentary when beautiful destinations are led by beautiful roads giving an exemplary pleasure on the ways filled with nature’s excellence – verdant landscapes, boisterous rivers flowing through the gorges, mystical unending forests, and snow-capped majestic mountains.

Oh yes! It is possible to traverse such roads. Where? In Himachal that has innumerable destinations to explore. To have a leisurely experience, a road trip to Himachal Pradesh is an ideal one.

 In this blog, I will be elaborating some ‘Pro-tips’ that I figured out from my personal experiences gained from many road trips to Himachal Pradesh, which are useful and budget-friendly.

These tips are of great use as they are coming out of the bag of an avid traveler. The tips are handy for planning and implementing measures to bear out a splendid road trip.

Why these tips are necessary?

A trip by road offers an enhanced pleasure as one would be having the company of friends or family.

So, it is necessary to plan the route, do accommodation bookings, decide the list of places to visit, and many more things involved for a comforting and joyous experience of the journey.

Without having taken care of the impending issues that one may face could dial down the fun, which is the prime motto of going on a trip by road.

The pro-tips that we are going to provide you now will help to have ‘the hassle-free experience’ on a road trip to Himachal.

Here is the list of the pro-tips

  • Decide place/s to go
  • Pre-plan the road route
  • What to pack?
  • Search and book accommodation
  • Don’t forget documents
  • Discussion with all travelers of the road trip
  • Choose an apt vehicle
  • Eat healthy and delicious on the way
  • Music is imperative
  • Have backup of snacks

Decide place/s to go

The first thing to do! Think about where you wish to go. Himachal is inundated with beautiful destinations. If you are going solo, then it won’t be a problem.

But usually, road trips are much fruitful when family or friends accompany us, making it a connecting experience for everyone travelling with you.

In this case, choosing place/s is important as everyone has her/his own expectations and likings. An approach that can help to decide could be –

  • To reach a consensus on place/s to visit, take inputs from all who are travelling with you.
  • Discussions can turn into debates. So, act as moderator to handle everyone.
  • Give your suggestions that aids harmony.

As per an adage, “If the first step is taken, half of the work is done”. Once place/s is decided, further actions won’t require much rigor.

Pre-plan the road route

Thanks to ‘Google Baba’, planning routes for the trips have become a lot easier. One doesn’t require to waste time in drawing a hands free map on paper, which is not so reliable.

It is highly unlikely that Google maps give wrong information. Let us have a look at the points to follow to pick and plan a road route for your upcoming trip.

  • As mentioned above, use Google maps to search for an apt route.
  • Another marvelous approach that can help you finalize a route is ‘Reviews’. People who had already been on the route can tell you more about the same. So, take the help of ‘Google baba’ again to get inputs from reviews.
  • You can also ask someone you know who had gone on the same route about the route.
  • Make sure the route is safe and have stoppages where you can halt to eat and freshen up.
  • Don’t forget to add 30% extra time to what Google has accounted for the route because one may face traffic jams on the way. Plus, stoppage times could also vary.
  • Along with safety, beauty has to be taken into consideration. It makes the journey more blissful. Therefore, choose a way that offers natural beauty in abundance. And we know Himachal doesn’t have a dearth of it.

What to pack?

Pack minimal and necessary. You don’t need to take all the dresses that make you look good unless the trip is dedicated to a photo-shoot or beauty pageant.

Recall! You are going along with friends or family. There has to be ample space in the car more for people, and may be less for bags.

Of course, you should take what is essential, just don’t pack anything and everything. From my experience, some things you may take along with you are here bellow.

  • One pair of clothes for each day.
  • Jeans can be re-worn, so take less.
  • Don’t take towels and toiletries. Accommodations do provide that. But, in case you are going to stay in a homestay, pack them.
  • Pack the medicines, and first-aid box for emergencies.
  • Take along sports shoes as they are good for walking and climbing.
  • Keep a warm jacket even if the weather forecast doesn’t say it will be cold because the weather can change suddenly at hill sites.

Search and book accommodation

It is imperative to book accommodation beforehand to curb the possibility of not finding it instantaneously after reaching the destination. Moreover, you need to keep into account the expectations of the peers going along.

If a flock of friends are going on the trip, then a budget-friendly hostel could also work. But, if the elderly are accompanying then the stay has to be comforting. Hence, it depends upon how you could suffice the needs of all with little compromise.

Budget plays an important role whilst finalizing the hotel. Many websites provide a solution for this.

A quick search on Google does show plethora of websites offering hotel bookings with reasonable as well as luxury prices.

An added advantage to book a hotel from these websites is reviews and ratings given by erstwhile stayers, which helps to select an appropriate accommodation.

Don’t forget documents

Some essential documents could be asked to present on the trip, either by hotel or roadway cops. As you could be riding in your own vehicle, it is compulsory to have the Driving license and Car Insurance. Likewise, there are other documents that should be taken. The complete list is as follows.

  • Adhaar card
  • Driving License
  • Car Insurance
  • Pollution Checked certificate
  • Recharged toll card
  • Medical prescription, if any.

Again! Please don’t forget to take them along with you!

Discussion with all travelers of the road trip

You have already finalized the route and accommodation after discussing it with peers. Still, there are many things left to be discussed and settled. What are they?

  • Places to visit at the destination.
  • Adventure sports to bring some thrill
  • Snacks to pack for the road trip.
  • Stoppages on the way.
  • Essentials to take along.

It might look like petty things, but these are precursor to any road trip when you are going with close ones. All have to come to harmony. Otherwise, unnecessary squabbles and grudges may come up, spoiling the happy dispositions of everyone.

Choose an apt vehicle

Foremost! If you don’t have the experience to drive on the meandering roads of Himachal Pradesh, then don’t do it. Hire a cab.

Now, I am assuming that you are going on a trip with your family or flock of buddies. A comforting car is a pre-requisite for that trip.

Choose an apt vehicle. How? Here are few points that can help.

  • Depending upon how many people are going and the ultimate decider – budget – pick a car.
  • Car has to be serviced beforehand to avoid any uncalled problem in its machinery on the way.
  • Be informed about various repair centers on the way and at the destination for an emergency.
  • It is recommended that a car with a powerful engine, at least 1000cc or above, should be chosen that can ride on the snaky and sloppy paths of Himachal easily.

Note: Book a cab from our website at a cost effective price

Eat healthy and delicious on the way

Food is important. You must not eat unhealthy on the way. Eating from an unknown place can lead to troubles with your health.

Google is quite handy in providing information on this ground too. So, use the facility and pick up places on the way where you can stop by to eat healthy and tasty food.

Another good way to decide on places to eat is by asking the informant, that could be anybody you know who had gone to the same destination via the same route.

The most reliable one could be the hired taxi driver who must be having appropriate suggestions.

Music is imperative

Music + fun + close ones = a marvelous road trip.

I don’t think a road trip is complete without a playlist of regaling music.

Some peppy pop songs for you, a few 80’s melodies for dad, added with some spiritual prayers for mom, and Punjabi bhangra numbers for brother.

All the above completes the playlist. Remember, you are the moderator who has to take care of everyone’s needs. So, songs for everyone has to be in the playlist.

A karaoke session whilst driving can add excitement to the delightful road ride. So, sing along.

Have backup of snacks

It could be called a food contingency measure to pacify sudden hunger strokes.

Moreover, the possibility to get stuck in traffic is always there. In such a case, a basket of snacks is a savior.

What should be included in the basket?

  • Bread + Butter
  • Aloo ke Parathe, satisfying and long lasting. You may choose any other stuffed paratha.
  • Wafers
  • Chocolates and Nutri-bars to give instant dose of energy.
  • Chai, for the tea-lovers
  • Most important, WATER.
  • Any aerated drinks.

Conclusion

Proper planning bears out a cool execution and rewarding result. The above tips are curated for the same.

We’re sure that these pro-trips to plan a road to Himachal Pradesh will be used and appreciated by you. Please take out some time to let us know how you feel about it.

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