“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift! “
This post is dedicated to all the people who love road trips… The road trip that I am going to discuss today is not common, it is not easy, and certainly, it is not short…It includes days of driving, crossing borders, crossing time zones, and most importantly enjoying life!
I am talking about a road trip from India to Thailand… Less heard of? This is the road trip that I will be taking shortly but before that, I would like to inspire many of my readers by sharing my itinerary. I will be starting from Delhi, India and my destination in Thailand would be Bangkok, this is 71 hours of driving 4260 km! 81 hours only if there is no traffic and everything goes smooth…
We will be crossing many cities in India like Agra, Lucknow, Motihari, Imphal, and many more, will try to explore all the famous things of various cities as we proceed.
Before our trip, we will definitely cross-check all the important documents to carry on our trip. Here is an “India to Thailand trip Checklist” for your reference.
Day 1:
Delhi to Agra
Delhi to Agra is 233 km journey through Yamuna Express Highway which should take somewhere between 3 to 4 hours. Starting from Delhi at 6 am should help us avoid traffic and make us reach our first stop at around 10:00 am.
This will be a perfect stop for our breakfast, We will stop at Ram Babu Paratha Bhandar which is famous for its parathas with mixed veggies.
Soon after breakfast, we will take a small detour to Taj Mahal which is 10 minutes away from this restaurant. How can someone miss a visit to this world-famous attraction being so close to it?
We should leave Agra by 12:00 pm after collecting the famous sweets, Pethas, from Manohar Lal Daulat Ram Garg Gazak Wale, Kinari Bazar.
Agra to Lucknow
Our next stop is Lucknow, I am a foodie and no foodie will ever miss a chance to eat in Lucknow. This is the best thing about road trips that one can stop anywhere one likes and spend as much time as one wants.
This road trip will not be about reaching the destination, it will be about enjoying the entire journey, exploring all the worthy places on the way, and being carefree!
Lucknow is really famous for its non-vegetarian food. You can easily find joints to enjoy Tunday kebabs in this city. Non-vegetarians can stop at Hazratganj.
This Nawabo ka sheher (City of Royalties) also has some great joints for vegetarians as well, like Baati Chokha Restaurant in Gomti Nagar.
Our first stop in Lucknow, 341 km journey from Agra, will be Janpath market to buy some Chikankari, this city is famous for such cloth.
We are expected to reach here somewhere between 4 to 6 hours. This market is near Hazrat Ganj. We will stop next at the Baati Chokha Restaurant to enjoy a meal.
This will also be the city where we will spend the night. On Day 1 we will cover 560 km, visit world-famous Taj Mahal, and enjoy famous delicacies of India.
NOTE: If you skip all the attractions and stay focused on the route then you have a choice to drive till Muzaffarpur and stay overnight there.
Day 2:
Lucknow to Patna
Day 2, we will be covering somewhere around 537 km to reach Patna. This is again a little detour to our original path. We would have crossed Muzaffarpur and made our towards West Bengal today but instead, we head towards Patna, adding 4 hours to our journey to visit Patna Sahib.
From Lucknow to Patna Sahib, it is approx. 10 hours ride. We leave early in the morning to avoid the rush, around 6:30 am. You must carry sufficient water with you and keep in mind that there are very fewer places to stop for toilet breaks.
There is another famous and important Buddhist Temple around four hours away from Patna Sahib, if you would like then you may extend your journey till there as well.
We would consider visiting it on our way back for sure. After a visit to this holy place, we drive 2 hours to reach Muzaffarpur, spend another night there and prepare for tomorrow.
Day 3:
Muzaffarpur to Siliguri, West Bengal
After a good night sleep near the Muzaffarpur bus stop, we will start our day with a good breakfast to cover 400 kms in 8 – 9 hrs. Today we would spend our night at the gateway of Northeast India, Siliguri. Our stop would be at Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary.
This Sanctuary is managed by Darjeeling Wildlife Division of Government of West Bengal. You can enjoy 2 to 2.5 hours of ride in the morning or afternoon. You need your own car for the ride, pay for the camera, entry, and the guide. Since we will reach in the evening here, we would do the next day morning.
It will be a long drive today with multiple stops as and when required. So, we will be carrying a lot of snacks, and beverages along. Carrying a few games on the way would also be a good idea like cards.
Day 4:
Siliguri to Gobardhana, Assam
It is not a problem if you do not wish to take the safari mentioned above because you must take the safari in Assam. Manas National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and our next stop too.
It would be a 9 hours ride for covering 367 kms, depending on how many stops you take. It is not mandatory to drive daily and reach next destination, it is okay to stay an extra night at your preferred destination.
You can enjoy half or full day jeep safari, white water rafting, or an Elephant ride in this Park. There are accommodations as well here. I do not prefer Elephant rides since there are so many incidences where animals are not well treated, so to discourage such behaviour it is good to avoid it.
We would stay here tonight and take the half day safari tomorrow morning.
Day 5:
Gobardhana to Guwahati, Assam
… to be continued!
Subscribe to this blog to receive the second part of this post as soon as it is released. Get all the free information by just subscribing, enjoy tips to make your holidays better, to save money, and your valuable time.
This article consists of some affiliate links, read more.