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Udaipur to Shimla
HIMALAYA CLASSIC RALLY 2007
The 2007 Himalaya Classic Rally, March 9 to April 7 2007 has confirmed that it will be the first ever international car rally to drive through Bhutan, one of the most secretive kingdoms in the Himalayas.
Starting in Udaipur, the Rally will be flagged off by His Highness Arvind Singh Mewar, the Maharana of Udaipur. The event is a 5,500km, month long tour de force through some of the most outstanding scenery in the world, following the roads trodden by travellers over thousands of years. The finishing line for the rally is Calcutta the most original and best preserved of all the great Indian cities.
One of the last great motoring adventures still to be experienced, the Himalaya Classic Rally winds its way from Royal Rajsathan, through the Himalayas to the kingdom of Nepal. From Nepal the adventure continues to Kalimpong, a tranquil hill station in the heart of tea growing in India. From there it enters the mysterious state of Bhutan, one of the great unexplored areas of the sub-continent. Special dispensation has been negotiated to allow the rally to drive through this beautiful land.
The rally promises a fantastic journey, taking in the many different cultures of India, Nepal and Bhutan. Although a long distance event, the days are carefully structured to allow time to take in the sights which include a visit to The Golden Temple in Amritsar, famous hill stations of the Raj era as well as such exotic excursions as tracking a tiger on elephant back.
Schedule:
Day 1: March 12 – Udaipur to Jodphur (5 hours driving plus visit to temple at Ranakpur)
His Highness, Arvind Singh Mewar, the Maharana of Udaipur will flag off the rally from the City Palace at around 11.30am. Once out of Udaipur the drive is through the hills and gorges to Ranankpur where you can stop to see one of the best examples of a Jain temple in India (opening hours for foreigners 12-4). There are some hotels just after the temple for lunch stops. The road may be disrupted by road works as a new 4-lane highway is under construction. The second half of the drive is across flat land with rocky hills in the distance and once you hit the main road (waypoint 60) it’s an easy drive on a good road into Jodphur.
Overnight at the Umaid Bhawan Hotel
Our first night is spent in a magnificent palace, completed in 1943, and residence of the Jodhpur royal family. The vast sandstone building is set in 26 acres of gardens. The hotel, now run by the Taj group, offers five-star facilities - good restaurant, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, small spa with massage treatments, rooms have TVs, wireless internet. You may like to order a packed lunch for tomorrow.
Day 2: March 13 – Jodphur to Gajner (7 hours plus visit to Jodphur Fort)
We drive through Jodphur and up narrow streets to the fort which is fascinating to explore for an hour or two. Then the road heads past stone masons and quarries, into the countryside towards Ossian where you have the option of turning off the route to visit the temple complexes. The first part of today’s route is relatively slow but goes through some interesting landscape. The road follows the railway for some of the time with frequent level crossings – watch out for large speed bumps before and after the railway track. After you turn onto the main road at Phalodi it’s a fast straight drive through the desert all the way to Gajner.
Overnight at Gajner Palace Hotel
Built by the Maharaja Ganga Singhji of Bikaner on the banks of Lake Gajner as a hunting resort, the palace is now owned by the Maharana of Udaipur. Bar and restaurant. TV and minibar in rooms. Occasional internet connection. Early morning boat trips on lake. A tranquil and exotic oasis.
Day 3: March 14 – Gajner to Amritsar (6-7 hours)
Once through the outskirts of Bikaner, which can be busy, it’s a very long but easy route all the way to Amritsar, with just a short detour from the main road at Malaut.
Up to Suratgarh (2 – 3 hours) the road goes through the desert, flat and largely empty landscape but with plenty of glimpses of working camels pulling loads, and Rajasthanis in colourful traditional clothes. There are frequent petrol stations along this road but not much in the way of sights to see. At Ganganagar we are only a few kms from the Pakistan border, as you can tell from the many military camps. Watch out for flocks of sheep and goats crossing the road! Onto Bhatinda there is more cultivation, and trees line the side of the road. As we approach Amristar the traffic gets busy with lorries and buses and once in the city there is some rather challenging driving through the market streets and across busy roundabouts.
Overnight at Ranjit’s Svaasa and Ritz Plaza.
On a more modest scale than our first three hotels but equally characterful, The Ranjit Svaasa is a small, family-run heritage hotel, peaceful despite the nearby main road. They only have 17 rooms so some participants and the crew will be staying at the nearby Ritz Plaza Hotel but have the option of dinner at Ranjiits. Great food, mainly organic. No bar but they will order in beer. Kettle for tea in the rooms but no TV or phones. Internet access downstairs, ayurvedic massage treatment (may need to book in advance). No currency exchange but an ATM on main road. The Ritz Plaza is more geared up to the traveller and has a well stocked bar and good restaurant. The hotels are very close to each other with the Ritz providing the parking.
Do make time to visit the very beautiful Golden Temple when you arrive, or go early in the morning. You can make your own way by flagging down an auto or cycle rickshaw outside the hotel, or the hotel will arrange a taxi for you. Outside the temple is a place to leave your shoes and wash your hands and feet, you also need to cover your head.
Day 4: March 15 –Amritsar to Dharamsala (6 hours)
Recommended departure time is 10am
For the first part of today’s run we are still on the main road, this time Highway 1 that eventually reaches Delhi. Although dusty and sometimes polluted it is interesting to see the countryside as we head through the heart of the Punjab. Bypassing Jalandhar we drive north to Hoshiarpur, another busy road with lorries and buses competing for space with farm vehicles and cyclists in the many towns. After waypoint 320 we start climbing up into the hills marking the border of the Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Plenty of monkeys and the famous aeroplane cafe with good samosas, masala dosas etc (waypoint 322). The road drops down again to Gagret and then we start the long winding route up through forests towards the mountains. Depending on weather conditions you may get your first view of the Himalaya mountain range somewhere along this road – a truly exhilarating sight. It is a steep climb up to Dharamsala, with some sharp hairpins, rivers and dramatic bridges. You may feel breathless up here because of the altitude.
Overnight at the Asia Resort
Plain but comfortable rooms in an incredible location looking down over the valley towards the palins. Facilities – restaurant (evening buffet), cosy bar, outdoor swimming pool for the hardy. TV and fridge in rooms. No internet or direct dialling. From the hotel it is about 3 km to the centre of McCloud Ganj, the home of the exiled Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan community. The temples are interesting to visit and there are good restaurants and a traveller ‘scene’.
Day 5: March 16 – Dharamsala to Shimla (7 hours)
A long day so get out early or you risk arriving at Shimla in the dark. Now we are up in the mountains driving can be slow. We go through Palumpur, a little hill station surrounded by tea plantations, then stay on the N20 to Mandi on the Beas river. Out of Mandi on the Chandigargh road through several towns, we drive through what feels like the tops of the mountains with very windy roads. There are dozens of places along the way to stop for a cup of tea with a sensational view! The road can be bad in places and look out for speed bumps in villages but on the whole it is good tarmac on the NH20. After Bilaspur we turnoff to Shimla, the road is less good and this last section can be slow going as the road twists and turns but the views are spectacular as you climb upwards. Later in the day you may encounter many lorries. Entering Shimla, we have been given special permission to drive along the Mall to reach the Cecil Hotel (go straight on at waypoint 464). In the unlikely event you are not allowed through, you must turn right at waypoint 464 and follow waypoints 465 through to 470 on the lower road, which requires a very sharp U-turn. Parking is outside the hotel on the road but there will be 24-hour security.
Overnight in the Oberoi Cecil Hotel
This elegant and luxurious hotel is over 100 years old. Now beautifully restored by the Oberoi Group it has rooms around a central atrium with a bar. Downstairs is a very good restaurant. Heated swimming pool in the basement, gym, spa and massage, wireless internet.
Day 6: March 17 – Rest Day in Shimla
Shimla was the summer headquarters of the British government in India. Today it is the capital of Himachal Pradesh and still a popular hill station. Walk along the Mall into the centre of town (turn right as you come out of the hotel), and you will get a sense of its colonial history. Look out for the Gaiety Theatre, opened in 1887, now being restored but you may be able to go inside. In the other direction is the Viceroys House, now called Rashtrapati Niwas, built in 1888 as the summer home of the viceroys. It was the venue for many important decisions including meetings that led to Partition. The gardens are beautifully laid out and kept green in the summer by five underground tanks. There are many lovely walks around Shimla including a path up to the Jakhu Hill Temple, dedicated to the monkey god, Hanuman. From here there are good views of Shimla and its surroundings.
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