This is to capture some of my thoughts as we made a road trip from Mumbai to Trimbakeshwar which is famous for its Shiva temple and back to Mumbai over the weekend.
The distance between Mumbai and Trimbakeshwar is about 180 odd kms and with the navigator on, it is a pleasure to drive with almost straight along the Eastern express | Mumbai-Nashik highway.
However soon after Ghoti Toll Plaza, we saw a sign to the left towards Trimbekeswar which was not on our navigator. We decided to take that turn and we were rewarded with a poor and bumpy road but it was compensated by some breathtaking views.
Suggest you take this if your vehicle is not in very poor condition. At times you might feel lost (your navigator complains to take a u-turn rather sternly!) but just follow the road between mountains and the Upper Vaitarna Reservoir. You will be able to appreciate nature and may be click some snaps for your friends to see (like below!). Also there is this under construction dam.
While coming back we followed the navigator and the drive was non-bumpy and scenic as it was until we hit the bumpy road on our way to Shiva Temple. You can at time see kilometers of the highway and it does make you say Wow.
Some Notes
(if you are driving your own vehicle)
There are some restriction on vehicular traffic into the temple town (between 9 am and 6 pm). The Trimbak Municipality picks up a INR 30 fee for a visiting vehicle. And the guys who give this receipt tell you "Welcome to Trimbak" and then tell you that cars are not allowed inside after 9 am. With a clause that for INR 300 (bribe? touts?) a person will accompany you so that you can take the vehicle to the hotel.
Since our hotel was not near the temple (about 6 minutes walk from the actual temple) we could drive to the hotel minus any problem after we had paid our due to the Trimbak municipality.
Since our hotel was not near the temple (about 6 minutes walk from the actual temple) we could drive to the hotel minus any problem after we had paid our due to the Trimbak municipality.
However if you book into a hotel very close to the temple (there are several within about 100 m) you will find navigating the narrow streets tough (almost impossible, but I have found several vehicles moving in these narrow roads!) and most hotels do not seem to have parking facility. So the best would be to park it in the Temple parking lot (INR 30) and then walk to the hotel. Or better still like me book in Three Leaves hotel which does not fall under the restricted vehicular zone.
The Temple
The temple town is very small (Wiki should give the exact details) and one one could cover the distances by foot. The temple town is a photographers dream.
Some details of the time taken
(Saturday) Mumbai - Trimbakeshwar almost 4 hours with a short break of about 10 minutes![0845] Started from Anushaktinagar
[0908] Mulund Toll Plaza (INR 35.00)
[0917] Kharegoan Toll Plaza (INR 29.00)
[1014] Arjunali Toll Plaza (INR 100.00) to Ghoti Toll Plaza (Mumbai Nashik Expressway)
[1245] Three leaves Hotel
(Sunday) Back from Trimbakeshwar (4 hours with a short tea break of 10 minutes)
[1411] Three leaves Hotel
[1522] Ghoti Toll Plaza (INR 100.00) to Arjunali Toll Plaza
[1710] Kharegoan Toll Plaza (INR 29.00)
[1718] Mulund Toll Plaza (INR 35.00)
[1810] Started from Anushaktinagar
The timing is based on the time printed on the receipts given to me at the toll gates.
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