need advice on Goa trip

Planning a trip to Goa on the 21st of July from Mumbai. My prefered route is the expressway till kolhapur & then from sankeshwar to sawantwadi.
Has anybody on the forum been on this route recently? The stretch between sankeshwar and amboli sometimes is really bad. Will help me planning the route if there are suggestions

Thanks
Anup

I second VahanPujari.

I enjoyed driving on NH 17 from Goa to Mahabaleshwar to Mumbai during March 2010. Climbing up and down from one ghat to another was really an unforgettable breathtaking experience. :-D

Yeah I know its scenic. but prefer the expressway coz its way too comfortable. The only issue is the stretch from sankeshwar to amboli. Have been on that route previously, some places are really bad during the rains. Was checking if someone has travld on the same route recently

Anup

Hi VP and others,

Am driving down to Goa on 8th, Friday. Am planning to go via express NH4 and then via belgaum, works out to about 664 kms, taking NH4a, judging that road would be best after rains. Any suggestions?

Went to goa on the 20th of September from Mumbai. Travelled alone all the way. I took the amboli route from Nippani. The roads are really good. From Mumbai to Nippani you are on the expressway so absolutely no issues (approx. 450 kms). From Nippani to Sawantwadi via amboli (approx. 100 kms) - 90% good roads, 8% ok roads & 2 % bad. From Swantwadi to Panaji (approx 50 kms) - The stretch on the maharashtra border is not so good but once you enter the goa border the roads are marvellous.

My suggestion is take this route. Another advantage is that you can cover 450 kms on the expressway even in the night / very early morning without worrying too much

Thanks
Anup

Thanks arian,

There was some news that Amboli ghat was blocked by landslides. looks like they have patched it.
Amboli, it is then! will get some pictures on the way. Any marker from Nipani ? , Gadhinglaj or other route?

Nikhil

yeah There was a land slide. But when I made the trip they had already patched it up (though not exactly back to mint condition). Plus the patch where the land slide happened is so small is that u will barely realize.

On the marker at Nippani... after Kolhapur keep going straight. You will cross MAC D on the right then You will cross a toll booth which is also the maharashtra - karnataka border. The highway gets even more delightful after this toll...simply fabulous road on the karnatka side. After the toll further ahead there is a small ghat section (though the road is so well laid that you may actually over look the fact that its a Ghat. Immediately after this climb you will see a right turn. Adjacent to the turn there is also a village restaurant with decent parking space in front (forgot the name). Note that only once you take the right you will see the direction board of sawantwadi & not on the highway itself. Once enter this right turn there are signboards at freuqent intervals to guide you till panaji (it always helps to cross check with villagers too). So follow the route guided by the signboards. Most of the road is straight except once right deviation at a marketpalce (if not mistaken its at UTTUR). From nippani to sawantwadi its hard to miss the right road. But while returning, the signboards are not as frequent and after crossing amboli you may actually end up taking the road to belgaum. So check directions while returning.

Also if you miss the right at Nippani there is one more further ahead on the highway to go to amboli (but your distance will increase for no reason), so be watchful after the toll and for the ghat.

This route to goa is less stressful than others also much more safe.

Anup