We rely heavily on technology and it has undoubtedly made our life simpler. However, we must not forget the importance of talking to the locals when we are on a road trip. They’re the best guide if you want to have an unforgettable and unique road trip experience.
The Beginning of my Road trip
My Saturday started with a planned ride to Kaas. Now before you judge me for going there during the off season, I wanted to explore the road that goes beyond Kaas.I reached Kaas from Pune in 2.5 hours. I had a quick stop at Nivant resort which is my regular spot. As expected, Kaas was barren and the land was burnt, presumably to make way for the new crops for the next year. Anyway, after a quick photo session at the kaas lake, i moved on to Koyna backwaters at Bamnoli.
Lost trail
I lost my way and reached the end of the road some 8 kms after Bamnoli. I got down to the foot trails and that led me to the edge of the backwaters. It was a beautiful sight but the sun was not too friendly in the afternoon. To make things worse, my bike got stuck in the marshy land near the water body. After spending a good 15 minutes, I got the bike out and decided to move to civilisation. I went back to Bamnoli and the fun starts here.
Ask the Locals
I asked a local guy for the way to Mahabaleshwar. He looked at me and told me ” Aap tapola ho ke ja sakte hain, par main aapko mast route batata hu aapka dil khush ho jayega (You can go via Tapola but I will suggest a more scenic route that’ll fill your heart with joy).” He asked me to go to a village called Andhari, which is some 6 kms towards Kaas from Bamnoli and to take a left from there (right if coming from Kaas) and this will take you straight to Mahabaleshwar.
I thanked him and followed his suggestion. However, I hit a bad patch at Sahyadrinagar, some 200 meters of good off road. If you’re used to a little bit of off roading, this shouldn’t be a problem but a road trip experience that you will remember.
Of Windmills and Winding Roads
After that bad patch, a beautiful road awaited me! About 45 kms of blissful riding and you pass through windmills and you can get down and take pictures. They’re a beautiful, serene sight!
At some places you can see the Koyna backwaters too! I kept blessing that stranger for showing me this road as it turns out I was in Mahabaleshwar in an hour’s time . From Mahabaleshwar, it was the regular route and I reached Pune in 2.5 hours.
I tried to find the route on google maps, but the road is non-existent. So, it really helps when you interact with locals. They give you suggestions that are only known to them and no map can show you a route less traveled like the locals do.
You can also hire a travel expert to give you authentic local information about a place. If you want to tell us your travel stories, write to us at editor@scoutmytrip.com. Let’s help others #MarkAndEmbark confidently!