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We Google Mapped India's 12 Best Road Trips For You

We Google Mapped India's 12 Best Road Trips For You
Indian businessman Ahsok Kaicker smiles as he drives in his vintage 1953 Chevrolet Bel-Air during a display in a break at the Cavalry Gold Cup Polo match at the Jaipur Polo Grounds in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)
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Indian businessman Ahsok Kaicker smiles as he drives in his vintage 1953 Chevrolet Bel-Air during a display in a break at the Cavalry Gold Cup Polo match at the Jaipur Polo Grounds in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

Planning a road trip but not sure which one has the best payoff? Here are some snapshots from the best user-rated trails in India, highly acclaimed by road-trip enthusiasts who have covering every kind of terrain the country is famous for — from desert to evergreen forests, mountains to coasts, mud roads to six lane highways.

India has something for every type of traveller, and getting there is half the fun. With a broadband connection, planning your trip out can be just as gratifying. Just drop the Pegman on a route on Google Maps, and you can check out panoramic views and shots from the ground. We've linked to Google Maps on each one of these routes for your serendipity.

View from the ground: Google Maps shows us a view of the Kargil war memorial on the Srinagar-Leh route.
Srinagar-Leh Highway
ROUF BHAT via Getty Images
NH1-D is one of two roads that connect Ladakh with the rest of India, the other being Leh-Manali Highway. The 422 km long highway is best travelled during early June to mid-November. Ladakh's monasteries, landscapes and mountains make this a trip of a lifetime. (On Google Maps)
Khardung La in Ladakh..
Himalayan Trails/Flickr
If you've made it to Leh, you owe it to yourself to explore the Khardung La elevation. Located in Ladakh, north of Leh, at a height of 5,359 metres, it's one of the highest motorable roads in the world. This road is not for the faint of heart, do carry some altitude sickness pills. (On Google Maps)
Guwahati To Sohra
Joe Athialy/Flickr
This road trip traversing the states of Assam and Meghalaya has some of the most breathtaking views of grasslands, waterfalls, and rain forests. (On Google Maps)
Bangalore To Coonoor
Sandip Bhattacharya/Flickr
This trip from Bengaluru to Coonoor, situated in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu will take you close to seven or eight hours by road. The route gets scenic once you reach Bandipur National park, with tea plantations, water falls, and greenery all around. (On Google Maps)
Karwar To Mangalore
Manoj Kengudelu/Flickr
This 260 kilometre stretch along the coast of Karnataka is hailed for its breathtaking views of the sea and sunset on one side, and the Western Ghats on the other. (On Google Maps)
Shillong - Sohar
sarit2006/Flickr
No trip to Meghalaya is complete without this cross country ride from the capital to Cheerapunji. Just over 50 kilometres long, the scenic views and greenery will have you in cloud #9. (On Google Maps)
Mumbai To Pune
Nagesh Kamath/Flickr
The Mumbai-Pune expressway is one of the better maintained roads in India, passing through the western ghats. (On Google Maps)
Manali To Leh
(AP Photo/Gurinder Osan)
This is a view of the valley near Sarchu, India, seen when one enters Ladakh from Himachal Pradesh, on the highway connecting Manali and Leh. (On Google Maps)
Delhi To Agra
shivvir/Flickr
The six lane Yamuna Expressway is the closest thing India has to an autobahn. It's one of the best roads to test the maximum speed of your vehicle. (On Google Maps)
Bengaluru To Hampi
johntrathome/Flickr
There are three routes to Hampi from Bengaluru, the one via NH4 and NH13 is the most recommended and will take you around six hours. (On Google Maps)
Mumbai/Bengaluru To Goa
Vitor Pamplona/Flickr
Getting to Goa on a road trip has a charm of its own. The trip takes around 10-12 hours from Mumbai or Bengaluru, and the road is best taken with family or friends. (On Google Maps 1, 2)
Chennai To Puducherry
Sonya Ehcoh/Flickr
This 4-hour long ride through the east coast of southern India is an ideal weekend getaway for Chennai residents. Seen here in this photo are the salt pounds near Chennai. (On Google Maps)

How many of these roads have you taken? What are the most picturesque routes in India you've seen? Sound off in the comments below.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.