The alphabet M strikes a chord in the Indian wanderlust’s heart. Let me simplify this rather than sound all cryptic. When it comes to road trips, both mountains and Mahindra add crucial ingredients to them. So, we decided to experience the capability of the Mahindra XUV700 as we decided to head to the highlands.
Time to unwind
As our launch pad was from the walled city of Delhi, we decided to head to The Great Himalayan National Park. After all, what other place could be more apt to enjoy the snow-clad peaks, stargazing under the clear dark skies, and stay by the riverside? As the national park is one mammoth place, we shortlisted the name of a few villages, and we zeroed in on Gushaini.
The entire route from Delhi to Gushaini is around 515 km if you take the GT Road as we did. We decided to make our day 1 pitstop at Kharar, Punjab, which is 265 km away from the national capital. Due to construction work taking place at Sher Shah Suri Marg, this unanticipated curve ball delayed and extended our travel time.
After driving on the highway on the first day, the route from Kharar to Gushaini looked more promising in terms of natural beauty. Of course, the Mahindra XUV700’s people-pleasing styling had some cohesion with the landscapes. As much as we were looking forward to the day with a lot of enthusiasm, reality came crashing down on us as we were stuck in slow-moving traffic till Mandi. If you thought traffic woes were only limited to urban cities then you have another thing coming, but at least the scenic routes didn’t disappoint us. The XUV700 in its diesel-automatic avatar offered a good pace thanks to the powerful 182bhp motor that delivers a healthy 450 Nm of torque which ensured enough power reserve for climbing the hills. Also, the 6-speed automatic torque converter brings convenience to the table. This setup aided us with a fine blend of performance and fuel efficiency.
From the Aut Tunnel, the diversion to the Great Himalayan National Park took us onto a road that narrowed itself to just being able to accommodate the XUV700. Initially, the tight narrow trail did make me nervous as there was no room for oncoming vehicles, but the serene river running beside us and the view of the valley quickly made me forget about all these questions floating in my mind.
As we reached Banjar, we took another diversion towards Gushaini. The panoramic view of the Tirthan valley was something that would make social media influencers flock to this site and spend hours trying to capture the essence of this natural beauty. We finally reached Gushaini where we hung up our boots.
This offbeat rustic village is nestled in the Tirthan Valley of Kullu beside the serene Tirthan river. The resort where we were staying overlooked the river and the room offered a mesmerizing view. What caught our attention was that the room’s walls were made of stones along with beautifully crafted wooden flooring and exquisite furniture. The view from the balcony was nothing short of a picturesque postcard with the river and the mountain woods in the background or as the millennials would call it worthy of a wallpaper. If that wasn’t breathtaking enough, the sound of the river flowing in the background offered soothing ambient music to the ears.
As much as we were pampered by traditional Himachal hospitality, we took a seat in the XUV700 to gaze at the stars via its panoramic sunroof. Meanwhile, the wireless phone charging pad and the fast-charging USB ports helped keep the devices juiced up.
The next morning, we decided to take a trek into the woods and spent some quality time in peace and tranquillity away from the hustle-bustle of the urban settings. After working up an appetite, we explored the cafes in Gushaini and found out that this place offers a wide range of Italian delicacies. With a heavy meal in the belly and a cup of hot chocolate, we decided to head back to the resort for a snooze.
After recharging our batteries for a couple of days, it was time to leave Gushaini. As we headed back to civilization, the route started to become slightly tricky because of the steep climb to Jalori Pass, where we wanted to capture a Kodak moment with the snow-clad peaks. Thankfully, the incline was barely a challenge for the XUV700 as it easily conquered it without needing to take a break. During stop-go situations, XUV700’s 6-speed torque converter rolled the vehicle uphill rather smoothly and hill hold assist did its magic and ensured no hairy moments with the SUV rolling backwards.
The ascent to the Jalori offered a sublime view of thick forests, and snow peak mountains throughout the drive. As we were heading back to Delhi, we drove through small towns and hamlets and this is where the 360-degree camera came to our rescue as we got a clear view of the chaotic traffic. No doubt, this was one very helpful feature ensuring a scratch-less drive. As fun as it was being behind the wheel of the XUV700, there were times I did wish Mahindra had added paddle-shifters as it was sorely missed especially while coming down Jalori Pass when the XUV kept changing gears rather than holding it.
Once we crossed Kumarsain, a town in the Shimla district, we were welcomed by wide freshly laid out roads. The wide serpentine road lets us use the full potential of the XUV700. With the advantage of having an independent suspension setup, first in the segment, we could push the pedal to the metal and the XUV700’s controlled body roll gave me a lot of confidence in tackling the corners, not to mention the ride quality was sublime.
Here is some helpful trivia, the under-construction Shimla-Chandigarh highway manages to reduce time by a fair margin whereas the Chandigarh-Delhi is best encountered post-midnight. The space on the XUV700 was nothing to complain about as it can accommodate five occupants and their luggage with ease.Â
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