We have, in the past, been very monotonic and cliched about planning our trips which usually involves traveling by buses, trains, planes and covering all the famous “tourist spots” as mentioned in travel books or as made famous historically, getting all our experiences through the eyes of the so-called tour guides or by recommendations made in travel books. All this involved an elaborate process of “Plan a trip”, book rooms in hotels and resorts, buy costly holiday packages.

With free information access and the desire to explore surrounding places for an inexpensive weekend getaways, more and more people are looking at an option of finding cheaper ways to travel. Budget yet comfortable stay, exploring more local than popular spots becomes easier with the reigns of travel in their own hands as they have the luxury of managing and trimming their timelines to suit their needs. Discovering roads yet untraveled at your own pace  – this is what self-drive is all about.

Advantages of A Self-Drive Holiday

1. Travel Made Cheaper

   The rising fares in comfort travel are becoming too expensive to plan short/impulsive holidays around. Busy people with travel bug are looking at a cheaper option of getting away on a weekend for a short trip. That involves driving to close by destinations, staying in cheaper options other than a hotel or a resort, like home-stays, boutique hotels, estate bungalows, heritage villas, specialty lodges or beach shacks.

2. Local Experience

   Whether you are choosing a family vacation spot close to home or flying into a travel destination, people nowadays are keen to make the most of that area. They want to visit the close by destinations too and make traveling an enjoyable and local experience. Be it going to a popular local eatery or heading for a scenic hike or exploring shopping within a city or hitting a popular pub/club, they want it all. And that is made easy with self-drive.

3. Enjoying the lost concept of scenic long drives

   We have a beautiful landscape most of which is unexplored. People now are tapping into that and making their travel plans with the concept of “no planning” ahead. With GPS and smartphones and a rental car at hand that option is becoming easy and yet giving the adventurous thrills of the unknown that travel seekers need. People are enjoying the long drives on highway roads along the countryside, enjoying being one with nature.

4. Exploring Virgin Paths

   With the rise in travelers, more and more people are tapping into making extra cash on the side, by opening up their homes and their summer (holiday) lodges to them. And this has worked out well for travelers seeking a cheap, yet homely stay. This gives them access to the neighboring spots within drivable distance.

5. Beating the traffic

   This is a no brainer. Traffic everywhere has become a menace. But with the GPS/smartphones, people are more and more driving on the less-trodden paths and making way to their travel destinations. This helps them cut through traffic by taking by lanes and beautiful countryside roads.

6. Flexibility with itinerary and time

   With the luxury of driving themselves, travelers are now accommodating places that they plan to see and visit and rotate their itinerary which is flexible to their needs.

7. Not having to rely on inexperienced and overworked drivers

   Hiring cabs and taxis may be easy but comes with their own perils. The taxi industry is rife with inexperienced/novice and over-tired drivers which are a hazard to the travelers. One would rather drive themselves at their own luxury and pace.

8. Easy Availability of rental cars

   Now with companies providing a wide range of cars from economy to luxury, with decent rental pricing, traveling has become a breeze accommodating planners as well as impulse travelers. The rental model is customized to suit Indian conditions as well. You could hire a car for a few hours in a day, or hire for a day, or a few days at a go. In case you hire a car for a few hours, the rates quoted are on a per hour basis (inclusive of a number of kilometers). Which means you don’t have to return the car with a full tank. They just check how many kilometers you drove, and bill you accordingly.

9. Exposing kids to nature and educating first hand

   Kids nowadays are so overwhelmed with phones/iPads/video games they have lost the appreciation for nature and what traveling brings to their lives. Driving down through beautiful, scenic locales gives them a chance to be curious/ attentive and expose them to learning life’s experiences while traveling. 

10. Spending quality time with family

    With more and more couples working life has become a hustle and people want to travel to reconnect with their loved ones. It’s lovely to see how a long drive can bring the family closer. Talking, laughing, singing, playing along the way. It’s a time most cherished and reminisced and makes one want to plan their next such short trip soon.

With so many advantages of Self-Drive Holidays, people in India are truly warming up to the idea of long road trips with their family. So the next time you itch for a self-drive vacation, do your study and gear up to explore the travel roads.

 About SelfRoadiez

SelfRoadiez Travel Solutions Pvt Ltd through our online travel portal www.selfroadiez.com provides integrated self-drive holidays to offbeat destinations within India. We provide exclusive self-drive car rentals to travelers with a choice of multi-city car pick up points in India. We also offer drive holiday packages including accommodation, route planning, and experiential activities under custom travel plans. Thinking of a self-drive holiday? Call us to find out how we can help.