Hyderabad to Shirdi, Trimbakeshwar & Nashik - Road Trip

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Shirdi..
We had been planning this trip for months, and postponed it more than once. With my daughter’s summer camp completed and two weeks to go before school reopened, we finally made a spontaneous decision just one day before. Bags packed, plans scribbled, and we were off to visit Shirdi, Shani Shingnapur, Trimbakeshwar, and Nashik.

Route Confusion Solved:

This was the most confusing part of the whole trip. Google Maps shows two major routes, but avoid the Ahmednagar route at all costs, it's time-consuming and full of traffic.

Instead, take the Beed route, which is far better and faster.

Here's the route we followed:

Hyderabad → Humnabad → Naldurg (new bypass) → Tuljapur (bypass) → Beed → Sambhajinagar → Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway → Shirdi

Even Google Maps didn’t show the new roads clearly. At some points, I just followed other vehicles, luckily, it worked out well.

Hotel Booking

I booked a hotel in Shirdi for two nights, which turned out to be a mistake. It’s better to book one night in Shirdi and the second night in Nashik or Trimbakeshwar, depending on your plan.

Day 1 – Hyderabad to Shirdi (~770 km)

  • Start Time: 9:00 AM (after breakfast)

  • Start by 7:00 AM to avoid Sadasivpet traffic. There are flyovers under construction there, and it took us a while to get past.

  • We packed lunch from home and had it in the car. With a few breaks, we reached Shirdi by 9:30 PM.

  • Road Condition: Excellent, especially Samruddhi Expressway (cruised comfortably at 120 kmph). A small rough patch near the MH border, but manageable.

  • Dinner in Shirdi was great - plenty of veg options.

Day 2 – Shirdi Darshan + Shani Shingnapur (~70 km one way)

  • Wake Up: 5:00 AM

  • Darshan Line: 6:00 AM

    • I booked ₹200 darshan tickets online and took the prints from Hyderabad , the process was smooth.

    • Surprisingly, we finished darshan in 30 minutes. Phones strickly not allowed.

  • We explored Dwarkamai and did some street shopping. Had breakfast by 10:00 AM and then started to Shani Shingnapur.







About the Shani Shingnapur Route

  • Worst road of the trip. Some by-election was going on, and we got stuck in a 5 km jam before Babhaleshwar.

  • Had famous sugarcane juice on the way - really fresh and a must-try.

  • Reached the temple by 1:00 PM. Parking was smooth (₹20).

  • No ticket needed unless you want to pour oil directly on the deity - that’s ₹500 per person. Otherwise, there's a common setup.

  • Rush was manageable even on a Saturday. The place has become more commercial now, old customs and dress codes are barely followed.

  • Bought sugarcane burfi as prasad, it’s quite famous here.


Mistake Realized

By 3:00 PM, we were back in Shirdi, I should have booked the second night in Nashik instead of Shirdi. Everything was done by afternoon, and we could’ve easily moved ahead. In fact, with tight planning, even Trimbakeshwar could have been covered the same day.

Anyway, I took some rest, and my wife and daughter went for Sai Baba darshan again in the evening.

Day 3 – Shirdi → Trimbakeshwar → Nashik → Return Journey

  • Start Time: 7:00 AM

  • Route: Shirdi → Nashik (city traffic) → Trimbakeshwar

  • Nashik city traffic: Took us 40 minutes just to cross the city. There’s no bypass or alternate route.

  • Post Nashik road: Scenic and smooth - beautiful mountains and cool breeze.

Trimbakeshwar Darshan:

  • Reached by 10:00 AM

  • Don’t trust local guides claiming they’ll take your car near the temple or offer faster darshan - it's all false.

  • Just take a right turn before the check post - you’ll find paid parking.

  • From there, it’s a short walk to the darshan line.

  • Book tickets online, otherwise you'll need to walk 1.5 km to the ticket counter and come all the way back to the line.

  • Due to Skanda Sashti, darshan took us about 3 hours - it was crowded but spiritually fulfilling.





Quick Nashik Visit:

  • On the way back to Nashik, we had lunch and then debated whether to stay the night.

  • We decided against it since only Sula Vineyards and Sita Gufa were pending - not worth an overnight stay.

  • We parked at Ramkund and walked to Kalaram Mandir - well-maintained, peaceful.

  • What stood out more was the street itself - lined with 150-year-old homes, still in use.








Day 3 Evening & Day 4 – Return to Hyderabad

  • Freshened up a bit in Nashik, then started the return journey by the same route.

  • Took a power nap in the car after Beed, then continued the drive.

  • Reached Hyderabad by 8:00 AM the next morning.

  • Total Distance: ~1,750 km

  • Route Taken (Both Ways): Hyderabad → Zaheerabad → Beed → Sambhajinagar → Samruddhi Expressway → Shirdi → Nashik → Hyderabad

  • Best Roads: Samruddhi Expressway, scenic Trimbak stretch

  • Worst Roads: Shani Shingnapur route — avoid after dark

  • Key Tips:

    • Avoid Ahmednagar route

    • Book darshan tickets online

    • Don’t fall for local guide traps

    • Start early each day

    • Don't overbook Shirdi - mix your stay wisely

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