I had been itching for a quick road trip, something short, doable in a single day, and ideally a place where I could escape Mumbai’s scorching April heat. After scanning Google Maps, reading reviews, and looking at travel photos, I finally landed on Tansa Lake. Seemed like the perfect little getaway to chill for a few hours and head back by night.
But First – A Surprise – Mechanic Under the Crysta
Just as I was about to start the drive, I noticed something under the car. Alarmed at first, I bent down to find a very sleepy, very fluffy mechanic napping under the chassis – a cat that had clearly claimed the underside of my Innova Crysta as its personal workshop or chill zone.
“Certified Crysta Mechanic taking her afternoon nap before the chaos begins.”
I like to think she gave her blessing to the trip before lazily strolling off. If only she knew what chaos was coming up…
Departure from Mumbai
I left Mumbai in the early evening, hoping to reach Tansa Lake before sunset. But right from the start, things began going sideways. The roads leading up to Tansa were in terrible shape – potholes, broken surfaces, and narrow stretches slowed me down considerably.
- Broken surfaces and potholes slowed down the car considerably
- Narrow stretches of roads made the drive more challenging
- Poor road conditions made it difficult to navigate
By the time I reached near the lake, it was already getting dark. Worse still, the area around the Tansa viewpoint felt extremely shady and deserted. It didn’t feel safe to step out, so I decided to stay inside the car and move on, rather than risk anything.
Wanting to salvage the evening, I decided to head toward Shahpur. But things only got more frustrating from here. The mobile network dropped, and Google Maps kept misdirecting me onto interior, kaccha roads that seemed rarely used and very poorly maintained.
- The mobile network dropped, making navigation difficult
- Google Maps kept misdirecting me onto poorly maintained roads
- The roads seemed rarely used and poorly maintained
Much like the Tansa area, these backroads also felt isolated and suspicious, and I again made the call to stay in the car and keep driving cautiously. A couple of times, my Innova Crysta’s underbody scraped over rough terrain – nothing major, but definitely not something you want to feel more than once in a trip.
Total Loss, Then Relief at NH47
I ended up getting lost multiple times and spent a good while circling through unknown territory. Eventually, I made it back to the NH47 highway around 9:00 PM. Sadly, even the national highway didn’t offer relief – there were diversions all over the place, and the road quality remained poor, filled with uneven patches and construction activity.
| Challenges | Causes |
|---|---|
| Bad roads | Potholes, broken surfaces, narrow stretches |
| Zero network | Dropped mobile network |
| GPS errors | Google Maps misdirection |
| Underbody scrapes | Rough terrain |
| Shady areas | Isolated and suspicious area |
Dinner & the Way Back
After finally escaping the maze of misdirections, I stopped at Hotel Pariwar Garden for a quick dinner. The food was decent, and it gave me a chance to unwind after a very tiring drive. From there, I made the final stretch back to Mumbai, reaching home at 12:10 AM.
Trip Stats & Final Thoughts
Route: Mumbai → Tansa Lake-Shahapur-NH47–Mumbai
Car: Toyota Innova Crysta 2.8 AT Diesel
Total Time: Approx. 7 hours
Fuel Efficiency: 8.7 L/100 km (≈ 11.5 km/l)
Challenges: Bad roads, zero network, GPS errors, underbody scrapes, shady areas
Road Rating: Max 4/10
To be honest, I wrapped up the trip feeling disappointed and underwhelmed. Tansa Lake remained unseen, and most of the drive felt more like damage control than a relaxing escape. That said – I’m not done with this route. I still want to see what Tansa has to offer under the right conditions. I plan to try this trip again, but next time with:
- A much earlier start
- Offline maps downloaded
- A better-planned route
- And maybe even a companion or two for added safety
Thanks for reading! If any of you have done this route or have tips for reaching Tansa or Shahpur more efficiently, I’d love to hear from you.
