Mumbai to Trimbakeshwar is about 180 km on the map and takes around 4 hours in a car. In one of our vehicles, plan for roughly 205 km and 5 hours each way. The temple sits at the foot of Brahmagiri hill, about 30 km beyond Nashik.
Trimbakeshwar is one of the twelve jyotirlingas and the source of the Godavari. Most groups do it as a single trip from Mumbai. If you are planning the full circuit instead, our jyotirlinga page covers that separately.
The drive itself
01
0 kmStart
Your pickup point. An early start is worth it for darshan queues.
02
45 km1 h 20 m
The slow stretch out of the city.
03
120 km3 h 00 m
The climb. Slower in monsoon.
04
175 km4 h 15 m
Standard halt. Some groups add Panchavati here on the way back.
05
205 km5 h 00 m
Last 30 km on a smaller road. Parking near the temple is limited.
Google Maps assumes a car on an empty road. Our vehicles are speed limited to 80 km per hour as RTO rules require, they carry a full load, and they halt on the way. Plan for roughly 10 to 15 per cent more distance than the map says, an hour more on trips up to five hours, and two hours more beyond that.
Some venues and rural roads on this route cannot take a large vehicle. Send us the exact pickup and drop addresses, including any unpaved or monsoon affected stretches, and we will confirm access before you book rather than on the day.
Matching the fleet to your group
How many are travelling?
17people
Group size
Wider seats, easier on elderly pilgrims
| Group size | We suggest | Why on this route | Trip shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to 6 | Kia Carens, Ertiga or SUV | Fastest door to door for a small family | Same day |
| 7 to 13 | 14 seater Tempo Traveller | One vehicle beats two cars from seven adults | Same day or 1 night |
| 9 to 16 | 16 seater Force Urbania | Softer suspension on the ghat | 1 night |
| 13 to 20 | Maharaja Tempo TravellerPopular pick | Wider seats, easier on elderly pilgrims | 1 night |
| 14 to 26 | Tempo Traveller | Best cost per seat, sofa-cum-bed row | 1 night |
| 19 to 33 | Mini Bus | Society and mandal group bookings | 1 night |
| 45 and above | Luxury AC Bus | Community groups, lowest cost per head | 1 night |
The bigger the vehicle, the less each person pays. A 13 seater on a Lonavala day trip works out around ₹615 a head. A 49 seater on the same trip works out around ₹367. If your group sits close to the next size up, going up usually costs less per person.
Travelling with elderly passengers or small children? Book one size above your headcount. The spare row means somebody can put their feet up and lie down, or the children have somewhere to play.
Parking near the temple is limited and the last stretch is a smaller road. A full coach can do it but the drop point will be further from the temple than a tempo traveller would manage. For groups with elderly pilgrims that walk matters.
Planning the day
Our recommendation Same day is comfortable for most groups. One night makes sense if you want the early morning darshan, or if you are adding Nashik and Panchavati to the trip.
Recommended
The other way
Before you go
The year on this road
October to March.
Shravan month and Mondays bring the largest crowds.
Limited near the temple.
Larger vehicles drop further away, which is worth knowing if elderly pilgrims are travelling.
The temple opens very early.
Morning darshan has shorter queues than the middle of the day, which is the main argument for an overnight.
The sacred tank and the source of the Godavari, right beside the temple.
Most groups spend time here.
A climb of around 700 steps for those who want it.
Allow half a day and decide before the trip, not on the day.
Modest dress expected.
Specific rules apply for the inner sanctum, so check at the temple on arrival.
Before you ask about price
About 4 hours for the 180 km in a car. In a full vehicle with a speed limiter, a halt and the Kasara ghat, plan for around 205 km and 5 hours. Monsoon adds an hour on the ghat.
Yes, comfortably. Leave around 5 in the morning and you are back by 8.30 in the evening with time for darshan and Kushavarta Kund.
Yes, and many groups do. Nashik is about 30 km away, so Panchavati and Ramkund fit easily into the same trip. Tell us at booking so the kilometres are in the package.
A Maharaja tempo traveller or the 16 seater Urbania. Also worth knowing that parking is limited near the temple, so a smaller vehicle drops you closer than a coach does.
Yes. They are about 120 km apart and a two day trip covers both comfortably. If you want more than two jyotirlingas, look at our jyotirlinga circuit page instead.
From Trimbakeshwar