Two nights, three days, and one very good boy in the back seat. Long before Captain and Kimchi joined the pack, Apple (The Golden Retriever) rode shotgun from Delhi to Pune and taught us what a real pet-friendly road trip in India looks like.
The little details that stay with you
A few recorded details from this journey, kept close to the original account and the moments the traveller chose to share.
Two nights, three days, and one very good boy in the back seat. Long before Captain and Kimchi joined the pack, Apple (The Golden Retriever) rode shotgun from Delhi to Pune and taught us what a real pet-friendly road trip in India looks like.
We left before the city was properly awake, before the traffic, before we had fully admitted to ourselves how long this drive actually was. Apple (The Golden Retriever) was already curled up on the back seat like he had done this a hundred times, even though this was still early in his career as a road-trip dog.
Jaipur passed the way a fuel stop always does on a trip like this, quick, functional, forgettable, except for the ten minutes at Stepout Cafe where Apple (The Golden Retriever) got more attention from the staff than either of us did.
Somewhere on the climb into Udaipur, hairpin turns and the light going gold, we pulled over so Apple (The Golden Retriever) could stretch his legs. He took his time about it, nose in the grass, completely unbothered that we still had hours of driving left. That photograph is still the one we come back to.
Budget two overnight stops on a Delhi-Pune drive this length, not one.
Rest every 2-3 hours, more if the heat is up through Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Never leave a dog in a parked car for a quick stop, even with windows cracked. Take turns inside so someone is always with them.
Staying anywhere inside a large apartment complex, confirm the pet policy with your specific host directly. It can vary wildly door to door.
Some trips you plan for months. This one we mostly just did. July 2021, a black Jaguar XF, a boot full of bags, and Apple (The Golden Retriever) curled up on the back seat like he already knew this was going to be his job for years to come. Delhi to Pune, the long way, by road, with a golden retriever who was still working out that a car ride could last longer than the trip to the park.
Day One: Delhi to Udaipur
We left Delhi before the city was properly awake, and the first stretch disappeared the way early drives always do, half asleep, radio low, Apple (The Golden Retriever) pressed against the window watching Haryana turn into Rajasthan. Fuel outside Jaipur, coffee at Stepout Cafe in C Scheme, and by afternoon we were climbing into the Aravalli hills toward Udaipur.
Somewhere on that winding stretch, hairpin turns and hills going gold in the evening light, we pulled over so Apple (The Golden Retriever) could stretch his legs. He took his time about it, nose down in the roadside grass, completely unbothered that the sun was setting behind him and we still had a couple of hours left to drive. That photograph, Apple (The Golden Retriever) mid-sniff with the Jaguar parked on the shoulder, is still the one we come back to.
The Morning After: A Lawn, a Lake, and a Very Happy Dog
Mornings at TatSaraasa are the kind you don't rush. We let Apple (The Golden Retriever) off toward the edge of the lawn while the groundskeepers worked the far side of the field, and he did what golden retrievers do best, put his nose to the ground and refused to hurry for anything. Palm trees, a still lake, hills in the distance, and a dog who had clearly decided this was the best morning of his life so far. We didn't leave until past noon, and nobody minded.
Day Two: The Long Haul Through Gujarat
The second day is where the trip turns into real road-trip territory. Udaipur to Ahmedabad to Vadodara, dhaba stops, mall stops, fuel stops, the kilometers piling up faster than the scenery could keep up. We took turns for a quick dinner at Hotel Supreme in Vanakpur, a pure-veg thali stop, while Apple (The Golden Retriever) held the fort in the car with the windows cracked and water in his bowl, before we pushed on toward Surat as the light faded.
Day Three: Through the Night to Pune
We were back on the road before dawn, out of Surat and onto the long stretch toward the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Fuel, a short break at Somatane Phata, and then the final climb up the expressway into Pune, arriving a little after 7am with three days of driving behind us and a very well-travelled dog asleep in the back seat.
What Stayed With Us
This was long before Captain and Kimchi joined the family, back when it was just the three of us figuring out, trip by trip, what pet-friendly travel in India actually looks like in practice rather than in a listing description. TatSaraasa's lakeside lawn and Pankaj's easy welcome in Surat are still two of the places we describe when people ask why we started doing this at all.
🗺 Journey Timeline
🐾 Meet the travellers
Veteran road-tripper even back then. Settled in for the long haul, came alive on the TatSaraasa lawn.
⚡ Quick Facts
📊 Reality Score
💡 Pet Parent Tips
Budget two overnight stops
Budget two overnight stops on a Delhi-Pune drive this length, not one.
Rest every 2 to 3 hours
Rest every 2-3 hours, more if the heat is up through Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Never leave your dog alone in the car
Never leave a dog in a parked car for a quick stop, even with windows cracked. Take turns inside so someone is always with them.
Confirm pet policy per unit in apartment complexes
Staying anywhere inside a large apartment complex, confirm the pet policy with your specific host directly. It can vary wildly door to door.
Know a great pet-friendly place?
Help other pet parents discover pet-friendly places across India. Add a café, stay, park or beach to the directory.