2024 MG Experience Drive: Driving the Hector Through The Scenic Himachal Pradesh Covering Jibhi And Narkanda

A memorable drive through some of the most challenging yet beautiful roads of our country in the Hector SUV

MG Motor India invited us to take part in the MG Drive Experience, which was for a span of three days. Our partner through this journey was their mid-size SUV, the Hector. We were told that our drive would cover the lesser explored parts of Himachal Pradesh, including Jibhi, Narkanda and Chitkul (last village of India). This came as a delight to me, as we would be skipping the chaotic  popular tourist destinations such as Kullu, Manali and Kasol. 

Our 3-day stint with the Hector started from MG’s Moti Nagar dealership in the heart of Delhi. We were handed over a striking red-coloured Hector, with the petrol CVT powertrain. Before traffic hit the busy streets of Delhi, our journey was flagged off! 

Day 1, First Leg - Delhi To Chandigarh: 244km

The first stretch was from Delhi to Chandigarh, and we started our journey with fresh minds and enthusiasm. Even though the early morning start meant we avoided traffic, it wasn’t smooth sailing till our breakfast halt. Crossing Old Delhi meant we saw  unruly driving from the auto rickshaw and cab drivers, people crossing the road without looking and buses stopping in the middle of the road. As a result of this pathetic road discipline, we saw four accidents within a span of an hour. 

Our first stop was for breakfast at the Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba in Haryana. We loaded our stomachs with the delicious Aloo Parathas, topped with a generous amount of butter and some Lassi to go along with it. As we headed towards Chandigrah, we got more familiar and comfortable with the Hector, as it felt really effortless to drive it on the highway, cruising at speeds of 90-100 kmph. 

Our smooth drive was then interrupted by a traffic jam near Ambala city, and that meant we had to take a diversion, which took us through the rural country roads. After driving for a couple of kilometres through the roads of rural Haryana, we were back on the highway, trying to make up for the lost time. As we neared Chandigarh and Punjab, we got to see the lush fields of Northern India. After driving for around 5 hours, we stopped at the Heritage Haveli for our lunch, located near Rupnagar, Punjab. We thoroughly enjoyed the delicacies of Punjab and bonded with fellow journalists. After lunch we were all ready (a bit lethargic) for our next destination: Jibhi via Mandi.

Day 1, Second Leg - Chandigarh To Jibhi, Himachal Pradesh: 232km

The next part of our journey started post lunch, a 5 and half hour drive with multiple tea stops in between. As the day went by, our views kept changing and got even more scenic, especially the stretch from Bilaspur to Mandi. The sun started to set, as we entered the state of Himachal Pradesh. Our journey to Jibhi was via Mandi, which is a beautiful small town. 

On reaching Mandi, we had to stop at an MG dealership as some of the diesel Hectors had to be topped up with AdBlue. Thanks to the folks at the showroom who quickly completed the task, and made sure that we were back on track for the remaining part of the journey. But before resuming our drive, we had to take a stop for refuelling some of the Hectors and a quick tea refuel for us. 

After crossing Mandi, we climbed to Jibhi on the main Mandi - Manali highway, which had a mix of bad and broad roads. As night fell, it started to get dark and the powerful LED headlights of the Hector offered great illumination with a wide spread beam. We crossed several well-constructed tunnels on our journey towards Jibhi, all thanks to BRO (Border Road Organization). We also encountered some rain in between, which made the drive even more exciting and adventurous. With just a couple of kilometres left for our day’s journey, it got pitch dark and even though we were aware that our surroundings must offer beautiful views during the day, we could barely see a thing. However, the pleasant sounds of the river felt like a symphony as we hurdled up to Jibhi. 

After a day full of challenges including narrow roads, rainy weather and traffic on our way, we finally reached our destination, the Bradhi resort in Jibhi, by 10:30 pm. 

Day 2, Jibhi To Jalori Pass: 11km

After getting a night's well-deserved sleep, we were all fresh and ready to take on the day for our next challenge - heading to Jalori Pass, situated at around 10,500 feet. But before we were all ready to leave, we got disappointing news as  our trip would be cut short to 3 days, and won’t be going to Chitkul due to severe weather conditions on the way. But safety comes first as weather in the Himalayas is unpredictable and if anything goes wrong, it could result in the convoy getting stuck in Chitkul for a handful of days. 

Helping us move past the thought of going home a day earlier, our next stop, Jalori Pass, was the right distraction. As we neared Jalori Pass, the freshness in the air could be felt even more, and we were surrounded by beautiful views. Even though the pass was just about 11km away from our night stay, it took us more than an hour to get there, thanks to the astonishing views. Every corner, and every turn offered an even better perspective of the Himalayas. As we were ascending, the petrol automatic version of the Hector struggled a bit, but that's when its manual mode came to the rescue and we were able to successfully make it to the pass.

After reaching the Jalori pass, we were all mesmerized by its serene beauty. Even though it was a bit crowded, we could still feel a sense of peace as we adored nature's beauty around us. After having some Maggi and chai, and recreating some iconic bollywood poses, it was time for us to leave for our next stop: Narkanda. 

Day 2, Jalori Pass To Narkanda: 82km

We decided to swap cars with other journalists, and our next travel partner was the MG Hector Plus in its diesel manual configuration. As we embarked on the final leg of our day’s journey, we realized that the road condition was getting worse, and Hector had to deal with continuous potholes. The Hector was able to tackle the challenges thrown at it and emerge successful. 

Halfway to Narkanda, we saw a beautiful stream, and the MG convoy decided to stop there for some photos. We enjoyed the fresh water splashes hitting the rocks and vibing to the sound of nature. Even though our journey on Day 2 was not very long, we realized that it's not about the distance you travel, but about what you see and experience. 

Once we reached the bottom of the valley and reunited with the Sutlej river, the roads from this point started to get wider, smoother and well-paved. We were really enjoying our drive in the Hector SUV, and were able to reach Narkanda well before sunset. Our hotel at Narkanda was called the Piyush Residency. It had a difficult and steep parking spot, where the 360-degree camera of the Hector was of good use. 

A Little About The Hector 

During this trip, we discovered a lot about Hector and trust me, there’s more than meets the eye. The Hector comes with comfortable seats, ample cabin space, plenty of features and a large boot, making it a great companion for longer trips with your family. 

It would seem a bit biased, if I didn't mention the things I didn’t like about the Hector. The automatic turn indicators are not the most useful when it comes to driving on the ghats, and the sound of it on every turn gets a bit irritating. Another point to mention would be the low fuel efficiency with the petrol variant, which meant we had to constantly worry about the next fuel stop, especially once the gauge crossed the halfway mark. 

Final Day, Narkanda To Delhi: 400km

We woke up with the breathtaking views of the snow-clad Himalayas from our windows, which looked stunning with the morning sun’s rays falling on them. Our partner for the last day was the Hector Blackstorm Edition, which makes the SUV look stunning, while giving it a stealthy look. 

While the last stop was Delhi, we had requested MG to schedule our flights from Chandigarh to avoid the traffic and chaos of the National Capital. Our route while going back was via Shimla, also called the Queen of Himalayas. As we entered the city of Shimla, we faced a lot of tourist traffic, which got us delayed by at least half an hour. After somehow managing to cross the beautiful city and its ugly chaotic traffic, we took a tea break to freshen up and ready for the final descent. 

We got moving quickly and decided to not take any more breaks, in order to reach the Chandigarh airport well in time. The Hector, however, needed a fuel break, before we could resume our remaining journey.

Final Moments With The Hector

As we entered Punjab, the weather became sunny and the national highway towards Chandigarh ensured a comfortable and smooth ride. On reaching Chandigarh airport, it was time to part ways with the Hector, which played a great role in keeping us safe and sound at all times, while giving us a memorable time with it. 

To Sum It Up

The MG Hector Experience Drive was indeed a great experience. During the 3-day journey, we made countless memories and got a chance to interact with some really nice people, from all parts of the country. Though we faced some of the most difficult challenges one could face on a road trip, including the numerous weather changes, narrow hilly roads, and the multiple bottlenecks, the unity of our group and the people with us made the target seem achievable.

At the end, the important thing is to take the positivity and memories back with you, and try to integrate some of it within our daily lives.

We would like to thank MG for inviting us and kudos to them for planning and executing the event so well.

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