Coming Soon
Total Distance:
Season: July – September
1450 KM
9 Nights 10 Days
Leh
RE Himalayan
70% Tarmac,
30 % off roads
Advanced
NR
INR 1,80,000
INR 18,000
The Himalayas are a temperamental mistress , one who enthralls you or could take your life in a minute. Though the faint of heart steer clear of it’s environs; it’s beauty and challenges are not lost on the adventurous, and the people who call it home. The section of the Himalayas that border India and separate it from the Tibetan plateau has created so much mystery, folk-lore and adventure that, it’s hard to not keep coming back once you have tasted, felt and lived these mountain paths.
The Himalayan Shamans, it’s Buddhist enigma, the erstwhile trading routes that spawned a piece of modern civilization; the raw beauty of it’s harsh minimalist landscapes and glaciers, the simple villages with their friendly and hospitable people, and the fickle weather all combine into one force that leaves you speechless, happy, broken , triumphant , loved, humbled, elated, tired, calm ,full of energy, enlightened and sometimes stunned.
Post breakfast we get on our bikes and begin our day’s ride. We are heading towards Sham valley on National highway 1 – connecting Leh to Srinagar. The roads are stunning and the tarmac quality lends to great riding. We pass some of the popular sights along the route and continue riding at an altitude lower than Leh.
We will find some traffic, but it’s a dual carriage way and the only tricky bits are if you happen to cross an army convoy ( quite certainly we will). The sheer presence of army on this route will have you wondering, but you are travelling through one of the most militarised zones in the world. We leave the highway for the final stretch towards our guesthouse, crossing a picture perfect village steeped in history.
We make a dash for Leh city on new roads that test you , with off-road patches and jaw dropping heights on single track roads that are not protected by any barriers. Post Leh we start chasing the silk route today, this being the main road connection that took goods (on Yaks, Mules and Camels) from the Indian sub-continent to join with the main silk route at Yarkand in central Asia.
We enter serious high altitude territory, crossing Khardung La at 5348 M (one of the highest motorable passes in the world). We descend more than 2000 M into Nubra valley, probably the most dramatic landscapes on the trip. We ride on fairly good, but narrow mountain roads with sharp drops and chances of snow near the pass. Only a small patch (about 30 KM) is of poor road quality due to the constantly melting and freezing of snow and water.
Today’s ride is an optional one but in all probability you will want to take it. We are traveling to a village that changed its nationality a few decades ago.
Though India and Pakistan have laid claim to this land it still belongs to the people and the people identify themselves as Baltis, and are ethnically a complete different people.
Its only been a few years, that Turtuk has been opened to tourism. Its proximity to the Pakistani border made it a highly sensitive region. It’s a journey back in time, seeing the untouched beauty of the landscape and charm of its people. Mostly uninhabited the landscape is dotted with small towns, some monasteries, mosques and many army camps. The village of Turtuk is a green Oasis and its people are superbly hospitable.
Dramatically changing landscapes are our companions for the day. On a combination of on/off road, you will ride on river beds, on high passes, through mountain gorges and open flat plains. Our prize for the day is the lake of Pangong . Partly in India and partly in China, this politically strangled lake is a natural wonder of the world.
We camp close to the shore, relax and take in the changing colours as the sun sets. The night skies are surreal as we are camping at 4300M with clear views of the milky way and several constellations. Based on the wind the nights can be cold and chances of AMS (headaches & insomnia) are possible .
Today’s route is a relatively new (open only to the army in the past) that’s only recently opened to tourists. It was a closely guarded secret and its easy to see why. Two high altitude lakes in a setting so surreal, endless twisties, wildflower covered slopes, panoramic views, very little traffic and a single track road with a mind of its own.
Half way through the journey and the best bits are yet to come. We divert towards the village of Hanle which has opened to foreign tourists only since 2024 ( due to close proximity to the Chinese border).
The edge of the Tibetan plateau, the floodplains of the Indus river, a haven for migratory birds, home to the Palash cat , the astronomy capital of India- Hanle is famous for so many reasons. For us however, the above doesn’t really matter.
The staging point for our Umling La traverse, Hanle has a completely different significance for moto enthusiasts.
At 19,300 FT we leave some bits to the imagination.
***Please note that, due to the politically sensitive nature of this region, we could be refused permission at the last moment. We will alter our itinerary if this is the case but we hope that the gods of motorcycling are smiling on us.
The journey back to Leh is fairly straightforward, though a little long. The roads are beautiful tarmac and the valley floor undulates gently following the course of the river towards the town of Upshi. It’s a play of light and shadows as you speed across this multi colored valley, the increase in oxygen levels as you descend, playing some interesting mind games. Your body fights the fatigue of the past days but the mind is elated with the oxygen surplus.
I’d say it’s a little melancholic as you ride the last 60 KM to the end of our journey, the busy(ish) Manali- Leh highway, a gentle transition to reality and crowds. A farewell dinner at a popular restaurant in Leh city.
A taxi will drop you to the airport at the designated time of your flight.
Coming Soon
Total Distance:
Season: July – September
Everyone has heard of Nepal. Home to the (real) Mount Everest and to the (fabled) Yeti, this Himalayan kingdom has ,from time immemorial, sparked the imagination of adventurers and seekers. Home to 7 of the 10 highest peaks in the world, this is an ancient cultural heritage, in the heart of the youngest mountains in the world- straddling a fine line between modernity and primordial.
Total Distance: 1150 KM
Season:
