13 Day Indian Himalayas Escapade: The Perfect Off-beat Guided Motorcycle Tour

Overview

Himachal Pradesh and Leh Ladakh are nestled amidst the majestic mountains of the Trans Himalayas. This mesmerizing and thrilling adventure offers endless opportunities to witness a unique abundance of middle land. India Motorbike Tour designed the perfect tour for all tastes and combined it with the perfect blend of culture and unforgettable landscapes.

Highlights

• Starts in Delhi and ends in Leh
• Experience unique Tibetan culture
• Ride through ancient villages in the Tirthan Valley
• Cross the most grueling motor-able pass, “Khardung la”
• See roaring high-altitude rivers Satluj, Beas, Chandrabhaga, Indus, and Shyok
• World's longest tunnel (9.5 km) at above 3,050 m altitude
• World-class hospitality of Buddhist people with delicious food
• 12 nights accommodation in premium hotels / resort / Swiss camp

Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrive in Delhi

   - Elevation: 210 m - Hotel - Highlights: Welcome to India Upon arrival at Delhi international airport, you will meet and greet with India Motorbike Tours' representative and then be transferred to your hotel.

2. Day 2: Delhi - Shimla (340 km / 211.27 miles)

   - 6 to seven hours - Elevation: 2,280 m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Test ride In the morning, after breakfast, you will board a private minibus and proceed to Shimla (the capital city of Himachal Pradesh). Sit back and enjoy the scenic view of the Himalayan foothills. Reach Shimla in the afternoon, then after refreshments, meet with India Motorbike Tours' cruise team, followed by a brief introduction about the upcoming epic adventurous journey. It’ll be time to get familiarized with your machine (the Royal Enfield) as well as mountain traffic.

3. Day 3: Shimla - Tirthan Valley (145 km / 91 miles)

   - 5 to six hours - Elevation: 1,600 m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Jalori Pass - Shoja - Jibhi The epic adventurous journey will begin towards Jibhi. On the way, you will cross several quaint Himalayan villages followed by crossing a fantastic Jalori mountain pass with steep inclines and winding curves. Jibhi is a scenic village located in the lap of the Himalayas, in the Tirthan Valley, and is surrounded by millions of pine trees and Himalayan fauna / floras. On arrival, check in to a charming wilderness home nestled amongst the lush green mountainslopes of Tirthan Valley. Post refreshment,

4. Day 4: Tirthan Valley - Manali (100 km / 62.14 miles)

   - 3 to four hours - Elevation: 2,000 m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Banjar - Kullu - Beas River - Manali As Day 4 dawns, you will bid goodbye to Jibhi and proceed towards Manali. On the way, you will stop at a riverside café for lunch. Later, you will continue your ride towards Manali, a gorgeous hill station located in the lap of Pir Panjal mountains. The landscape there is breathtaking. On the way, you will be mesmerized by the fascinating Himalayan mountain views along the River Beas. In the late afternoon, you will reach Manali, which is located on the bank of the River Beas. A magnificen

5. Day 5: Manali - Sarchu (170 km / 105.63 miles)

   - 5 to six hours - Elevation: 4,850 m - Camp - Meals - Highlights: Atal Tunnel - Jispa - Baralacha La - Killig Sarai - Sarchu Ground High on Himalayas is the theme of the day as you will be riding to Sarchu, the most grueling ride of an adventure seeker. Sarchu is located on the borderline between Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh region. On the way, experience the Atal tunnel ride (the world's highest-altitude and longest tunnel at 9.8 km). After crossing the tunnel, you will enter the Greater Himalayan landscape. Enjoy the breathtaking view followed by the giant Baralachha Pass (4,850 meters). At

6. Day 6: Sarchu - Leh (255 km / 158.45 miles)

   - 7 to eight hours - Elevation: 5,359 m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Gata loops - More plain - Lachung la pass - Taglang la pass This day, you will climb multiple high-altitude mountain passes, including Naki la (4,740m), Lachung la (5,065m), the ghost of Gata loops (22 hairpin bend that would give a breathtaking view of the Himalayan mountains), and Taglang la (5,359m). These will be followed by more plain and a perfect blend of mountain range horizon. Taglang la's descending part will be the beginning of the land of Lama. At the end of the day, you will reach Leh (the capital city of monks)

7. Day 7: Explore Leh town

   - 2 to three hours - Elevation: 3,500 m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Acclimatization day - Leh market - Shanti Stupa You will go from Tashi Delek to Ladakh. After completing the sensational ride into the Trans Himalayan region, you will have the day free to relax or explore the beautiful town on your own. Leh is at an altitude of 3,500 m above sea level. Hence, due to high altitude, it is of utmost importance that you walk or roam around in the Leh market to prevent high acute mountain sickness (HAMS). In the evening, you will visit the beautiful and magnificent Shanti Stupa located at a heig

8. Day 8: Leh - Nubra Valley (130 km / 80.78 miles)

   - 5 to six hours - Elevation: 5,602 m - Camp - Meals - Highlights: Khardung la Pass - Nubra Valley - Cold Desert This day, you will ride over the world's second highest mountain pass, Khardung la (5,602 m). Experience an astounding mixture of spectacular scenery, the most grueling mountain pass, and overwhelming beauty. After visiting Khardung la, you will descend towards Nubra Valley (the land of Mongolian camels). On arrival at the camp, check-in and have some refreshments, then proceed to the desert, where you can experience a double-humped camel ride or spend quality time in the heart of t

9. Day 9: Nubra Valley - Pangong Lake (180 km / 111.85 miles)

   - 5 to six hours - Elevation: 4,360 m - Cottage - Meals - Highlights: Diskit Monastery - Shyok River - Pangong Lake This day, you'll be off to Pangong Lake, with an en route visit to the biggest statue of Buddha in Diskit. Pangong Lake is the largest salty water lake in Asia. This lake is situated on the Indian-Chinese border (at a height of 4,360 m above sea level). En route, you will stop at Shyok village for lunch with a breathtaking view of the high mountains. In the late afternoon, you will reach a campsite after refreshments, where you can witness the unforgettable sunset view at Pangong

10. Day 10: Pangong Lake - Hanle (180 km / 111.88)

    - 5 to six hours - Elevation: 4,500 m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Chushul War Memorial - Rezang la - Tsaga la - Astronomical Observatory Another action-packed adventurous ride will begin on this day. Hence, you must start early from Pangong to reach Hanle before sunset. The ride will begin towards the second highest optical telescope in the world, following Chushul War Memorial, Tsaga la, and Rezang la. Dirt road will prevail until the Loma bend, providing one of the best off-road experiences. In the late afternoon, you will reach Hanle. It has one of the best landscapes, which you could not

11. Day 11: Ride to Umling la (135 km / 83.86 miles) round trip

    - 6 to seven hours - Elevation: 5,882 m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Nurbu la - Chisumle - Umling la (world's highest motor-able pass) - Photi la On Day 11th, get ready to conquer the world's highest motor-able pass, Umling la, at 5,882 m. It’s higher than Mount Everest Base Camp, which has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records (GWR). Experience a 360° view of the Himalayan ranges. On this special day, you will start your morning ride at 07:30 to reach Umling la before lunch. Throughout the ride, this journey offers one of the stunning landscapes of the Himalayan ranges. Upon reac

12. Day 12: Hanle - Leh (245 km / 152.24 miles)

    - 7 to eight hours - Elevation: 3,500m - Hotel - Meals - Highlights: Loma Bend - Nyoma - Mahy bridge - Chumathang - Upshi How quickly these 11 days of adventure expedition have passed! On Day 12th, saddle up and ride back to the capital city of Ladakh via Mahe bridge. On the way, you will cross many remote picturesque villages in Chumathang Valley and stop in Upshi for lunch. At the end of the day, check-in at your pre-booked hotel in Leh town. After completing the sensational expedition of Ladakh, Himalayas, you'll have the evening to enjoy the farewell dinner with India Motorbike Tours' crui

13. Day 13: Drop off at Leh airport

    - Elevation: 3,500 m This day, it’ll be time to say goodbye to the mountains' state and proceed to Leh airport to catch a flight back to Delhi, with bags of memories and exciting stories to recount. India Motorbike Tours' services conclude at this point. They would like to thank you for giving them the opportunity to serve you, looking forward to more opportunities in future.

Ride Details

Terrain

Asphalt and off-roading

Motorbike

Rental motorbike (Royal Enfield 411cc Himalayan motorbike)

Mileage

1,900 kilometers / 1,180.61 miles

Daily rides

100 - 340 kilometers / 62.14 - 211.27 miles

Riding gear

India Motorbike Tour recommends carrying your own riding gears

Meals

Non-alcoholic welcome drinks on arrival and buffet dinners / breakfasts at hotel / camps

Accommodation

You will be staying at India Motorbike Tours' carefully selected deluxe hotels / Swiss camps. However, at one or two locations, you will be staying in basic tented accommodation as options are very limited (considering the route's topographyt). The stays are typically furnished with good-quality linen and toiletry kit. All stays are booked inclusive of buffet dinner and breakfast. You will stay at the following accommodations along the routes:

Food

Included are buffet dinners / breakfasts at hotel / camps (except in Delhi), mineral water bottle per person per day, and non-alcoholic welcome drinks on arrival at hotels / camps. North Indian, continental, Chinese, and Tibetan food will be served during the stay. India Motorbike Tours promises that you will love it (especially the Indian cuisine).

Getting There

India Motorbike Tours' offered trip will give you the opportunity to travel beautiful roads of the northern Indian Himalayas, where you will encounter famous milestones, i.e., Pangong Lake, the world’s highest altitude brackish lake at a height of 4,360 m, as well as the most exciting road from Hanle to Umling la with an elevation of 5,882 m. It is the world’s highest motor-able pass. On the other

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