11 Days Trans Himalayan Motorcycle Tour India

Day 1: Manali to Naggar (44 kilometers / 27 miles)

Upon arrival, you will be picked up from the local bus stand and check in to the hotel. Spend some time with acclimatizing to the high altitude. In the afternoon, drive the motorbikes towards Naggar. You will ride for about two hours.

Day 2: Manali to Keylong (115 kilometers / 71 miles)

Start your ride in the morning to Rohtang Pass, through Lahaul and Spiti District, like Gramphu, Sissu, Khoksar, Gondla, and Tandi. Stay overnight in a guest house or a camp in Keylong. You will be on the road for approximately six hours.

Day 3: Keylong to Sarchu (114 kilometers / 71 miles)

After breakfast, you will drive towards Sarchu and cross the Baralacha pass (4830 meters / 15846 feet). Overnight stay will be in a camp in Sarchu. You will ride for five hours.

Day 4: Sarchu to Leh (253 kilometers / 157 miles)

After breakfast, you will drive to Leh. En route, you'll pass through the 21 Gata Loops, Nakee La (4800 meters / 15748 feet), Lachu Lang La (5065 meters / 16617 feet), and Tanglang La Pass (5300 meters / 17388 feet), which is the world's second highest motorable pass. You'll reach Leh in the evening. Overnight stay will be in a hotel in Leh. It will be a long day for riding with about ten hours on the road.

Day 5: Leh

Altitude in Leh is 3500 meters / 11482 feet. Here, you will rest, do some local sightseeing or shop.

Day 6: Leh to Khardung La to Leh (80 kilometers / 50 miles)

After breakfast, you will ascend towards the world’s highest motorable road, Khardung La (5540 meters / 18175 feet). Once you reach Khardung La, the spectacular view of the Himalayan ranges will mesmerize your senses. After spending some time in Khardung La, you will descend towards Leh, where you will have lunch. Overnight stay will be at a hotel in Leh. You will be on the road for about four hours.

Day 7: Leh to Pangong Lake (160 kilometers / 100 miles)

After breakfast, you will drive towards Pangong Lake, through Changla Pass. Overnight stay will be at a camp in Pangong. You will ride for six hours.

Day 8: Pangong Lake to Leh (160 kilometers / 100 miles)

Post breakfast, drive back towards Leh. Overnight stay will be at a camp in Leh. You will be on the road for about six hours.

Day 9: Leh to Sarchu (240 kilometers / 149 miles)

Post breakfast, you will drive towards Sarchu. Overnight stay will be at a camp in Sarchu. You will enjoy a pretty long day riding with about 10 hours on the road.

Day 10: Sarchu to Manali (222 kilometers / 138 miles)

Early in the morning, you will leave towards Manali and cross many small villages of Lahaul and Spiti. Reach Manali in the late afternoon. Overnight stay will be at a hotel in Manali. You will ride for eight hours.

Day 11: Manali to Delhi (570 kilometers / 354 miles)

After completing the check-out formalities, you will visit Mall for shopping. Around 16:00, you will board the bus towards Delhi. Overnight journey in a Volvo b. On your last day of the tour, you will be riding for about 14 hours.

Skill level required for this tour: Intermediate

• Average experience with unsurfaced roads
• Average riding experience
• Can ride for three-four hours
• Comfortable with extreme curves and leans
• Little assistance required
• Steep ascents and descents

The rider should possess an international driving license for motorcycle driving.

During the tour, you will stop and visit the Shanti Stupa in Ladakh, as well as the monasteries and landmarks in Leh. There will also be a full-day excursion to Pangong Lake.

This distant region mountainous motorbike tour brings a unique experience to your biking experience. It is one of the enthralled tours that bring adventure and cultural interaction. As the excursion is one-week long, you will have ample time to explore this vast cold desert at a slow and relaxing pace. This is a Trans-Himalayan bike tour. This highest cold desert in the world is a journey of self-discovery at altitudes exceeding 12,000 feet above mean sea level. You pass the deep river gorges as you explore to the world's highest motorable pass - the Khardung La. This route is surely one of the toughest motorcycle rides anywhere in the world.

During this tour, you will be offered daily vegetarian breakfast and dinner. Food will be typically Tibetan.

Hidimba Temple

Manali has many attractions, but the main centre of interest is undoubtedly the Hadimba Temple. It was dedicated to goddess Hadimba or Hadimba Devi. Dating back to 1553, it is built around a natural cave, which enshrines the footprints of the goddess. Hadimba was the wife of Bhima, one of the five great Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata. She later became the patron goddess of the Kullu royal family. This four-story wooden temple is located in the middle of a forest, called the Dhungiri Van Vihar.

Kothi

Kothi is situated at the foothill of the Rohtang pass, at an altitude of 2500 meters. It is just 12 kilometers away from Manali. It offers a magnificent view of the snow capped mountains and glaciers and the Beas River flow through a very deep and narrow gorge. Kothi used to be a camping site when the Rohtang pass had to be climbed on foot.

Manu Temple

This is dedicated to the sage Manu. Near the Hadimba temple, flows the Manalsu River into the main Beas river. Across the Manalsu River, there is the original village of Manali, that houses the ancient temple of the sage Manu. Manali itself is named after Manu, who is said to have dwelt here.

Monasteries

Manali houses three Tibetan monasteries, all recently built. The Tibetans living around these monasteries offer a wide range of Tibetan handicrafts and carpets for the visitors to buy. Two of these monasteries are located in the main downtown of Manali and one in Aleo. Aleo is located on the left bank of the River Beas in Manali.

Naggar

Naggar, a lovely village surrounded by forests, was the capital of Kullu in the 16th century. The monuments in the region witness its glorious past. The Naggar Castle, a stone and wood structure built by Raja Sidh over 500 years ago, has been converted into a heritage hotel. The gracefully built castle has a temple in the courtyard and houses a small museum.

Rohtang pass

The Rohtang pass is 51 kilometers from Manali, at a 3980-meter altitude. The pass offers a spectacular panorama of the mountains. It once served as a crucial trade route, and still remains the gateway to the districts of Lahaul and Spiti. The pass is open from mid April to November each year, and provides wonderful views of the entire surroundings. Just beyond the pass, there is the Sonapani glacier and the twin peak of Gaypan.

Vashist

Vashist, a small village located on the left bank of the River Beas, three kilometers from Manali, is worth a visit. It is renowned for its hot water springs and temple. The village is also the site of some old temples, dedicated to the great sage Vashisht and to Lord Rama. The sulphur baths are just beyond these shrines.

• 10 nights accommodation
• All toll and entry fees
• Basic spare parts for the motorbikes
• Daily breakfast and dinner
• First-aid kit
• Mechanic throughout the tour
• Royal Enfield 500cc motorcycle
• Support vehicle for carrying luggage
• Tour guide

• Airfare
• Airport transfer in Delhi
• Alcoholic beverages
• Cost of major bike repairs in case of damage
• Food and accommodation in Delhi
• Transfers from Delhi to Manali and return
• Fuel, oil, and routine maintenance
• Personal expenses
• Travel insurance
• Riding gear (can be hired at an additional cost)