15 Day Guided Trans Himalayan Motorcycle Expedition in India

Day 1: Arrive Manali (2,050 meters)

After breakfast, you will get to try out your bike, Royal Enfield 500cc. Today, you will visit some popular sights in and around Manali. This will help you to get familiar with your bike and also the Himalayan road and its turns. For lunch, you will stop at Naggar Castle. Naggar once used to be the capital of Kullu, hence the castle. The castle is now converted into a heritage hotel and has a museum. After lunch, you head back to Manali and prepare for the days ahead.

Day 2: Manali to Banjar (1,356 meters, 92 kilometers / 57 miles)

After breakfast, you will set out towards Banjar. The road condition today is good and you will ride across some beautiful villages. You ride on to good metalled road up to Aut and from there, you cross the Parvati River and start riding on the left bank and ride into the Banjar Valley. Here onwards, the ride can be a bit bumpy and the road is narrow.

Day 3: Banjar to Sarahan (2,313 meters, 139 kilometers / 86 miles)

Today, you will cross the first mountain pass on this epic motorcycle tour. Just a few kilometers above the campsite is the Jalori Pass, 3,120 meters. From here, you ride down shady and windy Himalayan roads to Ani. The aim is to reach Sarahan by the early afternoon so that you have enough time to visit the famous 1500-year-old Bhima Kali Temple.

Day 4: Sarahan to Kalpa (2,960 meters, 85 kilometers / 53 miles)

Sangla Valley is the most beautiful valley in Kinnaur. You ride on the main highway up to Karchham Dam and keep riding on the left side of the river. The road is about 90% metalled and some small stretches where the roads are being widened would be dusty and there would be some loose stones on the road. On some occasion, you might have to wait for the road workers to signal that you can move ahead. For Kalpa, turn left from the main road and there is a steep descent of around seven kilometers up to Reckong Peo which is the district headquarters. From here, Kalpa is about 15 kilometers further climb. It is a beautiful stretch that is mostly riding through pine forest and lots of tight bends. The air feels much crisper and fresher up here and the cool breeze is a relief after long hours on the hot dusty road.

Day 5: Kalpa to Nako (3,662 meters, 117 kilometers / 73 miles)

Enroute, you cross a check post at Jhangi where you have to stop for a routine permit and passport check. Nako is the last village of Kinnaur; it is an idyllic little Buddhist village. Dotted around the village are tiny shrines and at the very entrance of the village is an old monastery believed to have been founded by the great translator, Rinchen Zangpo. The monastery has very interesting and fascinating mural works.

Day 6: Nako to Kaza (3,650 meters, 110 kilometers / 72 miles)

Today’s motorbike ride sees you entering the Spiti Valley. You ride through an amazing landscape and glimpses of the cold desert of the Spiti Valley will start from the beginning of the journey today. The initial leg of the journey is up the hill and then you cross the famous Mulling Nala and then start your journey downhill towards the valley floor. Once again, today, you will cross a military check post at Sumdo. From here, the Tibet border is only a few kilometers away. Enroute, you will visit the Tabo Monastery and the Dhankar Monastery.

Day 7: Kaza

Today is a well-deserved break, after all the long motorbike rides and early starts every day. After a leisurely breakfast, you will ride to Key Monastery and then Kibber Village, which is one of the highest inhabited villages accessible by road in the world. On the way back, you can ride through the village and ride down for a few kilometers from a different route. The gorge that you see while coming down from this route is just amazing and on this gorge is under construction the world’s highest bridge (in term of altitude). Afternoon is free for relaxation, wandering around town for souvenir shopping.

Day 8: Kaza to Chandertal (4,250 meters, 115 kilometers / 72 miles)

Today is a beautiful ride once again. Today, you ride past some magnificent looking villages and the entire ride is very scenic. After crossing the last village of Spiti Valley, ‘Losar’, the road would be entirely off road: dusty and rocky. Once riding down from Kunzum La Pass (4,551 meters), you will take a detour on the right towards Chandra Taal Lake.

Day 9: Chandertal to Jispa (3,200 meters, 142 kilometers / 88 miles)

You will start the day early as today involves tackling a few stream crossing and in the mountains, it is best to do that before noon as the water level rises dramatically after noon. Almost half the journey today would be on rough rocking and dusty road. You get some amazing glimpses of glaciers and snow-covered mountain and the road is challenging yet inviting. After reaching Gramphu, you will get good tarmac covered road all the way to Jispa.

Day 10: Jispa to Tsokar (4,530 meters, 225 kilometers / 140 miles)

After a relaxed and easy day yesterday, today will be a long day and you will start early. At Darcha, you stop at the police check post and then continue up the winding road to Baralacha La (4,890 meters) and then descend to Bharatpur for a quick chai break. Then, you ride on one the most beautiful stretches of road on this journey towards Sarchu. After Sarchu, you ride up to cross two more high passes the Lachulung La (5,050 meters) and Nakeela Pass (4,740 meters)

Day 11: Tso Kar to Leh (3,500 meters, 152 kilometers / 95 miles)

From Tso Kar, you retrace your route back to the main Manali-Leh Highway. Once on the highway, you begin your ascent of the Taglang La Pass (5,328 meters). Then, begins a wonderful curvy descent. Now onwards, you will keep crossing Ladakhi villages and the road is smooth all the way to Leh.

Day 12: Leh (3,500 meters)

After the long days of riding yesterday, today is a welcome break. After lunch, you can go for some local sightseeing or explore the different markets of Leh.

Day 13: Leh to Pangong (4,250 meters, 170 kilometers / 106 miles)

Pangong Lake is an endorheic lake situated at a height of about 4,350 meters long and extends from India to China. Enroute to Pangong Lake, you cross Chang La Pass which is known as the third highest motorable pass in the world. On the way, you come across the Changspa people as well who might have set camp here for the summer to graze their livestock. The road is a mix of good tarmac and some dirt track.

Day 14: Pangong to Khardung La and back to Leh (5,359 meters, 250 kilometers / 155 miles)

Today, you retrace your route all the way back to Leh and then you ride 30 kilometers extra towards Khardung La Pass, which is one of the highest motorable passes in the world. The ride up this road is beautiful as you get to see the entire Leh city below you and the view keep getting better and better. The ride up to Khardung La is via lots of hairpin bends. You stop at the pass for a hot cup of chai and then make your way back to the city.

Day 15: Departure

Early morning transfer to the Leh airport.

Bike insurance

Himalayan Challenges offers a non-refundable bike insurance at an additional cost of 5,000 INR.

Skill level(s) required for this tour: intermediate and advanced

Intermediate:

• can ride for 3-4 hours
• average riding experience
• little assistance required
• comfortable with extreme curves and leans
• average experience with unsurfaced roads
• steep ascents and descents

Advanced:

• can ride for 5-6 hours
• extensive riding experience
• assistance on demand (if required)
• experienced with riding a variety of motorcycles
• comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions

This motorcycle tour in the Indian Himalayas takes you on a predominantly Buddhist circuit of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. The tour will start in Manali and you will ride through numerous high passes and beautiful high altitude lakes: Chandra Taal, Tso Kar, and Pangong Lake.

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Food will be a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Mostly, Indian food will be served for dinner but breakfast can be Indian and continental.

• Royal Enfield motorcycle 350cc / 500cc
• Experienced guide
• Mechanic
• Support jeep (support vehicle will be included if the group size more than 4 in total for the tour)
• Basic spare parts
• Fuel
• First aid kit with oxygen
• Any permit fees
• 14 nights' accommodation
• Daily breakfast and dinner

• Flight
• Travel insurance
• Monastery and museum entrance fees

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 50% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.