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Destination: Himalaya, India
Duration: 14 Day(s)
Group Size: 10
Pillion Friendly: Mainly, but there's one day that's dirt/rough
Terrain: Mostly tar, but one tough day of dirt
Support: Tour leader / Pro' Medic / Mechanic / Support vehicle
Distance: 1200km
While we do everything within reason to make your trip as safe and enjoyable as we can, there are challenges implicit to travelling in the world's mightiest mountains that we could not remove if we wanted to – it adds to the excitement. The environment is very much in charge here, the natural forces so great that human endeavours to tame them barely register.
The Himalaya is still growing, and at the same time collapsing – sometimes overnight and across our route. For this reason, no itinerary is ever set in stone. So each morning your tour leader will gather information and assess conditions ahead. If our planned route is blocked, we may have to detour around, or wait until a passage can be forced. This happens and is usually overcome, but there's the possibility routes and accommodation will have to change. This is not a normal package holiday! If you're looking for the ultimate biking adventure, with the best back-up and most fitting overnight stays, then please read on…
As a participant in this tour you will fly to Delhi and on to Chandigarh where you'll be accommodated in a comfortable hotel and introduced to 'your' bike, a 410cc Enfield Himalayan. There will be a full briefing before we set off for the high mountains.
Whenever riding there will be a leader and 'outrider' guiding and trouble-spotting. A 'sweeper' rider, a support vehicle with spares and a well-equipped medic will travel at the rear. Roads are often rough, so we recommend you have at least two year's riding experience before taking on this challenge. You will also need a reasonable fitness level and there are certain medical conditions that preclude travelling at altitude, so check with Blazing Trails and your GP if in doubt. Weather ranges from warm in lower valleys, to conditions similar to an English autumn evening at altitude – sometimes colder and very occasionally including snow.
Travelling up in Spiti by bike brings you close to the environment and its inhabitants; close to the nature of this incredible place. 'The trip of a lifetime' is an overused expression, but not in this case, we promise.
The 'START DATE' (Day 1) date is the date of arrival at your destination airport. The 'END DATE' is the date on which you fly home.
Please make sure that on booking you select a tour date and bike.
Leap aboard your overnight flight and kip to Delhi.
Switch to the domestic terminal for the short flight north to Chandigarh airport where you will be met by your Blazing crew. Dinner and a briefing await at the hotel.
Come morning we will hop aboard our Enfield Himalayans and take them at their names, heading up into the mountains to Shimla, the bustling summer capital of the Indian Raj administration. Gods-willing, we will arrive in time for lunch and an afternoon's colonial exploration.
Leaving Shimla, we will head toward the hill station at Narkanda, before descending into the Sutlej Valley. Turning from the main road, we will climb the valley-side to the picturesque hilltop village of Sarahan, where a characterful stay is found near an ancient Hindu temple compound.
A short hop, but rewarding nonetheless, thanks to uber-twisty roads with some of the wildest drop-offs you'll find anywhere. From Sarahan we drop back into the Sutlej Valley, then head east alongside the Baspa River into a valley of indescribable beauty. At Sangla you'll find special tented accommodation in fields of flowers, with mountains completing the idyllic scene and a camp fire to round off the day.
Spend the morning walking in the valley, or kick back and relax. After lunch we'll have a ride out to Chitkul, known as 'the last village in India,' due to its proximity to the Tibetan/Chinese border. It is stunning. Dinner is back at camp, among the flowers and mountains.
We head back down to the 'main' road by the River Sutlej and then up the other side of the valley to the hilltop town of Reckong Peo, sourcing the Inner-line Permits that will allow us to enter Spiti Valley. Views over the nearby mountain ranges are stunning and, when the weather is clear, the perfect triangle of Mount Kinnaur Kailash, said to be the summer home of god Shiva, is visible from our hotel.
A big day, an epic ride, so an early start. From Kalpa, we again head up the River Sutlej, through rapidly changing geography. At Jangi Police Post the Inner-line, and another world, is entered. Soon many-hued mountains rear all around… and on along a most challenging road, to the magical scenery of Spiti itself. We spend the night at Tabo, where an ancient monastery (circa 996AD; one of the world's most important Buddhist sites) nestles in a valley of awe-inspiring grandeur. Rest is found at a surprisingly comfortable hotel, where you can reflect on what will almost certainly have been one of the most rewarding days of your life.
Spend the morning resting or exploring Tabo and its monastery, before a gentle ride along a boulder-strewn valley carrying a cobalt river. Again, assuming you have a heart in your chest, you will be reeling at the spellbinding beauty. We will visit the amazing, fairytale Ki Monastery, before ending the day in the blissful peace and quiet of Kibber, a tiny village set high on a mountainside. Kibber, once claiming to be the world's highest village at 4270m, now makes the more modest (but still questionable) claim of being the highest village with both electricity and a 'motorable' road. Whatever, the village of traditional houses and the incredible mountain views make this a stunning spot.
In the morning we will visit one of Spiti's most enigmatic monasteries, the high-altitude (4500m) monastery at Komic, where we will have tea with the monks in one of the world's highest human settlements. Following lunch in the regional capital, Kaza, we follow the Spiti River up to the village of Losar, around 60km further up the Spiti Valley. Here we will spend the highest night of the trip lodged in a Tibetan village, in place to take on the crossing of Kunzum La the following morning.
An early start to do a 'big one'. Today we will climb dirt roads over the highest point of the tour, Kunzum Pass, at 15,000ft. We travel on through remote territory, amid icy mountains with only a few scattered villages along the way, until the famous Rohtang Pass is met. Here we ascend again (if the authorities permit) to nearly 13,000ft and as we plunge down the other side, everything changes… suddenly we are out of the altitudinous desert and into a greener, lusher world of pine forests and waterfalls. At the foot of busy Rohtang is the village of Solang Nullah, and an extensive menu.
From our base in Solang Valley, with views back up to the high mountains, you can trek to local villages, scale the high peaks, or spend the day in the nearby town of Manali. There is every kind of activity to be found in Manali, including interesting shopping. Eating is another favoured pastime. As is relaxing at the hotel with a drink in your hand and breath-taking views back up to the high mountains.
Following a post-breakfast briefing, a late-ish set-off takes us down the Kullu Valley's smooth tarmac, accompanied by views of gorges and waterfalls. Turning from the main road, we will soon be spiralling up into lush, forested mountains to our overnight stop at Shoja and a relaxing drink with the sunset.
Leaving Shoja, we will top the Jalori Pass (3120m) before riding down to the Sutlej Valley once more. As we meet the river, we turn west, riding through small villages on twisting roads through the Himalayan foothills. The ride ends in the Chail area, where we spend the night in the characterful grounds of a Royal Palace.
From the pine forest palace we will start the day riding through a nature reserve before meeting the main highway and heading down to our start point. Here we will have a celebratory dinner to mark the end of a beautiful ride.
Once back home you may try and explain what you’ve just done down at the pub. But even with a phone-full of do-no-justice photographs you will fail to convey the experiential magnitude of riding in the World’s biggest place. If you’re flying back to Europe, you arrive the same day.
The tours can be booked online, by email, or over the phone on: +44 (0) 7494 050404. To secure a place you will be asked to put down a 15% deposit of and payment can be made by card, cheque, or bank transfer.
Yes. We enjoy hosting riders from all countries.
Flights are not included in the price of your tour, unless specified, but we can provide details of where to book an appropriate flight.
Yes, you need travel insurance to cover you for the period of the tour. This insurance must cover you to ride a bike of the capacity offered on your tour.
Applicants must submit online between 30 and four days before travelling and the visa will be issued on arrival – on production of an emailed confirmation document. You will find a link to the pukka Indian site at the foot of the page.
Khem Raj Thakur, Hotel Iceland, Solang Valley, PO Palchan Kullui, Himachal Pradesh – 175103 (+91 98160 66508)
You will need a valid certificate of travel insurance and, officially, an International Driving Permit. This can be obtained through the Post Office at major branches. You'll need your UK Driving Licence and some six of His Imperial Majesty’s Pounds.
We would advise that you have some idea of the exchange rate before you leave, to avoid getting ripped-off at airports. ATMs that will accept major credit and debit cards are now widely available. Cash can be changed at banks and agencies. Further advice will be given in the tour briefing. Generally if arriving for Himalayan tours, airport rates should be reasonable and we would advise you to change at least £50. Money can be easily changed in Manali and Leh on the Himalayan tours.
About £500 should cover food, petrol and sundries.
Yes, if you pay a supplement. Even then, in rare cases single rooms may not be available at some stops as the hotels we use are popular, or in some cases small, and we have to book our accommodation some time in advance.
The accommodation varies. There are a couple of nights of clamping and the accommodation is generally the best in the area that we can find in terms of the overall experience and value.
Pretty much everywhere, but at some camps not right through the night. Thus, bring a torch and if it’s vital you need electrical power every night, please speak to us before booking. Don’t forget a travel adaptor if you need to recharge your electricals.
They are very similar, but Tarka dhal is a bit ‘otter.
You must have a licence that covers the tour bike. Make sure you read the tour description to get a measure of the difficulty. While two years’ recent riding experience is advised, the main criterion is confidence. If you’re happy to zip through a London rush hour, then you’ll be capable of dealing with road life in India.
Riding anywhere carries a degree of risk, as does Indian riding. For more information on the riding side of things see ‘Riding’ in the ‘About India ‘ section of this site. If any rider joining us rides in a manner we suspect will endanger themselves, or others, they will receive one warning. If they continue to display a threat to the safety or enjoyment of others on the tour, they will be excluded from the remainder. See terms and conditions).
Due to road conditions and other traffic, vehicles tend to move a lot slower in India than they do in the West. We will do likewise. There are also constraints on speed enforced by the bikes. These are not high-revving sports bikes and so we will lead the tour at a maximum speed of around 80kph.
No, you can’t ride independently of the tour group, sorry.
You are limited to 20-ish kg by most airlines. However, we suggest you pack as lightly and in as compact a form as possible. We insist you bring soft luggage – no suitcases. If you turn up with a suitcase we may ask you to buy a soft bag and repack.
Yes, it’s full of snakes. Don’t bring any snakes. It’s full.
Please look at the meals provided by tour.
We would firstly suggest that you avoid too much curry, purely on the grounds that you don’t like it. Indian cuisine has much more to offer than that which we in the West are offered in most ‘Indian’ restaurants. In many destinations, Western-style food is available and where it is not, less spicy food can be arranged. As an alternative, it is possible to bring your own pre-packed camping meals and add hot water.
They are, but not every night. Check the itineraries of Tours. You should be able to get clothes cleaned at two-night stops, so consider this when packing.
We hope not, but if your riding kit isn’t waterproof, then bring some over-proofs.
Consult your GP/travel clinic for travel health advice. Bring enough of any prescribed medication you take regularly. A basic first aid kit is useful (plasters, antiseptic cream, bite/sting relief, plus insect repellent). Any serious medical problems will be dealt with by the tour medic, or first-aider.
As air-fares are so high these days, better to hire one locally, or carry your own water in some kind of bottle device. Packaged drinking water is readily available throughout our routes, which you may wish to transfer into a CamelBak, or similar device.
Proper bike gloves are essential.
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