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Destination: Himalaya, India
Duration: 13 Day(s)
Group Size: 12
Pillion Friendly: It can be done, but passengers may need to get in the support vehicle at certain points
Terrain: Mainly tar, but with several dirt sections
Support: Tour leader / Pro Medic / Mechanic / Support vehicle
Distance: Approx 1600km
This trip is very much at the 'Adventure' end of the bike-riding spectrum, carrying us over many high passes, up to the top of Umling La – the world's highest road – and through the most dazzling of mountain environments. While this ride is definitely challenging, the rewards are huge. This is an unforgettable adventure.
Not only do we climb Umling, we also visit the remarkable valley of Zanskar, an ancient mountain kingdom in the most beautiful of high valleys. Riding through snowcapped mountains with sparkling blue rivers in the canyons below makes for a mesmerising experience – as do the cultures and cuisines experienced en-route.
How rigorous any trip turns out to be is likely to be weather-dependent. While we only travel at the best time of year – when this high-altitude journey is actually possible – there is an outside chance of rain, or even snow over the very highest points. Whatever the clouds decide to do, huge roadside drop-offs will be a feature. The riding is not massively technical, or demanding. The Enfield Himalayans smooth things out and we back you up every mile of your journey. You should, however, be reasonably fit and a confident and competent rider to take this on.Â
While the effects of altitude present challenges to some, we have carefully planned the route to aid acclimatisation and will have a professional medic and oxygen on hand to deal with any problems. In 20 years of taking folks to the high Himalaya, serious reactions to the heights have been remarkably rare and we have the knowledge and experience to deal with any ill effects. There are certain medical conditions that preclude travelling at altitude, so please check with Blazing Trails and your GP if in doubt.
We do everything within reason to make your trip as safe and enjoyable as we can, but the environment is very much in charge here. No itinerary is set in stone. If our planned route is blocked, we may have to detour, or wait until a passage can be forced. This is not a normal package holiday, but if you're looking for the ultimate biking adventure, with the best back-up and most fitting overnight accommodation, then you'll love it.
As a participan you'll fly to Delhi International, before transferring to the nearby domestic terminal, where you will board for the (approximately 1.5-hour-long) flight up to Leh. Here you will be met by Blazing Trails staff and be handed 'your' Enfield Himalayan. The trip ends in Leh from where you will be flying back to Delhi – and home.
There will be a full briefing before we set off into the high mountains. When riding there will be a leader and outrider, guiding and trouble-spotting. A medic, mechanic and a support vehicle will travel at the rear. Weather ranges from warm in the lower valleys, to (possibly) conditions similar to a UK winter's day up high, rarely including snow.
Travelling up in these beautiful mountains by bike brings you close to the environment and its inhabitants; close to the nature of this huge place. For most riders a trip like this will be the experience of a lifetime.Â
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.
Fly into Delhi, where you will transfer the short distance to the domestic flights terminal to meet your connecting flight to Leh.
From Delhi it is a short (1.5hrs) and spectacular flight to Leh. Here you will be met by the Blazing Trails staff and transported to our hotel base for a briefing on the adventure ahead.
Take a walk into town to shop, eat and visit the sights while you begin to acclimatise to the altitude. This large, history-drenched town was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Ladakh. It is set at 3500m above sea-level in the Upper Indus Valley and like all Ladakh its culture is principally Tibetan Buddhist. There are, however, also Muslim, Christian and Hindu communities in Leh and throughout Ladakh. Overlooking the town is the huge, nine-storey Leh Palace, long since abandoned, but still impressive and worth a visit. There are many more ancient temples and monasteries to visit and the old Leh market is a fascinating experience.
Today and the adventure gets into gear as we hit the highway from Leh to Kargil. Cruising on mainly good tar, this ride passes through charming Tibetan-style villages, passing ancient monasteries and carving through huge gorges and valleys with remarkable rock formations. Although the road snakes to 4100m over the impressive Fotu La pass, we end the day lower than where we began.Â
Setting off from Kargil, we will ride beside the Suru River through a charming valley of villages and orchards. From the valley floor we are on the up and up, scooting along the floors of vast valleys and climbing past roadside glaciers. The route peaks at Pensi La, at 4400m, from where you can look down onto the ice fields, or up to the twin Nun-Kun peaks, which stand at over 7000m. From here we ride down into Zanskar and a surprisingly comfortable hotel.
Zanskar, oh Zanskar. Glorious high mountain scenery at 3600m, surrounded by mainly Buddhist culture, with stupas and monasteries all around. Beauty on a massive scale. A rest day in which to walk around, taking in the place. In the afternoon, we will have a short ride-out to one of the cliff-side villages, Karsha. Here we will ride up to the monastery through the tumbledown village and watch the shadows grow across the colossal valley below.Â
Following an early start we will take a recently-opened route, which cuts through remote, other-worldly and altitudinous desert scenery. Crossing five high passes, most of this outstanding ride is untarred, single-track and stunning. The day ends in charming Lamayuru for a beer with sunset.
There's time before we leave to take a walk to the local monastery, which clings to a cliff on the valley side. Today's ride will feel smooth and easy after what you have just done. The road is tarred, twisty, swoopy and again spectacular. We should arrive back in Leh with plenty of time to wander into town for a good meal.
After a morning's rest we will head out on the main Leh-Manali highway. The route is super-twisty on the high passes, including Taglang La, which at 5300m (17,400ft) will be our highest to date. Swirling down the other side, we soon find ourselves on a high-altitude plain where we turn toward Tso-Kar, a salt lake set at a height of 4500m. Here we will spend the night in a guest house with views of the lake, which is an oasis for birds and animals, including the rare Kiang – a graceful wild ass.
Leaving the lake we will start off crossing high plains, where pastoral nomads herd their stock. Arriving on the banks of the Indus River, we will follow it through dazzling ravines before turning off and up to 4500m where we spend the night in Hanle, a village that nestles between high ridges and is the site of the world's second-highest astronomical observatory – so star-gazing is high on the agenda. Amazingly, despite the remoteness of today's route, it has almost all on been paved roads.
We are off to ride the world's highest road! Conditions permitting, we will take a dirt track up to the pass – about 50km (17 as the crow flies) – gaining 1.3 vertical kilometres! At the summit, among views all the way to Tibet, we will stop for some pics and to soak in the dizzy joy of riding high. The return to 'basecamp' will involve 75km of tarmac and the insane twisties of the Photi La pass.Â
Leaving Hanle we will backtrack to the Indus River, before turning once again onto the salty high plains. The road turns from a single track of tar into a rough gravel track for the last 20km of the half-day ride to another sparkling blue high altitude lake. Tso-Moriri is another haven for wildlife, famed for its cranes, geese, kiang and the elusive snow leopards that snack on the local goats. Accommodation will be in a fixed camp.
Today we are again back to the Indus Valley, heading back to Leh as the amazing riding continues. The route takes us through deeply carved valleys and gorges of many-hued rocks while the river froths beside us. The road twists and turns its way back to the Manali-Leh Highway for the last leg of our epic adventure. Arriving back in Leh, we'll be off into town for a celebratory meal and a few beers...
Off you zoom, over the mountains with incredible downward views, having completed an amazing adventure.
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 and payment can be made by card, cheque, or bank transfer.
Flights are not included in the price of your tour. We can provide details of where to book appropriate flights.
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.
Yes. We enjoy hosting riders from all countries.
Applicants must submit an online application 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)
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.
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's a night in a fixed camp and the accommodation is generally the best in the area that we can find in terms of the overall experience and value.
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.
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.
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).
We hope not, but if your riding kit isn’t waterproof, then bring some over-proofs.
Proper bike gloves are essential. You may wish to bring both summer and winter gloves.
Breakfasts, yes. For other meals, please look at the 'What's Included' info for your tour.
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.
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.
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.
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