Duration: 12 days
Region: Kullu - Manali, Lahaul and Ladakh
Grade: Strenuous
Maximum altitude: 5602 Mts. Khar-dung la Pass
THE ITINERARY
Day 01: ARRIVE MANALI
Accommodation: Hotel, Cycling distance: 24 Kms, Time: 4-5 Hrs, Altitude: 2050 m
After breakfast, we ride to Solang Valley about 12 Kms, on the left bank of Manali – Kullu highway. Be back by evening to Manali and explore the town on your own. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02: MANALI - MARHI
Accommodation: Camp, Cycling distance: 36 Kms, Time: 5-6 Hrs, Altitude: 3360 m
Set off from Manali after breakfast. Ride on the bank of the river Beas. This is the road you will be riding on right up-to Leh. The serpent like road passes through picturesque villages, thick forests of pine & deodar and beautiful meadows. The stretch of about 20 Kms from Village Palchan onwards is an uphill climb up-to Marhi and you will be gaining about 1300 Mts. The camp commands panoramic view of the valley, peaks like Hanuman Tibba, Shitidhar, Ladakhi, Makerbeh, and also the majestic Dhauladhar range. Overnight at camp.
Day 03: MARHI- SISSU
Accommodation: Camp, Cycling distance: 48 Kms, Time: 4-5 Hrs, Altitude: 3160 m
We start the day by riding 12kms ascent to the Rohtang pass (3979 m). From the pass you will get a commanding view of greater Himalayan ranges and barren land of Lahaul & Spiti Valley. The pass is on the Pir Panjal range and remains snow laden for about 6-7 months in a year. Because of the snow conditions on the pass Lahaul & Spiti remains cut-off from rest of the country. After crossing the pass, the road descends upto Khoksar, where you can have a cup of tea as there are number of Dhabas. Khoksar is on the bank of river Chandra which originates from Chandra Tal. After crossing river Chandra at Khoksar you will cycle upto Sissu on the right bank of river through some of the most beautiful hamlets and fields of peas and potatoes. You will be camping on the bank of river Chandra. Overnight at camp.
Day 04: SISSU - JISPA
Accommodation: Hotel, Cycling distance: 52 Kms, Time: 6-7 Hrs, Altitude: 3200 m
Riding along the river Chandra and passing through some of the most beautiful villages of Lahaul Valley you will reach at Tandi, the confluence of river Chandra and Bhaga. From here onwards the river is known as Chandra Bhaga and later as Chenab. The river passes through Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan and ultimately gets merged with Arabian Sea. From Tandi you will gain height and pass through Keylong, the administrative headquarters of Lahaul. From Keylong, there is a gradual descend to Jispa, via Stingri. Jispa is on the bank of river Bhaga, which originates from Suraj Tal at Baralacha Pass. Over night at hotel.
Day 05: JISPA – ZING -ZING BAR
Accommodation: Camp, Cycling distance: 31 Kms, Time: 4-5 Hrs, Altitude: 4080 m
The terrain is much more arid and the road is very dusty and rocky. Passing through Darcha descend downhill before starting the ascent to Patseo. You will now sense the isolation of the region, and begin to enter the territory of the Lamas. In the far horizon you will see the bleak and awesome spectacle rugged and colorful view of the Higher Himalayan ranges. Overnight at camp.
Day 06: ZING – ZING BAR – BARALACHA PASS - SARCHU
Accommodation: Camp, Cycling distance: 52 Kms, Time: 6-7 Hrs, Altitude: 4255 m
A gradual and challenging ascend through loops of Zing-zing bar will take you to Baralacha Pass (4820 m). This is one of the trickiest pass of our entire journey. From the pass you will feel the serenity of the mighty and majestic Himalaya. Number of trekking routes from Lahoul, Spiti, Zanskar & Ladakh meet here. The beautiful Suraj Tal, where from river Bhaga originates, is also here. The steep descend from the pass will bring you to Bharatpur, where number of Dhabas are host to travelers to Leh and Manali. From here it’s a gradual descend to Sarchu.
Day 07: SARCHU – WHISKY NALLA
Accommodation: Camp, Cycling distance: 48 Kms, Time: 5-6 Hrs, Altitude: 4785 m
After spending a night at Sarchu which is the highest place for camping on the Manali – Leh road you will negotiate long and beautiful planes of Sarchu and then cross a nalla to enter into Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir. Today is perhaps one of the hardest days of your ride. After entering Ladakh region and some easy riding you will reach Gota loops from here you will traverse through 22 hair pin bends and reach Nakila Pass. Post Nakila Pass a gradual descend on a gravel road will bring you to Whisky Nalla.
Day 08: WHISKY NALLA – DEBRING/TSOKHAR
Accommodation: Camp, Cycling distance: 75 Kms, Time: 7-8 Hrs, Altitude: 4515m
An uphill ride through winding road will bring you to Lachung la Pass (5050 m), the second highest pass on the Manali – Leh road. You have a long descend to Pang along a rivulet and rock formations. There are number of make shift Dhabas at Pang. From here on 8 Kms. uphill zig zag ride will bring you to More plains. This region known as the high altitude desert of the Tibetan plateau provides shelter to hardy nomadic Changpas, Tibetan Shepherds who camp in tents made of Yak hair. After riding continuously on dusty road you reach Tsokhar.
Day 09: DEBRING/TSOKHAR – RUMTSE/LATO
Accommodation: Camp, Cycling distance: 66 Kms, Time: 7-8 Hrs, Altitude: 3940 m
We ride back to the main highway and climb Tang Lang la pass (5350 m), the last Pass of our tour which is also the second highest motor able pass. The road is rough and ride is going to be really tough. The view from the pass is awesome and amazing as you will see mighty Himalayan mountains as well as the peaks of Karakoram ranges. From here it's a great downhill descend as you lose about 1200 Mts. in 2 hrs. The scenery does not cease to captivate you as natural rock arches and dramatic landscape goes on for miles. We camp in fields near the village of Rumtse/Lato.
Day 10: RUMTSE/LATO - LEH
Accommodation: Hotel, Cycling distance: 70 Kms, Time: 4-5 Hrs. Altitude: 3500 m
Today we continue downhill ride to Upshi, The landscape changes as we enter the Indus valley, where the hustle of civilization greets us. Riding along the Indus river with the Stok range, the view of nearby villages lined with willow and poplar trees. We pass through Shey Palace, Thiksey monastery and the Tibetan settlement at Choglamsar, we reach Leh.
Day 11: LEH – KHARDUNGLA - LEH
Accommodation: Hotel, Cycling distance: 80 Kms. Time: 6-7 Hrs, Altitude: 3500 m
The Grand Finale! Begin with an early breakfast from Leh and Bike to Khar dung la pass (5602 m) - the highest point of our trip – 40 Kms. From the pass you will get mesmerized by magnificent and spectacular views of Indus valley in the south and number of peaks and ridges of Zanskar range including Saser Massif (+ 7000 m) towards north. You will indeed have a sense of Achievement after peddling to the highest Motorable road of the world. It's a thrilling speedy descend to Leh from the pass.
Day 12: Depart Leh . End of tour.
