Name: 16 Day High Himalaya Through the Clouds Guided Motorcycle Tour in India
Brand: Extreme Bike Tours
Price: 4650 USD
Availability: InStock

Iconic Motorcycle Tour India

This tour takes you from the foothills of the Himalayas near Shimla through the remote and dramatic Spiti Valley on the Royal Enfield 500cc all the way to Leh, the capital of Ladakh. Traveling over the highest motorable pass in the world, the infamous Khardung- La (18,380 feet) and Chang La on a trans-Himalayan journey. A high-altitude adventure with breath-taking scenery on the roof of the world. Are you up for it?

Key information

Terrain: All types of terrains
Bike: Rental bikes (Royal Enfield 500cc)
Mileage: 1530 kilometers / 951 miles
Riding gear: Not included, bring your own helmet, protective jacket, gloves, trousers, goggles, waterproof bike boots, shin and ankle protection, etc.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Highlights

12 days of riding, riding hours: 4 - 6 per day
Tour starts and ends in New Delhi
Sightseeing and shopping in Leh
Ride through the foothills of the Himalayas with some breathtaking views
Visit the controversial Magnetic Hill
15 nights accommodation in hotels and tented camps
Support vehicle included

Skill level

Advanced

12 days with instruction

Group size: 8-10 participants

Airport transfer included: Indira Gandhi International Airport

Program

Visit remote lakes and deserts nestled amongst the towering snow-covered peaks of the mighty Himalayas. Visiting some of the world’s oldest monasteries along the way, you get a feeling for the Indo-Tibetan culture unchanged for centuries. Twisting through spectacular motorcycling roads in some of the most remote and challenging terrain on earth. We will encounter nomadic herdsmen and the sightings of rare camels add to the overall experience. This is a land like no other! This is a physically challenging tour staying in a range of accommodations from tented resorts to local hotels and will be the start of a long love affair with the Royal Enfield.

You will ride 12 days out of 16. On day 1, you meet the group, and the next day you take a domestic flight to Narkanda. After being transported to your bikes in a van you will start riding. You will have a rest day in Leh on the 11th day and day 14 will be your last riding day. On the 15th day, you will fly back to Delhi and the next day the tour will end.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in New Delhi

Land in Delhi then get picked up from the airport and taken to Aeroplaza hotel. Extreme Bike Tours has a luxury car and driver on standby should anyone wish to visit any tourist attractions in the capital. Contemporary Delhi is a bustling metropolis that combines the ancient with the modern.

Day 2: New Delhi to Narkanda

Weather permitting, you will fly to Chandigarh (321 meters) where you pick up a van to drive to the outskirts of Shimla (2,276 meters). Then, you get on the bikes! You head to Narkanda riding through the foothills of the Himalayas with some breathtaking views. Stay overnight in Narkanda (2,760 meters) in chalet-style accommodation.

Day 3: Narkanda to Kalpa

You will descend to under 1000 meters as you ride along the fierce Sutlej river flowing in the gorges below until you reach Reckong Peo. You will then drive up through the apple orchards until you reach Kapla (2960 meters).

Day 4: Around Kalpa

You’ll spend some time in the village, walking around the apple orchards and taking in the stunning views of Shiva’s mountain "Kinner Kailash" from the temple dedicated to this Hindu God. You'll organize the permits in Reckong Peo and take a ride to the Tibetan border at Chitkul (3450 meters) with magnificent views of snow-capped mountains.

Day 5: Kalpa to Tabo

Set off early as we have a potentially long day on a road prone to landslides with incredible mountain views. Pass through various checkpoints, head over the Malling Nullah pass near Nako Lake, and enter the Spiti Valley proper at Sumdo then follow the Spiti river and relax at your hotel in Tabo (3,280 meters).

Day 6: Tabo to Kaza

Start the day with a visit to the Ajanta of the Himalayas (as the Tabo Chos-Khor Monastery is popularly known) built-in AD 996 and also visit the monastery at Dhankar. Arrive in Kaza (3,800 meters) early where you'll check in to the charming Hotel Spiti Sarai for two nights. You'll have lunch at the excellent Himayalan Cafe and stroll around the market exploring local handicrafts, shops, and mingling. Good night to write postcards!

Day 7: Around Kaza

Today you will head into the remote high-altitude villages of Spiti and firstly visit Langza (4,435 meters), famous for its fossils. Then on to Hikkim (4,400 meters) known for the world’s highest post office (and send those postcards) and Komic, the highest motor-able village in Asia (4520 meters). After lunch, you will visit the incredible Key Monastery near Kibber (4,166 meters).

Day 8: Kaza to Sissu

A long day today initially following the Spiti valley with amazing scenery all the way. You will cross the Kunzum pass (4551 meters) and enter the Lahaul Valley. Between Batal and Gramphu the road offers some of the most thrilling ridings of the tour with several water crossings challenging enough to test your grit, determination, and skill. You will earn some well-earned rest in charming Sissu.

Day 9: Sissu to Sarchu

Head over the highest pass so far, the impressive Baralacha La (4,890 meters) following the Leh-Manali Highway. The roads over the pass are pretty good and the view is incredible. From here it is an easy ride to Sarchu where you stay in your first high-altitude tented accommodation at 4600 meters.

Day 10: Sarchu to Leh

A long ride today firstly through the 21 switchbacks known as The Gatu Loops, over the Lachulung Passes (5,039 meters), and then through the Moray Plains, a beautiful desert surrounded by towering Himalayan peaks. This is a great place to open up your Bullet a little before we head over the second high pass of the day Taglang La (5,328 meters) and then down into the first village in Ladakh, Rumste (4,100 meters) and decent roads take us through thrilling landscapes and past Buddhist Monasteries. Then you'll follow the Indus River into Leh (3,500 meters) and the hotel and base for the next week.

Day 11: Leh

A well-earned rest day in Leh where you can do some sightseeing and shopping.

Day 12: Day trip to Sham Valley

A relatively easy day’s riding takes you to the Sham Valley where you visit the controversial Magnetic Hill and take lunch in a charming hotel.

Day 13: Leh to Nubra

Today, you'll ride the highest road on our trip over the infamous Khardung La (~5,358 meters). The road is very good over the pass and the views are just incredible. You'll descend down the mountain into the Nubra Valley where you'll swap your bikes for camels! You'll be staying in a very pleasant tented camp.

Day 14: Nubra to Leh

Return to Leh via the magnificent Buddha statue at Diskit Monastery and either again cross Khardung La or attempt the daunting Wari La (5312 meters) depending on the road conditions. After returning to Leh, you will have a farewell dinner in the mountains and reflect on the epic journey you’ve made together.

Day 15: Leh to Dehli

Fy back to Delhi early morning and return to civilization. You'll have the afternoon to investigate this incredible city.

Day 16: Departure

And so concludes the tour.

Extreme Bike Tours can change the tour itinerary without notice if required to deal with any issues that may arise in the countries they operate in, very often due to adverse weather conditions. The itinerary will not change much but if they can make it better, they always will.

The bikes

Most tours use the Royal Enfield 500cc an icon of the motorcycling world. This bike is resilient and will take whatever you can throw at it on whatever terrain. Built for the Indian roads and thumping since 1949. If you rode an Enfield in the past the gears were on the other side. This is no longer the case and is the same as a Japanese bike.

General info of the ride

You are in India to ride so none of the normal rules will apply on the road, Extreme Bike Tours is sure many already know this. Your guide will brief you on what to watch out for such as cows, tuk tuk’s, dogs, and crazy bus drivers. You will soon get used to it and by the end, you will have grown to love the chaos.

Difficulty: Difficult

The High Himalaya is a road-based tour riding but being in the mountains there could be any number of things that will come up like river crossings or mud just the altitude. It would tend to be for the more experienced rider. Please send an inquiry if you are in doubt.

Driving license

Please bring an international license to India as well as your country license. It is always better to travel with both.

Pillions

The group will have a support vehicle following for the entire tour. So there is a chance to vary your journey and ride in the van should your backside need a break. Please bring whatever you think you might need for your comfort.

Fitness

You will know when choosing your tour whether you are fit enough for the tour. This is one of the more demanding tours, due to the altitude, length, and some challenging riding for good measure.

Skill level required for this tour: Advanced

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

Important note:

This tour requires a certain level of experience and good health condition due to the high altitude (max. 5600 meters).

Location

The Spiti Valley is located in the Himalayan mountains, Northeast India. The name ‘Spiti’ means “The Middle Land” and so it’s named as it lies between Tibet and India. As one of India’s most remote locations, the Spiti Valley landscape is very rugged with challenging terrain. On this rugged tour, you will be visiting some of the hardest to reach destinations on earth, all on a motorcycle.

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Food

During this tour, your daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included. Your meals are traditional local food, please inform Extreme Bike Tours in advance in case of particular dietary requirements.

The following meals are included:

Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Snacks
Drinks

The following drinks are included:

Water

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
Other dietary requirements on request

If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation

What's included

Motorcycle, fuel, and spares (ride the legendary Royal Enfield 500 cc Bullet)
15 nights accommodation in hotels and tented camps
All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages)
Expert guides
Support vehicle, crew, and mechanic
Airport pick-up and drop-off
All entrances to sites, national parks, tolls, etc.
First aid equipment
Internal flights

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