Introduction
The following is the itinerary for the Leh Ladakh MotorBike Expedition:
- Day 1: Delhi to Chandigarh (321 meters) | 260 kilometers
Easy/approximately 5 hours in grade/duration. Highlights of Altitude Gain – 105m – Breakfast at Murthal.
Arrive early in the morning at the agreed-upon spot to meet our staff and your fellow cyclists. We leave Delhi after a quick briefing and begin riding on National Highway 1. The route today will take you through Panipat, Karnal, and Kurukshetra.
- Day 2: 280km from Chandigarh to Manali (2050m)
Easy/approximately 9 hours in grade/duration. The gain in altitude: 1729m. Highlights include crossing into the Himalayas and riding along the Beas River. Check out of the hotel and hit the road after an early breakfast. We begin by riding through the plains of Punjab, and after a few hours of riding, we arrive at Himachal Pradesh, commonly known as the “Land of the Gods.”
- Day 3: Manali to Jispa (3200 metres) | 140 kilometres
Moderate/approximately 8 hours in grade/duration. The gain in altitude: 1150m
Solang Valley and Rohtang La are two of the highlights (Pass).
Today, we’re going to bike down the famous Manali-Leh Highway to Jispa. We need to cross the massive Rohtang Pass (3978m) early in the day before it gets too crowded, so leaving early is crucial. As we enter the Lahaul and Spiti District after crossing Rohtang, the terrain changes dramatically.
- Day 4: Jispa to Sarchu (4290 meters) | 90 kilometers
Difficulty/approximately 6 hours in grade/duration. The gain in altitude: 1090m. Deepak Tal, Baralacha La, and Riding along the Tsarap River are among the highlights.
Because we’ll be spending the night at an altitude of above 4000 meters, stay well hydrated by drinking a tonne of water. Although today’s ride is one of the shortest of the excursion, the adrenaline level remains high due to the challenging terrain. The route begins to climb rapidly from here, passing through Zing Zing Bar and across the gorgeous emerald lake known as Suraj Tal on its way to the hazardous Baralacha Pass (4890m)
- Day 05: Sarchu to Leh (3500m) | 250km Difficult/Approx. 8 Hours
Loss of altitude – 1090m. Gata loops, Nakee La, Lachung La, Morey Plains, Tanglang La, and riding along the Indus River are some of the highlights.
After an early breakfast, get ready to ride since today will be a long but exciting day of riding. While biking to Leh, water crossings are a typical sight on the route, and the best time to cross them is early in the day. We begin ascending towards Nakee La (4769m) shortly after leaving Sarchu, through the zig-zag Gata Loops, a series of 21 hairpin curves in a space of only 7km.
- Day 06: Leh Rest Day
The first part of the day is set aside for a routine bike inspection, and the remainder of the day can be spent viewing some of the city’s sites.
- Day 07: Leh to Nubra (3048 meters) | 160 kilometers
Difficulty/approximately 7 hours in grade/duration. Highlights – Khardung La, Diskit Monastery, Altitude Loss – 452m
We continue our journey after a very relaxing day in Leh and begin riding towards Nubra Valley over the Khardung La, the world’s highest motorable route (5359m). The road to the pass is properly paved and tarred until you reach the checkpoint near South Pullu, at which time it becomes slushy with loose boulders on one side.
- Day 8: Nubra to Pangong (4250m) | 260km Difficult/Approx. 8 Hours
Highlights – Riding along the Shyok River, Water Crossings Altitude Gain -1202m
We began riding towards Pangong Lake, Ladakh’s most photographed site, after breakfast. Even though we will not be crossing any high passes today, the journey should be fairly fascinating as we will be traveling via Shyok on a much less trafficked road.
- Day 09: Pangong to Leh (3500m) | 150km | Moderate/Approx. 5 Hours
Loss of altitude – 750m. Chang La and the Druk White Lotus School are two of the highlights.
Resuming your Ladakh adventure, wake up to a stunning sunrise over Pangong Tso. We’re going to ride the same path we did yesterday, and after crossing Durbuk, we’ll begin climbing Chang La, the world’s third-highest motorable pass (5360m).
- Day 10: Leh to Kargil (2676m) | 220km Grade/Duration: Moderate/approximately 6 hours
Loss of altitude – 824m. Fotu La, Namika La, and Lamayuru Monastery are some of the highlights.
Because the roads are in good shape, the journey from Leh to Kargil takes less time. On the Leh-Srinagar Highway, we say our goodbyes to Leh and follow the powerful Indus River towards Kargil
- Day 11: Kargil to Srinagar (1585m) | 202km Difficult/Approximate 7 Hours
Loss of altitude – 1091m. Highlights include the Drass War Memorial and Zoji La.
Get ready for one of the most fantastic riding experiences by waking up to the cool Himalayan air. We check out of our hotel and begin riding towards the Kashmir Valley, passing through Dress, the world’s second coldest inhabited place.
- Day 12: 330km from Srinagar to Pathankot (332m)
Easy/approximately 10 hours in grade/duration. Loss of altitude – 1253m.
Riding down the Himalayas, Jawahar Tunnel, and Syama Tunnel are some of the highlights.
Today’s ride will take us across the breathtaking valleys of Kashmir to the Punjabi plains of Pathankot. Despite the distance, we should be able to ride at a fast speed because we will be climbing down and the road conditions are good.
