Cycling Tour Ladakh
Duration : 14 Days / 13 Nights
Palace to See : New Delhi - Manali - Marrhi - Rohtang - Koksar - Sissu - Gondla - Tandi - Keylong - Gemur - Jispa - Darcha - Patseo - Baralacha La - Bharatpur - Sarchu - Brandy Nallah - Gata loops - Naki la - Lachungla - Pang - Tanglangla - Rumtse - Upshi - Karu - Leh - Khardungla Pass - Leh - New Delhi
Day 1: Flight to India (New Delhi)
Around Midnight arrival in New Delhi. The cosmopolitan city and capital of India is the main gateway for travellers. Upon arrival, you will be met by an Indo Vacations representative and transferred to the hotel.
Day 2: New Delhi - Manali - Marrhi
In the morning from Delhi we will drive to Manali. Manali, nestled on the foot of the giant Rohtang Jot (Mound Of Skulls)& on the bank of the Beas River, is an evergreen area with Pine & Deodar Trees surrounding the town. We will ride on our bicycles and cross the Beas River over Manali Town Bridge and move further to Palchan the Army Check Post. Passing through a small Hamlet town we will take the first set of hairpin bends on the Serpentine road on the road to Rohtang. We will spend night at Marrhi.
Day 3: Marrhi - Rohtang - Koksar - Sissu - Gondla
In the morning from Marrhi we will ride to Rohtang pass. Then we will ride downhill till Koksar Bridge. In the way we will come across some scenic views of snow-covered peaks and Glaciers. As we descend there is change in vegetation, the tree line seems to be getting away from us making way for small bushes. We are in the foothills of the Pir Panjal range. After crossing the check post we will follow the river flow till Tandi. At certain points we will abandon the bank, then climb uphill but we will be moving more or less along the river. We will encounter some unmetalled stretches of road today after Koksar till Gondla and cross a few mountain streams flowing over the road. We will spend night at Gondla.
Day 4: Gondla - Tandi - Keylong - Gemur - Jispa - Darcha
In the morning at the confluence point of River Chandra & Bhaga we will cross the bridge and proceed uphill to Keylong town. As we ascend the serpentine road into a gorge we will come across Gemur. As we come out of the gorge and descend downhill we will reach the Jispa hamlet town. It's again a green belt for sometime where we will see many shepherds and their sheep scattered on the hillsides. We are almost in the Land of Lamas now. After crossing Jispa one is definitely in an isolated region & in far horizon we can distinctively see the bareness of the Higher Himalayan ranges. We will spend night at Darcha. Darcha can be considered the gateway to the Higher Himalayas.
Day 5: Darcha - Patseo - Baralacha La - Bharatpur
In the morning we will cross the bridge & proceed on the hairpin bends uphill. Now it is going to be all ascend till we come to the cantonment area of military garrison of Himmatnagar. Now, we are in the flat area & then ride through the hairpin bends of Patseo & Zing Zing Bar as we move into the harsh terrain of the arid mountains. Now we will ascend the heights of the Baralacha Pass - 4892 m and Suraj Tal Lake. Now it is the time for mountain river crossings. Twice we will be in the middle of water. We will descend down to the gorge area of Bharatpur and spend night there.
Day 6: Bharatpur - Sarchu - Brandy Nallah
Today we will start our day with an easy ride on a flat road, and then we will ride downhill and then enter a gorge descending down the bridge connected to the Sarchu Plateau. We will cross the bridge and then we will ascend a small uphill road. We will come across some arid landscapes with some beautiful scenery and high-rise mountain ranges, bearing watermarks & erosion of soil clearly indicating that the area was under water a few million years ago. The area is sparsely green. We are at the Traffic Check Post, which is the entry point into Ladakh. We will spend night at Brandy Nallah.
Day 7: Brandy Nallah - Gata loops - Naki la - LachungLa - Pang
After an easy day yesterday we will now move to scale the Gata loops, 23 hairpin bends bringing us top of the mountain feature. We will ride up hill, over an easy slope only to cross the Naki La pass, descend down into the gorge to an isolated military garrison area & then ascend again to the height of the Lachulung la - 5065 m. After LachungLa we are now almost on an unmetalled stretch of gravelly road all the way inside the gorge of Pang.
Day 8: Pang - More Plains - Tanglangla (Base Camp)
In the morning from the Bowl like feature of Pang we will ascend uphill and come to the plateau area of the More Plains. Changpas, the Nomadic people who tend their yaks here and few Wild Ass are the only sign of life on this isolated and long road. This belt is barren and known for its fast blowing winds, sandstorms & extreme temperatures in the early morning and evenings. Fresh stream water can be considered a scarcity in this area though we might find some isolated mountain streams flowing down from the Tanglangla. The ride is easy going, being a flat plateau area, but the road, which stretches on ahead, is not as smooth as it looks. We will spend night in Tanglangla.
Day 9: Tanglangla - Rumtse
In the morning we will proceed early to scale the World's second highest pass, Tanglang la - 5360 m. The ride for the next 17 km is a challenge for even the fittest of riders, weather being cold early in the morning with gravelly stretches of the road consuming extra energy. After reaching there we will descend down the hill till the base of the Pass. After crossing a small mountain river it is time to find civilisation again. The greenery changes the landscape, and the red coloured mountains surrounding us and reflected in the river only add to the beauty as we hit Rumtse for overnight.
Day 10: Rumtse - Upshi - Karu - Leh
In the morning we will ride on long stretches of roads and cross over the Upshi Bridge on the river Indus. The river originates in China and crosses over into India somewhere in the higher regions of these Great Himalayan Ranges. The road condition improves considerably as we follow more traffic from the cantonment area & local villages going to Leh. We will reach the Thiksey Monastery and the Chortens Garden before we finally enter Leh Town. The ride is easy and so we will reach Leh by evening. We will spend night in Leh.
Day 11: Leh
This day is free for leisure activities and relaxation.
Day 12: Leh - Khardungla Pass - Leh
In the morning we will start our journey early from Leh till the North Pullu Check Post with some easy uphill ride. After North Pullu one has to gear up more as the roads are under maintenance and construction but reaching the top is worth every bit of the effort and sweat. Khardungla Pass is the highest motor able pass in the world, and not many dare to bicycle their way up to 18380 feet and from here we will drive back to Leh.
Day 13: Leh - New Delhi (by air)
In the morning transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Evening free at leisure. After having dinner we leave the hotel for the airport.
Day 14: New Delhi
Around midnight flight to home destination.
