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North Himalaya Motorcycle Tour Spiti & (M-ID: 2363) https://www.motourismo.com/en/listings/2363-north-india-himalaya-motorcycle-tour-spiti-and-ladakh from €3,250.00 Dates and duration (days) On request 21 days

With our new motorcycle tour we combine the legendary high valley Spiti with the highest passes in the world - up to 5.608 m in Ladakh.

Spiti in northern India is one of the most remote regions of . the Himalayas. The people here still live firmly embedded in their old Buddhist traditions in the middle of a magnificent Day 3 - Chandigarth - high mountain landscape. The desert-like landscape is After breakfast we take over the bikes and start our first interrupted again and again by fertile oases, overlooked by tour. The ride to Shimla, one of the most famous hill snow-capped six-thousand-metre peaks and traversed by stations in India, gives us a first impression of what to the emerald-green band of the Spiti River and its tributaries. expect in the next few days. Curve after curve we swing But visiting this region demands flexibility because of its unceasingly up to about 2,200 meters. In the afternoon we difficult accessibility and climatic roughness. We follow the reach our hotel and can recover from the first motorcycle Indus valley and experience with the locals the highlight of ride in India. In the afternoon you might want to visit the Buddhist hospitality. From you can ride the highest colonial part of Shimla. This part of the city is car-free and road pass in the world, Kardung La with 5600 m. With the you can walk around quietly and undisturbed. plane it goes from Leh to Delhi. To round off the trip, an excursion to the world wonder Taj Mahal in Agra is possible Day 4 - Shimla - Sarahan/Rampur ! Today begins one of the most impressive tours through the Himalayas from our program. We travel through a Due to the clever arrangement of the stages, this trip is landscape that is breathtaking almost every kilometre and ideal to get a taste of the high altitude air in the Himalayas which takes us further and further. On the way to Sarahan on a motorbike and also to gain an insight into the Tibetan we first visit Rampur (1,005 meters), where we can see the Buddhist culture. This adventure has a lot to offer in terms impressive Padam Palace. Then we enter the . of scenery and culture, the ultimate motorcycle adventure The southern part of the Spiti loop is already tarred. We turn on the roof of the world. off to Sarahan and experience today the first unpaved part of the journey. Sarahan is located at 1,920 meters, slightly lower than Shimla and therefore perfect for acclimatization. From the village we already have a wonderful view over the - Tour itinerary: Himalayan peaks. The Bhimakali temple is located in Day 1 Arrival - Delhi Sahara. This mostly wooden temple is beautifully situated You probably come at night. You will get a transfer to the against a backdrop of white snow-capped peaks. The hotel. special thing about the temple is above all the striking mixture of Hindu and Buddhist influences and local gods. Day 2 - Delhi - Train to Chandigarth This is characteristic of this region, where these two We take the train from Delhi to Chandigarh. The Royal religions meet and easily merge. Enfields await you there. The city at the foot of the Himalayas is the capital of two states, Punjab and Haryana, Day 5 - Sarahan - Sangla and is particularly well suited as a gateway to discover the We follow the River further into the Kinnaur area. To 06.10.2021 Himalaya Motorcycle Tour Spiti & Ladakh - MOTOURISMO -- 1 the city of Sangla (2.680 m) we ride about 4 hours. After roads much more often. The inhabitants are no longer lunch in the village we continue down into the valley until ethnic Tibetans. Keylong, where we spend the night, is a we reach the village of Chitkul. This is quite a climb, quiet Indian village. because Chitkul is almost one kilometer higher than Sangla. It is beautifully surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Day 11 - Keylong - rest day or excursion Udaipur The overnight stay in Sangla is in a very simple guesthouse. Today is another day of rest. But it is nice to ride from Keylong to the valley where Udaipur is located and the Day 6 - Sangla - Trilokh-Nath Temple and where we can visit the Bima This is one of the most impressive parts of Kinaur with a Harimba Temple. It's a nice ride. magnificent view of peaks over 6,000 meters high. The route follows the border with and in the middle of the Day 12 - Keylong - border is the Leo Pagral peak of 6,727 meters. A pass of Keylong lies at the foot of the highest parts of the Indian 4,550 metres forms a small border crossing here. The Himalayas. From here on, it's only uphill from here. Keylong Sutlej River, which we have been following for a few days is still in the green zone, but we are leaving it behind today. now, crosses the border with Tibet, while we continue along After the first pass of 4,880 meters we stay above the tree the Spiti River. Nako is one of the most beautiful villages of line. Shortly after Sarchu we have a fantastic view over a this trip. The inhabitants are Tibetans and the architectural dry river bed with sand castle-like shapes on both sides. styles in the village are authentic Tibetan. Of course there is The road now climbs through a rocky area to the high also a monastery in the village and the area is littered with plateau of Sarchu. This is followed by the second pass, stupas and prayer flags. From here on the road gets worse which is more than 5,000 meters. To get to Tsokar, we have and the surroundings get even rougher. to leave the main road. In this very special environment we sleep at the salt lake Tsokar. At 4,500 m this is the highest Day 7 - Nako Lake - Kaza overnight stay of the trip. We spend the night here in a tent From today on we ride through the Spiti Valley. The name camp. Spiti means house of Mani, the Buddhist mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. The erosion has given the landscape a moon- Day 13 - Sarchu - Tso Kar like appearance. We ride far above the tree line and it is Shortly after Sarchu we have a fantastic view over a dry probably one of the roughest areas on earth. Due to its river bed with sand castle-like shapes on both sides. The centuries-old, isolated location, the population of Spiti is road now climbs through a rocky area to the high plateau of very much on its own. As a result, many monasteries are Sarchu. This is followed by the second pass, which is more much more authentic than in their country of origin, Tibet. than 5,000 meters. To get to Tsokar, we have to leave the We pass two of these monasteries on the way today, and main road. In this very special environment we sleep at the we will certainly visit one of them. We have a lunch break in salt lake TsoKar. At 4,500 m this is the highest overnight Tabo and arrive at the end of the day after an impressive stay of the trip. We spend the night here in a tent camp. ride in the city of Kaza, where we stay for two nights. Day 14 - Tso Kar - Leh Day 8 - Kaza - rest day or excursion comedy, Langsza Today we ride to the Plateau, also called Little Kaza is a small village where we can rest today if. We can Tibet. Then an ascent to the second highest pass of India also take a day trip to the village of , which until at 5.330 meters. Via we ride along a recently was the highest village in the world with road and variety of special landscapes to Leh. The road is in electricity connections (4270 m). . On the way is Kee (Kye) excellent condition, there is vegetation again and the Monastery, where you can also admire the room where the climate is becoming more friendly. In the evening we reach 14th used to stay when he was in the region. It our hotel in Leh. is a beautiful village with houses in Tibetan style. The harsh, harsh climate that prevails here outside the summer Day 15 - Leh - day off months has left its mark on the residents' faces. On an Leh appears almost medieval when you stroll through the adventurous route we ride to one of the highest winding alleys of the old town with a view of the fortress. monasteries in India, the Comic . The multi-storey royal palace at the foot of the Tsenmo mountain can be reached via a staircase at the end of the Day 9 - Kaza - main road. With its raised small windows and balconies, Today follows one of the most adventurous routes. Most of the royal residence, founded in the 16th century, is the times, the rideway is only so wide that there is space for reminiscent of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Here it is once a bus. On one side it goes steeply down and on the other again clearly visible that the region is very strongly oriented side it goes up as well. Fortunately, the Himalayan road towards Tibet in terms of religion and culture. The various builders have paved large parts of the road with good temples worth seeing, Lhakhang, can be visited on the way asphalt. But even so this day is not for people with weak to the palace and also climb Tsenmo Mountain to its top nerves. We ride over the Kunzumpass from 4.551 meters and Gonkhang, the temple of the tutelary deities. above sea level. The top of it is of course covered with It is also worthwhile to visit the stupa of Changspa on the prayer flags. The separates Spiti from Lahaul western outskirts of the city, the Maitreya temple and is only open during the summer months. On the other Dschampa Lhakhang and the Sankar monastery about 4 side of this pass we follow the Chandra River. km away from Leh. Day 16 Leh - Lamayuru Day 10 - Chandra Taal - Keylong In 4 hours we ride to Lamayuru. It is a wonderful route We return to the overgrown mountains of the Lahul Valley. along the Indus and rivers and we admire the Again it is an adventurous dirt road ride through the high bizarre moon landscape. Rugged passes alternate with mountains. We don't just leave the literally deep valleys. On the way we visit one of the oldest behind. It is greener here than in the Spiti valley: it is lower monasteries in the village of . and it rains much more. Here you will encounter flooded

06.10.2021 North India Himalaya Motorcycle Tour Spiti & Ladakh - MOTOURISMO -- 2 Day 17 - Lamayuru - Leh The track is so beautiful to ride that it is not bad to ride it a second time.

Day 18 - Leh - Excursion Pass Today, another highlight of the tour awaits us: the "highest pass in the world" - the Kardung La - at 5,606 m. For Khardung La we need a special permit which we applied for immediately after arrival in Leh.

Day 19 - Leh - flight Delhi In the morning we board the plane for the flight from Leh to Delhi, according to some of the most beautiful flights in the world. From the plane we have a beautiful view of the highest Himalayan peaks.

Day 20 - Delhi - excursion Taj Mahal Optionally you can take part in a trip to the famous and most visited building of India, the Taj Mahal in Agra. The Grand Mogul Shah Jahan had the marble funeral monument built for his great love Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. Of course you can also stay in Delhi and explore the city. Magnificent palaces and forts and a multitude of temples of different religions dominate the cityscape, or do your last shopping and rummage around in the many shops.

Day 21 - departure Delhi - arrival Germany

06.10.2021 North India Himalaya Motorcycle Tour Spiti & Ladakh - MOTOURISMO -- 3 Category Motorcycle Tour

Terrain Onroad

Vehicle motorcycle rent incl.

Tourguide / Coach yes (guided)

Accommodation Hotel / B&B or similar

Flight to / from no, not incl.

Support vehicle (luggage/service) yes

Level of difficulty difficult

Customer payment protection yes

* PRICING Minimal without optional extras, see pricing

Pricing per rider in a shared twin / double room €3,250.00

per pillion passenger in shared twin/double room €2,850.00

Single room (supplement) €375.00

Features Transfers New Delhi Airport - Hotel and back

Train journey Delhi - Chandigarth 2nd class

All overnight stays, usually including breakfast

3x overnight stays in tent camps

Overnight stay in tent camp Tso Kar with full board

innerline permit

Multilingual (German/English/Dutch) Tour guide on motorcycle n

Escort vehicle and luggage transport

Rent a motorcycle

Mechanic

Transport motorcycles

Travel security note

Travel Guide

Not included features Everything that is not listed under services

06.10.2021 North India Himalaya Motorcycle Tour Spiti & Ladakh - MOTOURISMO -- 4 Visa India

Gasoline

Entrance fees

Optional excursions

Excursion Taj Mahal (65,- € and 1000 RS entrance fee)

wining and dining

Health and accident insurance abroad incl. return transport

Travel cancellation insurance

Other insurances

International flights

More details Minimum number of participants: 8

Maximum number of participants: 12

Maximum number of passengers: 2

Visa (Exclusive): For India a visa is required for German citizens.

Motorcycles:

During this trip we ride the Enfield Classic motorcycles with 500 cc. This is a left (European) switched motorcycle with electric starter. You can also book the Royal Enfield Himalayas for an extra charge.

Level of difficulty of the travelers:

The combination of three factors can sometimes make the journey strenuous. First of all the Enfield motorcycle is a special kind of riding and secondly there are the dirt roads. But above all, the altitude can make the journey difficult for the participants. Without exception, every complaint is experienced by the amount . For some, it will remain shortness of breath and minor discomfort, others will experience headaches and nausea. These are all normal reactions of the body and most symptoms disappear after a few days. This process is called acclimatization and you can find more information in the manual. To make this process as smooth as possible, it is important to climb slowly. We have taken this into account in our tour schedule. About 20% of the route we ride on unpaved roads. These are mostly well passable gravel roads, but due to the rain they can be difficult to drive on. Of course you should always be careful in the sharp curves. The high passes in the area are only open in summer, otherwise there is too much snow. This also means that in summertime a lot of meltwater flows over the roads. This can be an innocent stream, but it can also cause a considerable landslide. In such cases a solution must be found. This can be a short detour, but it can also mean, for example, that we cross the river on a motorcycle. So flexibility is an important feature you need on this journey.

Climate:

We ride through two different climate zones. In the lowlands in the first and last part of the journey this is the rainy season. This does not mean that it always rains but a heavy downpour is a recurring fact almost every day, although we can be lucky and not notice it. It is different in the high mountains, because this rainy period is the only time when the roads to the mountains are accessible. It's not raining here either. Due to the altitude, the temperature fluctuates extremely, during the day it is very warm, but after sunset it will cool down very quickly and become

Clothing:

06.10.2021 North India Himalaya Motorcycle Tour Spiti & Ladakh - MOTOURISMO -- 5 Obligatory is a helmet, warm motorcycle jacket with protectors, gloves (summer & winter) and good solid motorcycle pants with protectors and stable high (mountain) shoes or boots. Because of the large temperature differences, a jacket with removable lining is best suited. In the colder parts of the mountains you can wear additional clothing under your jacket if necessary. Good sunglasses are important and a helmet with a visor against the dust. If your motorcycle clothing is not waterproof, it is advisable to bring a separate rain suit.

Travel documents:

For India a visa is required for German citizens. You will need a passport that is valid for at least one year and 15 days at the time of visa application and still has at least two free pages. You should also have an international driving licence class 1 with you. If you are not a German citizen, then you should contact the embassy about possible deviating entry regulations.

06.10.2021 North India Himalaya Motorcycle Tour Spiti & Ladakh - MOTOURISMO -- 6