About two months ago, I rode my motorcycle to the Himalayas with two other friends. We rode around to the regions of Ladakh, the Changthang desert and the Spiti and Kinnaur valleys of Himachal Pradesh, exploring some of the most stunning and amazing landscapes of the high Himalayas on a motorcycle. The road trip took 26 days in all. We started from the Capital, Delhi and rode around Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, exploring the roads and highways along Dalhousie, the Killar Highway, Ladakh, Nubra Valley, The Changthang desert amongst other places. The saw some views of the world's most incredible mountains, rivers, and lakes, met the most incredible and hospitable people. It was a sense of freedom that could only be found by being on the road on a motorcycle, taking each day as it came and having a great time doing the same.
Pangong Tso in the Changthang desert. The view at our destination, almost 15 days after we started. How did we get here?
It all starts with finding the right gear.
The right gear can do a world of wonders. In this case, the right gear consisted of the riding gear - a riding jacket and riding pants, gloves, helmet and boots included. Other gear essential for the road included the tools for maintenance of the bike. We would be riding over some of the harshest terrain in the world on bikes that were not specifically built for that purpose. The least we could do was a little maintenance so they would keep going and not give up on us. Spanners, screw drivers, chain lubes, oil, additional cables for clutch and brake, levers were the tools we carried. Other items included the camping gear - a 3 man tent, sleeping bag and a little tripod stool; The photography gear - camera, lenses, tripod (which I admit were just unnecessary luggage); and of course, the electronics: batteries, chargers, action cameras, phone and whatever else the road demanded. Electronics are the boon and bane of travels; Don't want to carry them, but cannot seem to live without them.
And of course, all of this had to be done with a plan in mind. This involved choosing the route to take, where we would want to go and what we would want to see. They were many new sectors in Ladakh and the Himalayas that I wished to see this year, excluding the places that I had seen on my last road trip there (Read about it in this link: Motorcycling India - One man, one bike, 8000km)
Routes were planned, places were decided and a rough plan was put into place. It would be three people, myself, Anoop and Ranjana, on three motorcycles. Ranjana is a long time friend of mine, and Anoop is another good friend I have known for about a year and a half now. It was a surprise to have him come onboard this trip, but he did prove to be one hell of a companion on the road and off it.
We started from Delhi with some seriously loaded bikes.
We rode nearly 600km on the first day to get far away from the cities and the highways into the coolness of the hills.
A breather on the road. The climb up the hills made it necessary to stop now and then and take a moment to enjoy the scenery.
Landslides of the previous days made for frequent halts as we had to wait for the traffic clear up. The roads are build onto the side of the mountains, and as such, very prone to debris rolling down from the higher altitudes and straight down on the road. Most of them were being cleared, but still held up traffic a little as heavier vehicles took time to get across. On bikes, it was easier to get across, but no one gave us space to make our way.
Another stop, another view and another photograph. Destination Dalhousie, high up in the hills of Himachal Pradesh was not very far away now.
The view at our destination, 600km and a day later. Oh, what would I give to have gorgeous views like this everyday!
We chilled around for a day, taking in the view and a breather. It is not often that we get to be in the hills. Morning and evening walks and afternoon beer were the norm. We explored the backroads of Chamba valley in our search for booze. A nearby hotel that stood on the edge of a cliff was our spot to hangout and enjoy the moment.
Some more sights of Chamera village. Such a beautiful place to be. Life goes at a slow pace here, far, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
And once again, we were off, heading towards the first of the mountain passes. But first, we had to stop and take some pictures at a small waterfall on the way!
And there was no denying the chill in the air. The fog had not lifted yet in many places along the road!
With roads like these, who needs a break! Winding roads along the side of hills en route to Sach Pass. A beautiful morning to ride the bike!
But I could not help but stop and take some pictures of the bike against the lovely backdrop of the mountains.
Thissa village and a quick stop for breakfast, before we start the climb towards Sach Pass. Crazy roads await us and we have no idea. Yet.
More pictures in my next photoblog post; Sach Pass, the roads we encountered and the sights we saw.
If you liked this post, please follow, upvote and comment. Read some of my travel stories and photoblogs via the links below:
Candid Motorcycle Photos from Motorbeurs Utrecht
Photos of the legendary Assen Circuit in Netherlands - The Cathedral of Speed
Up above the Arctic Circle - Tromso and the Northern Lights
A solo backpacking trip across the UK
Cycling 500km across Europe: Dtube
A solo roadtrip across the western Ghats and meeting my favorite dog!
Exploring God’s Own Country on a Motorcycle – Dtube
500km of cycling across Europe - A photolog
That's all for now. Until next time.
