Best of Spiti & Ladakh- 2019 - Motorbike Ventures Indochina
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Best of Spiti & Ladakh-omgHimalaya Adventures
Best of Spiti & Ladakh- 2019
Delhi-Ambala-Shimla-Rampur-Batseri-Nako-Kaza-Tandi-
Sarchu-Lato-Lamayuru-Kargil-Leh-Khardung La
Spiti literally means “middle land”, so called because it is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides. Located
in the “Trans-Himalayan” region of main range of Himalayas, it also lies between major former empires of
Bushair, Kullu, Ladakh and Tibet.
People
Spiti is pre-dominantly a Buddhist region populated with people of Tibetan stock. The valley is one of the least
populated regions of the country with average population density of 2.3 people per square kilometres. The
Gompas are sights to behold by virtue of their locations. Their position in the society is unique and are major
guiding forces of people’s daily life. Ki and and Tabo monasteries are one of the oldest monasteries in the
world.
Terrain
Spiti is a land of contrasts. With negligible annual rainfall but heavy
snow, the patch of green fields in the middle of this barren
landscape are a feast to the dreary eyes of a traveller. Apart from
mountains and valleys, Spiti has a unique storehouse of shales and
an unmatched geological collection of fossils. Some of the rock
faces are veritable storehouses of geological history of the
Himalayas. In some valleys, the effects of tectonic thrust, which
created Himalayas, can be seen and studied.
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omgHimalaya Adventures
Weather
The Spiti valley experiences severe winter from November to May with Arctic like wind conditions and heavy
snowfall. The treacherous weather permits visitors to tour only between the months of June to October,
when the roads and villages are free of snow and the high passes (Rothang La and Kunzum La) are open.
Rest of the time, it remains cut-off from mainland.
Flora and Fauna
The valley is blessed with the good population of snow leopards, ibex, Himalayan Brown Bear, Musk Deer,
Himalayan Blue Sheep etc. which serves as the boon for the wildlife lovers. There are two important protected
areas in the region that are a home to snow leopard and its prey including the Pin Valley National Park and
Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. Due to ardent religious beliefs, people of Spiti do not hunt these wild animals. Apart
from the exotic wildlife, the Valley of Spiti is also known for its amazing wealth of flora and the profusion of wild
flowers. Then there are more than 62 species of medicinal plants found here.
Tour Information
Group Size Min 8/Max 20 Riders
Distance 1800km (approx.)
Duration 14N/15D
Altitude 227m to 5,359m (744 ft to 17,582ft)
Road Conditions Mostly unpaved, rocky and gravel
Weather Conditions Moderately warm with occasional rain/snow
Best Season July, August and September
Bikes Royal Enfield 500cc
Accommodation Mix of Biker friendly Boutique Hotels, Campsites, Guest Houses
Driving Side (Traffic) Left Hand side. Overtake from right.
Highlights
Stay at Heritage Buildings/ former Royal Palaces now converted into hotels.
Heritage Hotels
Exclusive for you.
UNESCO World Heritage 1000 year old Tabo monastery in Spiti valley in the western Himalayan
site region. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Visit the villages of Hikkim,Komic, Langza and Kibber. These are one of the
Highest Village in the World world’s highest continuously inhabited villages in the world. Hikkim has the
highest Post Office in the world.
Highest Petrol Station in the Kaza in Spiti valley, boasts of Highest Petrol Refilling Station in the world. We
World refill our tanks here.
You sleep at altitude above 3000 m for 9 nights. Chandertaal at altitude of
High Altitude Sleeping
4300m is highest.
Highest motorable road in Khardung La at 5,359m is one of the “the Highest Motorable Road” in the
the world world. You ride through 7 high passes (above 4,200m) along the route
Stay at ancient Lamayuru Buddhist monastery surrounded by breath-taking
Moonland of Lamyuru
views of dreamlike landscape. Awaken your inner poet here.
Visit Maitreya Buddha’s (Future Buddha) giant status at Mulbekh near
Ancient History Kargil. The is 9-meter high figure was carved on rock in 8th Century. Some
believe it to be created in 1st Century AD during Kushan period.
All our crew members were born in these mountains. They are known for
Himalayan Crew
their tenacity, hard work, smile and sense of humour.omgHimalaya Adventures Itinerary Day 1 : Arrive at Delhi Arrive at New Delhi airport. Our representative will be waiting for you at the arrival hall/gate. Transfer to the hotel in the heart city. Enjoy a quick breakfast and then settle into the hotel. After a long haul overnight flight, you might like to rest a while. You will sleep like baby in a city of 18 million other souls. Overnight at hotel. Meals: B/D Day 2: Delhi to Ambala-Shimla (Bus-200km,5h and Bike-160km,4-5h) Take an early morning bus ride to Ambala. Your Royal Enfield bikes and Himalayan crew will be waiting for you here. After a quick lunch, bond with your machine. Give her a name, caress her and take her for a test spin around parking lot and you are ready to face the notorious Indian highways. Hope that you paid attention during earlier briefings. Ride along NH5 all the way to Shimla, the erstwhile summer capital of India during Raj. The cool climate of Shimla comes as welcome change from the heat of Punjab plains. You might have some rain and dense fog as your companion in the hills. Overnight at hotel. Meals: B/D Day 3: Shimla to Rampur (130km,4-5h) Negotiating narrow and crowded Shimla city traffic will prepare you for better days ahead. Once out of town, the roads open up and traffic eases. Twist your throttle all the way to Narkanda and descend to mighty Satluj river valley. Notice the change in temperature. Now you are riding along the river on famous Hindustan-Tibet Road (HT Road), maintained by Broder roads Organisation (BRO). Reach the small town of Rampur, the capital of former princely state of Rampur Bushair. Overnight at hotel. Meals: B/D Day 4: Rampur to Batseri (105km,4-5h) Ride along left bank of Satluj river on HT-Road. The highlight of the day is the half-tunnel, road cut through the mountain. This is one a fine example of human endeavour under adverse conditions. You will also see mountains of giant concrete slabs, the site of large hydro-electric power projects, along the way. These power projects, though controversial due to environmental impact, feed power supply to ever growing cities of the northern India. At Karcham, we take a detour to picturesque Sangla Valley to arrive at quaint little village of Batseri. Overnight at hotel. Meals: B/D Day 5: Batseri to Nako (140km, 5-6h) The comfort of modern amenities with breath-taking view of Sangla valley will energise you for the tough days ahead. Today continue along narrow gorges on HT Road. You may notice the change in vegetation around you. Now we are riding above the treeline. Green forest covers give way to barren mountain tops of higher Himalayas. Say goodbye to river Satluj at Khab and start a steep ascent towards Nako village. Valley opens up and offers 180 degree view of the Higher Himalayas dotted with tiny village, identified by a green patch of oasis in the middle of mountain desert. Sunset at Nako is amazing. Take a walk along the bylanes of this tiny village or dip you feet at the lake nearby. The small lake at Nako is very photogenic. Keep your camera at water level and capture amazing reflections. This is your first high-altitude sleeping night (3635m,11,893ft). Overnight at Camp. Meals: B/D Day 6: Nako to Kaza (120km,5-6h) Today is an easy riding day. Take a break at Tabo village and visit Tabo monastery. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Old monastery was built in 996AD. Tabo is known for being the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in both India and the Himalayas. This was an important center of learning, art and culture. Reach town of Kaza (3800m,11,980ft) by lunchtime and enjoy variety of meals at local restaurants. You can find Internet Café and Bank ATMs and Highest Petrol Station in the world.
omgHimalaya Adventures If time permits, ride to the villages on Kibber, Longza, Hikkim and Komik. These are the highest continuously inhabited villages in the world. The post office at Hikkim village is considered the highest post-office in the world. Its Pincode is 172114. It’s a good idea to send a postcard to all your friends from this post-office. Overnight at hotel. Meals:B/D Day 7: Kaza to Chandertaal (100km,5-6h) Today’s ride is special. For first half of the day, you will be riding in the one of most picturesque and desolate roads in Himalayas. During later half of the day, roads are unpaved, rocky and muddy. Reach Kunzam Pass (4590m,15,060ft), dotted with Buddhist prayer flags, by mid-afternoon. The mountains on your right (north) are called CB Ranges (Chandra-Bhaga Ranges). Many of these peaks are still unnamed and known only by their survey numbers. CB12, CB13, CB13a, CB31 (all above 20,000Ft) are the most popular peaks for mountain climbers. Famous lake Chandertaal (moonlake) is situated amongst these ranges and is source of origin of river Chandra. Reach our campsite by evening. This is High-altitude sleeping night (4300m,14,100ft). Overnight at Camp. Meals:B/D Day 8: Chandertaal to Tandi (100km, 5-7h) Today’s ride is one of the most challenging part of the whole trip. You will negotiate numerous glacier fed water crossing, ride on the boulders and river beds and experience some crazy traffic jams. Roads become worse before getting better. You will never be so happy to see the shiny black tarmac road. Trust us on this. Reach our campsite at Tandi (2,570m,8,430ft) situated next to Buddhist monastery. Walk to the edge of the village and enjoy a spectacular view of confluence of river Chandra & Bhaga. Feel awed by the sky- scraping mountains in front of you. Spot few remaining glaciers. These mountains are called Pir-Panjal ranges. People of Lahul are generally very busy, hardworking and well-educated commercial farmers. They are up-to-date with the latest farming trends and products. Overnight at Camp. Meals:B/D Day 9: Tandi to Sarchu (125km,4-5h) After a night of some good party, good food and good sleep- you are ready to take on higher challenges in your life. Today we travel through the ancient trade route to Tibet. After a shot ride of 4-5 hours, reach campsites of Sarchu. This was one of the places where old caravans used to stay for few days. Cross Baralacha La (4890m,16040 Ft). This is an unusual pass with three natural trails from Spiti, Lahul and Ladakh meeting at this point. It was one of the important junction on the trade route. River Bhaga (of Chandra- Bhaga and Chenab fame), originates from Suraj Taal. Notice the dark green colour of water. While ascending, meander through the utterly rocky landscape of ZingZingBar along river Bhaga. This is a high altitude sleeping night (4290m,14070ft). Ovenight at Camp. Meals:B/D Day 10: Sarchu to Lato (180km,5-6h) After breakfast, leave for Lato. It’s going to be a long day and you’ll cross three major passes on the route – Lachalung La (5059,16610 Ft), Naki La (4769m,15547 Ft) and Tanglang La (5328m,17480 Ft) in quick succession. Your bikes struggle to breath at these altitudes and might miss few beats. Don’t panic. Reach small village of Lato by evening. We stay with a local farmer and his family. Notice the vertical and twisted strata of hills on the northern side of road. This is a reminder of Himalaya’s violent geological past. Overnight at homestay. Meals:B/D Day 11: Lato to Lamayuru (180km,56-6h) We say goodbye to Lato and drive along tiny stream till it meets mighty Indus river at Upshi. Ride along the river, to reach town of Leh. We skip the town this time and continue riding towards Lamayuru, the monastery village on Leh-Srinagar Highway. This section is one of the most enjoyable part of the trip. Roads are good. Traffic is minimum and scenery is inspiring. Overnight at guest house. Meals:B/D Day 12: Lamayuru to Kargil (110km,4-5) We continue westward along the river towards Kargil town. Notice apricot gardens along the way. Unlike rest of the Ladakh, population of Kargil is pre-dominantly Muslim. These are people of Dard and Tibetan descent. We stop at Mulbekh to visit the giant Buddha statue, carved in rock-cut architecture style dating
omgHimalaya Adventures back to 1st Century BC. Town of Kargil came into limelight in 1999, when Pakistani forces infiltrated into Indian territory, resulting in war, known as Kargil War. Today it’s a peaceful little town once again. Overnight at hotel. Meals:B/D Day 13: Kargil to Leh (220km,5-6h) Today is pure non-stop riding day without any sight-seeing. Ride all the way to Leh town and check into comfortable hotel in Leh, located in the middle of the town. Say goodbye to your machines. These ladies need a rest now. Leh has plenty of eating options, but access to Wi-Fi remains unpredictable. Overnight at hotel. Day 14: Leh to Khardung La and back (80km,4h) Today you’ll be riding on Khardung La (5,359m, 17,582ft) road, one of the highest motorable road in the world. Notice the changing landscape with each bend in the road. The Ladakh Ranges open up and offer glimpses of Zanskar range mountain peaks in far south-west horizon. After crossing the South Pulu, road winds up in tight turns and you gain altitude quickly. At Khardung La, take a break. Click pictures with sign- board proclaiming “Highest Road in the World”. It looks great on your Social Media profile. Also, eating a bowl of Maggi and sipping black tea at the café is a sacred ritual amongst Indian bikers. All passes in Himalayas experience high velocity winds. So don’t panic if you are having a bad-hair day. Today we change our bikes and ride on machines hired from local agent. Crew remains same). Overnight at hotel. Day 15: Leh onwards It is time to head back home. Fly out of picturesque airport of Leh (Kushok Bakula Rimpoche Airport IATA:IXL,ICAO:VILH) for your onward journey with fond memories of your Himalayan sojourn. Smile. Terms and Conditions Includes • Accommodation on DBL/TWIN sharing basis. Single supplement extra. • Meals: Breakfast+Dinner (except New Delhi) • Bottled Drinking water/Tea/Coffee/Snacks during rides • Bikes and Fuel • Tour Leader/Local Guides • Mechanic, Support Vehicles and luggage Vehicles • All Government Permits to restricted/border areas • Airport Arrival and Departure transfers Excludes • International and Domestic Airfare, Travel Insurance, Visa Fees • Riding Gear, Lunch • Personal Expenses/Alcohol/Tips etc Optional (Charges extra) • Tour Doctor (On request only. Need advance intimation) • Additional Mechanic on Bike • Visit to Taj Mahal, Jaipur (2-5 days) • Tiger Safari at Ranthambore National Park (Tiger Conservation), Swai Madhopur • Bird Watching at Bharatpur, Koeladeo National Park • Pangong Lake (2 days), Tso Moriri Lake (2 days), Tso Kar Lake (2 days), Nubra Valley (2-days) • Travel by SUV with the group (for non-riders, family members) • Self-Drive on 4WD SUVs (off-roading skills required) Documentation Required • Valid Driving License/International Driving Permit (IDP) • Passport and Visa
omgHimalaya Adventures
• One copy of your passport size photo (jpeg or png)
• Travel/ Overseas Medical Insurance
About The Bikes
We use Royal Enfield 500cc bikes on the tour. With history of being the longest run in the production of any
model (since 1948), these iconic Bullets are the symbol of old-world charm of riding a motorcycle.
Contact Us
For More Details Contact Our Office Address
Mr Charanjeev Singh omgHimalaya Adventures
jeev@omgHimalaya.com Village 17 Miles, PO Bran, Tehsil Manali
+91-99877 94236 Distt Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
Mr Virender Kumar INDIA, 175131
virender@omgHimalaya.com www.omgHimalaya.com
+91 98160 22839
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