India Himalaya Kashmir

Day 1 - Flight departure - Delhi 
Your tour guide awaits you at Delhi airport and will take you to your hotel. 

Day 2 - Delhi - Amritsar
You can explore Delhi the next morning. During the afternoon you go to the train station for the express train to Amritsar.

Day 3 - Amritsar - Overnight stay
You are introduced to your motorcycle. In order to get used to both the Enfield and the Indian traffic we make a city tour. Amritsar is the capital of the Sikhs, recognizable by their typical turbans. The Golden Temple is the center of Sikhism. It is definitely worthwhile visiting this temple. In the afternoon we ride to the border with Pakistan to see the tearing down of the flag. On both sides of the border are stands where both the Pakistani and Indian public sing their national anthems to each other, challenging the other side. This strange, almost risible spectacle takes place daily.

Day 4 - Amritsar - McLeodganj
As we ride out of the city, the traffic will still be busy. Just outside Amritsar we leave the main road and ride on a quiet back road in an easterly direction through a flat landscape of paddy fields and through many small villages. In the afternoon we ride north along looping roads into the mountains. We have scaled almost 1800 meters by the time we arrive in McLeodganj at the end of the afternoon. This town is located close to Dharamshala, the hometown of the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama and is therefore also called Little Lhasa. The village has become an authentic Tibetan settlement in India.

Day 5 - Mcleodganj - Patnitop
On the way to Patnitop we go into the real Himalayas. First we descend more than 1000 meters and ride on a busier road in an easterly direction. Again today, we largely avoid the main road and take a shortcut towards Patnitop. In this way, you will get a feeling of riding into a desolate, rugged area for the first time. The last part will again be on the main road.

Day 6 - Patnitop - Srinagar
When we arrive at the Jawahar Tunnel, we will drive into this as a group. This tunnel is 2.64 kilometers long, straight through a mountain. On the other side we come almost immediately into the valley of Srinagar. It is a scenic ride, through which we come to the heart of Kashmir. The Kashmiris live here with their own language and traditions. They have always sought for an independent Kashmir but were victims in the struggle for territory between Pakistan and India. We leave the motorcycles at a parking place in the city and sail in small boats across the lake to a luxury houseboat where we will spend the next two nights.

Day 7 - Srinagar - Overnight stay
You will notice today that Srinagar is actually a quiet place. We can take a boat trip through the narrow canals of the area of the city partly built on the lake or else visit the floating market by boat early in the morning. You can also visit the old town with its unusual housing and ancient mosques. You can, of course, also stay and relax on the houseboat.

Day 8 - Srinagar - Kargil
We ride slowly now into the higher parts of the Himalayas. Before, however, we climb the Zoji La Pass to an altitude of 3529 meters, we drive first through the Switzerland of India, a green, hilly valley, where above all many Indian tourists come. Next we pass through the coldest place of India, Drass. The road between Srinagar and Kargil is fairly busy with trucks and military convoys. In Kargil we sleep in a simple hotel.

Day 9 - Kargil - Lamayuru
Shortly after Kargil we start to climb in the real Himalayan mountains. We quickly rise above the tree line and the landscape becomes rugged, barren and very impressive. One feels increasingly insignificant amongst the giant mountains. The route is partially unpaved, giving rise to difficult challenges in places. According to some participants, this is one of the most beautiful rides of the trip. After two impressive passes of 3760 and 4147 meters we come to the most important monastery of Ladakh, the 1000 year old Lamayuru monastery. This also marks the transition of the Muslim region of Ladakh to that of the Buddhist and Hindu. We arrive early in the afternoon so you have enough time to visit this very special monastery.

Day 10 - Lamayuru - Leh
Immediately after departure we find ourselves in a surreal 'moonscape'. Rugged passes are interspersed with deep valleys. Along the way we visit one of the oldest monasteries in the village of Alchi. At the end of the day we arrive in the charming town of Leh. We stay in a hotel in the city center within walking distance of nice restaurants and cafes.

Day 11 and 12 - Leh - Overnight stay
We stay a total of three nights in Leh. This is the first time staying overnight at an altitude of 3500 meters. It is therefore recommended not to do too much on the first day. One can rest in the hotel garden or walk through the town. As an optional extra, it is also possible that a short morning trip to the Tikse monastery is organized. On the second day we go on a day trip to the Khardungla Pass. At an altitude of 5602 meters this is one of the highest motorable roads in the world. A special permit is required for this road which we will apply for on arrival in Leh.

Day 13 - Leh - Tso Kar
A tough and long day but one marked by a wide variety of extraordinary landscapes. In the morning we follow the road along the Indus River with beautiful views. At the village of Upshi we leave the Indus valley and ride, the road already looping, to the Taglang La Pass, at an altitude of 5330 meters, the second highest pass in India. We descend to the Rupshu plateau. This region lies at an altitude of over 4500 meters and is also known as Little Tibet. In this very special surrounding, we sleep at the Tso Kar salt lake. At an altitude of 4500 meters this is the highest overnight stop of the trip. We spend the night here in a tent camp.

Day 14 - Tso Kar - Keylong
Today also is particularly beautiful with rapidly changing landscapes. Soon after departure we ride over a pass at an altitude of more than 5000 meters. Just before Sarchu we pass a fantastic view over a dry riverbed with sandcastle-like shapes on both sides. The road climbs through a rocky area to the plateau of Sarchu. The second pass today has an altitude of 4880 meters. After this pass the surroundings become slowly greener as we steadily descend. There is more rainfall here and this is reflected in the state of the roads. More often than previously on this trip, you will encounter flooded road sections. Yet the view of the green rocky valleys remains impressive. Keylong is a small village among the green meadows and orchards, with a center consisting of one street. It is yet again a genuine Indian spot.

Day 15 - Keylong - Manali
Although not the highest pass of the trip, the Rotang Pass always remains a great challenge. The pass is situated precisely on the dividing line between the rainy season in the southern lowlands and the dry mountains. In the period that this trip is possible, it rains here almost incessantly. The pass comprises dozens of hairpin bends and the higher one climbs, the greater the chance of rain. Furthermore, the higher one goes, the worse the road becomes. Before one reaches the top, one is most likely already riding in dense fog. At the top of the pass are Tibetans in thick yak skin coats and you can go for a ride on a yak. The south side of the pass is perhaps even more challenging; through the rain and mist, the road often changes here into a big mud pool. One flood after another presents itself. When you finally come out from under the fog, however, a fantastic green landscape appears suddenly. You can enjoy this view for the last part of the descent, as well as the increasingly warm climate. For the last part of the day’s journey we even drive through dense forests. The road is tiptop from the foot of this pass to Manali. Manali is a lively town with many amenities for travellers; nice restaurants and internet cafes.

Day 16 - Manali - Stay
In order to recuperate from the strenuous last days of riding we stay a day in Manali.

Day 17 - Manali - Shimla
As we increasingly descend, the surroundings become greener and warmer and the sounds of crickets become quite common again. The bare mountainsides are replaced by rice terraces. It is now clear to see that the lower one goes, the more densely populated it becomes. For part of the journey we choose an interior route along countless small villages. During the afternoon we ride back up to Shimla, one of the largest places on our route. Shimla is an old hill station where senior government officials from the British Raj went to escape the oppressive heat of Delhi. Old colonial buildings still grace the streets of this mountainside village.

Day 18 - Shimla - Chandi Garh
In the morning you have time to visit the colonial area of Shimla. The remarkable thing about this part of the city is that it is car-free and therefore one can walk in peace and, above all, silence. After lunch we get back on the motorcycle. We descend quickly and leave the mountains behind us. After a short ride we arrive at Chandigarth where we will spend the night.

Day 19 - Chandi Garh - Delhi
A long route today. It is a journey of over 270 km. We leave early in order to arrive in Delhi before the rush hour. The day’s ride is mainly on dual carriageway. You will see that the closer we get to the capital, the busier the traffic will become. Since you now know your motorcycle very well, you will get used to the traffic easily. From the time we get close to the city, it is necessary to drive in group formation. In the afternoon we will arrive at the hotel and say farewell to our motorcycles.

Day 20 - Delhi - Overnight stay
As an optional extra, you can take part in a day trip to the Taj Mahal. You can also choose to do some last minute shopping in Delhi or else browse through the many Royal Enfield motorcycle shops.

Day 21 - Flight departure