About Us
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The Asia-Bike-Tours adventure started 1997. After years in "Big Business" Heinrich Wegenstein, model 58, decided that it was time to follow his true passions. He combined his love for biking and travelling, to find his new goal. The enthusiastic echo of the clients/friends of our tours amplified our spirits not just to go on with the Rajasthan tours but also to extend our program to other parts of the Indian subcontinent. As long as profession remains passion, Heinrich will guide the tours. (UPDATE 2010 - well, this was when i started asia-bike-tours, still loving it and still guiding tours but since it is not possible to guide all tours, i am happy to have found a crew of marvelous guides to provide a fabulous experiences for you). Our preliminary goal remains to convey as much as possible the fascination the subcontinent has to offer to our client-friends. After the success at the indian sub-continent we startet to look beyond the mountains. Four years ago we ventured first into China and Tibet and the positve echo here remains as good as it was - and stil is - in India, Nepal and Bhutan. So far it seems we succeeded because around 70% of our clients/friends were on more then one tour with us! If you are interested, we organize your flight, a paddle boot on the lake in Udaipur or a painted camel to cross the Thar desert! The way we run our tours can pretty much be summarized with |
| Shankar Nath, | |
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The first Asia-Bike-Tours guide giving a massage to Ferdinand, at that time 79 years of age and our oldest friend on tour so far. Born to an Austrian mother and an Indian father, Shankar was raised all over india, quickly learning and loving the sub- continent’s diversity. Later he completed his higher studies in Vienna, specializing on the South Asian continent. Fluent in Hindi, Urdu, English and German, the hobby linguist claims to know many more indian dialects. He is passionate about travelling and always intrigued by different cultures. Initially as an apprentice and later independently he has been working as a translator and travel guide since the age of 17. He organizes special interest tours and cultural travels throughout Asia. India is his home ground and he rarely ever tires of explaining its intricacies to interested listeners. Apart from guiding tours he works for developmental projects and follows his academic pursuits. |
| Tenzin Thinley, | |
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Bhutanese national here with his two sons. Tenzin crossed our way when we had to cancel a Tibet tour when the borders where closed bcause of SARS. This resulted in our first Bhutan tour and a long friendship. Due to a scholarship for tourism in Germany and Austria Tenzin speaks German as well as speaking English, Bhutanese, Hindi and Tibetan. He runs his own travel agency in Bhutan and he guides tours in Bhutan, Sikkim and in north India, Ladakh for us for many years now. He also lived for a few years as a monk in an monastery: another reason why he is a wealth of knowledge about Buddhism and Bhutan. |
| Julian Urban, | |
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Born in Austria and raised in Dharamshala - Exile home of the Dalai Lama. Julian speaks Hindi, English, German and Tibetan since he went to the tibetan school in Dharamshala. He also studied at Webster University in Vienna and at an Art College in London. Besides guiding our tours when his schedule allows he also guides special interest tours for his father. He amazed many of our friends and clients with his network of friends at monasteries here in India. Everyone who´d ever tried knows how hard it is to get an audience with the Dalai Lama - Julian managed for the first group he was leading! Altough a quiet guy, Julian knows more than enough about India to satisfy those who show interest. Guides tour in north India, Ladakh, Spiti and Rajasthan. |
| Arne Peters, | |
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a frequent visitor to India since 20years Arne splits his time between his home in Berlin where he works as a teacher and India which he explored on Enfields ever since. In the 90´s he imported 350cc Enfields to Germany, where he worked at that time for the Journal „Oldtimer Markt“. After finishing his studies at Frankfurt University (History) he worked as an IT-Consultant. A a former bookseller in the fields of Asian Studies he not only has a wide knowledge of present India, but also about its unique history and philosophy. He is traveller by passion - mostly on a bike - to experiance different cultures and people. Arne has a strong feeling and passion for India, its people and culture along with a gift for handling groups, which he proves on his tours in Rajasthan and South-India year by year. |
| Peter Keim, | |
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our guy for Sidecar tours in China. Born 68 Peter lives and works for about 10 years in China. At present he lives with wife and kid in Shanghai. "Big Business" took him to China but since 2008 Peter "rides his dream" on Chang Jiang sidecars and his journeys took him (almost) all over China. Of course his mastery of the Chinese language, besides his native German and English - helped him to survive ;-) . Peter is specialized in China´s south-west, Tibet and Xinjiang. If needed he leaves behind his 3-wheelers and helps out on our two-wheel tours. |
| Jabu Thondrup, | |
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Our man in Tibet! Jabu as a native tibetan of Amdo, Qinghai where he spends "off-season" with his family. Jabu speaks English, Tibetan and Chinese. Jabu accompanies out tours in Tibet and at times guides them as "Senior Guide". During the touristy season from April to October he lives with his family in Lhasa. His background gives him a good knowledge of his Country, Culture and People but you have to get it out of him! ;-) A great guy and always a pleasure to be on tour with him. |