| TAG |
INCREDIBLE NORTH INDIA |
| 1 |
Flight to Delhi. Airport pick-up and transfer to hotel. |
| 2 |
Express train to Haridwar and then onto Rishikesh. The world‘s ashram capital. Explore Risikesh and its temples.
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| 3 |
Where the Beatles found spiritual guidance in the 60´s we start our journey through a potpourri of different landscapes and religions. A first warm up trip round Rishikesh familiarises us with the idiosyncrasies of our Enfield 'Bullets' and the traffic in India. |
| 4 |
Going up the mountain! Today's ride gets us up to the Hill Station of Mussorie. Its Victorian city center and pleasant climate attracts (not just) Indian tourists who want to escape the heat of the Indian plains.
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| 5 |
We approach the Himalaya through its back door that leads us along apple orchards and cedar forests into the Pabbar Valley. Maybe we can get hold of a few rainbow trout for dinner – that‘s what the village is famous for.
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| 6 |
We reach the valley of the Sutlej river which originates in Tibet near the holy Kailash mountain and ride up to the medieval village of Sarahan – famous for its wooden Hindu temple – dedicated to the fierce goddess, Kali. |
| 7 |
After riding downhill and following the Sutlej river valley again we take a sidestep and ride up a wild road into the beautiful alpine Sangla valley where we will spend two nights in the beautiful settings of the Banjara Camp – beautifully decorated tents with beds and attached bathroom.
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| 8 |
A relaxing day leads us further into the valley and up to Chitkul. Only 30km short of the Tibetan border and as far as we are allowed to go. The valley sees its end at the foot of two glaciers and we reach the timberline up here.
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| 9 |
An up and down ride today. We head for Recong Peo where we will get the permits that allow us to travel further into Lahaul and Spiti. The temples here are dedicated to and worshipped by both Hindus and Buddhists. Weather permitting, we will be rewarded with spectacular views of the 6.050m high Kinner Kailash, mythic home of Lord Shiva. Night at Kalpa.
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| 10 |
After a short ride we pass the 'Inner Boarder Line' Checkpost. Our permits come in handy here! We leave the Sutlej valley and ride up into the Spiti gorge. An awe-inspiring road takes us into the silence and solitude of the Greater Himalayas.
We take a detour up to Nako village. |
| 11 |
After a short ride we reach Tabo village and monastery. It has been a spiritual center for Buddhists and is maybe the oldest preserved relic of Tibetian culture.
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| 12 |
On today's ride our Enfields take us up to Kormik Gompa. Hidden in a small valley and seldom visited: we learn how to breath thin air (pfff ) and enjoy the solitude. |
| 13 |
Further up the valley we visit Dankar monastery. Only a single monk lives up here among a wealth of Buddhist literature. Again we have time to savour the scenery and the views. Night as Kaza.
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| 14 |
A days trip to the picturesque Ki monastery – still visited by many pilgrims and year-in year-out maintained by its monks. An oasis in this rugged terrain. We will also visit one of the worlds highest settlements connected by road, Kibber village at 4.205m. |
| 15 |
A sidestep towards the south-west leads us into the Pin-valley. Kungri-monastery, placed high up on a naked rock is a center of the school of Tantric Buddhists. Part of the valley has been declared a National Park and is one of the last habitats of the snow leopard. |
| 16 |
A long ride leads across Kunzum La pass (4.551m) out of Spiti valley and into Chandra valley to Keylong. |
| 17 |
A first for us … only open for a few years now we take the road across the Saach pass and the first range of the Himalayas to Chamba. From charming Chamba we should have marvellous views of the white giants of the Himalaya. |
| 18 |
Good back roads take us to Lower Dharamsala up to Mt. Leod Ganj, exile of the Dalai Lama.
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| 19 |
Sightseeing and relaxing in Dharamshala. If we are very lucky (we were once) we might even get the chance of an audience with his Holiness.
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| 20 |
A few last miles in the Himalayas before crossing the plains of the Punjab. We reach it´s capitol Amritsar - noisy, dusty, hopelessly traffic-jammed- but holy for the Sikh people. We say goodbye to our Enfields today.
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| 21 |
In stark contrast to the city lays the beauty of the 'Golden Temple' of the Sikh religion. Many a people compared its beauty with the Taj Mahal! Decide yourself and enjoy! The afternoon Shatabti-Express train takes us back to where it all began – New Delhi. |
| 22 |
A day to either explore Old Delhi and its bazaars, the Red Fort and the giant Mosque OR we could arrange a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra!
After a last supper our bus takes you to the airport to catch the plane back home... |
| 23 |
Arrive home |
