INDIA / Ladakh - Transhimalaya

This is a newly-interpreted classic that combines adventure and culture in a wonderful way! It's one of our longer tours (18 days) but holistically covers the north Indian Himalayan region. We travel through the valleys of the western Himalayas, especially the Ladakh and Zanskar valleys. In this routing, we also included newly opened roads and even higher passes. To give it a personal touch, the journey starts and ends in Dharamshala; a town at the foothills of the Himalayas that both Shankar and I (the tour leaders) call home.

Mountain retreat of Mughals and Buddhist lamas. The Alps of India. Valley of paradise. These are terms used to describe Kashmir; one of India´s wildest destinations. Kashmir boasts some of the highest and most rugged landscapes on earth in mountainous Ladakh. These rugged Buddhist regions, reachable via the world´s highest mountain passes, are a little slice of Tibet transplanted to India - wedged in by roaring rivers and snow-capped mountains.

At a Glance ...

Best traveltime June, July, August, September
Start/Finish Delhi / Delhi
Duration 18 travel days, 16 riding days
Distance covered around 1.600 mi / 2.600 km
Day rides 50 - 180 mi / 80 - 290 km
Roads Mainly tarmac; around 400 km / 280 mi some stretches with gravel
Motorcycles Royal Enfield Himalayan, left side gear shift, e-start, disk break
Rider's requirements A comfortable ride on tarmac and gravel. Not much traffic.
Group size Min. 4 and max. 10 riders—space for pillion rider in our follow-up car.
Accommodation Middle-class hotels and Guest houses
What's included Half board - breakfast, lunch snack, dinner incl. water. All entry fees, petrol for the bikes, permits & necessary transfers (i.e. airport transfers)
Highlights World´s highest roads, home of the Dalai Lama, Buddhist monasteries, the joviality of the Ladakhi people. This trip combines adventure and culture in a wonderful way. We travel through the valleys of the western Himalayas, especially the Ladakh and Zanskar valleys. Dharamshala is the starting point of our motorcycle tour, situated at the foot of the Himalayas.
Important VISA needed! For many nationalities "Visa on arrival" possible now. You need to apply online!
Guide Experienced German and English speaking guide during the whole trip on his/her own motorcycle (Local guides trained in Austria and Germany)
Extras Escort vehicle for luggage transport and passenger. Local mechanic in the escort vehicle, who is also available as a substitute driver.
Upcoming tours ...

INDIA / Ladakh - Transhimalaya / Aug. 2024 [18 Days]

20/08/2024–06/09/2024

Rider 3.750 € | Co-rider 3.250 € | Single room supplement 580 €  

Booking until

INDIA / Ladakh - Transhimalaya / Sep. 2024 [18 Days]

08/09/2024–25/09/2024

Rider 3.750 € | Co-rider 3.250 € | Single room supplement 580 €

Booking until

Ladakh Transhimalaya - Conquering the skies starting from the foothills of the Himalayas!

Day 0 We fly to Delhi and then take the short domestic flight to Dharamshala.
Day 1 Onward flight Delhi - Dharamshala. Dharamshala is home to the Dalai Lama and an all-round compelling hilltown situated at the foothills of the Himalayas. This first day serves to arrive in India. After resting in a beautiful, charming guesthouse, we visit Mc Leod Ganj, today also the exile domicile of the Dalai Lama. During a leisurely morning walk we visit the Dalai Lama Temple and learn a lot about the life of the Tibetans in exile.
Day 2 Dharamshala - Kareri- Dharamshala (45 km). The motorcycle tour begins with a short warm-up stretch in the Kangra valley traversing between the lush rice fields on one side and a fantastic view of the mighty Dhauladhar mountain range on the other. The driving terrain offers a solid introduction for our journey on into the Himalayas.
Day 3 Dharamshala - Ghushaini (195 km). We start early since we wanna take you on a small unbeaten road. The first long day takes us into the Tirthan valley to Ghushaini, first on the highway and then on to hilly and sparsely trafficked side roads. Here we stay in a beautifully prepared farm on the banks of the Tirthan river.
Day 4 Ghushaini - Rohtang Tunnel - Keylong (175 km). The journey to the Trans Himalayas starts from Ghushaini. First over the mighty Rohtang pass, into the semi-arid Lahaul valley. The Rohtang Pass has always been considered a nostalgic point between the green, densely forested Himalayas and the barren Tibetan plateau. It represents both a weather divide and a cultural leap. While we still find classic India on the one hand, the landscape and culture on the other hand seems more Central Asian.
Day 5 Keylong acclimatization day. Short motorcycle ride through the mountains (70 km). In Jispa we will have an acclimatization day, although there are also small motorcycle targets to aim for.
Day 6 Keylong - Tso Kar Lake Resort. The day of high passes (Baralacha la, Lachung La and Naki La) and overnight at Tso Kar Lake. Today is a day of superlatives with endless curves, high passes and unfamiliar landscapes, especially on mostly paved roads. Here you will have a rustic overnight stay in a tented camp at Tso Kar Lake.
Day 7 Tso Kar - Tanglang La - Rumtse - Leh (153 Km). From Tso Kar we go first thing in the morning over the Tanglang La Pass (over 5000 m for the first time), then through a beautiful dramatic gorge into the Indus Valley. We arrive in Leh in the early afternoon.
Day 8 Leh. We are here for 2 nights and can recover a little from the exertion of the journey. Leh has always served as an important trading hub and also a melting pot of cultures, even today it has retained much of its charm. A good place for shopping and strolling around, for example getting lost in the alleys :)
Day 9 Leh. Local excursions, for example, this day serves as a buffer day. For those who would like to visit the Khardung la, famous as the highest motorable pass in the world, there is the possibility to do so. A motorcycle free day is also planned so that we can carry out necessary maintenance.
Day 10 Leh - Hemissupachen - Alchi (103 km). From Leh we drive along the Indus Valley and visit villages and small side valleys. There is always plenty of time to enjoy the landscape. We stay overnight in the oasis, Alchi (UNESCO World Heritage). Here are fresco paintings from the 8th -9th centuries century.
Day 11 Alchi - Lamayuru - Kargil (160 km). We visit the temple complex early in the morning. From Alchi we will drive to Kargil via Lamayuro. A highlight today are the Indus valley bends and the Lamayuro monastery. We are on an ancient trade route that forms part of the Silk Road. A short excursion into the Islamic world awaits us in Kargil. Shiite Islam has always been widespread here and represents an incredible contrast to the rest of the Buddhist landscape.
Day 12 Kargil - Padum (230 Km). A long but unforgettable day of driving awaits us from Kargil to Padum. We leave early so that we can experience the unique atmosphere and color spectacle along the way. A special highlight is the Nun Kun massif with its 7000 mtr, which we can admire at close range. We are finally in Padum, a small trading town and the capital of Zanskar. Here we relax and spend 2 nights.
Day 13 Padum - Karsha - Padum (40 km). Today we do an excursion to Karsha and Zangla, the former royal residence of Zanskar. Visit to a local family will give us deeper insight into the daily life of the people.
Day 14 Padum - Jispa (144 km). We leave very early to allow time for all eventualities offered on this route, water crossings etc. It is only since this year that the Lahaul valley has been connected to Zanskar. The road over the Shingo La will still be very rough, but all the more crisp! We stay overnight in Jispa.
Day 15 Jispa - Killar - Sural Bhatori. From Jispa our journey takes us further into Lahaul and Pangi valley.
Day 16 Sural Bhatori- Sach Pass - Lake Chamera. We conquer the Sach Pass. A True HighLight for the end of the Tour.
Day 17 Lake Chamera - Dharamsala We arrive Back where we started From. Farewell dinner!
Day 18 Mid Day Flight to Delhi. Onwards Journey to Europe.