Manali via Spiti to Leh
26th June to 9th July 2011. Cost € 1450
Our Bike Route
- Day 1.......... Leave Kakhnal for Jalori pass.
- A nice short ride this first day! Long enough to make friends with the Enfield!
- Day 2......... Jalori pass to Rampur.
- A longer way than it looks, specially as Jalori pass is such a steep pass. Be careful not to overheat your engine here!
- Day 3......... Rampur to Kalpa.
- An amazing ride up the Kinnur valley.
- Day 4......... Explore Kalpa area.
- Relaxing day exploring the beautiful Kalpa area.
- Day 5......... Kalpa to Nakko.
- An even more amazing ride up to Nakko at 4000 meters!
- Day 6 ......... Nakko to Tabo.
- Once past Malling slide its a breathtaking ride down to the river, and then up the Spiti river to all the way to Tabo!
- Day 7 ......... Tabo.
- We have all morning to explore and meditate in this ancient Gompa. In the afternoon we can hike up a nearby valley to a monastery retreat.
- Day 8 ......... Tabo to Kaza.
- Visit Donkar, the ancient capital which is perched high above the Spiti river.
- Day 9 ......... Kaza.
- A great ride to over 4,500 metere to Visit Comic Gompa.
- Day 10 ......... Kaza to Losar.
- After a relaxing breakfast we ride up the Spiti valley to Losar.
- Day 11 ....... Losar to Keylong.
- Kunzum mountain pass and an amazing and challenging ride through the Lahul Valley!
- Day 12 ....... Explore Keylong area.
- We explore the area toward Udaipur.
- Day 13 ....... Kelong to Sarchu.
- We sleep at 4500 meters in a tent camp.
- Day 14 ....... Sarchu to Leh.
- Cross the 5300 meter high Taglangla pass and ride down into The Indus valley to Leh
Highlights
Kinnur Valley.
The mighty Sutlej river has its source in lake Mansarova at the base of Mt. Meru, (Mt. Kailas) in Tibet. After entering India from Tibet it carves its way throughout the Kinnur valley. This was the ancient Himalayan Trail into Tibet. There is a precarious road cut into the solid rock walls which follows the rivers path past the mystical mountain, Kinnur Kailas which is the seat of Shiva.
Spiti Valley.
Spiti valley was once called 'middle valley' and was part of the ancient Kingdom of Guge in western Tibet. It lies along todays' border between India and Tibet. There are several side valleys ,one of which is the beautiful Pin Valley, home of the famous Pin valley ponies and the Kungri Gompa with its ancient Ningmarpa temple. The Ningma order was founded after Padma Sambhava the magician and tantrika converted Tibet to Buddhism.
Donkar.
Situated high above the Spiti river is the ancient ruined capital of Spiti. It was largely destroyed by an earth quake 800 years ago! There is a short trek above Donkar to a high lake in the mountains for those of us who want to have a change from riding our bikes.
Comic Gompa.
This monastery lies at 4500 meters! The monks stay here all year round and it must be the highest working monastery in the world! The friendly monks do month long 'Pujas' (chanting and reading scriptures). The ride up here is stunning! Nearby on the Eastern border with Tibet is Lingti Valley, once part of the ocean floor before the mighty Himalayan mountains were created. It is still littered with fossils that are between 250 million and 500 million years old! We can approach the nearby Kibber national park which is a nature reserve for rare fauna and flora.
Tabo Monastery.
Over 1000 years old this is the oldest Tibetan Gompa in India and with its massive adobe walls looks as if it should be in New Mexico not Asia! It has a peace and power that is clearly palpable.
Pin Valley.
Famous for the Pin valley horses and on an important ancient trekking route which connects it to the Kullu valley. It also has several old and new Tibetan Monasteries.
Nubra Valley Tour ~ Leh to Manali
14th July to 27th July 2011. Cost € 1450
Our Bike Route
- Day 1......... Leh to Hemis Gompa.
- We ride up the mighty Indus valley into a hidden valley!
- Day 2 ......... Leh to Alchi.
- We ride along the Indus river. The road and views are incredible.
- Day 3 ......... Alchi to Lamayuru.
- The landscape transforms into an amazing moonscape on todays ride.
- Day 4 ......... Lamayuru to Leh.
- We return to Leh by another route.
- Day 5 ......... Leh to Tak Tok Gompa.
- This gompa is set in the beautiful Suru Valley.
- Day 6 .........Visit Leh surrounds.
- Restful day prepare for Khardong La mountain pass.
- Day 7 ......... Leh to Diskit
- We ride over the 5600 Meters high Khardong La Pass.
- Day 8 ......... Diskit.
- Explore Nubra valley, and Diskit Gompa.
- Day 9 ......... Diskit.
- Explore Nubra Valley
- Day 10 ........ Diskit to Leh.
- Its just as challenging in the return direction.
- Day 11 ........ Leh
- Rest and prepare to ride to Manali.
- Day 12 ........ Leh - Sarchu
- An early start for an amazing ride over the 5,300 meter high Taglang La mountain pass.
- Day 13 ......... Sarchu - Keylong
- Our ride takes us over the mighty Baralacha La pass and into the Lahul Valley.
- Day 14 .......... Keylong - Manail
- It is wonderful to ride over the Rohtang pass into the green and moist Kullu valley!
Highlights
Nubrar Valley.
Nubra Valley lies on the border with Pakistan. We cross the 5600 meter high Kadungla mountain pass to reach it. The Nubra and Shyok rivers join in this spectacular valley, so remote and famous for its fruit trees and flowers.
Hemis Gompa.
Hemis is the biggest Gompa in Ladakh and is hidden from view in a velley which lies beneath a mighty 6000 meter high mountain peak. It is really a power spot!
Lamayuru Gompa.
This ancient Gompa overlooks a moon scape and is built over the cave that 11th century Tantric master Naropa meditated in for 11 years. It is almost 1000 years old.
Alchi.
Alchi has the most stunning mural paintings in Ladakh, and perhaps in India! This Gompa was founded by the Translator Rinchen Zangpo who founded over 100 gompas in his lifetime!
Note
Participants need to arrive in Leh at least 3 days before the start of the tour to acclimatize to the altitude in Leh. (3505 meters)
There are several flights from Delhi to Leh every day.
Very Special Spiti Valley Tour
1st Sept to 14th Sept 2011. Cost € 1450
Our Bike Route
We begin our ride near Manali in the Kullu Valley and cross the Jalori pass into the Kinnur river valley. This is a quiet and beautiful 'mini' pass
through forests reminiscent of Switzerland and the ride is a perfect way to get aquainted with the Enfield 'Bullet' bike!
The pass is surprisingly steep and its a 1st gear lugg up over it to the Kinnur Valley and the mighty Sutlej river.
The Sutlej river flows out of Tibet into India cutting an impressive sheer sided canyon through the towering mountains of the Himalayas.
The fabled Mt. Kinnur Kilas, the retreat of the god Shiva, is full frame in our lodge windows when we overnight in the village of Kalpa,
about 1/2 way up Kinnur valley. Further upriver we climb to 4000 meters to stay in the village of Nako which is located high
above the confluence of the Spiti and Sutlej rivers. Next morning we descend to the Sutlej river, and enter the Spiti valley
at its lowest end for the ride up to Tabo with its 1000 year old Tibetan Gompa.
We explore the Spiti and Pin valleys over the next week, finally crossing the KunzumLa pass (4600 meters high) at the head of the Spiti
valley and cross into the Lahul Valley. The Lahul valley has several large glaciers running into it and is
the most rugged and challenging part of the entire journey! Finally we leave the Lahul valley and cross
the Rohtang pass (4000 meters high) to ride down into the Kullu valley and the town of Manali.
Highlights
Kinnur Valley.
The mighty Sutlej river has its source in lake Mansarova at the base of Mt. Meru, (Mt. Kailas) in Tibet. After entering India from Tibet it
carves its way throughout the Kinnur valley. This was the ancient Himalayan Trail into Tibet. There is a precarious road cut into the solid
rock walls which follows the rivers path past the mystical mountain Kinnur Kailas, which is the seat of Shiva.
Spiti Valley.
Spiti valley was once called 'middle valley' and was part of the ancient Kingdom of Guge in western Tibet. It lies along todays' border between
India and Tibet. There are several side valleys ,one of which is the beautiful Pin Valley, home of the famous Pin valley ponies and the
Kungri Gompa with its ancient Ningmarpa temple. The Ningma order was founded after Padma Sambhava the magician and tantrika converted Tibet to Buddhism.
Donkar.
Situated high above the Spiti river is the ancient ruined capital of Spiti. It was largely destroyed by an earth quake 800 years ago!
There is a short trek above Donkar to a high lake in the mountains for those of us who want to have a change from riding our bikes.
Comic Gopma.
This monastery lies at 4500 meters! The monks stay here all year round and it must be the highest working monastery in the world!
The friendly monks do month long 'Pujas' (chanting and reading scriptures). The ride up here is stunning! Nearby on the Eastern border with
Tibet is Lingti Valley, once part of the ocean floor before the mighty Himalayan mountains were created. It is still littered with fossils
that are between 250 million and 500 million years old! We can approach the nearby Kibber national park which is a nature reserve for rare
fauna and flora.
Tabo Monastery.
Over 1000 years old this is the oldest Tibetan Gompa in India and with its massive adobe walls looks as if it should be in New Mexico not Asia!
It has a peace and power that is clearly palpable.
Pin Valley.
Famous for the Pin valley horses and on an important ancient trekking route which connects it to the Kullu valley.
It also has several old and new Tibetan Monasteries.
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