Canter
Tours welcomes you to explore the charm of bike tour from Manali
to Leh which attracts large number of tourist from all over the
world.
Day 1 : Arrive Delhi
On arrival at the airport you will be met the representative of
Canter Tours and transfer to the hotel. Overnight at Delhi
Day 2 : Delhi - Manali
In the morning after breakfast transfer to the airport to board flight for Kullu. On arrival you will be met the
Canter Tours representative
and transfer to Manali. Overnight at Manali
Day 3 : In Manali
In the morning after breakfast proceed for full day sightseeing of Manali.
Overnight at Manali
Day 4 : Manali - Marrhi Nallah
In the morning start your bike tour crossing the Beas river over
Manali town bridge in the middle of the market & proceed to Palchan
the Army Check post. The Beas river flows on the left side of the
road. Passing through a small Hamlet town you take the first set of
hairpin bends on the Serpentine road on the road to Rohtang. Be
prepared to a total contrast in youather from the partly sunny
Manali. There will be fog and mild rain. Overnight at Marrhi Nallah
Day 5 : Marrhi - Rohtang - Koksar - Sissu - Gondla
In the morning after breakfast bike 17 Kms to Rohtang jot is all ascend.
After a that cup of tea in one of the little Parachute cafes on
the Pass ride downhill till Koksar bridge. If the weather is clear
there are some scenic views of snow-covered peaks & Glaciers in the
far horizon. As you descend there is change in vegetation, the tree
line seems to be getting away from us making way for small bushes.
You are in the foothills of the Pir Panjal range. After crossing the
check post follow the river flow till Tandi. At certain points you
will abandon the bank, climbing uphill but you will be moving more
or less along the river. In case the sun is out youather can be warm
& Humid, but the nights will be cold being on the riverbank & open
area. You will encounter some un metalled stretches of road today
after Koksar till Gondla, & cross a few mountain streams flowing
over the road. Overnight at Gondla
Day 5 : Gondla - Tandi - Keylong - Gemur - Jispa - Darcha
At the confluence point of River Chandra & Bhaga cross the bridge &
proceed uphill to Keylong town. En route is Gemur as you ascend the
serpentine road into a gorge. Ahead lies the Jispa hamlet town as
you come out of the gorge & descend downhill. The Ibex hotel at
Jispa is the last comfortable hotel till you will reach Leh town.
It's again a green belt for sometime where you will see many
shepherds and their sheep scattered on the hillsides. You are almost
in the Land of Lamas now. In fact Keylong does support a small Gompa.
After crossing Jispa one is definitely in an isolated region & in
far horizon you can distinctively see the bareness of the Higher
Himalayan ranges. Overnight at Darcha.
Day 6 : Darcha - Patseo - Baralacha La - Bharatpur
Darcha can be considered the gateway to the Higher Himalayas as you
cross the bridge & proceed on the hairpin bends uphill. Now it is
going to be all ascend till you come to the cantonment area of
military garrison of Himmatnagar, Appx - 20 Kms ahead. For next 10
Kms you are into the flat area & then down hairpin bends of Patseo &
Zing Zing Bar as you move into the harsh terrain of the arid
mountains. The sun suddenly seems hotter than before and the
atmospheric pressure make the ride today a bit more challenging. But
there are little signs painted in yellow on the rocks - When the
going gets tough the Tough get going! - boosting our Spirits as you
ascend the heights of the Baralacha Pass - 4892 M & Suraj Tal Lake.
The Icy blue water & the origin of the river at the top of the bend
that brings us closer to the Pass is a post for the road
construction worker toiling hard everyday to maintainthe roads as
best as they can under the harsh conditions. It is time now for
mountain river crossings. Twice you will be in the middle of water.
You will descend down to the gorge area of Bharatpur, a small make
shift Tentage accommodation area & night halt for the Truck drivers
on their way with fresh supplies to the higher regions. Overnight at
Bharatpur
Day 7 : Bharatpur - Sarchu - Brandy Nallah
The Day starts with an easy ride on a flat road, downhill & then
entering a gorge descending to the bridge connecting to the Sarchu
Plateau. Cross over the bridge and you move ahead ascending a small
uphill road making us move to the plateau area & now ahead lies
another vast stretch flat ground with shepherds and their mountain
goats. There are a number of features of arid landscapes with some
beautiful scenery, a delight for photographers who are looking for
high rise mountain ranges, bearing water marks & erosion of soil
clearly indicating that the area was under water a few million years
ago. The area is sparsely green, the wind is chilly & fast blowing
here. You are at the Traffic Check post, which is the entry point
into Ladakh. Another 20 Kms ahead on the base of the Gata loops hair
pin bends you will camp for the night at Brandy Nallah. The road
though metalled is very bumpy with flat stretches of barren land on
both sides. Overnight at Brandy Nallah
Day 8 : In Brandy Nallah
Day at leisure. Overnight at Brandy Nallah
Day 9 : Brandy Nallah - Gata Loops - Naki la - Lachungla -Pang
After an easy day yesterday you now move to scale the Gata loops, 23
hairpin bends bringing us top of the mountain feature. You ride up
hill, over an easy slope only to cross the Naki La pass, descend
down into the gorge to an isolated military garrison area & then
ascend again to the height of the Lachulung la - 5065 M. After Naki
La you are almost on an un metalled stretch of gravelly road all the
way inside the gorge of Pang. Overnight at Pang
Day 10 : Pang - More Plains - Tanglangla (Base Camp)
Eight Kms uphill from the Bowl-like feature of Pang you come to the
plateau area of the More plains. Changpas, the Nomadic people who
tend their yaks here and a few wild asses are the only sign of life
on this isolated and long road. This belt not only barren but is
known for fast blowing winds, sandstorms & extreme temperatures in
the early morning and evenings. Fresh stream water can be considered
a scarcity in this area though you might find some isolated mountain
streams flowing down from the Tanglangla. The ride is easy going
being a flat plateau area, but the road, which stretches on ahead,
is not as smooth as it looks. There are tiny bumps all along.
Overnight at the base of Tanglang La.
Day 11 : Tanglangla - Rumtse - Gya
You proceed early to scale the World's second highest pass, Tanglang
la - 5,360 M. The ride for the next 17 Kms is a challenge for even
the fittest of riders, youather being cold early in the morning,
with gravelly stretches of the road consuming extra energy, riding
over the altitude of 17,000 Ft will be an acid test for the mind &
Body. Reaching the top is a very satisfying experience & then it's
all down hill with smooth gradients till the base of the Pass. After
crossing a small mountain river it is time to find civilisation
again. The Chortens along the road in the villages announce our
arrival in the heart of Buddhist culture. The greenery changes the
landscape, and the red coloured mountains surrounding us and
reflected in the river only add to the beauty as you hit Rumtse and
Gya. Overnight at Gya
Day 12 : Gya - Upshi - Karu - Leh
For next 20 Kms you ride on some metalled & un metalled stretches of
roads & cross over the Upshi bridge across the river Indus. The
river originates in China & crosses over into India somewhere in the
higher regions of these great Himalayan ranges. The road condition
improves considerably as you follow more traffic from the cantonment
area & local villages going to Leh. Ahead lies the Thiksey Monastery
& the Chortens Garden before you finally enter Leh Town. The ride is
easy and you can expect to reach Leh by evening. Overnight at Leh
Day 13 : In Leh
Day at leisure. Overnight at Leh
Day 14 : Leh - Khardungla - Leh
The youather on the pass is not always very reliable and an early
start is called for. The journey from Leh till the North Pullu Check
post, Appx 20 Kms, is fair enough to warm up, with some easy uphill
ride. After North Pullu one has to gear up more. The roads are under
maintenance & construction thus the ride is bumpy & as you proceed
ahead it becomes a gravel track & the ride becomes more and more
challenging. But reaching the top is worth every bit of the effort
and syouat! Its the highest motor able pass in the world, and not
many dare to bicycle their way up to 18,380 Ft. The Truck awaits on
top of Khardung la for the cycles to be loaded and brought back to
Leh town. You will ride back comfortably in 4 Wheel drive vehicles
taking time for photography. Overnight at Leh
Day 15 : In Leh
Day at leisure. Overnight at Leh
Day 16 : Fly Delhi
Early morning transfer to Leh Airport Fly to Delhi. Arrive & check
in the Hotel. Spend the day at leisure and take the International
flight back home.
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