Manali to Leh Cycling Expedition (11 Nights / 12 Days)
Ladakh
The Manali to Leh cycling expedition isn’t an ordinary tour. It’s something that cyclists around the world would love to do at least once in their life time. The route, which begins at the easily accessible town of Manali, has a lot to offer in terms of terrain, beauty, weather all of which lend to making this a challenging endeavour. It is a perfect journey for anyone looking to push their limits. Through the route, we cross not 01, not 02, but 05 high-mountain passes with the highest being the infamous Khardung La Pass (5,359M). Each of these 5 passes has something unique to offer. With Khardung La being the highest motorable pass in the world, Bara Lachha La (4.850M) competes with it by being the loopiest of them all! Naki La and Lachu La are like twins standing next to each other whereas Rohtang Pass (3,978M) brings in all the surprises by being the most unpredictable and the moodiest of them all. But the toughest to cross is the Tanglang La Pass which rests in wait at an altitude of 5,328M.
This is not it! The Manali Leh cycling expedition is much more than its passes – one look at the Gata loops with all its 21 curves is enough to send a chill down your spine. The More plains which are one of the highest & coldest deserts in the world, a constant panoramic view of snow laden peaks riding alongside you and the glory of the many distinctly-coloured rivers like Chandra, Bhaga and Indus are only a few examples of awe this excursion has in store for you.
The high-altitude city of Leh with all its raw beauty is the perfect ending for this perfect story of the 561 kms of total adrenaline surge. All this said, we still maintain that this is one exploration you only get a real taste of when experienced firsthand.
The best time for the Manali-Leh-Khardung La cycling expedition is June to September.
| Starting point // Endpoint | Ex Chandigarh to Ex Leh |
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| Destination Covered | Manali, Sissu, Jispa, Sarchu, Debring, Lato, Leh |
| Maximum Altitude | 5359 mtrs |
| Difficulty Level | Extreme |
| Transport | We provide backup vehicle at all times during cycling trip. If in any case, you don’t feel like riding you can always use the vehicle. |
| What to bring | Bike shoes • A nice pair of socks and footwear • Bike Helmet • Cycling shorts • T-shirts and good quality warm clothes • Water resistant Jacket • Safety gloves • Torch • Sunscreen Lotion (At least SPF 50) • Cap / Hat • Eyewear |
| Is a First Aid kit advisable? | You must carry a first aid kit with you. Sometimes you could have symptoms of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) also which includes a headache, nausea and vomiting. During your trip, our team will carry a first aid kit and fully equipped oxygen cans for such situations. Drinking water is very essential. |
| Precautions |
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Arrival at Chandigarh airport and transfer to Manali. In the evening, meet with other team members and the expedition leader, who will take us through important details, safety and health pointers that we should bear in mind throughout the expedition. We are then introduced to our mountain bikes, which will take us all the way to Ladakh in the next few days. The expedition leader then explains a few basics about the bike before we take it for a test ride. Overnight at Hotel.
After breakfast, we start off our expedition towards Ladakh. Today, we cycle to Marhi, a small village on the way to Rohtang Pass. We ride through the villages around Manali into lush green coniferous forests, taking the road that leads to Rohtang Pass.
Today’s ride is challenging with the entire stretch being an uphill climb all the way to Marhi. As we climb through the turns and bends, we get a bird’s eye view of Manali below and panoramic views of the Himalayas. Marhi itself is just a cluster of dhabas and camping sites which acts as a comfortable stop over for road travelers. We will camp a night under a clear sky.
Today we encounter our very first high mountain pass in this expedition! We ride 16 km up from Marhi to Rohtang Pass (3,980 M) and then 23 km down to reach a Khoksar village, where we stop for lunch. From there, it is a gradual 12 km with small ups and downs all the way to Sissu.
Today is comparatively easier with a long patch of downhill cycling and also the gradual bits. However, the initial climb to Rohtang Pass can be challenging given the altitude gain. Overnight at hotel.
We cycle from Sissu to Jispa, through Keylong and cover a distance of 55 km. Jispa is a quiet village with just a handful of houses and stores with basic supplies. The first stretch till Tandi is easy, starting with around 10 kms of gradual ups and downs and then 15 kms of downhill riding. The remaining distance is predominantly an uphill climb with 7 kms of downhill right before we reach Jispa.
Today’s ascent is difficult and can be extremely challenging in the scorching sun as we are moving towards the cold desert. Overnight at hotel.
We will wake up early in the morning. Today the route is a slight upward climb after Jispa till 8-10 kms. Climbing on the short rough road will lead us to the Deepak Taal, a nice place to refresh in Patseo which has a board claiming that on a bright sunny day, the lake mirrors its surroundings. After Patseo, there is rolling terrain up to Zing Zing Bar. Gradual increase in altitude and a bit starts of altitude prone area, leading forward to a gradual slope till Zingzing bar. We will climb steadily and reach the day's destination. Overnight in camps.
The second high mountain pass of the expedition, Baralacha La, awaits us at a massive height of 4,850m! We make our way from upper Zingzingbar to reach Baralacha La, which is a long ascent of 16 kms on our mountain bikes. From the pass, we are faced with an adventure-filled downhill ride, through off roads and streams that breach the highway all the way to Sarchu. The road conditions today keep varying with well laid roads in some parts and roads which are under construction or maintenance in others. Cycling, particularly downhill, on off roads could be extremely challenging given the pieces of gravel that are strewn around. It is important to be mindful of the road and maintain balance in such conditions.
Today is full of exciting adventures and challenges! We make our way from Sarchu into Ladakh, cross the Gata Loops, ride through the third high mountain pass of our expedition, Nakee La, to reach Whisky Nala! The 22 km stretch from Sarchu to the beginning of Gata Loops is a rather flat one with a fair amount of descent and a few ascents here and there. We are then faced with an uphill climb through the 21 Gata Loops to reach Nakee La at 4738 M. From there to Whisky Nala is a gradual descent into the valley. The climb up to Nakee La is extremely challenging given the gradient and the altitude. Once again, rhythm becomes crucial in helping us ride our way to the top. Overnight in camps.
The road to Debring is a long one, requiring us to cover 80 kms in one day. We are first faced with a 7 km ascent to Lachung La, after which the road winds down all the way to Pang. Pang is a small settlement. From Pang, there is a short climb of 5 kms to reach the starting point of More Plains. More Plains is one of the most exciting parts of this expedition with close to 45 kms of flat stretch, thus letting us relax and soak in the scenery around. The gradient remains the same all the way to Debring, with a small patch of ascent right before we reach the campsite. The day is challenging nonetheless given the distance covered and the strong winds in More Plains. Overnight in camps.
By now we are familiar with the route. We know that if we climb up to a mountain pass, a long thrilling descent awaits us. We leave from Debring to Lato via Taglang La, which is at a height of 5,328M! It is currently the third highest motorable mountain pass in the world. We are faced with a 22 km ascent from Debring to Taglang La before we hit the downward winding roads that take us to Lato. The climb to Taglang La is difficult with the air getting thinner in addition to the long steep ascents that it entails. The descent to Lato through Rumtse is an easy one. Overnight at Homestay.
The day has finally come where we ride to Leh! Although the distance appears to be long, it is relatively easy with just a handful of ascents in an otherwise flat stretch. We are finally back in civilization. We make our way to Leh through small towns and army bases. The river Indus flows on our right as we reach Upshi. On our way, we reach the famous Thiksey Monastery. We also pass by Shey Palace before we enter the city of Leh. Overnight at hotel.
We are now faced with the ultimate challenge of the expedition, the ascent to Khardung La, the second highest motorable road in the world at a staggering height of 5,359m! The route is a steep ascent of 45 kms all the way to Khardung La and is extremely challenging in nature with a height gain of 2000m. The top offers you a bird’s eye view that stretches from the Indus valley in the South over the endless peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range to the giants of the Saser Massif in the North. After a small break. We then make our way back to Leh in our backup vehicle after loading our cycles in. Expect to reach by late evening. The cycling ends here but not before celebrating this massive achievement. Overnight at hotel.
After breakfast transfer to Leh airport.
| Inclusions | A. Hotel
B. Meals / Refreshments
C. Gear / Spare Parts
D. Road Captain (cum guide) / Mechanic
E. Entrance fee
F. Permits / Environment fee
G. First Aid
Supplement for doctor on tour is mentioned separately. H. Transport and Backup Vehicle
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| Exclusions |
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