Himalayas ride

[FlyRide]

Hi Guys

We just finished a great ride to the Himalayas.  Booked a 12 day trip, riding 500 cc Royal Enfield Bullets.  Rode about 1650 km, from Srinagar - Leh - Manali, over a number of great passes, about 4 of which were over 17000 ft.  13 Riders, with 5 crew, riding front and sweep, 2 mechanics in ground crew and luggage transport.  Relatively cheap, booked direct with the guys in India.  100 's of bikes doing this all the time, never realized how popular the area was, has to be one of the worlds most poplular biking tourist spots.  Spent a few days in Srinagar before the trip started, for some sight seeing etc. Company we booked with was great, everything was as advertised, no hidden costs or issues.  Pictures tell a 1000 words, so report is as per pics!! 

Pics to follow, battling to load now!!

 

[edgy]

Nice Larry...keen to see the pics! :thumleft:

 

[J-dog]

:sip:

 

[Lem]

:sip:

 

[ERJ]

:sip:

 

[XC1200]

some guys have all the fun :biggrin:

 

[melville]

:sip:

 

[FlyRide]

Ist Set Pics, taken on arrival in Srinagar, staying on wooden houseboats, Niggen Lake, and start of bike trip

 

[FlyRide]

General pics

 

[FlyRide]

Some water, some cold

 

[DirtRebell]

Hier kom 'n lekker RR.
Sub...

 

[FlyRide]

Touristy things

 

[FlyRide]

More touristy stuff

 

[FlyRide]

Accomodation ranged from Huts, Tents, to small hotels.  Food was Indian!!!  That means spicy, too much for Sharon.  Mainly vegitarian, with a  bit of chicken

 

[FlyRide]

Traffic was Chaotic, wild in the towns and cities.  On the passes - very difficult to get pics - busses, trucks, taxis, bikes all fought their way through the cetours, landslides, stream and rivers!!!

 

[FlyRide]

Two Guys had offs, One guy lost it on a bit of gravel on tar, on a corner, nothing serious.  Sharons cousin, from London, had it a bit worse.  Left it a bit late to brake for a corner, while trying to overtake.  Had a spill, but going fairly slowly, back wheel had been locked, fell onto right rear shoulder.  Got him into recovery vehicle, very sore.  Took him to local military medic, diagnosed as a broken rib.  Next day, bigger town, had Xray, showed a broken rib, plus maybe a few fractured ones.  Next day, to a hosputal, found fluid on the lung, with a puncture.  Inserted a drain. Next day, now on full travel insurance and medical, 11 hour trip by ambulance, to Chandrigarh, nearest major hospital. Still there now, after a month and a bit!!!  Took drain out 2 days ago, now waiting for holes to heal, maybe another week, before they will allow him to fly.  Moral - wear proper riding protection, even if riding slowly.  Pics show him in a brown leather jacket, without full protection.

 

[FlyRide]

Company is called -  Ride of My Life -  Communication was fantastic.  Priced about 11 k for the trip, per rider, including bikes, accom, meals except lunch. Fuel insu etc for own account.  Spent about 20 K each, including all costs, airt tickets, accom on lake for 3 days beforehand.

1 down side, was a 15 hour bus trip, from Manali - Delhi, after the ride.  Bus was a big volvo, with reclining seats etc, but still long!!

Would highly recommend the trip, no issues at all.

https://www.rideofmylife.in/

 

[shanti]

amazing , brings back memories - did that route in 1996 on an enfield I bought secondhand in Delhi - If I can remeber the cost was R2500 for the bike which I sold afterwards for the same , I had to wait in Vishisht near Manali for the pass to open - it was like a starting line for the fabulous freak brothers , 20 or 30 deadlocked long haired hippies smoking up a storm waiting to hit the pass , needless to say it was chaos up the Rotang pass - ice and broken clapped out enfields everywhere , 24 hour full power no toilet no shower - looks like things have changed a bit !
Amazing scenery and heights on those passes , even our chillums where going out with the lack of oxygen

 

[the_BOBNOB]

brilliant!

on my list of things to do - i'm on my way to india again in the next couple of weeks, will put this on my todo list for a future trip!

 

[FlyRide]

To Answer a few questions I've received
We did the budget tour, from Srinagar - Leh - Manali, which included Pangong lake, and Nubra valley, so all the high passes.
Dont expect Luxury on a budget tour.  Some nights not too much in the way of ablutions.
We took all our own gear - riding kit, helmets etc. And sleeping bags - used them when it was really cold, sleeping above 14000 ft.
Tank bags were supplied, for carrying day stuff.  All other gear went with ground crew
Plenty of rest stops along the way - for Chai or something to eat

Feel free to ask for more info.