Uttarakhand (until 2006 Uttaranchal, both meaning "northern region") is located in the southern Himalayas and extends from the Ganges plain in the south across the foothills of the Himalayas to the high mountains with Nanda Devi (7822 m), the second highest mountain in India.
Pricing
| - Prices for the dates - | |
| 28.04.2024 - 12.05.2024 | |
| 14.09.2024 - 28.09.2024 | |
| per rider in shared/double room incl. Royal Enfield Classic (Only available for a booking of two persons. Single travelers need to choose the single room surcharge.) | €2,500.00 $2,626.12 ? |
| per pillion passenger in shared twin/double room (pillion passengers cannot book without an accompanying rider) | €2,170.00 $2,279.48 ? |
| per person single room (surcharge - only available with an additional selection of the basic price "per rider in shared twin/double room") | €330.00 $346.65 ? |
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| Optional: | |
| Royal Enfield Himalayan (on request - no surcharge) | €0.00 |
| Visit to the Taj Mahal per person incl. double room (surcharge) | €225.00 $236.35 ? |
| Visit to the Taj Mahal per person incl. single room (surcharge) | €250.00 $262.61 ? |
Included
| 14 x overnight stay in hotel |
| 14 x breakfast |
| 13 x dinner |
| Rental motorcycle (depending on booking) |
| Operating materials (petrol/oil) |
| Service vehicle |
| Mechanic Service |
| Tour guide |
| Airport transfer in India |
| Transfer to Rishikesh by car or minibus |
| Everything that is not listed under services |
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| It is recommended to take out travel cancellation insurance, travel health insurance and travel interruption insurance. |
More details
| Total distance: approx. 1190 km |
| Level of difficulty: high |
| min: 4 - max: 12 riders |
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| Visa: |
| Swiss, Austrian and German nationals require a visa to enter India. Your passport must be valid for at least another six months. Obtaining a visa is relatively uncomplicated. A visa valid for six months or an e-Visa valid for 30 days is sufficient. |
| Vaccinations: |
| No vaccinations are required for India. A valid international vaccination passport is required from persons entering from areas with yellow fever (certain countries in Africa and Central and South America). However, it is generally recommended to be vaccinated against tetanus, diphtheria, polio, hepatitis A and typhoid fever. As there are many different aspects to be considered in each individual case, it is always advisable to seek personal travel health advice from a doctor or pharmacist experienced in travel medicine in good time (about 4 to 6 weeks) before the trip. Here too, we recommend that you seek medical advice in good time. |
| Driving licence: |
| You need a valid German and an international driving licence of class 1 or A. Please note that the international driving licence is only valid in combination with the national driving licence. |
| Minimum number of participants: |
| You will find the minimum number of participants next to the respective travel description. As an organizer we have a right of withdrawal if the minimum number of participants has not been reached 6 weeks before the start of the trip. In this case, we will refund the amounts paid on account. |
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| In practice, however, we always try to carry out the trip with fewer participants in your interest, if you agree. in this case, there is no service vehicle available and we charge a staggered small group surcharge: |
| 1 participant: 10% of the travel price |
| 2 participants: 5% of the travel price |
| 3 participants: 2,5% of the travel price |
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| Half double room: |
| For single travellers we offer the possibility to share a double room with another traveller. If there is no "half" double room available at the time of your booking, we will charge the single room supplement. You will be refunded as soon as a double room partner is found. |
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| Language: This offer is usually suitable for English and/or German speaking participants. Please enquire for language options. |
| Mobility: The offer is not suitable for people with reduced mobility. Please contact us for more information. |
Description
It consists of the two mountainous regions Garhwal in the west and Kumaon in the east and a narrow strip of the Ganges plain in the south. Uttarakhand is one of the youngest members of the Indian community of states. It only saw the light of day in November 1999, when it split from Uttar Pradesh.
The main sources of income for the population are agriculture and religious tourism. Garhwal is one of the holiest regions of Hindu India - and one of the most impressive. Tens of thousands of devout Hindus flock to Garhwal's four religious centres every year during the pilgrimage season from May to November: Yamnotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
However, hardly a western foot has stepped on this blessed ground. Whoever dares to penetrate into this hidden world, far off the beaten tourist tracks, experiences an India in its original, untouched form. From here Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva look down on the earthly doings of their followers.
The roads are largely asphalted and, apart from a few pilgrim buses and jeeps, hardly used. They lead into the deepest interior of the Himalayas, past raging mountain rivers, through bright green rice fields and rugged rocky landscapes. Only sometimes, when nature has let its unbridled forces play, when water, ice and snow wash away whole streets in just one night, then our Enfields have to dig through more inhospitable terrain.
With a few exceptions, we will stay at an altitude of less than 3,000 metres for the whole trip, so that the dreaded altitude sickness will not affect us. But we are constantly surrounded by the eternally snow-covered peaks of the majestic six, seven and eight thousand metre peaks that look down on us in the bright sunlight. They are the birthplace of the holiest rivers of India. In Garhwal, the Ganges and the Yamuna, among others, have their source.
We live in middle class hotels, partly under state management, partly in private hands. All accommodations are clean and well maintained and show that it is possible to live well without exaggerated western comfort.
The catering corresponds to the North Indian cuisine. Because of the sanctity of some places, in accordance with the religious beliefs of the Hindus, there are sometimes only vegetarian dishes. However, the vegetarian cuisine of India is very varied. Even alcohol is not always available. If you can't do without your evening beer, you should stock up before you start your journey in New Delhi. Talk to our guide, he will be happy to help you.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival
Depending on the airline, you will land in Delhi late in the evening or after midnight. Our services begin with the transfer to the hotel.
Day 2: Transfer Delhi - Rishikesh
Breakfast. We leave early in the morning and drive by car to Rishikesh, the "Capital of Yoga". On the way, you will get the first impression of Indian life in general and Indian road traffic in particular.
Day 3: Rishikesh - the city of ashrams
Breakfast. Rishikesh became known worldwide when the Beatles visited their guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the late 60s and were introduced to the world of yoga by him. Here we also sniff the air of spiritual India for the first time. In the evening we take part in an impressive spectacle, the fire ritual in honor of the goddess Ganga at the Trivendi Ghatts.
Day 4: Rishikesh - Mussoorie (about 125 km)
Breakfast. The band begins to play. We climb our Enfields and set off on our first mountain tour. We reach our daily destination in the early afternoon. Mussoori is an old hill station where former British occupiers and wealthy Indians took refuge from the summer heat in Delhi. Even today the mall still radiates a little of this atmosphere.
Day 5: Mussoorie - Uttarkashi (about 120 km)
After an extensive breakfast, we set off on a beautiful motorcycle mountain tour to Uttarkashi. We start at the height, then first descend into the valley, only to wind our way back up again over a thousand curves towards the sky. We stop at tiny tea shops. Time seems to have stopped here a long time ago. The warm friendliness of the people is unparalleled.
Day 6: day trip (approx. 110 km)
Breakfast. It's going to be rough today. The road conditions become more inhospitable from kilometre to kilometre. We're moving towards the gangotri. The whole distance is not manageable and so we will fight our way to a lookout point that offers a magnificent view of the Himalayan massif. The landscape is beguilingly beautiful and makes the trip a real experience.
Day 7: Uttarkashi - Srinagar (UA) (approximately 140 km)
Breakfast. The stretch ahead of us is not very long, but we have to move on partly unpaved, quite dusty side roads because a gigantic dam project has flooded the highway. Sometimes it only goes at a walking pace. We are compensated for the somewhat rough driving conditions through beautiful mountain landscapes.
Day 8: Srinagar (UA) - Tilwara (about 70 km)
Breakfast. Now it goes into the deepest interior of the Himalayas. One can hardly imagine a more dramatic situation for a pilgrimage path. On a road just wide enough to let a vehicle pass, we meander with our slender bikes through the lush green forest landscape until we reach Tilwara. Here we find the last, western tourists reasonable accommodation where we spend the night. In the afternoon we can make another trip to the mountains.
Day 9: Tilwara - Joshimath (about 170 km)
Breakfast. Also today we wind our way deeply through the "bowels" of the Himalayas. It is amazing how diverse the country presents itself here. Sometimes we dive into dense forests where hardly a ray of sunlight penetrates, then again endless terraced rice and vegetable plantations lie at our feet, and a little later our eyes are refreshed by endlessly wide grasslands, in "Little Switzerland".
Day 10: day trip to Badrinath (approx. 110 km)
Breakfast. Badrinath is considered the most important of the four pilgrimage places in Garhwal. We visit it as part of a day trip, as it is only a 2.5-hour drive from Joshimat. Badrinath is teeming with sadhus, gurus, and other traditional figures. The temple, with its colorful ornaments, is one of the most beautiful in Garhwal.
Day 11: high up to Auli (3,027 m) (approx. 30 km)
Breakfast. Today is at your leisure. So far we have only been able to admire the snow-covered peaks from a distance. Today we can climb up ourselves. No, we won't climb one of the six or seven thousand meter peaks, but it goes up to over 3,000 meters and thus to the highest point of our journey. Here we will spend the night.
Day 12: Auli - Srinagar (UA) (approximately 160 km)
Breakfast. Like all things in life, even the most beautiful journey must come to an end. As of today, the return journey begins. We will have fun on Highway 58, which is still pretty quiet here. The ride is relaxed and peppered with many stops in chai shops. In the early afternoon, we reach Srinagar.
Day 13: Srinagar - Haridwar (about 135 km)
Breakfast. For the Hindu a real pilgrimage through Garhwal in Haridwar must begin. But since we are not real pilgrims, we will not suffer any harm if we let our "pilgrimage" end in Haridwar instead. We visit the Ghatts and take part in an incredible spectacle, the evening pooja of Haridwar.
Day 14: Haridwar - Delhi - (Agra)
Early in the morning we board the comfortable train that will take us to Delhi in three hours. Breakfast and drinks are served. We gladly leave the stress of the busy Highway 58 behind us.
You can spend one more day in Delhi. After dinner we will go to the airport.
Unless you have booked a visit to the Taj Mahal. In that case you will be chauffeured by a cab to Agra immediately after arrival in Delhi, where you will arrive in the evening.
Day 15: Return flight or a visit to the Taj Mahal
The last overnight stay will be short, because we will take you to the airport in the middle of the night. If you liked it, come again with us to the "Incredible India" or to Iran. There is still much to discover in these extraordinary countries.
The visitors of the Taj Mahal have to get up early. We want to be at the Taj Mahal before sunrise. It is a special experience when the white marble building slowly shines in the reddish sunlight. It is also nice that it is not so crowded at this time of the day.
After breakfast you can have a look at the Red Fort and then we will take a cab back to Delhi. Another dinner together and then it's time for you to go to the airport.
Day 16: Return flight for the Taj Mahal visitors
Tonight you´re flying back to your home country. We hope you enjoyed the trip and we will see you soon in India or Iran.
The last overnight stay will be short, because we will take you to the airport in the middle of the night or early in the morning.
Bye, bye, see you next time. We hope you enjoyed your trip with us and that we will be able to welcome you soon on one of our tours through Ladakh, Rajasthan, tropical South India or another part of this huge sub-continent.
Until then: Namaste and goodbye!