The twin valleys of Spiti and Lahaul in the northeastern corner of Himachal Pradesh offer spectacular wild nature. The Lahaul Plateau is bordered by the Chandra and Bhaga rivers.
Pricing
| two or three participants - per rider | €3,399.00 $3,720.04 ? |
| two or three participants - per pillion passenger | €3,199.00 $3,501.15 ? |
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| reduced prices for higher number of participants: | |
| from 4 participants - per rider | €2,699.00 $2,953.92 ? |
| from 4 participants - per pillion passenger | €2,450.00 $2,681.40 ? |
| from 6 participants - per rider | €2,399.00 $2,625.59 ? |
| from 6 participants - per pillion passenger | €2,049.00 $2,242.53 ? |
| from 8 participants - per rider | €2,099.00 $2,297.25 ? |
| from 8 participants - per pillion passenger | €1,850.00 $2,024.73 ? |
Included
| Rental motorcycle Royal Enfield 500 CC for entire tour |
| Gasoline, oil, and all spare parts |
| Comprehensive insurance with 500 Euro deductible |
| English-speaking local motorcycle guide |
| German-speaking tour guide (from 6 participants) |
| Escort vehicle for luggage and spare parts |
| Helpers and mechanics |
| All fees, entrance fees, customs, permits |
| Overnight in mid-range hotels/inns in double rooms or in deluxe camps in tents with double beds and attached bathrooms with electricity and hot water, depending on availability. |
| Meals as advertised (B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner) |
| Volvo Bus Delhi/Manali and Manali/Delhi |
| Sightseeing in Delhi |
| Everything that is not specified under services |
| Flights |
| Visa fees approx. 45 Euro |
| Food and drinks not mentioned |
| Tips if required |
| Private insurances (health insurance, travel cancellation insurance, etc.) |
More details
| Number of participants: minimum of 2 person |
| Requirements: Good riding skills on a motorcycle are required. Partly it goes over scree, through streams, and soft sand. |
| Region: We are located in the middle of the Himalayas in the state of Himachal Pradesh, in the valleys of Spiti and Kinnaur. |
| While the green Kullu valley, from where our tour starts, is relatively densely populated by mainly Hindus, it gets drier, higher, and lonelier towards Kinnaur and Spiti. The people in the high mountain desert are predominantly Buddhist and countless ancient monasteries invite you to visit. |
| While it can rain heavily in the southern part of Himachal, especially during the monsoon season, precipitation is very rare in Kinnaur and Spiti. Temperatures range from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius during the day, and at night it can get quite cold, even below freezing. |
| Dangers: During the tour, we are constantly in the mountains at an altitude between 2000 and 6000 meters. |
| Even though we work with trained mountain guides and take all measures on our mountain tours to counteract emergencies, you can never rule out dangers in the mountains. Weather changes, landslides (especially during the monsoon season) or accidents can always happen and you should always be aware of them. |
| We reserve the right, due to climatic conditions or for organizational reasons, to modify the tours on-site in the way that is safest for all participants. |
| Altitude and altitude sickness: Altitude sickness is a very important issue that should not be underestimated, especially during our tours in the Indian Himalayas. At altitudes of 3500 m and above, our body has to slowly get used to the air pressure getting lower, which also means that less oxygen reaches our lungs. The first signs of altitude sickness are headaches accompanied by dizziness, nausea, insomnia, and loss of appetite. It becomes problematic when water accumulates in the lungs and brain, leading to edema. Then the only thing that helps is an immediate descent to lower altitudes. To prepare for the high altitudes on our tours, we will either spend a few nights at high altitudes before the tours or slowly ascend during the tours to acclimatize. If we notice that there are problems with our guests (each person is differently able to acclimatize, regardless of age, gender, and fitness level), either the whole tour group or the participant may descend/return with a team. Additionally, it makes sense to take an emergency medication against altitude sickness. For this, it is best to consult the pharmacy or the travel doctor. For certain tours, we will have additional oxygen with us. |
| Accommodation: During the tour, there will be simple, clean country-style accommodation in the 2 to 3-star range. One night will be spent at the Deluxe Camp in tents with beds, a bathroom, and electricity. |
| The meals are adapted to the local cuisine and are mostly vegetarian. |
| Best time for this tour is from June to September |
| 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
Dry and very cold, it is surrounded by high mountains. There are many glaciers, the largest of which is the Bara Shigri glacier. The two valleys are also very interesting for their Buddhist culture and art. The monasteries, which were impressively built on steep cliffs, are still very well preserved and serve as repositories of ancient paintings, wood carvings, thanks, and golden images of Padmasambhava.
The people here are friendly and like to demonstrate their traditional dances and ballads and tell their stories.
The valleys are located at an altitude of over 3000 meters. Summers are cool and pleasant with green grass, alpine flowers, and barley fields.
Spiti is located in the rain shadow, making it perfect for a visit during the monsoon season from July to September.
On this tour, you will get a great insight into the rich culture and life of the Spiti people and may be lucky enough to spot some rare animals. (snow leopard, blue sheep, Tibetan wolf).
Kinnaur is surrounded by Tibet and is located in the northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh. Only recently this beautiful district has been opened to visitors. There are lonely green valleys, orchards, and remote villages.
This tour offers pure riding fun on lonely, but also very challenging roads! Lots of loose scree, crossing small streams and lots of dust are the challenges of the local roads! A landslide that blocks the road for hours is nothing unusual here and is part of the experience. Have fun!
-Travel itinerary:
Day 1: Flight to India
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Day 2: Delhi sightseeing and night transfer to Manali by Volvo bus.
In the early morning hours, you will arrive in Delhi and be transferred to the hotel. We will use half the day to explore New and Old Delhi by metro and rickshaw. In the afternoon we will start by air-conditioned Volvo bus to Manali.
Night transfer, 14 hours (B/-/-)
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Day 3: Arrival in Manali ( 2050 m ) and small test ride with the motorcycles.
Early in the morning we reach Manali and check into our hotel. Today, each participant will be assigned a motorcycle. On a test ride, we will explore Manali's surroundings together.
Overnight at the hotel (B/-/-)
Today we will get our Enfields and do a small test ride through the Kullu valley. We will go to Solang valley. Overnight at the hotel (-/-/-)
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Day 4: Manali to Jhibi, 104 km
From Manali, we will ride through the Kullu valley to the small mountain village of Jhibi. Few tourists come here and you have some peace and quiet to relax.
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 5: Jhibi to Saharan, 123 km
Sarahan is a tiny but beautiful village in the Sutley Valley. It is surrounded by apple orchards and dominated by Shrikhand Mahadev peak (5777 m). It was the ancient capital of Rampur Bushehr, one of the largest kingdoms in the mountains of Shimla. We can visit here the Bhimkali temple with its 6 silver gates. This consists of a mixture of Hindu and Buddhist elements and is world-famous.
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 6: Saharan to Chitkul, 112 km
Today the tour takes us to one of the most romantic and beautiful valleys of Kinnaur: Sangla Valley. It is 95 km long, and the pastures on both sides of the river are green and full of fruit trees and flowers. The mountain ridges are covered with snow all year round. The wooden houses in Sangla Valley are an example of unique architecture.
Chitkul is the last inhabited village in Sangla Valley. You would think you are in a fairy tale: green fields, high white mountain peaks, temples, and monasteries...
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 7: Chitkul to Recong Peo to Kalpa, 77 km
Recong Peo is the capital of Kinnaur. Here we will get our official permission to continue our journey.
Kalpa, 51 km away from Sangla, is a good place to buy shawls and the typical Kinnaur caps.
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 8: Kalpa to Nako, 123 km
Nako located at an altitude of 3662 m in the Hingrang Valley is the largest village in the area. Here yaks, horses, and donkeys graze peacefully side by side.
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 9: Nako to Tabo, 68 km
On the right side of the Spiti River is the ancient village of Tabo, flanked by high mountains on both sides. Here is one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries: more than a thousand years old, Tabo Gompa has exquisite frescoes and stucco statues.
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 10: Tabo to Kaza 97 km via Dhankar and Kungri Monastery
To visit the Kungri Monastery, built in the 14th century, we ride into the narrow Pin Valley.
Dhankar is the ancient capital of the Spiti king. The incredibly beautiful monastery is located between high cliffs. Kaza is the district capital of Spiti. It is worth visiting the local market. Every year in August a big folk festival is held here.
Overnight in hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 11: Kaza to Kibber/ Ki/ Komik back to Kaza, 90 km
Today we will visit the famous Ki Monastery. It is the largest monastery in Spiti and participating in the daily morning prayer is something very special! Also, you should try traditional butter tea! Kibber was for a long time the highest permanently inhabited village that had electricity and was connected by road. Towards afternoon we make our way back down to Kaza. Then a road leads us up to the two villages of Langza and Komik. The road is unpaved and the area is famous for its fossils. In Komik is the Thangyud Monastery and in Langza the highest post office in the world.
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 12: Kaza to Chandratal Lake, 100 km
First, we will go to Losar, the last inhabited village in Spiti, before climbing high up to Kunzum Pass. It is inhabited by 242 people, there are 4 stores, a school, a health center, and even a post office! Then we climb the Kunzum Pass (4551 m). We enjoy the descent down the dirt road and then turn off to Chandratal Lake. "Chandra" means moon and "valley" lake. The beautiful lake has the shape of a half-moon.
Overnight in luxury camp (B/-/D).
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Day 13: Chandratal Lake to Manali, 126 km
It goes along the rough Chandra River. The road is crossed by small streams and lots of loose rocks can be found! We struggle through the dry mountain desert and enjoy the beautiful view of the Shigri Glacier, the largest in the area. Today we will go up the Rothang Pass (3950 m), the gateway to the Kullu Valley. We enjoy the view of the green valley and start our descent down to Manali.
Overnight at hotel (B/-/-)
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Day 14: Manali to Delhi
After a relaxing day in Manali, we will take the night bus back to Delhi in the afternoon.
14 hours, overnight on the bus (B/-/-)
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Day 15: Arrival Delhi and flight home
Early in the morning, we arrive in Delhi. Until your flight, you will have a hotel room at your disposal. Until then, use your last hours in India for some more sightseeing and shopping.
(B/-/-)