Cycling Manali to Leh Tour

At your arrival to the capital, our guide or driver will meet you at the airport and will help you to check in at the hotel. Most international flights land in Delhi at night but if you reach early and will have time then our driver will take you for Delhi sightseeing, Overnight will be at a hotel.

After having breakfast, drive toward Chandigarh. This will be approx 4-5hrs drive. Check in at hotel, if will have time in our hand and you would like to visit the Chandigarh city then in the evening we will go for sightseeing of Chandigarh city and will have dinner at City restaurant, Overnight at hotel

We will begin our journey towards Manali after brekfast. We will try to leave chandigarh as early as possible after breakfast so we can have more time in Manali. Acclimatization is very crucial for this tour. So everyone acclimatizes on the first day. Manali, located at the altitude of 2050 meters (7625 feet) in the North Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, is ideal for this. In case you are flying in, we can make arrangements to pick you up from the nearest airport at Bhuntar. We meet and greet and discuss the plan for the tour. In free time, you can savour the hippie culture of old Manali town. Dinner and overnight stay will be at hotel.

Manali Leh Cycling Tour begins on Day 4, leaving the lush green Beas Valley from Manali, a hill town that marks the beginning of an ancient trade route to Ladakh as we hit the road and begin northward ascent to Rohtang Pass. On the way we cycle up a series of loops and bends to pass the picturesque villages of Palchan, Kothi and Gulaba. We end the day at Marhi, just 12 km short of Rohtang Pass. The place offers a spectacular view of the Pir Panjal Mountain range in the distance.

Day 5 begins on a high as we cycle the steep way up to Rohtang Pass. At the altitude of 3978 meters (13051 ft), Rohtang Pass is the first of the five passes on the road to Leh. We take a short break here to let you enjoy the sight and freshen up. It’s not unusual to see this pass blanketed with snow even in summer. The height allows a breath-taking view of the snow-peaked mountains of Lahaul. Cycling downhill from Rohtang is pretty enjoyable. Traffic thins out as we pass the village of Gramphu and then cycle along the river Chandra. Enjoy the downhill ride ending at our stop for the day Keylong. Overnight will be at hotel in Keylong

The overnight stay at Keylong acclimatizes you further for the journey ahead. On Day 6, we leave Keylong and cycle up the circuitous road along the Bhaga river. The vegetation begins to turn noticeably sparse. From now on, human habitations will be few and far between. Once in a while, you will spot a small herd of sheep in the arid landscape. In the far horizon, the higher Himalayan ranges begin to emerge. We pass by the sleepy hamlets of Jispa and Darcha to end the day with an ascent to the tiny settlement of Patseo. It’s a relatively easy day of cycling, planned to help you keep the energy for the steep ascent on the following day.

The day begins with the steep ascent to Baralach La pass, the second major pass on the road to Leh. The road here may be rough but you are rewarded with a gorgeous view of the shimmering blue Suraj Tal lake. As you cross the pass at the altitude of 4891 meters (16046 ft), you enter the Great Himalayas. From now onward, you will witness the pristine Himalayan landscape as it has stood for many millennia. The only sign of human presence is the road that snakes up and down the mountains. Cycling down from Baralach La is a welcome relief after the steep ascent. We end the day at Sarchu Plains.

Sarchu is a cold and windy place with a very Martian landscape. It’s a vast camping site for bikers. On Day 8 we leave Sarchu and begin the zigzag ride up the 21 hairpin bends of Gatta Loops on our way to Nakeela Pass, the third pass on the way to Leh. The thin air at this pass will challenge your fitness levels. But, you don’t need to worry as we will quickly descend to Pang and relax for the day in our comfy domes. Lachang La to Pang is 25 km, downhill. The backdrop was breathtaking, overwhelming. After Lachulung la pass, the road practically vanishes and climb down to Pang is a bumpy ride. The arid landscape continues to throw up some stunning views. We end the day at Pang

After a tiring day yesterday, we will be starting today with a small 5km climb. We will now be entering Morrie plains. The massive multi-color mountains in this action will awestruck you. Moray Plains, a stretch of plains as long as you can see at an average elevation of 4800 Mts. The stretch has some of most amazing landscape and is flanked with beautiful mountains and rock formation on both sides. Cycling here is fun as the road is smooth and runs flat across the wide valleys. Cyclists and bikers often find Morey Plains the most captivating landscape of the tour. After being mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the landscape, we will be cycling through Taglang la pass. This is the second-highest motorable road in our cycling expedition. Located at an elevation of 5328m from sea level, there is a continuous 15km long climb to reach the top. Needless to say, the smile on your face after you reach the top can’t be ignored. Post this we will be enjoying a 35km long descent to Lato. We will spend overnight in Guesthouse./Camping at Lato

The tough part of the tour is behind us. From now on begins the easy cycling to Leh. The scenery changes dramatically as we enter the fertile valleys of Ladakh. Strange red-coloured mountains stand tall by the side of the road. We come upon the Indus river. It’s the river from which India derives its name. We cross many small villages and stupas. We enter the heart of Buddhist country. We will be crossing the famous monasteries of Thiksey, Hemis, and Shey. We might pay a visit to a few of them depending on our schedule and timeline. Cycling through relatively flat terrain today we will reach the historic Leh-Gate, click on group photo and proceed towards our accommodation for the day

We have kept this day for rest at hotel or we will go for local sightseeing of Thiksey and Shey Monasteries and will spend time around Leh Market and will have lunch in city restaurant after all we deserve some easy time :)

Dinner will be at hotel.

As usual we will have breakfast early and start our day for the final day of cycling to the Mighty Khardung la Pass. We will set of for Khardung La early morning around 8am. Cycling approx 41km and gaining 2000m, this is the ultimate challenge of the Manali Leh Cycling Tour.

Leh to Khardung La: Cycling to the top of the world There’s no better way to end this expedition than by cycling to the highest pass in the world, 26 miles(41Kms) to the north of Leh. The ascent is steep asyou have to gain almost 2000 meters before reaching the top. This is clearly the ultimate challenge of the trip. But once on top, you will be rewarded with the overwhelming 360 degree view of the Himalayan range all around you. The feeling, as expressed by many bikers and cyclists, is that of being on top of the world. By evening we will be back to Leh, your dinner will be at hotel.

Your tour end will end today. Please book your return ticket and arrange your airport transfer accordingly.