SPITI – THE MIDDLE LAND

Itinerary for Northroad.PT

DATE

TBD

RIDE DURATION

9 DAYS
(7 RIDING DAYS)

RIDE DIFFICULTY

3/5 (INTERMEDIATE)

TEMPERATURE

5-25 DEGREES

ACCOMMODATION

3 & 4 STAR HOTELS

MAX ALTITUDE

4551 m

MOTORCYCLE

INCLUDED

BACKUP & LUGGAGE VAN

INCLUDED

Spiti – The Middle Land – between Tibet and India is one of the most stunning riding destinations anywhere in the world today. An area of great spiritual mystique, the valley provides a surreal experience to all adventurous enough to visit – traversing unique terrain at altitudes upto 15000 ft. ASL!

ITINERARY

DAY 0DAY 1DAY 2DAY 3DAY 4DAY 5DAY 6DAY 7

ARRIVE MANALI

Riders are to arrive at the Anantmaya Resort in Manali, optimally by 1500hrs so that we can complete pre-ride formalities. The motorcycles shall be handed over to the riders and any pre-ride adjustments can be made according to your preferences. 

A general BP/ O2 check shall follow, providing the team with your baseline readings for the remainder of the trip. This shall take place daily so that to ensure any issues that may occur as we gain altitude in the following days are addressed before they can escalate!

A ride briefing will take place over a barbeque as the team and group get acquainted with one another and we set down a few guidelines for the days to come, followed by dinner.

MANALI-RAMPUR

We depart Manali after an early breakfast, and make for Jalori Pass (10800 ft. ASL). An initial highway run before the road narrows as we branch off and begin the picturesque climb to the pass and descent down the other side! The road is incredible and the tarmac pristine as we arrive at Rampur for the evening. A great introduction to riding in India!

RAMPUR-KALPA

We set out post breakfast towards Chitkul, the last village on the Old Hindustan-Tibet route, gaining altitude rapidly. The highway is superb before we turn off and begin the climb towards the hanging valley of Sangla. The road is narrow and winding with stunning views all the way through. After going as far as the authorities allow before the border, we return to the main highway before branching off to Kalpa, where a stunning view of the Kinner-Kailash range awaits! What a beautiful day of riding!

KALPA-TABO

Departure post breakfast, as we descend from Kalpa to the main road and head towards Spiti. The road, once pure hell, is now well manicured tarmac with some extremely satisfying twisty sections. We pass Khab, the confluence of the Spiti and Sutlej, before beginning the climb to Nako and beyond. We ride alongside the Spiti river for the remainder of the day, before reaching Tabo for the night.

TABO-KAZA

We set out from Tabo and turn off towards the village of Dhankar, making a quick stop at the spectacularly built monastery there. The roa d is a mixture of smooth and broken tarmac and we enter Pin Valley and follow the river till the base of the Pin Parvathi Pass, passing the site of a recent GLOF en route! We return the way we came before turning off at the main road towards Kaza for the night.

AROUND KAZA

A short loop around Kaza today, exploring some of the most notable landmarks in the region! We head up towards Hikkim, the site of the (dubiously decreed) highest post office in the world! Send a postcard off to your loved ones and continue the climb to Komic (15000+ ft. ASL) – the highest point on our ride! We then head to Lidang via a lesser known backroad, before returning to base in Kaza.

KAZA-SISSU

The most challenging day of the ride. Early departure from Kaza via Chicham Bridge, a marvel of modern day engineering before starting the off-road climb to Kunzum La. A short stop at the pass to pray for smooth passage the rest of the way. The road is narrow and rocky all the way through – both technically challenging and tiring, but extremely rewarding for those who make the journey!

SISSU-MANALI

A lazy start after the rigours of the previous day. We take the smooth tarmac from Sissu to the Atal Tunnel – a 9.02 km long tunnel at an altitude of around 3000m above sea level. Upon emerging on the other side, we begin our descent to Manali, stopping for lunch en route. The group will congregate in the evening to celebrate an epic adventure one final time, before parting ways the next morning.

want to know more about us?

POINTS OF INTEREST

The ride will take you to several points of historical, cultural and spiritual significance.
Some of the iconic landmarks you will be crossing are mentioned below:

KUNZUM LA

Situated at just shy of 15,000 ft. above sea level, Kunzum La connects the Lahaul and Spiti valleys. The pass is notoriously challenging to climb! Travellers may attempt to stick a coin on the magnetic idol in the shrine, but remember – only true believers will be able to do so successfully!

CHICHAM BRIDGE

Chicham bridge, situated at roughly 13,500 ft. above sea level, connects the villages of Chicham and Kibber and holds the title of Asia’s highest suspension bridge! The drop into the gorge below is mind-boggling, almost 1000 feet, making it a truly stunning site amidst the barren land of the region.

TABO MONASTERY

Built in 996 AD, Tabo monastery is the oldest of the operating Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayas today – over 1000 years of existence! It is famed for its unique architecture and style of art, and though part of it has been rebuilt over the years much of the original structure remains today!

YOUR RIDE

You shall be riding through Spiti on one of the following machines, basis availability.
Both are capable of traversing the terrain adeptly and are extremely popular choices when it comes to travellers riding into the Himalayas.

RE Himalayan 411

RE Scram 411

IMPORTANT TRIP DETAILS

COST

Cost on twin sharing (rider) : EUR 2200 PER PAX

Cost on twin sharing (pillion) : EUR 1700 PER PAX

Single rooming supplement (optional) : EUR 500 PER PAX

INCLUSIONS

The cost includes:

1. Accommodation for 8 nights at places specified in the itinerary, on Twin Sharing basis.
2.Breakfast and dinner at all hotels.
3. Lunch/ tea/ refreshments en route on all riding days mentioned in the itinerary.
4. An Isuzu V-Cross 4×4 equipped with a VHF Radio for communication for the duration of the ride. The vehicle will carry your luggage, have a trained Mechanic onboard, Tool Kit,Puncture Kit, High Volume Air Pump, emergency fuel etc. and can carry a stricken motorcycle if need be, and will sweep the course to ensure everyone is brought home to roost! The ride leaders shall be equipped with radios as well to as network is spotty in the area, allowing us to keep a track of all the riders!
5. First Response Medical kit. 
6. Transportation for arrival to and departure from Manali at the ride start/ end.
7. Services of two accompanying  Xplorearth Lead Riders  (Instructors at the True Adventure Honda Camps), one backup truck driver/ mechanic.
8. Toll taxes, green fees and permissions required en route.
9. Royal Enfield Himalayan or Scram 411 rental fee, plus fuel cost for the duration of the ride.

EXCLUSIONS

The cost excludes:

1. Accommodation & meals not mentioned in the itinerary.
2. Costs towards accidents/ illness and medical evacuation.
3. Damage to the motorcycle/ spares for the motorcycle.
4. Expenses of a personal nature such as porterage at bell desk of hotels, soft beverages, alcoholic drinks, laundry, telephone/internet charges or room service.
5. Air/Train fares
6. Indian Visa fees
7. Anything not mentioned in the inclusions.

WHY XPLOREARTH?

Born and bred in the Himalayas, we at Xplorearth are a group of passionate motorcyclists and 4×4 enthusiasts curating experiences for travellers from across the globe to experience these magical mountains. Our team is highly skilled and we take utmost care to look after every aspect of your journey from the moment you join us so all you need to do is enjoy the ride! 

Heritage:
Xplorearth started out as the logistics backbone for the Rally Raid de Himalaya and the pan-India National Superleague TSD Rally Championship. We have not only an unmatched understanding of the region, but also the infrastructure, local contacts and other intangibles that are crucial when organising a trip into these areas, particularly when other connectivity and healthcare infrastructure is underdeveloped! Moreover, our experience in the area helps us take riders on routes that most others haven’t even heard of!

Ride Leaders:
Xplorearth has a number of skilled and experienced ride leaders who have been heading expeditions for decades now! We have led rides for renowned brands such as Triumph, BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Royal Enfield and Honda, amongst others, and share the common passion of motorcycling with all our clients – something which transcends all barriers! All of our ride leaders have ridden in various countries across the world and are fluent in English as well as local dialects, making them the perfect guides to lead you through these remote and stunning regions. 


Hospitality, accommodation and cultural experiences:
Our team makes it a point to ensure the best possible accommodation even in the most remote regions! We understand the value of comfortable accommodation after a hard day’s riding, and make sure to cut no corners when designing our itineraries in this regard. All the hotels used on the trip shall be 3 or 4 star properties. Homestays and tents offered by other operators sound great in theory, but not so much so after a full day’s riding at high altitude!
Our knowledge of the region also allows us to point out certain cultural nuances and traditions to those who travel with us, making the entire experience a more fulfilling one!

Backup (medical and technical) and comms:
We use an Isuzu V-Cross 4×4 (or multiple, depending on group size!) equipped with a VHF Radio for communication as our backup vehicle for the ride. The vehicle will carry all your luggage other than anything you need to keep on the bike (rain gear etc.), so you will not have to ride a fully loaded bike every day!
The vehicle will have a mechanic onboard, Tool Kit, Puncture Kit, High Volume Air Pump, emergency fuel etc. and can carry a stricken motorcycle if need be, and will sweep the course to ensure everyone is brought home to roost! Unlike most other tour operators, we don’t simply throw everyone’s bag into the back of a local pick-up and hope for the best!
We put the utmost priority on rider safety during our rides. Our team understands the limitations that the remote areas of the Himalayas have when it comes to medical infrastructure and are well equipped to be the first-responders for any medical issue that may arise. We carry a comprehensive medical kit, stretcher, oxygen cylinders to deal with the altitude and so on to ensure that everyone makes it home safe! Our team also carries licensed VHF Radios for the duration of the trip – a base station and hand-held radios for the ride leads to help keep track of all riders during the event – cellular connectivity in the region is extremely spotty!

SIGN UP

To confirm your slot on the ride, or for more information on anything regarding it,
contact us on any of the following:

Email: [email protected]
Phone/ Whatsapp: Arjun +91 9769144072 / Vijay +91 9816004137


SAY HELLO
Email: [email protected]
Phone/ Whatsapp: Arjun +91 9769144072 / Vijay +91 9816004137

×