Leh Ladakh Bike Trip 2022 – Journey to the World’s Highest Pass – Part 1
Pune – Ladakh – Pune | 6100 km long | 22 days wide | 5.80 km (19024ft) above the sea level
Must watch – YouTube Playlist for all the locations from Pune to Ladakh
Mistakes are the foundation of achievement
The journey through Leh Ladakh is regarded as the pinnacle of motorbike riding. I don’t ride professionally, but what I’ve done or achieved is what every motorcyclist wants to do. And now, after visiting Umling la, I can confidently say that my wish has been fulfilled.
This article is intended for all travelers, not just bike riders. I’ve learned about a new side of traveling. If I had taken the same trip by car, rail, or flight instead of a bike, my life experience and the lessons I acquired from it would have been completely different. The best thing about a road trip is that you can leave your house; the worst thing is that you won’t be enthusiastic about getting there because you’ll be too busy enjoying the ride.
I’d like to start by explaining what motivates me to embark on a 6100 km bike tour. So relax and take it easy while riding with me. Join me as we relive a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
The old saying “there’s beauty everywhere, all you have to do is just look around” is true to the core when it comes to the mesmerizing Leh Ladakh travel. Offering scenic vistas on one of the trips to Leh Ladakh India is all about the feel of snow-clad mountains, rugged landscape, soaring peaks, dangerous routes, and roaring bike engines. In short, going on a Ladakh bike tour is all about the good vibes and the undying spirit of a rider.
Day 1
Pune – Lonavala – Mumbai – Vapi
At 11:30 am, I gathered all of my travel necessities, secured them on the bike, and set off on my journey. I can’t believe I’m already on my dream ride because I was so enthusiastic about it. Since the kids were in school when I started my magnificent journey and I missed them, my love Niki said me farewell. I will be away for the next 22 days.
In order to prepare for my journey, I made sure to view a lot of recent YouTube videos about the roads, locations, weather, health, and bike issues in Ladakh. I follow some of the channels because they are incredibly informative for a few different reasons.
Stay: Hotel Apical
Cost: 1200
Distance covered: 300 km
Watch the video on YouTube
“When I go biking I am mentally far, far away from civilisation. The world is breaking someone else’s heart.”
Diane Ackerman, American poet
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Great memories happen when you don’t know when you’re going.
Day 2
Vapi – Bharuch – Vadodara – Ahemdabad – Gandhi Nagar – Siddhpur – Palanpur – Abu Road
On the second day of our journey, we made the decision to leave very early in order to avoid the hottest part of the day as we crossed Gujrat and entered Rajasthan. It was the first time on this journey that we had to pack and load the luggage on our bike, therefore we were unable to do so due to the morning’s heavy packing.
We left at six in the morning, kept up a decent pace, and arrived in Ahmedabad at noon. The summer was in full swing, and I was drenched from head to toe in my riding jacket. We had lunch at Pizza Hut, where only one of the air conditioners was working, but the icy, chilled drink only served to make us feel cooler.
Stay: Hotel Shrinath
Cost: 1400
Distance covered: 550 km
Watch the video on YouTube
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“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
C.S. Lewis
Day 3
Abu Road – Pindwara – Sirohi – Pali – Nagaur – Bikaner
I personally experience the intense heat in Rajasthan’s summer months because I travelled through the desert in a 48-degree temperature. Only the regimen we created to take a water break every hour prevented us from getting sick.
I went to the Bullet Baba temple in Pali, where I also heard the legend of Om Banna and received his blessings. You can watch them in my third day’s vlogs. It was breathtaking to see Dhani and the sand dunes. I took some pictures in the sand because it was so soft and fine, but after my bike got stuck once, I decided not to risk it again. At this point, I was stopping for water about every 30 minutes. The third day’s entire trip was excellent because to the incredibly smooth roads I was on and the helpful directions from Google Maps.
Stay: Hotel RTDC
Cost: 2000
Distance covered: 500 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 4
Bikaner – Hanumangad – Bhatinda – Amritsar
Given that it was summer and I’m not used to the heat, the trip from Bikaner to Amritsar wasn’t great. Unfortunately, I was hoping to find an excellent roadside Dhaba along this route. I must confess that the drive from Bhatinda to Amritsar was enjoyable. There are several Gurudwaras along the way that you may stop at and visit. We took a break to recharge, and they also gave us langar.
Just start off and then the adventure carries your way.
We also shared a great meal with a police officer, who was quite sincere and provided his cell phone number in case we ever needed assistance in Punjab. The friendliness of the Punjabis was one thing I noticed as being incredibly generous, and the food was fantastic. I had dinner at Brothers Dhaba and the renowned Gyani Ji ki Pede wali lassi that evening when I went for a walk around the Golden Temple. I went to the Golden Temple late at night, and it was quite lovely. You must come here to experience holiness and calm.
Stay: Hotel Shrinath
Cost: 1400
Distance covered: 520 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 5
Amritsar – Pathankot – Udhampur – Dharalta – Patnitop
I won’t soon forget this morning when we visited the Golden Temple and Jaliwala Bagh before beginning our day’s trip. Due to the intense heat, I revised our plan to spend an additional day in Amritsar, and we skipped the evening flag-off ceremony at the Attari Border. However, our goal was to arrive at a cool location before traveling to Patnitop.
No hour of life is wasted when it’s spent on two wheels.
Although the location was mountainous and hot, the road was fine up till the Jammu border. However, the roads on the Udhampur ghat were not as smooth. We traveled through the 6 km-long Chenani Tunnel, and when we ascended Patnitop, the temperature gradually dropped, and I felt great. Since Patnitop is the closest hill station to Jammu during the summer, despite its remote position and limited roads, we found it to be crowded with tourists.
Stay:
Cost: 2400
Distance covered: 278 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 6
Patnitop – Ramban – Srinagar – Kangan – Sonamarg
Since it was a hill station, the view was hypnotic in the morning, and the air was quite comfortable during our cozy and comfortable stay. The journey starts when we get to Samba and the national highway. The roads were quite broad and there was a lot of construction going on, but a lot of motorcyclists were coming back and recounting their experiences in Ladakh, which inspired me a lot.
Have a passion, life is boring without it.
The scenery and the sky abruptly altered as soon as we arrived in Srinagar. We had a wonderful sensation of Kashmir because of all the stunning, colorful roofs of houses and green fields, Kashmiri houses that were all around us. The roads and cliffs along the way to Sonamarg were really stunning. These roads are really a slice of heaven, and I really enjoy traveling on them. I fell in love with Sonamarg at first sight and immediately made the decision to stay in the hotel next to the Thajiwas glacier.
Stay: Sonamarg Glacier
Cost: 3500
Distance covered: 247 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 7
Sonamarg – Thajiwas Glacier
For the first time, we remained an extra day in the same location, and Sonamarg was worth the extra time. How could a location like this be so beautiful? It is only open for 3–4 months out of the year and is covered in thick ice the rest of the time. I was astounded to see the magnificence of these mountains and the valley.
I am a biker, I do what I want, when I want, where I want.
Nilesh and I did some off-road exploring and visited a glacier where we discovered the Indian Army to be really helpful and felt very secure. Sonamarg’s natural beauty is astounding, and the locals were so gracious as to grant us a glimpse of their resort. The sound of the flowing river, the breeze from tall trees, and the adorable handcrafted tiny bridges made the scene absolutely breathtaking. We rode horses down to the Thajiwas glacier’s base, which was a magnificent experience. The ride was perhaps seven or eight kilometers long, but the enjoyment was immeasurable.
Stay: Sonamarg Glacier
Cost: INR 3500 /day
Distance covered: 20 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 8
Sonamarg – Baltal – Zojila Pass – Zero point – Drass – Kargil War Memorial – Kargil – Mulbekh
Although I had heard that the Zojila Pass was one of the deadliest, I later discovered that vehicle transit was prohibited on Fridays, thus my 12-kilometer journey was peaceful and enjoyable. Our hotel employee warned us not to start the trip before it was scheduled to pass the Zojila. This issue won’t exist in the next year because the tunnel to traverse the Zojila mountain is nearly finished, which will cut down on travel time and inconvenience. Despite the danger, the beauty is quite captivating.
Zero point, which came after passing through the Zojila Pass, was a significant milestone. Here, you can engage in ice activities, but the ice has now melted and I still have a long way to go, so I didn’t stop. It’s a very beautiful location for mountain and wildlife photography, but unfortunately, I lost my pictures from this day trip when I copied them from my memory card to my hard drive. As a result, some of them are presented here from my mobile phone.
Why I’d like nothing better than to achieve some bold adventure worthy of your trip
I went to the most well-liked Kargil War Memorial, and it was worthwhile to stop by and pay tribute to our country’s true heroes. The Kargil battle memorial is quite a distance from the settlement, yet the village and its setting are stunning. My stay was in Mulbekh, which is 35 kilometers away from Kargil. The scenery there made it seem as though I was in a different universe; the gompa and monastery are located inside these mountains and scenic areas.
Stay: Guest house
Cost: 800
Distance covered: 160 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 9
Mulbekh – Lamayuru – Khalsi – Nimmu – Indus & Zanskar Confluence – Magnetic Hill – Gurudwara Pathar Sahib – Hall of Fame – Leh
This was my favourite site throughout my entire trip; I adore it. We visited the Mulbekh Gompa to take pictures and get the best vantage point before heading towards Leh. Unexpectedly, we learned that a nearby plateau served as the filming location for the Amir Khan film Laal Singh Chadda. This amazing plateau is extremely remote and has little to no human habitation.
Lamayuru is well-known for its monastery as well as for its “lunar” setting, which is charmingly marketed to tourists as a “Moonscape/Moon Land.” Even if Lamayuru is not the only place with these fantastically bizarre geological structures, the landscape is nevertheless amazing. The historic Lamayuru monastery was included in the “moonscape.” The oldest and one of the biggest monasteries in Jammu & Kashmir’s Ladakh region is Lamayuru.
I do believe it’s time for another adventure.
Although logically it has nothing to do with magnets, people seem to go crazy at Magnetic Hill, which is one of the most popular tourist and biker destinations. I adore the view of the Indus and Zanskar rivers coming together; the confluence is breathtaking, and you can clearly see the river’s green water wherever it goes. The sacred site of Gurudwara Pathar Sahib is worth visiting when traveling this route. Even when in Leh, you may travel to the confluence of the rivers and see everything, including the Hall of Fame, which you won’t soon forget.
Stay: The Courtyard Bunks and Rooms
Cost: 4000
Distance covered: 180 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 10
Leh – Leh Market – Shanti stupa
The Courtyard bunk and rooms, where I slept, are a one-stop destination for bikers because they provide servicing and rental bikes. The owner, Gurmeet, was very hospitable, and the food, drinks, lodging, and motorcycles were all well-maintained. I gave myself enough time to adjust to this altitude because I had to travel for the following ten days over 15000 feet.
Leh, one of the highest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, is located in one of the most isolated parts of the Kashmir region that is controlled by India. It was constructed as a stopping point for Asian caravans.
The Leh Palace, the former residence of the royal dynasty of Ladakh, which was constructed in a similar style to the Potala Palace and about the same time, still dominates the town. At 3524 metres (11,562 feet) above sea level, Leh is connected to Srinagar in the southwest via National Highway 1D and to Manali in the south via the Leh-Manali Highway.
The only time when you can chase me is on February 31st.
Leh is one of Ladakh’s two districts. Frost bites are brought on by the harsh and chilly winter weather. From June to September is the ideal season to visit Leh.
Beautiful yet unreachable for the majority of the year is Leh. Tourists are recommended to bring woollen clothing due to the unpredictable nature of the environment. Only from June through September are the passes for Leh accessible.
Stay: The Courtyard Bunks and Rooms
Cost: 4000
Distance covered: 30 km
Watch the video on YouTube
Day 11
Leh – South pullu – Khardungla – North Pullu – Khardung – Khalsar – Shyok River – Diskit – Nubra Valley – Hunder Sand Dunes
The time has come for our other six friends to travel to Leh by plane with their hired Himalayan motorcycles and explore Ladakh’s mountains for the following nine days. I was finally beginning to bike toward Khardung La Pass, which is an incredible pass for myself and all riders. Before setting off on our trip, we had a spectacular picture shoot at our hotel. As soon as we arrived at South Pullu, the fun began; everyone had to stop there until the roads were safe to travel. I observed almost 200 bikers waiting for the route to open.
Goosebumps feels us that we are alive.
I experienced a mild case of mountain sickness as a result of the bitterly low temperatures, biting winds, and subsequent snowfall.
Overall, my first leg of the trip was fantastic. I hadn’t anticipated such a lovely ride, and everything went according to schedule and our preparations were so thorough that we never felt short of anything.
Stay: Sahara Desert Tent, Hunder
Cost: 3000
Distance covered: 560 km
Watch the video on YouTube
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