Manali-Leh-Tso Moriri-Manali motorbiking (13 days)

Arrive in Manali and check-in to a hotel. You'll gather with the rest of your group and meet your road captain for a briefing session. This session will cover the itinerary in detail, introduce safety protocols and answer any last minute questions. After the briefing, you'll be allotted your motorbikes for a short test ride. Driving at slower speeds, you'll visit the Solang valley and Naggar castle to get comfortable with your bikes. Overnight in a hotel at Manali.

Overnight in a hotel at Manali.

Arrive in Manali. You'll be accommodated at a hotel in Manali. Today's meal package includes dinner only. You can visit any of the restaurants in Manali to have extra meals at your own expense. This is also the day to visit the marketplace to pick up any last minute essentials.

With thundering motorbikes on hand, you'll head north from Manali on the Manali-Leh highway. With scenic views of the lush, green mountains of Pir Panjal, you'll reach the famous Rohtang Pass. This mountain pass, the first of many, is closed in the winters due to high snowfall. Crossing the pass, you'll enter the Lahaul Spiti district and halt for the night at Keylong. Overnight in a hotel at Keylong.

Overnight in a hotel at Keylong.

Ride from Manali to Keylong. You'll be accommodated at a hotel in Keylong. All accommodation units will be allocated on a twin or triple sharing basis. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only.

Today is the day of riding through difficult high mountain passes, as the route from Keylong to Sarchu takes you through steep ascents near the passes of Baralacha-La, Nakee-La and Lachulung-La. Look out for the chilly weather that often brings in a gust of wind, especially as you navigate the tricky hairpin bends of the Gata Loops. All along, dramatic views of the mountains will adorn the route. Overnight in Swiss tents at Sarchu.

Overnight in Swiss tents at Sarchu.

Ride from Keylong to Sarchu. You'll be accommodated in Swiss tents at Sarchu. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. Every day, you'll stop at a restaurant or eatery en route to your destination, where you can have lunch at your own expense.

Crossing state borders, you'll enter Ladakh and encounter the second-highest motorable mountain pass in the world, the Tanglang-La at over 17,000 feet. On your way to Leh, the largest city in Ladakh, you'll descend from the pass and ride through the More Plains, a vast stretch of flat plateau in the ocean of Ladakhi mountains. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Ride from Sarchu to Leh. You'll be accommodated in a hotel at Leh. All accommodation units throughout the trip, including the Swiss tents, will come with attached washrooms. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only.

Take a well-deserved break and explore Leh at your own pace. While your motorbikes will spend the day in the garage getting a routine check-up, you can visit local attractions in the city. Some of the more popular choices include the Leh Palace and the Shanti Stupa. Apart from Buddhist monuments, you can also visit the town's restaurants to taste the local cuisine or the Tibetan marketplace to pick up gifts for loved ones back home. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Spend the day at Leh. You may be issued an equally reliable, Ladakh-registered motorbike for riding in Ladakh due to local union matters. You'll be accommodated in the same hotel at Leh as yesterday. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only.

After a day's rest, you'll resume motorbiking and travel to the Pangong Lake. En route, you'll face a few sections of difficult terrain, especially near the Chang-La pass. But as you reach Pangong, you'll realize that your efforts were well worth the reward. Pangong Lake, a majestic visual spectacle, is the highlight of the tour for many. The waters of this humongous lake appear to change colours as the evening sun goes down and a blanket of twinkling stars emerges in the night sky. Overnight in Swiss tents at Pangong Lake.

Overnight in Swiss tents at Pangong Lake.

Ride from Leh to Pangong Lake. Please follow proper acclimatization measures, as instructed by your road captain, in preparation of your travel to higher altitudes. You'll be accommodated in Swiss tents at Pangong Lake. The tents will be pitched near the village of Spangmik on the banks of Pangong. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only.

In the morning, spend some quiet time on the banks of Pangong and meditate in peace. The sounds of nature at over 13,000 feet in Ladakh will ring in your ears. Soon, you'll turn back and ride into the desert sand dunes of Nubra Valley. The road conditions on today's route are inadequate and will require attentive motorbiking skills. You'll be riding alongside the Shyok River, with narrow roads carved into the side of mountains. By late afternoon, you'll reach Hunder, a small town in Nubra Valley. Overnight in Swiss tents or a hotel at Nubra Valley.

Overnight in Swiss tents or a hotel at Nubra Valley.

Ride from Pangong Lake to Nubra Valley. A support vehicle driven by a mechanic will follow your entourage throughout the trip. You'll be accommodated in Swiss tents or a hotel at Nubra Valley. The tents will be pitched at Hunder besides the Shyok River. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only.

In the morning, you'll begin by visiting the Hunder sand dunes, where natives offer rides on the local Bactrian camels. You'll also ride to the Panamik village, popular for hot water streams that are considered healthy for your skin. On your way back, you'll stop by the Diskit monastery, the oldest monastery in the valley with a 100-feet tall, colourful statue of the Maitreya Buddha. Return to Hunder by nightfall for a merry bonfire in the desert. Overnight in Swiss tents or a hotel at Nubra Valley.

Overnight in Swiss tents or a hotel at Nubra Valley.

Spend the day at Nubra Valley. A road captain riding on a motorbike will lead your entourage throughout the trip. You'll be accommodated in Swiss tents or a hotel at Nubra Valley. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only.

With an early start on the day, you'll gear up for another exciting day of motorbiking. Today, you'll experience another major highlight of your adventure, the Khardung-La. This mountain pass, the highest motorable road in the world, is often packed full of snow at over 17,000 feet of altitude. You'll cross the mountain pass and descend to the town of Leh. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Ride from Nubra Valley to Leh. You'll be accommodated in a hotel at Leh. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. Please note that non-vegetarian food may not always be available everywhere.

Spend the day at leisure in Leh. Today, you can put your feet up and rest in your hotel with your group or head out to explore Leh at your own pace. The narrow lanes and charming flea markets of the town present an interesting picture for an evening of fun. Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Overnight in a hotel at Leh.

Spend the day at Leh. You'll be accommodated in the same hotel in Leh as yesterday. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. Please note that due to the high-altitude, there may be limited road access and availability of services like cellular network or bank ATMs.

From Leh, you'll begin riding south on the Leh-Manali Highway. You'll see the clear mountains of the Chumthang Valley, often known as the valley of Tibetan nomads, as you drive towards Tso Moriri. Smaller than the Pangong Lake, Tso Moriri is another high-altitude lake in the Ladakhi mountains. The lake is flanked by rising slopes that shine in the colours of grey and brown, radiating a unique old world charm. Overnight in Swiss tents at Tso Moriri.

Overnight in Swiss tents at Tso Moriri.

Ride from Leh to Tso Moriri. You'll be accommodated in Swiss tents at Tso Moriri. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only.

Your journey back from Ladakh to Manali begins in earnest on today's ride back to Sarchu. The initial stretch takes you on a patchwork of concrete roads and off-route dirt pathways. En route, you'll stop to rest at the small Tso Kar Lake before continuing forward. Soon, you'll return to the familiar Leh-Manali Highway that will take you to Sarchu by late afternoon. Overnight in Swiss tents at Sarchu.

Overnight in Swiss tents at Sarchu.

Ride from Tso Moriri to Sarchu. You'll be accommodated in Swiss tents at Sarchu. Today's meal package includes breakfast and dinner only. Please remember to carry a govt-issued ID card and your driver's license with you.

The last ride of your motorbiking adventure from Sarchu to Manali is a recap of your Ladakh tour. Starting out from the barren mountains of Sarchu, you'll cross the Chenab River and the Rohtang Pass before entering the lush, green valleys of Manali. You'll reach the hill-station by late afternoon and return your allotted motorbikes. Your trip ends here.

Your trip ends by late afternoon.

Ride from Sarchu to Manali. You'll reach Manali by late afternoon. Today's meal package includes breakfast only. You'll give the motorbikes and helmets back to the tour operator in Manali. Your trip ends here.