One of the best ways to explore beautiful India is on a motorbiking trip. Depending on the location you choose, you’ll be riding through gorgeous high altitude deserts, fragrant pine forests, desolate desert trails, verdant coastlines, or spice or coffee plantations. These routes are all filled with diverse sights and smells, and thanks to your trusty bikes, you’ll get to experience them all first-hand. Many travellers prefer motorbiking for long road-trips, as the experience is one like no other.
Motorbiking in India: Leh Ladakh Bike Trip
One of the most iconic motorbiking trips in India is the Leh Ladakh bike trip. This odyssey takes you to some of the most starkly beautiful terrain in all of India. You will be stopping to visit iconic landmarks such as Pangong Lake, high-altitude passes, visiting monasteries, and memorials. Your motorbiking adventure will begin at the small centre of Leh. You will ride through beautiful stretches of landscape, meet reclusive locals, and see raging rivers as you travel through.
Motorbiking in India: Shimla-Manali circuit
Going out on a motorbiking trip along the Shimla-Manali circuit by bike is ideal during the monsoon season. The cool and pleasant air of Shimla is a welcome change from the hot and dusty North Indian plains.
Motorbiking in India: Goa circuit
Goa is a popular destination for many bikers looking for shorter biking trips in India. You’ll depart from Mumbai or Pune, and will have a beautiful ride through the Sahyadris, passing tropical forests and hills with views of the ocean. In Goa, the motorbiking itinerary often includes some sightseeing, but you’ll get plenty of time to ride past gorgeous white and yellow sand beaches and to stop to enjoy the food and the sunshine.
Motorbiking in India: The rest of India
If you’re starting in Karnataka or anywhere south of Goa, you should try to take a Hampi bike tour. If you plan it well, you can stop to do short hikes, take a coracle ride, or visit the historic temples. There are many biking trips that pass through Pondicherry, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal, Ooty, as well as a few other spots.
These are just some of the most popular biking routes in India, but there are many other destinations that your biking trips can take you. You can head to Rajasthan for the camel fairs, visit Sikkim or Arunachal Pradesh, or visit the sprawling salt pans of the Rann of Kutch.
Best season for motorbiking trips
If you’re heading out for the Leh Ladakh bike trip, you’ll be going during May or June. For the rest of the country, try to stick to the winter months when the weather is cold. You’ll stay comfortable for long hours of riding, and your bikes won’t overheat.