Motorbike Tour in Zanskar

8- day tour

Zanskar is one of the most pristine and less traveled parts of Ladakh which has all the potential to satisfy a traveler’s imagination. It offers amazing landscapes, from the vast pastures of Pentse-La to the foot of the great Drang Drung glacier and the dramatic and sacred Gonbo Rangjon, a stand-alone rocky mountain. This high adrenaline tour proposes a unique way to engage with Zanskar, by riding your motorbike on some of the oldest and newest roads connecting this isolated region to the rest of India. In doing so, you will cross mountain passes, see herders in the pasturelands and engage all your senses with the raw and pure nature of this very special land. You will get an opportunity to discover the Buddhist life of Zanskar, by visiting remote monasteries, and depending on the time of the visit, attending some colorful festivals and even local marriages.

Day 1

Pickup from Bakula Rinpoche airport and drive to hotel.

Note: Ladakh being a high altitude region, we recommend a full day (24hours) acclimatisation in order to be able to further enjoy your journey.

Day 2

Your second day is dedicated to low impact activities that will allow you to discover Ladakh as your body is adapting to high altitude. We will visit two beautiful monasteries located to the southeast of Leh, Thiksay and Hemis, and after lunch we will visit the Shanti stupa to see the spectacular view of Leh. These activities will also give you the chance to test your bike and to meet the bike team, which includes your mechanic and bike guide.

Day 3

After breakfast we will start our journey from Leh toward Lingshed along the Indus River and then finally we will be driving through a gorge and along a small river that leads to a pass called Sirsirla. This is a unique chance to engage with a magical landscape and a road not often taken by tourists. You will see the once popular Lamayuru-Padum-Darsha trekking route As you enjoy this picturesque landscape, you will cross two big mountain passes, including the Singe La at an altitude of 5,100 meters, before arriving to Lingshed, where you will spend the night.

Day 4

During your fourth day, you will leave Lingshed and drive the zig zag road which will bring you at the bottom of the Zanskar gorge. Driving along the Zanskar river, you will see the opening of the gorge and then past next to several villages. You will be able to see the dramatically perched Stongdey monastery before reaching Padum, the capital of Zanskar.

Day

Post breakfast, we will visit Karsha monastery, and then we will drive along the Stod Valley to eventually cross the Pentse La pass at an altitude of 4,400 meters. Biking along the pastures of Pentse La, you will see the summer camps of Zanskarpas, where herders are grazing yaks, dzos and cows and processing milk product. We will spend the night in Rangdum which is located half way between Kargil and Padum, at an altitude of 4,000 meters, and surrounded by a breathtaking landscape.

Day 6

During our sixth day, we will bike from Rangdum to Kargil. You will get an opportunity to see some of the most impressive glaciers of India. This includes the famous Nun Kun summits and a series of majestic glaciers that are bounding the Stod River. We will bike through the lush landscape of the Suru Valley along the Suru River and spend the night in Kargil.

Day 7

After breakfast, we will visit the abandoned village of Hunderman, and you will get an opportunity to see an abandoned village, Silmo, across the border with Pakistan. Then we will bike towards Leh-Srinagar Highway. We will visit Lamayuru, a village well-known for its moon-like landscape. We will reach back to Leh and have our last dinner together.

Day 8

Fly back.

* It is possible to modify the itinerary from Day 5 onwards and proceed towards the impressive Lungnak Valley, then cross the Shingku La at an altitude of 5,054 meters and reach Darcha in Himachal Pradesh State. After an overnight stay in Jespa village, you will drive back to Leh via Sarchu. You will stay one night on the Changthang plateau and see the Tso Khar lake before driving back to Leh the following day.