Morning after breakfast bike 17 Kms to Rohtang jot is all ascend. After a youlcome cup of tea in one of the little Parachute cafes on the Pass ride downhill till Koksar bridge. If the youather is clear there are some scenic views of snow-covered peaks & Glaciers in the far horizon. As you descend there is change in vegetation, the tree line seems to be getting away from us making way for small bushes. You are in the foothills of the Pir Panjal range. After crossing the check post follow the river flow till Tandi. At certain points you will abandon the bank, climbing uphill but you will be moving more or less along the river. In case the sun is out youather can be warm & Humid, but the nights will be cold being on the riverbank & open area. You will encounter some un metalled stretches of road today after Koksar till Gondla, & cross a few mountain streams flowing over the road. Overnight at Gondla

At the confluence point of River Chandra & Bhaga cross the bridge & proceed uphill to Keylong town. En route is Gemur as you ascend the serpentine road into a gorge. Ahead lies the Jispa hamlet town as you come out of the gorge & descend downhill. The Ibex hotel at Jispa is the last comfortable hotel till you will reach Leh town. It's again a green belt for sometime where you will see many shepherds and their sheep scattered on the hillsides. You are almost in the Land of Lamas now. In fact Keylong does support a small Gompa. After crossing Jispa one is definitely in an isolated region & in far horizon you can distinctively see the bareness of the Higher Himalayan ranges. Overnight at Darcha.

Darcha can be considered the gateway to the Higher Himalayas as you cross the bridge & proceed on the hairpin bends uphill. Now it is going to be all ascend till you come to the cantonment area of military garrison of Himmatnagar, Appx - 20 Kms ahead. For next 10 Kms you are into the flat area & then down hairpin bends of Patseo & Zing Zing Bar as you move into the harsh terrain of the arid mountains. The sun suddenly seems hotter than before and the atmospheric pressure make the ride today a bit more challenging. But there are little signs painted in yellow on the rocks - When the going gets tough the Tough get going! - boosting our Spirits as you ascend the heights of the Baralacha Pass - 4892 M & Suraj Tal Lake. The Icy blue water & the origin of the river at the top of the bend that brings us closer to the Pass is a post for the road construction worker toiling hard everyday to maintainthe roads as best as they can under the harsh conditions. It is time now for mountain river crossings. Twice you will be in the middle of water. You will descend down to the gorge area of Bharatpur, a small make shift Tentage accommodation area & night halt for the Truck drivers on their way with fresh supplies to the higher regions. Overnight at BharatpurDay 07 : Bharatpur - Sarchu - Brandy Nallah
The Day starts with an easy ride on a flat road, downhill & then entering a gorge descending to the bridge connecting to the Sarchu Plateau. Cross over the bridge and you move ahead ascending a small uphill road making us move to the plateau area & now ahead lies another vast stretch flat ground with shepherds and their mountain goats. There are a number of features of arid landscapes with some beautiful scenery, a delight for photographers who are looking for high rise mountain ranges, bearing water marks & erosion of soil clearly indicating that the area was under water a few million years ago. The area is sparsely green, the wind is chilly & fast blowing here. You are at the Traffic Check post, which is the entry point into Ladakh. Another 20 Kms ahead on the base of the Gata loops hair pin bends you will camp for the night at Brandy Nallah. The road though metalled is very bumpy with flat stretches of barren land on both sides. Overnight at Brandy Nallah

Day at leisure. Overnight at Brandy Nallah

After an easy day yesterday you now move to scale the Gata loops, 23 hairpin bends bringing us top of the mountain feature. You ride up hill, over an easy slope only to cross the Naki La pass, descend down into the gorge to an isolated military garrison area & then ascend again to the height of the Lachulung la - 5065 M. After Naki La you are almost on an un metalled stretch of gravelly road all the way inside the gorge of Pang. Overnight at Pang

Eight Kms uphill from the Bowl-like feature of Pang you come to the plateau area of the More plains. Changpas, the Nomadic people who tend their yaks here and a few wild asses are the only sign of life on this isolated and long road. This belt not only barren but is known for fast blowing winds, sandstorms & extreme temperatures in the early morning and evenings. Fresh stream water can be considered a scarcity in this area though you might find some isolated mountain streams flowing down from the Tanglangla. The ride is easy going being a flat plateau area, but the road, which stretches on ahead, is not as smooth as it looks. There are tiny bumps all along. Overnight at the base of Tanglang La.

You proceed early to scale the World's second highest pass, Tanglang la - 5,360 M. The ride for the next 17 Kms is a challenge for even the fittest of riders, youather being cold early in the morning, with gravelly stretches of the road consuming extra energy, riding over the altitude of 17,000 Ft will be an acid test for the mind & Body. Reaching the top is a very satisfying experience & then it's all down hill with smooth gradients till the base of the Pass. After crossing a small mountain river it is time to find civilisation again. The Chortens along the road in the villages announce our arrival in the heart of Buddhist culture. The greenery changes the landscape, and the red coloured mountains surrounding us and reflected in the river only add to the beauty as you hit Rumtse and Gya. Overnight at Gya

For next 20 Kms you ride on some metalled & un metalled stretches of roads & cross over the Upshi bridge across the river Indus. The river originates in China & crosses over into India somewhere in the higher regions of these great Himalayan ranges. The road condition improves considerably as you follow more traffic from the cantonment area & local villages going to Leh. Ahead lies the Thiksey Monastery & the Chortens Garden before you finally enter Leh Town. The ride is easy and you can expect to reach Leh by evening. Overnight at Leh.

Day at leisure. Overnight at Leh

The youather on the pass is not always very reliable and an early start is called for. The journey from Leh till the North Pullu Check post, Appx 20 Kms, is fair enough to warm up, with some easy uphill ride. After North Pullu one has to gear up more. The roads are under maintenance & construction thus the ride is bumpy & as you proceed ahead it becomes a gravel track & the ride becomes more and more challenging. But reaching the top is worth every bit of the effort and syouat! Its the highest motor able pass in the world, and not many dare to bicycle their way up to 18,380 Ft. The Truck awaits on top of Khardung la for the cycles to be loaded and brought back to Leh town. You will ride back comfortably in 4 Wheel drive vehicles taking time for photography. Overnight at Leh.

Day at leisure. Overnight at Leh

Early morning transfer to Leh Airport Fly to Delhi. Arrive & check in the Hotel. Spend the day at leisure and take the International flight back home.