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Cycling in Ladakh |
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| Manali to Khardongla Pass |
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The
suppositions: You must be a very good biker, the high
passes are not technical unpretending. The road is to 80%
paved and the distances are not too long. A support car
carries your luggage, so you can enjoy the great Himalayan
range at the best views. The best time is 10. June-30
September.
Day 01.
You go with a bus from Delhi through the hill-landscape of
Himachal Pradesh into the valley of
Kulu and the Beas
River along into the small town
of Manali(2000m) Here you can stroll through the streets
how you want for yourself. Overnight-stay in a hotel (2
nights) |
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Day 02. The
mountain bikes will be settled up, and now you go on a
first reconnaissance-trip: A forest hides a temple, called
Hidimba Devi, out of wood with remarkable carving. Later
you drive steeply up to "Old Manali", a picturesque
village close to the ruins of the Fortress Mandakot. Along
the Beas River you will find the hot
sources of Vashist.
Day 03. You are
biking on the highest road of the world. This trip through
the "alpine" forest to the Rothang La serves for your
acclimatization. After the last village, called Kothi,
many serpentines bring you to the Rohalla
Falls and after a big turn into
a small valley you reach the camp where you stay overnight
(3000m). Now the cook spoils
you with his arts. However it could be raining there,
because in this height the weather changes.
Day-Performance: 35 km, 5 hours.
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Day 04.
In many serpentines and over green pastures, it goes to
the Rothang La, 4060m. There you can enjoy the view over
the glacier summits of Spiti, and the mountains of Ladakh.
It’s fantastic! Now you enjoy the downhill of about 1000
height-meters to the village of
Khoksar. There is the first check post, but you need not a permit. You are now
in Lahaul-Valley. In softly up and down, you reach Tandi,
the campsite at the place, where the rivers Chandra and
Bhaga comes together. (2800m). Day -Performance 75 km, 5
hours.
Day 05.
You start early morning
into the canyon and come to Keylong, the capital city of
Lahaul-Valley. Prayer flags and Mani walls clarify for you
that you are in a Tibetan- Buddhist culture-area. Four
monasteries surrounding in the former capital of Lahaul
invite you for sightseeing. The monastery of Kardung
shines at the opposite hillside in the sun. After a
powerful uphill in the afternoon you reach at the camp Jispa (3200m).
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Day 06.
Now the wood border is behind you, passing Darcha (3235m),
in a big river-landscape, you reach Patseo (3650m) on a
comfortable half-stage. You start your trip intentionally
quietly, in because of the adaptation of height. There you
get a lot of fresh tea, because much drinking is very
important during the acclimatization. Day- performance 32
km, 3 hours.
Day 07.
The Baralacha La, 4670m, is the first key-position on this
demanding tour. The timberline remains behind, the
landscape becomes balder. The height of this pass is a
crossing- point of archaic caravan-ways. Three rivers rise
from here: Bhaga, Chandra and one of the brooks of Zanskar,
which will follow you from now on at your way in direction
northwards to Indus. You have crossed the weather- difference of the Himalayan. You are very
proud that you have managed this without help of the car,
which accompanies you. Now, the indented mountains of
Ladakh and Ruphsu are in front of you. Campsite in Sarchu
at the Zanskar
River. The cook there pampers
you with original Indian or Nepalese food. The comfortable
tents will give you a gently night. This day you pushed up
your bike 1800 height meters and finished 55km. You need
6-8 hours, that’s a regular time.
Day 08.
Early morning you start the strongest steppe. First you go
approximately 38 km very flat till you come to the
Gataloops. The next 800 height meters you push up your
bike in many serpentines. Then you reach Nakee La 5050m. A
short downhill (250m) and the last ascent bring you to the
Lachalung La 5150m. On the pass travelers have established
Manis out of stones, which should appease the mountain-
demons. The
wind cancels over the colorful prayer-flags. You are
acclimatized well, and so also the Lachalung La 5150m,
does not cause any problems in you. Over you pile the
rocks of the Trans himalaya. They roll through a bizarre
canyon, until in Pang the second arm of the Zanskar is
reached, the Zara Chu. Immediately beside a control-
station you will stay for
camping in the tents there, 4500m. You are hungry and you
enjoy the Tibetan food-Momo, Noodles with Beans, Pancakes
with Jam, Dal with Rice, and so on. Day-Performance 84 km,
7-9 hours.
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Day 09. You
slept well in the Jute-tent. After breakfast, you start
slowly at a short ascent to the Mora Plain 4700, one of
the Rupshu typical, waterless high deserts. There only
lives poor Changpa -Nomads, which reach even 5600m high
pastures with their yaks, sheep’s and goats. In
interesting excursion, you bump over unfixed tracks to a
clear
source that bubbles between mountain-backs from green
pastures. Further to Tsokar, a no-flowing-off salt lake.
That is eaten by a sweet twin lake, and in its mineral
wealth almost suffocates. Rust and strip-goose are in this
paradise equally at home, as the Tibetan gull. Few years
ago people have transported the precious salt with goat
stoves into the endless corners of Ladakh. It is a
fantastic panorama! Campsite near the lakes. Day
performance: 57 km, 4 hours. |
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Day 10.
Only the Taklang La, 5303m separates you from the
Indus-Valley. In a far swinging back, soft traverse, the
street wins the saddle before debling, 4800m. You can see
it as a thin line at the steep hillside. Also like the
audacious turning of the old caravan-way, from
prayer-masons. In three hours you are above and will be
rewarded with a wonderful view on the mountains of
Karakorum. It’s a stormy corner and you stay only for a
short time on the pass. After taking some pictures, you
have a gently downhill till Üpshi, 56 km, without
treating! The street is in very good competition and you
reach the camp in the romantically canyon of the Gya-River
in 2 hours.
Day 11.
Its cold on morning in the shadow of the canyon. We start
early to the Indus-Valley. We follow the green wideness
till a hidden valley. In a short uphill, 7 km, we reach
the monastery of Hemis. There we have sightseeing and in
the restaurant our second breakfast. Past midday we are on
the last trip to Leh, we pass the monasteries of Stakna,
Thikse, Shey, and its time enough, to make a short visit.
A last ascent, 300m, will bring you to Leh. There are many
guesthouses and restaurants.
Day 12.
You slept very well in the clean bed, now you have time to
make a sightseeing and shopping in Leh. It’s fantastic
here; they have on market all kinds of fruits, what you
missed in the past tense. It is warm in the sun, you enjoy
at a black coffee and Donates in one of many shops. You go
by bike to the monastery of Sankar, the Shanti Stupa, and
the
Tsenmo Hill.
Day 13.
With less luggage you start early morning to the highest
motor able pass of the world , the Kardung La 5606m. The
ascent begins at 3540m and end by 5603m. There are 46 km.
Behind Leh you leave the last small village, Ganglass
4000m, then you reach 2 hours later the check post in
South Pullu. Only 14 km separate you from the summit. You
need 3 hours to the pass. The view along the street is
always fantastic, on Kardung La; you get fresh tea or
Maggie noodle soup. There is also the highest Gompa, you
can make a visit. The reward of the day is a fantastic
downhill to Leh. This journey is very strenuous and
sometimes depend on the weather. You need a technical
perfect bike, a fully is the best. You sleep often in a
tent with a sleeping bag. Check your cameras and
batteries.
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| Tour Ends |
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