Located in the northern Himalayas of India, Ladakh has become one of the most sought-after places to visit for adventure lovers. The picturesque landscape of Ladakh is filled with high passes, shimmering blue lakes, and quaint valleys. Over the last few years, going on a motorbike trip to Ladakh has become one of the most popular biking adventures in the country. From riding on some of the highest motorable roads in the world to exploring some of the vastly beautiful valleys, Manali to Srinagar Motorbike Expedition offers a unique set of adventures. 

Apart from Ladakh, we are going to cover parts of Himachal Pradesh and the Kashmir Valley on this 11 day Manali to Srinagar Motorbike Expedition. As the name suggests, this epic adventure starts from the popular tourist town of Manali and ends in the heart of Kashmir Valley, Srinagar. During the journey, we are going to cover widely traveled places such as Nubra Valley, Pangong Lake, and Kargil, etc. Apart from the popular places, we will also visit some unexplored places such as Turtuk village. The entire trip is going to be organized in the form of a group with participants from all over the country and some other parts of the world. Apart from riding, this Manali to Srinagar motorbike expedition also offers a lot of adventure in the form of camping in some of the most picturesque places on the planet.

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Detailed Itinerary:

Day 01: Delhi(216m) to Manali | 530km
Arrive in Delhi on your own and in the evening to board an overnight bus to Manali. The location/time regarding the bus is going to be provided in advance.

Day 02: Arrival in Manali(2050m) 

Altitude Gain - 1729m
Highlights - Orientation, Manali Exploration

Arrive in Manali in the morning and meet the Adventure Nation team at the pre-booked hotel. After resting for some time, be available to attend the orientation session conducted by our on-ground team. Later in the afternoon, you can go for manali sightseeing on your own. The popular places to explore in Manali are Hadimba Temple, Vashisht Village, Mall road, Old Manali lane etc. You have the liberty to visit places of your own choice. Later, have dinner at the hotel and stay overnight.

Day 03: Manali to Jispa(3200m) | 140km    

Grade/Duration - Moderate/Approx. 8 Hours
Altitude Gain - 1150m
Highlights - Atal Tunnel, Keylong.

Today, we are going to ride towards Jispa on the much-celebrated Manali-Leh Highway. Leaving early is pivotal as we need to cross the mighty Rohtang Pass (3978m) early in the day before it gets too crowded. On The Way, You Will Pass Atal tunnel, Tandi (Last Petrol Pump Before Upshi) And Keylong. We continue the ride towards Jispa crossing the quaint mountain towns of Sissu and Keylong. Arrive at the destination early in the evening and have an adventurous overnight stay in tents.

Day 04: Jispa to Sarchu(4290m) | 90km    

Grade/Duration - Difficult/Approx. 6 Hours
Altitude Gain - 1090m
Highlights - Deepak Tal, Baralacha La, Riding along Tsarap River

Keep yourself completely hydrated by drinking a tonne of water as we are going to spend the night at above 4000mt altitude. Today’s ride is one of the shortest rides of the expedition but the adrenaline level remains high as the terrain is full of adventure. After crossing Darcha, keep riding on the Manali-Leh Highway towards Deepak Tal. The road from here starts to ascend steeply towards the treacherous Baralacha Pass(4890m), negotiating Zing Zing Bar and crossing the stunning emerald lake, known as Suraj Tal. Just after crossing Baralacha, halt for some time and have some well-deserved lunch near Bharatpur. We continue our ride to Sarchu on the same road, although the terrain gets changed quite a bit along the way and Tsarap River is visible on the left side carving and raging through the mountains. Arrive in Sarchu later in the day and be prepared for a rather uncomfortable night of sleep.

Day 05: Sarchu to Leh(3500m) | 250km    

Grade/Duration - Difficult/Approx. 8 Hours
Altitude Loss- 1022m
Highlights - Gata Loops, Twin Passes

Start riding after an early breakfast as today’s going to be a long but exciting day of riding. Water-Crossings are a common sight on the road while riding to Leh and the ideal time to cross them is early in the day. Just after leaving Sarchu, we start to ascend towards Nakee La(4769m), crossing the zig-zag Gata Loops which is a series of 21 hairpin bends within a span of just 7km. The descent from Nakee La is barely even finished and the ascent towards another high pass, Lachung La(5059m) begins. The descent from Lachung La brings us to the town of Pang(4600m) where we halt for Lunch. The landscape starts to change after crossing Pang and the plateau of Morey Plains starts and stretches for 45km. Closer to the end of the plains, we start climbing the Tanglang La(5328m), the highest motorable pass on the Manali-Leh Highway. After crossing the 3rd high pass of the day, continue riding towards Leh along the mighty Indus River on the left side. Reach Leh in the evening and relax in the hotel.

Day 06: Leh to Nubra (3048m) | 160km    

Grade/Duration - Difficult/Approx. 7 Hours
Altitude Loss - 452m
Highlights - Khardung La, Diskit Monastery

After a rather relaxed day in Leh, we continue our expedition and start riding towards Nubra Valley through what’s considered the highest motorable road in the world i.e. Khardung La(5359m). The road towards the pass is well paved and tarred till the checkpoint near South Pullu and after crossing the checkpoint, the road starts to get slushy with loose rocks on one side. Get yourself clicked after reaching Khardung La and hit the road quickly as it is not safe to spend much time on top of the pass due to the high altitude and thin air. We stop for a quick lunch after climbing down from the pass and then continue our journey. After riding for another couple of hours, we make a brief stop to visit the 32m high Maitreya Buddha statue in Diskit Monastery. Our arrival in the valley will be welcomed by the white sand dunes and the sightings of the double-hump Bactrian camels grazing. Stay overnight at the hotel/campsite.

Day 07: Excursion to Turtuk

Today is going to be a rather relaxed day as we are going to stay the night at the same place. After breakfast, we are going to ride to an astonishingly beautiful place called Turtuk. Claimed by Pakistan after the end of British rule in 1947, Turtuk was annexed in India after the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Due to its proximity to the border, the village was kept isolated for many decades and was only open for tourists after 2010. Since then, the village , cradled by the Karakoram mountains, has been hosting a lot of adventure travelers. Unlike the dry landscape of the region, Turtuk is quite green and is situated on the banks of Shyok River. After exploring the surroundings, we are going to ride back to our accommodation in Hunder and stay another night.

Day 08: Nubra to Pangong(4250m) | 260km    

Grade/Duration - Difficult/Approx. 8 Hours
Altitude Gain -1202m
Highlights - Riding along Shyok River, Water Crossings 

After having breakfast, we start riding towards the most photographed destination in Ladakh, Pangong Lake. Despite the fact that we are not going to cross any high pass today, the ride should be quite interesting as we ride on the much less travelled road via Shyok. Most of our ride is going to be along the beautiful Shyok River and through the villages like Agham, Shyok, Durbuk and Tangste. The road remains slushy along with some exciting water crossings and rocky terrain so being cautious is important. After crossing Durbuk, the last stretch of the ride is going to be along the lake. From the very first glimpse, the lake leaves an everlasting impression on the visitors. Get yourself photographed and just admire the wonder that is this shimmering blue lake. Overnight stay in tents. 

Day 09: Pangong to Leh(3500m) | 150km    

Grade/Duration - Moderate/Approx. 5 Hours
Altitude Loss - 750m
Highlights - Chang La, Druk White Lotus School

Wake up to an enchanting sunrise over Pangong Tso and recommence your Ladakh expedition. Today we are going to ride the same route that we rode yesterday and after crossing Durbuk, we will start climbing the third highest motorable pass in the world, Chang La(5360m). After crossing Chang La, we halt for Lunch. After eating, we start our journey to Lah via Karu from where we start riding on the Manali-Leh Highway. Just before reaching Leh, we are going to pass through the Thiksey monastery and the popular Druk White Lotus School. There will be a short halt to explore the monastery and take some pictures. After riding for approximately an hour, we will arrive in Leh for the second time during the expedition. Stay Overnight.

Day 10: Leh to Kargil(2676m)  | 265km    

Grade/Duration - Moderate/Approx. 8 Hours
Altitude Loss - 824m
Highlights - Riding along Indus River

The ride from Leh to Kargil takes relatively less time as the roads are in pretty decent condition. We bid adieu to Leh and follow the mighty Indus River towards Kargil on the Leh-Srinagar Highway. The landscape is mesmerizing all along the way as we ride through a spectacular moonscape to reach Khalsi. From Khalsi, you may take a left and ride to Kargil via Lamayuru or you keep following the Indus and ride to Kargil via Batalik. After riding through the day, we reach the second biggest town in Ladakh i.e. Kargil. Stay overnight in a hotel.

Day 11: Kargil to Srinagar(1585m) | 202km    

Grade/Duration - Difficult/Approx. 7 Hours
Altitude Loss - 1091m
Highlights - Dras War Memorial, Zoji La

Wake up the chilly Himalayan air and get ready for what is going to be one of the most incredible riding experiences. We check out of our accommodation and start riding towards the Kashmir Valley via Dras, which is regarded as the second coldest inhabited place on earth. Just before reaching Dras, we take a short break at the Dras War Memorial. After Dras, we start riding uphill towards Zoji La(3528m) and the views from the top are just indescribably beautiful. After crossing the pass we enter the breathtaking valley of Sonamarg which is a major tourist destination. Another couple of hours of riding through the valley take us to Srinagar. Stay overnight in a houseboat/hotel.

Day 12: Departure from Srinagar
Today marks the last day of this legendary 11 days motorcycling adventure. Have a relaxed breakfast with your fellow riders in the hotel and get on with your journey back home.

Trip Ends.