INTRODUCTION:
Leh Ladakh, the union territory of India located in Kashmir extends from the Siachen Glacier to the Great Himalayas. Note here that Leh and Ladakh are two twin locations. Leh is a town in the district of Ladakh and is a great tourist attraction. So, don’t have both of them confused as one! Also known as the world’s coldest desert, this place is home to various beautiful monasteries with fluttering flags and beautiful stupas. Being in Ladakh and witnessing its snow-clad mountains, the rugged landscape will cleanse you of all kinds of stress.
Ladakh is a paradise for all but trust me it is only the bikers who experience its beauty to its fullest. Roaring bike engines in the dangerous routes of Ladakh spiced with incredible natural beauty will have you amazed and thrilled down to your nerves. This article will act as a guide for a perfect Leh Ladakh bike trip.
Best suited time for a bike trip to Leh Ladakh
Ladakh is frozen during the winter months, so there is no way of you having a bike trip during this time. That means you can plan for a bike trip only during the summer or the autumn seasons. You can take the road from Srinagar in the middle of May or can take the road via Manali in June. So basically, if you ask us the best time to visit this place especially if you are considering having a bike trip, then we would highly suggest you the months of mid-May to October.
Which bike should you choose?
For a trip like Leh Ladakh, you can’t just randomly choose any bike without considering the factors that are going to highly affect your journey. Don’t just choose a bike based on its looks and popularity, it’s the suitability that matters on trips like these. The bike that you choose should have a good road grip and should be easy to handle. One such bike is a Royal Enfield with an engine of 350 cc or 400 cc. You can also go for the different models of the same company i.e. Royal Enfield Himalayan with an engine of 400 cc offering a smooth ride, avoiding the bumps on the rugged trail of Ladakh. Some other budget-friendly bikes that you may consider are KTM Duke (although this might not be very friendly to your back), Bajaj Pulsar (the favorite bikes of the Indian market of course), and CBR 250 whose torque technology can do wonders on your rugged trip to Ladakh.
Now for those who don’t have a bike, well you guys should just drop the plan. LOL, just kidding! You can easily opt for any bike rentals that provide all kinds of standardized bikes for this trail including models like Hero Impulse, Bajaj Vikrant, Yamaha Fazer, and Yamaha FZ. There are many bike rentals in Delhi as well as Manali offering bike rentals for Ladakh at a reasonable price. But make sure you take your government ID proof, your driving license, and a consent letter from your parents in case you are under 25.
An overall budget for your bike trip
On this trip, you will be covering a distance of 3000-4000 km which will require around 100 liters of fuel considering that your bike is giving an average mileage of 35 km per liter. So according to today’s price, this will cost you up to INR 9K to 10K.
Apart from fuel, another big expense for you might be the accommodation. But Ladakh is going to be quite generous for this since here you can find accommodations with prices ranging from INR 500 to INR 3000 per person. You will get the best luxury hotels at the upper end of the mentioned price range.
Another necessity is food. Nothing can be enjoyed if you don’t keep your stomach happy! The price that you pay for food would highly depend on your choices. While a luxury, upbeat restaurant will cost you around 500 INR per person, a regular dhaba will fetch you a good meal for only INR 100-INR 200 per person.
Places to cover on your Leh Ladakh bike trip
Once you mark your presence in this beautiful place, there will be no shortage of enchanting landmarks and scenic beauties. Some of the places that you must visit are Pangong Tso, which is a stunning location offering a view of Asia’s largest lake in sync with the rustic mountains, the Zanskar Valley which is a picturesque location with snow-capped mountains and peaceful rivers, and the Namgyal Tsemo Gompa which is one of the famous monasteries in Ladakh.
