Travelogues

Anyone interested in such kind of trips may call 09868917985 or mail vinod@team456.com

Riding through some of the world’s highest passes and through snow clad mountains, we often had to make our own roads.  Sparse oxygen levels affected the power and performance of both man and machine, and we had realized that ordinary city bikes (150cc or less) were not suitable for this part of the world. Equipped with a sturdy, and the ever-reliable Bullet and a powerfully built Bajaj Avenger, a four-member fraternity comprising of Vinod (myself), Parmesh, Ajith & Vinish took off on a 14 days’ trip from Delhi to Leh via Manali and returning via Srinagar.

We started at the stroke of midnight on the 15^th of June 2006 from Delhi. Although the monsoon in Delhi was in full cry and riding conditions were dangerous, we decided to continue at a controllable speed of 40 kph. We reached Bilaspur via Chandigarh (330 kms from Nangal) at 4:45 pm. At Bilaspur, the Bullet was given a fitness check-up which caused us an hour or so. From thereon, we started a lovely ride through winding roads in the hills, impossible to explain in words. We finally called off the day at Kullu (132 kms from Bilaspur) after another five-hour ride. We have done almost 23 hrs of hard riding plus breaks.

17 June 2006: We slept off our tiredness till 9 am and we set off for Manali (41 kms from Kullu) by about 11:30 am. This particular stretch is really fantastic, with scenic valleys and cliffs all along. After refilling – the bike as well as ourselves – at Manali, we set off one one of the toughests roads in the world, the 475-km stretch from Manali to Leh. The temperature was dropping as we were moving to Rohtang Pass (13050 ft). Rohtang Pass (51 kms from Manali) is the gateway of Lahul and Spiti valley. Rohtang Pass is a treacherous pass susceptible to sudden snowstorms and low visibility, which makes it a dangerous accident spot. After negotiating hairpin bends we reached Keylang (the largest and last outpost on the Manali-Leh road) at 10:30 pm and decided to stay there for the night.

18 June 2006: We awoke late to sleep off the rigours of the previous day. After topping up our tanks and extra cans at Tandi (the last filling station on Manali–Leh highway) at 11:30 am, we set off – incommunicado for almost two days with no means of staying in touch with anyone. Passing through Keylang, we reached Baralacha-La (16500 ft.) at 2:00 pm. We were greeted by a sudden and unexpected snowfall and the visibility was down to 2-3 metres. We decided to take it easy and to proceed slowly on an average speed of 10-15 kph. 

It took us almost three hours to reach at Bharatpur. Bharatpur is a small tourist place with nearly a dozen tented hotels available. We decided to trudge on to Sarchu, against the advice of local inhabitants. Negotiating potholes all the way, we finally reached Sarchu, tired and exhausted, and found accommodation in a tented hotel. Sarchu is the coldest place on the Manali – Leh highway, with night temperatures often dropping to -10 to -15 degrees in the month of June!