Motorcycle Ramble :
India / Himalaya
Our fashion-icon tour leader has two long-standing passions: photography and The Bullet. But above all, he’s in love with India.
Motorcycle Ramble
Period
April & May / October & November
Duration
12 days incl. 8 days riding
Level
Intermediate
Guide
English-speaking tour leader
Accommodation
Standard or Comfort
Prix
€2,490/pilot
Motorcycle Ramble
Period
April & May / October & November
Duration
12 days incl. 8 days riding
Level
Intermediate
English-speaking tour leader
Accommodation
Standard or Comfort
From
€2,490/pilot
Let yourself be carried away on the most beautiful routes in the Himalayan foothills, through pine forests and sacred rivers. A little known region with few western tourists, the road trip in the Kumaon and Garhwal regions is sprinkled with visits to famous Hindu pilgrimage sites. Here’s the plan: we propose to take you on a ride across the mountains with a hypnotising backdrop in the northern horizon, the Great Himalayan peaks. Are you tempted? We will finish with the holy city of Haridwar, on the banks of the Ganges, an incredible spectacle with a unique intensity.
You’re met at the airport and transferred to a hotel in the centre of Delhi. Your room is available from midday. You can spend the rest of the day visiting the capital.
We make an early start and a private vehicle takes us to Jim Corbett National Park. We arrive at the park, at the foothills of the first Lower Himalayas, and rest at the hotel. We take a short ride so you can familiarise yourselves with the motorcycles.
In the crisp morning air, after visiting our first temple, we cruise along the edge of the Himalayan foothills before finally climbing to 2,000 m altitude in one go and reaching Nainital, where we have a lakeside lunch. We make a second ascent of the day, to the heart of rural Kumaon, along a fantastic little mountain road, which is narrow but easy to ride.
We pass through charming Kumaon and make a short stop at Katarmal Sun Temple before arriving in Kasar Devi, where Bob Dylan and other beatniks once stayed. A small haven of peace, which is still as calm as ever! We visit Panchachuli weaving factory before venturing deeper into Binsar’s splendid forest, at more than 2,000 m altitude, where you could easily imagine elves appearing from behind the twisted tree trunks!
We take a morning ride to Jageshwar temple, a religious site which dates back 2,500 years. Then, just for the pure pleasure of testing out the twists and turns, we head east, where the second highest peak in India, the Nanda Devi (7,816 m) can be seen on a clear day. After lunch, we take a short trek through a typical Kumaon hamlet, which managed to preserve its ancient architecture and organisation.
Goodbye Kumaon, hello Garhwal! Not only do we have more “challenging” roads ahead, but at the end of the day, we also have a series of endless curves. Millennial temple of Bajinath, stealthy views of the Himalayan high peaks and small gorges on the Pindar River mark this stage. We have our first meeting with the Ganges, which here is called Alaknanda.
We ride through the beautiful forest of the natural sanctuary of Kedarnath, to the pass of Chopta (2880m). Visit on the way of the very old temple of Shiva in Gopeshwar, a religious landmark on pilgrim routes. After lunch, a small, relatively easy trek to a small lake; Uttarakhand’s full beauty is revealed when we take the time to walk through it.
We follow the Mandakini valley and ride up a tiny road through Kedarnath forest, hamlets and terraced fields: a hidden gem of a road. At 2,200 m, we reach the starting point for an easy trek well worth the effort: we walk to Kartik Swami temple, which offers one of the most spectacular views of Uttarakhand. We climb down towards Rudraprayag where the pure waters of the Mandakini river flows into the Ganges.
We go a little ahead of the Mandakini before reaching the Chirbhattiya pass, a charming secondary road, also "forgotten", and without traffic. Picnic, swim in the river. After skirting the huge reservoir of Tehri dam, we ride up to Kanatal for the night, resting on a ridge at over 2000m altitude. Almost a refuge!
After coming down from the fresh air in the peaks, we stop off at Rishikesh. We then go down to Haridwar, the holiest of the holy cities, on a road wedged between Rajaji national park and the Ganges canal. After dropping off our luggage, we go to witness the daily rituals of devout Hindus on the banks of the sacred river at the end of the afternoon. A permanent spectacle in this town, and a real feast for the eyes!
You are taken to your hotel in the capital and can spend the rest of the day at your leisure.
Depending on your flight schedule, you may still be able to enjoy Delhi’s hustle and bustle, go shopping or visit one of the Royal Enfield stores. You’re transferred to the International airport, where our services end.
You're taken to Agra from New Delhi in a private vehicle with driver. During 2 or 3 days, visit the fabulous Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri and the Red Fort of Agra.
2 days to discover the sacred town of Varanasi. An English-speaking guide shows you around the Buddhist city of Sarnath, one of the four holy Buddhist cities. As the sunsets, you take a stroll along the Varanasi ghats and attend Aarti, a daily worship ritual. On the second day, you take a boat tour at sunrise, visit the University, Bharat Mata Mandir and the rest of the city.
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