Zanskar and the highest passes of Ladakh

Are you looking for the ultimate motorcycle adventure? Do you want to push yourself to the limit of your capabilities? And go beyond that? Have an experience that has only been available to a few? Then you've come to the right place and you've chosen the right tour. It goes up high, higher than you can get on a motorcycle anywhere else in the world.

Yes, Ladakh means "land of passes" and this time we're serious. We will be crossing four of the highest passes on this tour, namely:

• Tanglang La: 5,328 m
• Kardung La: 5,359 - 5,602 m
• Chang La: 5,360 m
• Umling La: 5,882 m

And there is also a whole series of "smaller" passes on our route, all between 4,000 and 5,000 meters above sea level.

But not only the passes are high, we also visit three mountain lakes,

• Tso Pangong (4,225 m),
• Tso Moriri (4,522 m)
• Tso Kar (4,530 m)

And we will spend the night in one of the highest villages in the world, in Hanle at about 4,500 meters above sea level..

You will tell your great-grandchildren about this adventure.

ATTENTION! Important notice. Sat navs are not allowed on domestic flights in India. They have been confiscated several times at the airport in Leh and Srinagar, and it felt like an eternity (several months) before we were able to get them back. So it's better not to take a sat nav with you. A smartphone with the appropriate app can serve the same purpose.

Routing

1. Day: Flight to Delhi

Your plane will reach Delhi airport at midnight. A few hours later, we'll take the plane to Ladakh. We'll arrive early in the morning. Our team will pick you up at the airport and bring you to our hotel.

Because of the early check-in, this is counted as the first overnight stay.

2. Day: Flight to Leh

Breakfast, then a very relaxed day in Ladakh's former capital. Once you have acquired a taste for it, you will never want to leave this town again. The calm, cheerful mental balance of the Buddhist population is extremely catching, and soon the last remnants of hecticness and stress will disappear. Today, relaxing is on top of our agenda, be it during a walk in the picturesque old town, a visit of the Shanti Stupa, the local palace or as visitor of one of the many cafes.

3. Day: Take-over of the bikes, tour of monasteries / ca. 50 km

After breakfast, we pick up our Enfields in the Fort Road Garage. You'll get a short introduction how to handle the Indian bikes by our guide and our mechanic. The Enfields are real oldtimers and need an affectionate treatment. Besides that, our staff will try to introduce you to the "logic" of the Indian traffic.

Then the journey begins. A short round trip takes you to some of the most beautiful monasteries of Ladakh, above all the monasteries in Thikse and Hemis. Beyond that, the palace in Stok and the Spituk monastery are part of the program.

Overnight stay above 3500 NHN

4. Day: Ride to the Dha-Hanu-Valley / ca. 175 km

Breakfast. Today, we'll leave Leh and start our first big tour. At first, we'll reach the Dha-Hanu-Valley, named after two villages, where the direct descendants of the Arians are living who immigrated more than 4000 years ago. The tribe of so-called "Brokpas" differs from the other inhabitants of Ladakh by their light skin and blue eyes. The Brokpas settle in five villages in the region, but only two of them, Dha and Hanu, are open for tourists.

There are no hotels or guest houses, therefore we spend the night in a stationary camp.

Overnight stay above 3240 NHN

5. Day: Drive to Kargil / ca. 75 km

After breakfast we continue our journey westwards. The landscape is spectacular. Only a few tourists venture into this remote part of Ladakh and we are happy to have discovered this extraordinary spot, hidden deep in the Himalayas, for you.

The destination of today's journey is Kargil. The Buddhist part of Ladakh ends in Kargil and we are now in the land of the Muslims. Bearded men and veiled women dominate the street scene. An exciting experience. A walk through the streets of Kargil lets us feel that the cheerful lightness of the Buddhists had to give way to the strictness of the Islamic faith. Fortunately, a hotel has finally opened its doors in Kargil where western tourists can be accommodated with a clear conscience.

Overnight stay at 2,700 NHN

6. Day: Drive to Padum / ca. 205 km

Today we have to hurry a bit. 205 kilometers doesn't sound like much, but in India, and especially on a mountain road through one of the most remote regions of the Himalayas, that's quite a distance.

7. Day: Drive to Lamayuro / ca. 205 km

Today it's going to be exciting. The road from Padum to Lamayuro is new but not necessarily good. Until recently, the route could only be reached on foot. A strenuous trek led through impassable terrain and over some passes almost 5,000 meters high. This road has been in place since 2020.

In Lamayuro we find one of the oldest monasteries in Ladakh. The complex sits high on a rocky hill and from there you have an excellent view of the so-called "Moonland". Around the monastery, on the hill, are the houses and huts in which the inhabitants of Lamayuro live.

Overnight stay at 3,520 NHN

8. Day: Ride to Alchi / ca. 55 km

After an hour's drive we reach Alchi. Here we have the opportunity to rest a little. The last few days have been exhausting. The small town has a very relaxed atmosphere. I definitely recommend visiting the "German Bakery". There are delicious cakes and good coffee here.

In Alchi there is an old Buddhist monastery that is known for its beautiful wall paintings. If you want, you can head to the nearby Rizong Monastery, which has the reputation of being one of the strictest monasteries in Ladakh.

Overnight stay at 3,130 NHN

9. Day: Drive to Kardung-La and Leh / ca. 185 km

Now we're going up high. Just behind Leh, the pass road rises to the Kardung-La, one of the highest motorized passes in the world. With a cloudless blue sky and bright sunshine, there is a magnificent view of Leh and the Stok mountain range. At Kardung-La, we enjoy a tea in the highest teahouse in the world and, after the obligatory "pass photos", we continue our journey back to Leh.

Overnight stay at 3,180 NHN

10. Day: To the Pangong lake / ca. 160 km

The journey to Spangmik on Lake Pangong is a scenic treat. On the way we climb the Chang La, 5,360 m. The latest measurements have shown that it is exactly one meter higher than the Kardung La and thus disputes the title of "highest motorized pass in the world". According to Indian interpretation, the Kardung La is 5,602 meters high. But, as we will see in two days, there is a pass in Ladakh that puts both in the shade, the Umling La.

Overnight stay at 4,200 m above sea level

11. Day: Trip to Hanle / ca. 175 km

Now it's really going up. The ride requires a lot of effort. The first 70 kilometers are scree and gravel. But if you have a firm grip on your motorcycle, the route is no problem. After the gravel section, it continues on asphalt. At around 4,500 m, Hanle is the highest place where we will spend the night. But since you've been at the critical altitude for a while, it shouldn't have any health consequences.

12. Day: Day trip to Umling La / ca. 165 km

Now it's time!

Today we will visit the highest motorable pass in the world, the Umling La. Until now, tourists were not allowed to enter this region and even now you still need formal permission, which our guide will take care of.

The road to the pass is well developed throughout. The landscape is pretty much the most incredible thing you can imagine. We will only be able to stay on the pass for a short time, as the altitude and lack of oxygen are really sapping your energy.

We will be back in Hanle in the evening.

13. Day: Trip to Tso Moriri / ca. 170 km

We stay at a higher altitude. Tso Moriri is also at over 4,500 m. Like Pangong Tso, it is impressive with its splendour of colours. Depending on the time of day and the weather, it shines in blue, green or turquoise.

14. Day: Trip to Tso Kar / ca. 75 km

The Tso Kar, the white lake, is the third of the large mountain lakes that we visit on our journey through the mountains of Ladakh. Because of its high salt content, there is hardly any life here, neither plants nor animals. A ghostly atmosphere.

On YouTube I found a remarkable video of the Tso Kar. It's worth watching.

15. Day: Back to Leh / ca. 160 km

The drive to Leh is the last drive on our journey through Ladakh. Today we will also take a pass over 5,000 meters, the Tanglang La (5,328 m). Back in Leh, a (shopping) stroll through the shopping streets of Ladakh's capital concludes the day.

Overnight stay at 3,500 NHN

16. Day: A day in Leh

Before going home tomorrow we spend another relaxing day in Ladakh's capital Leh

Overnight stay above 3500 NHN

17. Day: Flight to Delhi

Breakfast. Early in the morning, we fly back to Delhi. We'll have a few hours to visit some of the highlights in India's capital.

18. Day: Return flight (or visit of the Taj Mahal)

The adventure comes to an end. Sometime during the night, your plane will head home. Until departure, you'll have a room in the hotel in Delhi.

19. Day: Flight back home