Cycling the Indian Himalayas 2019

To eyeball the mighty Himalayas is a childhood dream of mine. To cycle its high mountain passes with its rarefied air and fluttering prayer flags, to sit still in Tibetan Buddhist stuppas and temples in its secluded valleys, to attempt to summit any of its 6,000+ meters snow-clad peaks… And why not? Let’s go!

Descent from Baralachala, photo credit to Rak Ssr (FB)

This is the account of our most audacious bicycle touring trip to date, plus some tips and route information for Philippine-based cyclists who are planning to cycle the Manali-Leh highway.

MANALI

Manali at Kullu valley, Himachal Pradesh is the most popular starting point for bike touring into the India Himalayas. It is a popular tourist destination and the gateway to Lahaul and Spiti district as well as Leh. We arrived at Manali by bus from Delhi on the morning of July 23, biked to Central Manali (The Mall) and to Old Manali. We stayed in one of the many hippie guesthouses in Club House Road in Old Manali – the Red House Café, with a view of the Himalaya foothills, a river murmurs nearby, surrounded by tall pine trees, in an apple orchard, cool music, groovy owner, very affordable rooms and good food. The place reminds me of Kabayan, Benguet. In the afternoon, we took a stroll to the nearby temples, traditional houses and the many shops selling souvenirs. We also purchased our provisions for the bike trip at convenience stores in Manali.

Bus depot at Manali

The Mall, Central Manali

Old Manali, "Rasta ngarud manong!"

Disarmingly friendly people of Manali

DAY 1 – MANALI (1,895 masl) TO MARHI (3,341 masl), 36 km

We started out from Central Manali after a breakfast of chapati and vegetables. The Manali – Leh Highway initially follows the Beas River upstream then ascends into the Pir Panjal mountain range after 10 km. Pine forest abound and reminiscent of Halsema Highway of the Philippine Cordilleras. Traffic jam is common in the Manali to Rohtangla Pass road section as hordes of Indian tourists head up to the pass for the novelty of seeing snow (just like us). Shops renting out winter clothes for local tourists line the road.

We were overtaken by a group of European cyclists on MTBs also doing the Manali-Leh route. They are on a tour package with support vehicles carrying gears, tents and food.

Leaving the Kullu valley

Gentle climb to Marhi

After ascending 20 km, we stopped at the roadside and cooked lunch – tea, rice, egg and soup. A group of Indian tourists approached us, conversed in broken English asking us where we came from and our plans (the “going from Manali to Leh by bicycle” is always met with disbelief), then gave us a bag of spicy mixed nuts. This region is rarely visited by Pinoy tourists - we never met one in the Manali to Leh area.

Strike anywhere roadside lunch

Traffic going up to Rohtangla Pass

Seemingly endless switchbacks

Army trucks get priority in narrow roads with frightening cliff sides

Reaching Marhi at about 17:30, we met up with the European cyclists and their Indian crew and we shared their campsite amidst cows and horses. We pitched our tent, stowed our gears and bikes, and then had dinner at one of the many roadside dhabas (restaurant) in Marhi.

It took us 9:38 hours to ascend 1,594 meters with a distance of 36 km. Saddle time is only 6:04 hours and the average speed is 6 kph. Strava data here.

DAY 2 – MARHI (3,341 masl) TO SISSU (3,076 masl), 52 km

It rained heavily during the night. The TNF one-person tent is old and leaking at the fly seams. Luckily, our inflatable sleeping pad is elevated from the tent floor so we were dry. But most of our gear and clothes were soaked – everything should have been stashed in the waterproof panniers and dry bags.

We cooked and ate breakfast, packed-up (several kg heavier from moisture), visited a public toilet, then was off by 8:00. It was cold, foggy, windy and raining up to Rohtang Pass. Up and up the road goes, switchback (hairpin turns) after switchback. After 10 km of climbing, we encountered our first glacier, about 5 meters thick and would have covered the road if not for the clearing done by the India Army and Border Road Organization (BRO). This would be one of the many glaciers traversing the Manali – Leh road.

After a wet and cold evening in a tent

Looking back down to Marhi

Our bikes taste snow and ice for the first time

After about 20 switchbacks from Marhi, we reached the Rohtangla Pass at 3,980 masl by 13:30. It was foggy and very windy but hundreds of Indian tourists were playing and enjoying the snow. We had lunch of bread omelet and spicy instant noodles at a makeshift dhaba. Then the wind picked up, it rained and the temperature plummeted. Donning our fleece, down and rain jackets, as well as rain pants and thermal gloves, we hurriedly cycled down from the cold pass. Strong winds, poor visibility, bad road and freezing temperature meant a slow downhill ride to Gramphu. After a drop of 500 meters in elevation, the skies cleared, the roads improved, and it was a pleasant ride to Khoksar. There was a passport check in Khoksar, and the road followed the Chandra River downstream to Sissu which we reached by 18:00.

Glacier at Rohtangla Pass

First pass, raining, windy and freezing cold

Spiti valley to the east from Rohtangla Pass

Warming up in the sun

Chandra River in Lahaul valley

There were many tented accommodations and camp sites in Sissu but we chose to stay in an actual hotel – the Triveni Guesthouse (our last “brick-and-mortar” hotel until Leh). Our room was soon filled with drying tents, clothes, jackets, and other wet stuff strung in a bungee cord clothesline. 

The distance covered for the day was 52 km with an elevation gain of 1,651 masl which took us 10:03 hours. Saddle time is only 6:26 hours and the average speed is 8.1 kph. Route Strava data here.

Campsites at Sissu

DAY 3 – SISSU (3,076 masl) TO JISPA (3,278 masl), 54 km

We left the guesthouse well-rested, well-fed and lighter from the dried gears at 8:00. It was my 49th birthday and my best birthday ever! We are now in the Himalaya Mountain range, the view is spectacularly rugged, a T-shirt weather with cloud cover and sporadic light rain, the road is smooth with very light traffic and the terrain is relatively kind.

Triveni Guesthouse at Sissu

Three stars and a sun in the Himalayas

Near Tandi

Typical roadside dhaba, at Tandi

This day was a mix of ascents and descents in elevation over 3,000 masl. After an ascent from Tandi and another roadside lunch, we reached Keylong which is the last town with permanent habitation until the other side of Tanglangla Pass. We purchased additional provisions in Keylong. Up the road goes to 3,410 masl then a descent to Jispa which we reached at about 16:15. Jispa has many tented accommodation options and we chose a spacious and “luxurious” tent with comfortable bed, bathroom with hot water (solar), flush toilet and sink – all for Php 900. My birthday so we had beer (Php 225 per bottle) after dinner, enjoyed a bonfire and rave music played by Indian guests.

My birthday roadside lunch, rice flavored by instant soup, omelet and coffee

Rock formation near Keylong

Keylong, last permanent town going to Ladakh

Near Jispa

Our most “productive” day of the trip, with an elevation gain of 1,790 masl covering 54 km in 8:17 hours. Moving time is 5:40 hours with a faster average speed of 9.6 kph. Click here for Strava data.

Last "decent" pit stop until Leh 

DAY 4 – JISPA (3,278 masl) TO ZINGZING BAR (4,075 masl), 33 km

On this day we breached the very high-altitude elevation of over 3,500 masl. The highest elevation we have reached before was Mt Kinabalu at 4,095 masl and we stayed at the summit for only 30 minutes. This day was a chilly day with light rain on a steadily ascending asphalted road following the Bhaga River all the way up to Zingzing Bar.

We left the tent “city” at Jispa at 7:30 after cooking and having our breakfast inside the spacious tent. The vegetation transitioned from stunted pines in Jispa, to shrubs, patches of grass and to bare rocks and scree slope in Zingzing Bar. A passport check is mandatory at Darcha – the police simply record details of passports. We were overtaken again by the European cyclists and by a Vietnamese solo rider on bike with a small motor. The Vietnamese turned back later – unable to cross a water crossing fearing it would damage the electrical components of his bike.

Om mani padme aum...

Climb to Zingzing Bar

About 18 km from Jispa is the water crossing of about a foot-deep of icy water. We have been told that this glacier-fed water crossing gets dangerously high and fast-flowing when the sun is out. Luckily, the sky wasovercast, and we managed to cross just by taking off our shoes and pushing the bikes. Two more shallower water crossings are to be passed going to Zingzing Bar.

At Patseo, we stopped for lunch on a windy scree slope. We simply hunched down beside a big rock for wind cover and cooked and had lunch. Rice cooks slower as elevation gets higher due to lower boiling temperature. After lunch there was a 10 km climb to Zingzing bar and we counted down the distance in kilometer markers. Our speed became surprisingly slow – lightgear on a 5-7% road gradient and stopping every 200 meters or so to catch our breath. It was our longest and slowest countdown of 10-kilometer markers.

First water crossing

Near Patseo

Slow and out of breath near Zingzing Bar

Finally, Zingzing Bar! It's 17:30, getting colder and with slight drizzle. Zingzing Bar is a BRO depot with bunkhouses, a petrol station and a few dhabas. We asked around for tented accommodation or a place to pitch the tent, only to be told that tents and camp sites are still five kilometers away and 300 meters up the slope. We were fatigued and weakened by the physical effort of climbing the whole day. Altitude sickness is also setting in – although we are not aware yet. Drained and facing the prospect of a night ride up the cold, rainy and windy slope, we opted to wait for passing trucks and hitch a ride up the camp. An hour later, with only fuel trucks going up, a BRO foreman offered a BRO truck to take us up to the camps.  Upon reaching the Zingzing Bar tent camps, I had a headache, was lethargic and dizzy. It rained, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. The ride up would have been very miserable!

Slow day at 5.8 kph average speed, moving time of 5:30 hours covering 32 kms. Total time is 10 hours, and the elevation gain is 958 meters. Click for Strava data. 

DAY 5 – ZINGZING BAR (4,075 masl) TO BHARATPUR (4,686 masl), 24 km

Symptoms of altitude sickness is full blown in the morning… headache, disoriented and poor appetite. I have little memory of what transpired during the day. Kareen helped me pack the gears and ready the bikes. It was a cold start at 7:40 with light rain and we were wearing all our jackets – rain, down and fleece.

Many thanks to the tent owner for the blankets and for constantly checking my condition. Peace!

The landscape was pristine bare mountain peaks with snow and glaciers, boulders, and scree slopes. Our pace was slow as we pedaled up the twisting road to another high pass. Above Zingzing Bar, we met up again with the European cyclists and their Indian support crew. Hearing of my symptoms, they gave me medicines and hydration salts and their support vehicle carried our tent and sleeping gears. In return we gave them small Tibetan prayer flags.

Looking back at Zingzing Bar camps

Europeans and an Indian cyclist also going to Leh... 

... travelling light, with support vehicle

After seven hours of cycling covering 16 km from Zingzing Bar, we reached the second high pass of Manali – Leh road, the Baralachala Pass at 4,850 masl. The alpine landscape was amazing! After the pass, road conditions deteriorated to gravel and earth surface with several water crossings. We met two Thai cyclists going the opposite direction resting at a dhaba just below the pass. They were cycling the Srinagar to Leh to Manali route, and this was their third India Himalaya trip! We shared coffee and a description of the road conditions ahead.

Climb to Baralachala Pass

Glaciers near the pass

Suraj tal lake near the pass

Baralachala, second pass of the trip

Thai cyclists, Pattharaphon Patty and Thawatkrit Thiboonboon, on their third Ladakh trip

Gravelly water crossing near Bharatpur

Rattled by the bad road and with worsening headache and diarrhea, I decided to rest at the first tent camp after the pass which was in Bharatpur. I slept (fitfully) the rest of the day with frequent visits to the toilet. The tent owner constantly checked my condition as she noticed my unsteady gait, poor appetite, and disoriented state.

The third Thai cyclist, Rak Ssr

Bharatpur tent accommodations

We covered only 24 km in nine hours on the road. Moving time was only 4:18, average speed of 5.6 kph with 703 meters elevation gain. For Strava data, click here.

DAY 6 - BHARATPUR (4,686 masl) TO SARCHU (4,300 masl), 25 km

The Indian driver of the European cyclists drove back from Sarchu to Bharatpur in the morning to check on my condition. He advised me to cycle down and rest in Sarchu which was at a lower elevation and with an Army camp. We also retrieved our gear from them since they would be ahead of us. Indians are truly kind and accommodating!

We are now in a high mountain desert environment and the weather is dry all the way to Leh. Seems that the Indian monsoon is blocked by mountain peaks near Baralachala Pass - the Himalayan "rain shadow" effect. After breakfast, Kareen helped me packed my gears and I shakily mounted my bike. The road was gravel up to near Sarchu but it was downhill all the way.

Kids from Ladakh on their temporary summer camp

Gravelly road continues...

Kiwi couple on their bike tour around the world

Another road side lunch

The road to Sarchu

We are now entering the Ladakh region in the Jammu-Kashmir province. At the boundary, there was a mandatory passport check and the policeman gave me several tablets of altitude sickness medicine. Our pitstop at Sarchu is a dhaba and “tent” made from corrugated metal sheets. Arriving early at 13:30 and with the sun shining, Kareen took the opportunity to wash laundry while I again rested and hydrated. By late afternoon, my headache and diarrhea subsided and I was feeling generally well again. I was now acclimatized!

Welcome to Ladakh!

"Passports please... and here are some Diamox."

Sun is shining... do some laundry

Sarchu "bedroom"

Sarchu is a major stopping point midway of Leh-Manali highway. It is the lowest point between Baralachala Pass to the south and the higher mountain pass and tent camps to the north. A good place to rest and acclimatize. During our stay, many Indians in motorcycles stopped to rest at the dhaba. One Indian lady was vomiting and dizzy from altitude sickness that she rested for a while in our tent.

It was a rest day covering only 25 km and dropping about 400 meters in altitude. Strava data here.

DAY 7 - SARCHU (4,300 masl) TO WHISKY NULLAH (4,750 masl), 48 km

The challenges for the day are the Gata Loops and the 4,932 masl high Nakeela Pass. But the sun is out, the sky is deep blue, we are well-rested, wearing fresh clothes, my stomach is calm, and I was fully acclimatized. We took off at 7:00 after a breakfast of bread omelet (again) into the smooth tarmac still following the Bhaga River. The first 20 km was a pleasant ride in a small valley and the landscape was ruggedly beautiful.

The Himalayas was pushed up after the tectonic collision of Asia continent and India sub-continent. Along the Manali-Leh road are spectacular rock formations sculpted from the bowels of the earth. Wherever you look are vertical elements of immense proportions, with valleys and gorges carved from the mountains by glacier-fed streams and rivers. 

Fully acclimatized!

Spectacular landscape of Ladakh

Ladakh... truly a paradise

An American couple overtook us also going north (with support vehicle) and met a Spanish solo rider going south (unsupported). And there was the famous Gata Loops –21 switchbacks in 10 km with an elevation gain of about 470 meters which took us three hours to ascend. It was a sight watching vehicles negotiating the higher bends from lower elevation.

We stopped and cooked lunch at a desolate “waiting shed” at the top of Gata Loops. Two Austrians on motorcycles stopped to chat with us, and an Indian also in motorcycle stopped, chatted and unabashedly offered me charas – which I did not refuse. High, literally – physically and geographically, that it was a slow trippy progress up another series of hairpin turns up the third pass. After Nakeela Pass is a short descent to Whisky Nullah which has a handful of tents where we arrived at 17:30. 

Christy (with her boyfriend Chris) from the USA, with support vehicle

Spanish rider, self-supported

Gata loops

Third pass, Nakeela

Whisky Nullah is squeezed between two high passes – the Nakeela to the south and the higher Lachungla to the north. It would be a bad place to stay for those suffering from altitude sickness – too high to rest and acclimatize, and a high pass to ascend to evacuate to lower elevation. Stay here only if you are fully acclimatized. The tent owner was a Tibetan lady and speaks no English. Communication was through hand signs and gestures. It was so cold during the night that we peed on plastic bottles instead of going out to the outdoor toilet.

My performance has improved – elevation gain of 1,115 meter in 48 km with a moving time of 6:40 hours. The Strava route is here.

Going down to Whisky Nullah

DAY 8 - WHISKY NULLAH (4,750 masl) TO PANG (4,493 masl), 29 km

Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India and its culture and history are closely related to that of Tibet. Geographically, Ladakh is part of Tibetan Plateau – the world's highest and largest plateau and referred to as "the Roof of the World". Most owners of summer tent along the Manali-Leh road are nomadic Ladakhis practicing Tibetan Buddhism. The Tibetan name, Ladakh, means “land of the high passes”. And the next pass will breach the 5,000 masl elevation!

Masala tea at the highest camp of Manali-Leh route

Tea, chapati and egg omelet was the fuel for morning climb. An Indian bus driver chatted with us at the camp, insisted we have more tea (for the altitude) and gave us bottled water. The road surface from Whisky Nullah up to the pass and on to Pang was mostly uneven gravel. We reached the 5,064 masl high Lachungla Pass after 2:30 hours of climbing. Breathing is hard when cycling at this elevation – just like breathing through a drinking straw.

Climb after Whisky Nullah

Barren high altitude desert environment

Fourth pass, being over 5,000 meters high for the first time in our life

The Lachungla to Pang road follows a deepening gorge that was carved out by a small stream and the terrain was surreal desert moonscape of immense bare rocks, boulders and scree with no vegetation. It was all going down, but progress is slow due to the poor road conditions. We arrived at Pang by 14:30 after less than six hours on the road. We decided to call it a day – there was a long climb right after Pang, ominous dark clouds forming in the horizon, and the sign “Janta wooden cottage room with flush toilet” and a multi-page food menu were irresistible. We stayed at Janta and the cottage was warm, the Ladakhi food is good, there was hot water for bathing and an oxygen tank is available upon request.

Gravel road down to Pang

Roads carved from the steep rocky slopes

Lunar landscape of Ladakh

Before sunset, two cyclists from Netherlands riding from Sarchu checked-in at the adjacent cottage. Then it rained. We covered 29 km in four hours of moving time with an altitude gain of 661 meters. Strava data here.

DAY 9, PANG (4,493 masl) TO DEBRING (4,638 masl), 44 km

The Pang temporary camp is another major stopping point in the Manali-Leh road with plenty of dhabas, bed accommodation and an army medical station. Immediately after Pang is a climb of six kilometers up 250 meters to Morey plains. We were in good spirits as we were nourished by rice, vegetables, and noodles, had a warm shower and good night sleep in Pang.

The Ladakhi owner of Janta, offers good food, closed cottages, hot water for bathing, also oxygen in tank. 

The climb out of Pang

A canyon at the start of Morey Plains

After the climb is the Morey plains – a wide plateau amidst mountain ranges with a 40 km flat asphalted road up to the base of Tanglangla pass climb. It was a relaxed easy ride to Debring camps. We passed flocks of sheep-goats munching on the sparse vegetation, met their shepherd, and shared tea with a team of Indian students gathering high-altitude flowers for their perfume development research. You can cycle here for hours, and the landscape barely changes.

The Morey Plains - asphalt road all the way to Leh!

Sheep-goats munches on the sparse vegetation

The shepherd.

We cooked and ate lunch in the middle of the emptiness of Morey plains. The two riders from Netherlands stopped by and we shared roadside coffee and itineraries.  We arrived in Debring camp at 14:45 and stayed in one of the tented accommodations. Lots of tourists on cars and motorcycles stopped by in the tent for tea, food and the warmth of a stove fired by yak dung.

Two riders from Netherlands... our road companion up to Khardungla

Tent accommodation in Debring

Kareen by now is suffering from retinal hemorrhage and facial edema due to high elevation. We are also both experiencing sleep apnea - waking up in the middle of the night and catching breath like a runner. Today is an easy day with only 372 meters of elevation gain in 44 km over 4 hours of moving time. Strava data here.

DAY 10, DEBRING (4,638 masl) TO UPSHI (3,392 masl), 85 km

A few kilometers from Debring camps is the ascent to Tanglangla. The road gradient is gentle with a good surface but cycling up is slow and laborious. The air is very thin. The immensity of Morey Plains and Himalayan Mountain ranges unfolded as we ascended to the highest point of Manali to Leh road. There were Ladakhis repairing the road up this high and many are women – gently singing as they worked. Praise and thanks to the road crews for maintaining and clearing this epic road!

After six hours and ascending 700 meters in 23 km, we reached the cold Tanglangla Pass – the “second highest pass in the world” at 5,358 masl (5,331 masl in Strava).

Climb to Tanglangla Pass

Second highest pass in the world!

What lay ahead was a very cold descent down two kilometers of elevation to Upshi 61 km away. There was light snow from overcast skies on the long descent and the wind was bitterly cold. After several hairpin turns to the bottom of a gorge is a small dhaba where we had late lunch and tea.

Cold descent from Tanglangla, with hail and snow

It is a long way down to a gorge... below

From then on, the road followed a river to the first permanent habitations since Keylong. It was a relief to see green grass, crops, trees and houses after several days up in desolate desert environment. We reached Upshi near the Indus River by 18:30 and checked-in at a relatively decent hotel. 

Multi-colored rocks

First permanent habitation from Keylong

Animal traffic

Spinning a prayer wheel at Upshi

Today we cycled the farthest distance of 85 km and the biggest elevation drop of 1,966 meters. Moving time is 7:23 hours, with 909 meters elevation gain, at 11.5 kph average speed, and total elapsed time of 10:23. Strava data here.

DAY 11, UPSHI (3,392 masl) TO LEH (3,498 masl), 49 km

The Upshi to Leh road follows the Indus River as it heads down to Leh. The Indus River nests a sliver of green oasis in a wide valley from Upshi to Leh. Along the river are tall poplars and willows and terraces planted to crops being irrigated by the river and tributary streams. Further from the riverbanks, there is no green at all, just ochre earth, stones and boulders. The strip of green and surrounding desert is flanked on both sides by high mountains of scree slopes, bare rocks and snowcapped peaks. At Thiksey town is the Thiksey gompa or Buddhist monastery which is the most iconic building in Ladakh. Shey Palace is another place worth visiting along the road – just leave your bikes at a dhaba near the entrance.

Indus River

Danish rider going to Manali, self-contained

Flat roads from Upshi to Leh

Thiksey gompa (monastery)

Spinning the prayer wheels at Shey Palace

Maitreya Buddha statue at Shey Palace

There is a heavy military presence in this area with vast army camps along the road. Kashmir to the west is still a flashpoint in the tension between India and Pakistan over disputed territory. Also, part of Ladakh is being claimed by China. Army truck convoys and helicopter gunships are daily sights in this part of Ladakh.

From Choglamsar is the final ascent of 10 km to Leh on busy roads. We reached Leh by 3:30 and went straight to the central bazaar to look for ATMs and get hold of a local SIM. This was an easy day of cycling 49 km with 548 meters elevation gain and a total time of 6:20 hours, according to Strava. 

Final ascent approaching Leh

Finally, Leh!

Leh is the capital of the union territory of Ladakh and was also the historical capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh. Leh was an important stopover of ancient trade routes along the Indus Valley between Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and between India and China. Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs co-exists peacefully in this town. Leh in summer is visited by throngs of tourist – mostly Indians, Europeans and Israelis.

Food and accommodation options are diverse in Leh. There are pricey hotels and cheap home stays. We preferred the Saiman Guesthouse at Upper Tukcha Road – great location, affordable rooms, orchard setting, free tea and friendly owners. Nearby is the Discover Himalaya Adventure company which processed our Inner Line Permit for Khardungla and can arrange treks and tours in Ladakh.

Old Leh viewed from the medieval Leh palace

LEH (3,498 masl) TO KHARDUNGLA PASS (5,480 masl), 38 km

The day for the Khardungla monster climb – a daunting 2 km vertical climb in very high altitude. We were advised to start very early and were cautioned that the last 15 km is a bad road and that the thin air would make everything slow and difficult. Feeling well rested and properly nourished after the two-day rest in Leh, we were confident to make it back by early evening. Self-supported again and carrying just cold weather and rain gear, food and the kitchen.

We started out at 05:40 (which is in retrospect, late) with just coffee and biscuits in our stomach. From the guesthouse is a deliberately slow cycling up the backstreets of Leh to the main road then up the slope of Khardungla. After 16 km, we cooked and ate breakfast along the road near a glacial stream. Many cyclists with support vehicles passed by on the way up. The Netherlands riders fully loaded and going to Nubra Valley also caught up with us.

Early start

Cyclists from Netherlands

The view looking down south to green lush Leh in the middle of a desert with snow-capped mountains of Hemis National Park in its background was simply spectacular. And looking up north to the mountain slope are moving specks of vehicles negotiating the road bends to the pass. South Pullu at 4,650 masl was reached by 13:00 after 24 km from Leh. Permits are checked in this army camp and we had lunch in a small dhaba.

Green Leh in the middle of a desert and crowned by snow-capped peaks

Slow climb

South Pullu camp 

After South Pullu, the asphalt road surface transitioned to hard packed gravel. It was a slow ride with frequent “breathing” stops. As the road got higher, the surface deteriorated further to rocky, pot-holed, uneven, and water puddled road. The road was bad, and we were so exhausted that we were reduced to walking. It was also cold in the shadow that we were scrambling to wear layers every time the sun is covered by clouds. Tired, cold, out of breath, feeling miserable, and pushing bikes up five kilometers high at a slow 4 kph.

From asphalt, to good gravel to potholes and rocks

Desperation set in as we realized we did not have enough daylight left to come back down. We have no shelter or provisions to survive a bivouac this high. By 17:30 and with just 2.6 km to go to the pass, we decided to seek assistance from a Leh-bound Mahindra truck. The Indian driver and her sister were kind enough to turn around and let us hitch a bumpy ride up, and thus we reached Khardungla with a little motorized assistance.

The mighty Khardungla Pass!

Tibetan prayer flags are placed in high places to catch the wind so the prayer will be carried out to all sentient beings  

Khardungla elevation, according to a signboard at the top, is 17,982 feet (5,481 meters). My phone GPS recorded 5,356 meters. Khardungla may not be the world's highest motorable pass (despite the Indian claim) as there are higher passes in Tibet but it is definitely the world's highest "publicly accessible" motorable road where almost anyone can ride up without any restriction on movement.

A long, bumpy and cold bike descent in the dark is out the question so we rode the same truck down to Leh. Strava data of the ride here.

Ladakh is one the most beautiful places we have cycled so far. The landscape is out of this world and the scale is immense. Every day is a change of landscape and each change is always other worldly. The place is so naturally majestic, wild, imposing… beyond words. It makes you feel tiny, puny, insignificant… yet more alive.

If your passion is bike touring and mountains, then this route should be on your bucket list. The riders are in late 40's, simple probinsiyano weekend warriors, husband-wife team - Noel (me) a local government planner, and Kareen a public school teacher. Invest in time, good gear, a chunk of your disposable income, raise your physical fitness level - and go!

ADDITIONAL RIDE INFORMATION

TRAFFIC AND ROAD CONDITION

The Manali to Leh road is “gentle” with no punishing inclines and abrupt switchbacks. The average gradient of climbs on the whole stretch of the highway is only about 5%. Hundreds of meters or a kilometer would pass before having another hairpin turn. The road is mostly good tarmac. Gravel and bad road surface sections are right after Rohtang Pass, after Baralachala Pass to Sarchu, and Whisky Nullah to Pang. Traffic is heaviest from Manali to Rohtang La and approaching Leh. There are many trucks on the way to and from Ladakh. The road is open for only three months in a year so fuel, supplies and everything for the inhabitants, tourists and troops must be transported in this time window.

Expect several water crossings from glacial melts. Army trucks in long convoys, oil tankers, Indian trucks, tourists in Mahindra jeeps, motorcycle riders in Royal Enfields, bus and private cars shares the narrow high-altitude road. The road is narrow in the high mountains that a vehicle has to yield to the side of precarious road shoulders to let incoming trucks pass through. Long army truck convoys are daily occurrence and they get priority in the traffic. We felt safe riding this highway. Countless drivers and passengers in motorized vehicles waved, greeted, gave thumbs-up and even clapped to us along the road.  

SHELTER, FOOD AND WATER

It is feasible to cycle the Manali-Leh highway without carrying a tent since there are many tent accommodations in major and minor stopping points which can be reached in a day by bicycle. However, we would suggest bringing a lightweight tent for wild camping and as emergency shelter. We only used our tent once in Marhi, preferring the warmth of tented accommodation as the altitude got higher.

A multi-fuel pump stove would be convenient for early morning warm meals, roadside coffee and lunch breaks in the middle of nowhere. Bring a larger fuel bottle and petrol (gasoline) would be your fuel of choice. We carried in our bags a stash of rice, several eggs, instant noodles, soup powder, instant coffee, sugar, salt, butter, biscuits, chocolate bars, bread and peanut butter. During the bike trip, our lunch was cooked by the side of the road wherever noon time strikes. Expect to subsist on omelet, bread (chapati), spicy noodles, tea/coffee and rice on small tented accommodations. Absolutely no beef or pork, and the freshness of a chicken meal would be questionable. At Manali and Leh, the food choice diversifies.

Clear and clean glacial melts feeds stream along the road except in the Sarchu to Whisky Nullah and Morey Plains portion. For added safety, we had a water filter which enabled us to get safe drinking water from virtually everywhere for free.

NAVIGATION

The Manali-Leh road is straightforward – go north from Manali. Knowing the distance and elevation to the next pass or stopping point would be great and for that we would suggest the maps.me mobile phone app. Free and works on airplane mode. We navigated Delhi, Manali and Leh on foot and by bicycle using this app and it worked great. We also had the travel guidebook Lonely Planet India – 1,246 pages, cumbersome but a jewel of information, but we suggest having the electronic copy downloaded to your phone.

ALTITUDE SICKNESS, TRAVELER'S DIARRHEA AND COLD WEATHER

We spent 16 days in elevation over 3,000 masl and six days of that above 4,000 masl. The elevation will take its toll on sea level dwellers. I suffered altitude sickness starting at Zingzing Bar (4,075 masl) on the fourth day of cycling with symptoms including severe headache, dizziness, fatigue and loss of energy, shortness of breath, loss of appetite and weird train of thoughts. At pit stops, it was Kareen who unpacked and packed our gears, stowed the bikes and dealt with the tent owners as I mostly rested and slept. But I managed to cycle short distances despite the symptoms. Kareen’s symptoms were milder: shortness of breath, facial edema and retinal hemorrhage. Even tightening bag straps would leave us breathless and panting. I was able to acclimatize and felt normal two days later in Sarchu (4,300 masl). But shortness of breath, troubled sleep, weird dreams, and weird train of thought upon waking were mild symptoms that stayed with us up to Leh.

Diamox (an altitude sickness medicine) was in my checklist but Manali pharmacies were still closed when we started out and we did not bring any. A bad decision. Luckily, the Indian crew in a support vehicle of cyclists also doing the Manali-Leh route gave me medicines. And a policeman at Sarchu checkpoint also gave me Diamox.

 “Delhi belly” or diarrhea struck me at the same time as altitude sickness – further weakening me. I suspect strange and spicy Indian foods.  Messed up my shorts a couple of times. I took two doses of antibiotics from our first aid kit, stuck with the egg-bread-maggi-rice diet and was well after two days. 

Expect cold weather hovering near zero Celsius especially at night and at high passes. Factor in wind-chill when cycling near high passes. We had rains and fierce winds at the snow-clad Rohtangla Pass and it was near freezing that we wore our three layers of jackets. It is bitterly cold even inside tents at Zingzing Bar and Whisky Nullah. Bring an outer hard-shell jacket and pants to keep out wind and rain, plus an inner down jacket for the cold, and an extra fleece jacket. Also, have thermal base layers, thermal gloves, a beanie or balaclava, woolen socks and Gore-Tex shoes.

GETTING IN AND OUT

We biked from Sta. Mesa, Manila to NAIA (the maps.me route suggestion was an early morning bike mini adventure in Manila streets and alleys!). At the airport, we packed our bikes into bike bags - deflate the tires, remove pedals and handlebar, and the camping gears and bike accessories in dry bags/handlebar bags goes into the bike bag as well. Our airfare includes 20 kg of sports equipment baggage each. The panniers (with shoulder sling straps) conveniently carried our 7 kg carry-on luggage, mostly clothes.

There are Air Asia low fare flights for Manila-Delhi-Manila with lay-over at Kuala Lumpur (KL). We stayed at Bloomrooms Hotel at Arakashan Road in Paharganj, Delhi for its proximity to the Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Kashmere Gate. Leaving our bike bags at the hotel, we cycled to the ISBT and got a taste of New Delhi traffic (just like cycling in Divisoria-Recto area). At ISBT, we rode an afternoon Volvo bus to Manali which took 12 hours. Pre-book for Delhi-Manali bus which can be done online. Bikes can be loaded at the bus luggage compartments (front wheels removed) for a fee. We would recommend staying at laid-back Old Manali which has plenty of affordable walk-in accommodation options.

Leh going back to Delhi by land is a long and arduous bus ride so we booked an Air India flight. Air India considers bikes as regular luggage (with 25 kg limit) but requires bikes to be boxed. We purchased bike boxes from one of the many bike rentals shops in Leh. Get a window seat for that spectacular view of the Himalaya Mountainrange from above. At Delhi airport, the hotel transfer car was a sedan where two bike boxes can’t possibly fit. We unboxed the bike, removed all the tires, fitted the disassembled bikes in the rear car compartment and left the bike boxes at the airport.

On the way back to Manila, Kareen’s bike bag was “untagged” in KL and was missing when we arrived at NAIA. We were able to retrieve the bike two days later at Legazpi airport – with a broken FD shifter.

CURRENCY AND MONEY

US dollar (USD) would be the best currency to bring into India. We acquired USDs incrementally by changing peso in local pawnshops (ML Lhuillier gives good rates). We also had our ATM payroll Visa cards (Landbank) and was able to withdraw Indian rupees at Delhi airport, in Manali and Leh – with service charges of course. Don’t change currencies at KL airport – the rates are very poor. Money changers in Delhi, Manali and Leh give good exchange rates.

In 2019, the Peso to Indian Rupees exchange rate is about PHP 1 to INR 0.75 And the relative cost of food, accommodations and goods in India roughly translates to that ratio. On average, we spent PHP 715 per person for food and accommodation. Here is our actual expense for the trip, excluding tours and side trips in Agra and Delhi and other personal expenses:

GEARS AND EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

We are sharing our checklist of everything that we carried during the bike tour. The column N and K refers to me Noel and Kareen to indicate who is carrying what and how many. Here it is:

Common question: Ano bike specs?

WHY INDIA?

The first question for a Pinoy cyclist planning to ride the roof of the world is: where in the Himalayas? Nepal, India, Bhutan, China or Pakistan? Personally, I would prefer Tibet but China-Tibet visa and permitting system is a little bit complicated and self-organized bike tour is not possible. Nepal would be nice for trekking, but bike touring options are limited: very rough terrain – or so I read.

The most logical place to go for the first Himalayan experience, for me, is India. Easy electronic visa processing, accessible via Air Asia low fare flights from Manila, English-speaking people, affordable food and accommodation, and most importantly, diverse bicycle touring routes through the Himalayas in the Himachal Pradesh and Jammu/Kashmir provinces, and access to non-technical peaks. Mountain passes to Leh are free of ice and snow and open only from June to September. The ideal time to go is mid-July.

NOTES:

1. Distances and elevation gains are from Strava iPhone app where distances tend to be accurate, but elevation gains are not.
2. The Manali-Leh-Khardungla route was first cycled by a Cebu-based team composed of Larry of PACGear, Arch. Tristan and company.  
3. Daylight lasts from about 5AM to 7PM during summer in Ladakh – this allows flexibility in daily cycling distances. 
4. We would suggest adding a day somewhere between Rothangla and Baralachala to allow for proper acclimatization. Respect the 500 meters rule - do not sleep over 500 meters above where you spent the night before.
5. Foreign tourists going to Khardungla and beyond (Nubra Valley) need to secure an Inner Line Permit in Leh. Allow two days for the paperworks.
6. The hardest section of the route is the Khardungla climb. The final bend to the top will test your mettle - utter exhaustion from the long climb, very bad road, shortness of breath and fatigue from altitude, and cold weather. Be very well rested in Leh, start very early, and be patient.

Video of the ride here: https://youtu.be/MULfsgivsNg

By Noel Mercado II