Lets face it, Leh is a tourist town, with all the travel agencies, souvenir shops and pizza restaurants you would expect to find in a bustling backpacker centre. Most people arrive by plane or bus you have got here on your own two wheels, a real feather in your cap. We are at an elevation of 3,505 m in the Indus river valley. The town is small enough to get around on foot, but we know you will want to prove to everyone that you ride a Enfield.
Also good to know is Leh has two ATM's in town that take international credit cards, and quite a few places exchange money. So now you can go shopping mad.
Buddhist monasteries dot the serene landscape: pay a visit for first-hand instruction in kindness and tolerance. You can venture out to some of the sights around town Chowkhang Gompa, Gomang Stupa, Leh Palace, Men Tsee Khang Cultural Centre to name a few.
'Roads' Sarchu to Leh
Roads from Sarchu till the start of Gata Loops are in good condition and the progress is fast. Gata Loops are a collection of 21 loops, roads in the loops are in not so good condition and the slow moving trucks that always need to be overtaken make the ascent feel tougher than it actually is.
Next up is the third pass on the Manali Leh route, Nakee La. While few km down the road is Lachulung La pass situated at an altitude of 5,059 m. The descent from Lachulung La will take us to Pang, which is a temporary tent settlement and has a check post where travelers need to register themselves. Take a breather here and eat some thing for the final push to Leh.
The road from Pang will take you to the famous Moore Plains, situated in a plateau. You wont believe this relatively flat piece of land is located at an altitude of 4,700 m. Road here are relatively straight and in good condition. Speeding on the road is out as it is quite bumpy and it will be a good workout for your vehicles suspension and your stomach.
After the fast paced journey on the Moore plains, you will find your self on the ascent to the third highest pass you will encounter in Ladakh, Tanglang La. Final few kms to the summit of the pass are in bad condition and the gradient coupled with lack of air takes a toll on vehicles performance. But once you reach the top you will be greeted with spectacular views, in fact from Tanglang La you can clearly spot the road to the pass for miles on both directions.
Descent from Tanglang La for first few kms is in bad condition, however after that you will be greeted with spectacular roads and with the altitude decreasing gradually, your spirits will start picking up as the bike starts to perform once again.
Upshi a small break for a cup of chai, less than an hours drive from Upshi we reach Leh.
Highlights and Features
- Crossed two passes over 5,000 m
- Need some western food grab a pizza
- Send a postcard, catch up on e-mails
- Need souvenirs hit up some of the local shops
- Visit one of the palaces or monasteries in the area
- Get some cash at a ATM
- Coordinates: 34°8'43.43"N 77°34'3.41"E
Join our trip, from:
- Rider - $8000.00
- Rider and Pillion - $12000.00