A Taste of the High Himalaya
Ride the Highest Motorable Road on the Planet
TOUR DATES
Dates:
There are few places on earth that offer the diversity and contrasts
which you will encounter on this amazing journey to the Indian states
of Ladakh
and Kashmir. No words or pictures can adequately prepare you for the emotional onslaught which you are about to undergo.
10 July – 2 August 2011 (24 days)
Private tours also available
Contact us to secure your spot on this wonderful tour.
Starting in India’s bustling capital city of New Delhi,
we catch a train north through the Gangetic plains (the bread basket of
India) to a town on the northernmost boundaries of the plains where we
start our big adventure up into the awesome High Himalaya. At times
terrified and challenged, at times overcome by immense joy and profound
peace, you are about to experience one of the world’s great
adventure rides.
The first few days will be spent swinging through the twisting mountain roads
and valleys of the lush, green Himalayan foothills, but these verdant surroundings
are quickly and startlingly replaced by the stark, raw majesty of the Tibetan
Plateau and the towering snow-capped peaks of the tallest mountain range
on the planet.
Being encircled by such grandeur and immensity is a humbling
experience. It is a place where no matter who or what you perceive god
to be, or what your religious convictions are (if any), you will find
your spirit and soul will sing. On entering into the ethereal world of
Ladakh you will acknowledge it is a land like no other.
Bounded by two of the world’s highest mountain ranges, the Himalaya and Karakorum,
it also encompasses the Ladakh and Zanskar ranges. In geological
terms, it is a young land, formed only a few million years ago by the buckling
and folding of the earth’s crust as the Indian sub-continent pushed with irresistible
force against the immoveable mass of Asia. Its basic contours, uplifted by unimaginable
tectonic movements, have been modified over millennia by the opposite process
of erosion – then sculpted by wind and water into the form we see today.
The gentle people of the towns, villages and nomadic tribes exude a
sense of peace and harmony with nature. Their lifestyle, based on
Buddhist beliefs and a sense of community, is evident in everything
they do, from raising families to keeping shop to harvesting. Ladakh is
a unique and special place.
And then there’s Kashmir. In only a few
short kilometres the contrast between these two great states of India
is almost inconceivable – it’s like riding from the
moon’s surface into a chocolate box picture. The Vale
of Kashmir
is almost a tourist cliché, drenched as it is in the purple
prose of scores of books, pamphlets, brochures and songs. However, the
reality often transcends expectations and none of the phrases quite
prepares one for the enchantment of the place.
The harsh beauty of the barren mountains piercing the sky, the massive cathedral-like
formations of the land and the striated colours of the rocky surrounds – dun,
ochre, saffron, red and yellow, have been replaced by a softer beauty full of
green and blue, pink and purple, indigo and gold. Waterfalls cascade and rivers
tumble through a landscape studded with jewel-like lakes filled with lotuses
budding in the late summer heat. The vista of chequered fields, wildflowers,
dense forests and rolling hills is punctuated by glinting silver threads of streams
and canals.
And so to Srinagar, the magical centre of this
sylvan world. Torn apart by more than 50 years of wars and skirmishes,
destabilised by militant outrages, the focus of dramatic media
coverage, Srinagar still manages to maintain a tangible aura of the
sophisticated, graceful, multi-racial society that created the beauty
and formal elegance of places such as the Mughal Shalima and Nishat
Gardens. While a strong military presence is sadly still very much in
evidence, out on the lakes you might believe you are in paradise.
However, all that said, this is not a ride for the faint-hearted
– the roads and riding conditions can be very challenging and
frequently quite dangerous. Up in the mountains they are virtually
single lane with no safety barriers and precipitous drop-offs to one
side. The surface can change in moments, from perfect bitumen
(tar-seal) to mud, gravel and rocks, and small landslides are frequent
after rain. But it’s a lot of fun!
Click here for the High Himalaya overview.
