General Information
TOUR DATES
16 July – 27 July 2011 (12 days)
Private tours also available
TOUR PRICE
Pricing excludes international airfare.Rider: US$6,465 (all inclusive, deluxe tour, maximum 12-14 people)
Pillion: US$5,965
A deposit of US$500 per person is required to reserve your tour.
Contact us to secure your spot on this wonderful tour.
Non-Riders and Pillions
We acknowledge that many of our clients have partners who do not ride. All of our tours have a support vehicle which can accommodate passengers. However, for those clients who are not riding at all (i.e. not even pillion/two-up), we can arrange for a separate car with driver upon request. No need to leave your best mate at home!
Saffron Road Motorcycle Tours believes in WYSIWYG – “What you see is what you get” - there are no hidden costs or charges.
Price Includes:
- Group transfers to/from airport and hotel
- Accommodation throughout the tour on a Twin-Share basis (Single supplement $800)
- All meals with tea/coffee (breakfast, lunch and dinner – except lunch on two rest days)
- Comfortable support vehicle with driver and staff (for luggage transport, assistance and occasional passengers)
- Full motorbike rental for the duration of the tour (electric start and front disc brakes as standard)
- Experienced mechanics
- All fuel and oil costs
- Repairs, maintenance and spare parts (excluding accidental damage)
- Motorcycle total loss Insurance
- Basic emergency first-aid equipment
- English-speaking local guide
- Entrance fees to selected monuments and attractions
- All hotel, restaurant and staff gratuities (excluding hotel porters)
- Complimentary Saffron Road thermal Marino wool top.
Price Excludes:
- Travel insurance policy covering use of motorcycle (mandatory)
- Refundable motorcycle accident damage deposit (US$300)
- Tourist visas for India
- International Driving Permit
- Vaccinations and personal medication including known allergy antidotes
- Items of a personal nature such as postage, laundry and alcohol
- Personal consumptions such as bottled water, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
- Costs associated with unforeseen delays due to weather, political expediency, natural disasters etc
Bikes
On all our Indian tours we use the Royal Enfield Bullet – single-cylinder, 500cc with the foot brake on the left side and gearbox on the right side (one up, three down). Yes – really, but you do get used to the configuration pretty quickly! You may have also heard horror stories about the virtual lack of front brake – untrue. The bikes used by Saffron Road are all fitted with electric start and efficient front disc brakes as standard.
In addition to being delightfully authentic, these wonderful bikes are well-balanced and maneuverable with lots of low-end torque, which makes them perfect for Indian traffic and road conditions. The pillion seat is roomy and quite comfortable with the foot pegs set so knee-height is below hip height – a great thing when travelling any distance. However, pillions are advised to bring a sheepskin for extra comfort.
Road Conditions
While being a lot of fun, this is not a tour for the faint-hearted. The route through the mountains is hardly more than one lane wide with steep drop-offs and virtually no barriers to break a fall. In the last few years the government and army have been upgrading many of the main roads, which has resulted in yet another obstacle – road works where they dig up the entire road surface and you are left with a free-for-all as everyone picks the least potholed or muddy route while dodging road workers and equipment. In towns the traffic appears utterly chaotic, but in reality it works well. Until you are actually negotiating it, this statement seems impossible.
Road rules are much the same as any Western Country – they just don’t follow them! In India the traffic uses the left side of the road (generally, but not always!). Anything bigger than you has precedence, and anything smaller is best given a wide berth. Cows, being sacred animals in India, are at the very top of the avoidance list!
Driving Licences and Travel Insurance
Riders must have a valid and unrestricted international rider’s licence. Travel insurance is mandatory and, if on a bike at all, must cover riding motorcycles. Please check the rider clause carefully and any clause relating to medical evacuation before you purchase or use any existing insurance (such as that provided by some credit card companies). Should the necessity arise, medical evacuation is horrendously expensive and could leave a very large hole in your wallet.
Accommodation & Food
Throughout the tour we use really good hotels through to ‘best in town’ in more remote areas. There are also four nights at tented camps in Sangla, Sarchu, Gya and Kargil. In Gya and Kargil our dedicated staff (including a chef) will have gone ahead and erected the sleeping tents and dining tent/bar. In Sangla and Sarchu, we will be staying in spacious tents at semi-permanent tented camps (hotels under canvas).
Except for breakfast where there is usually a western menu (cereal, eggs and toast etc), other meals generally offer local cuisine. If your preference is for blander foods, you will have to notify the tour leader prior to meals being ordered and they will endeavour to find something else for you. Vegetarians are well catered for in Hindu and Buddhist regions.
Further Information
More detailed information and a travel check-list will be mailed to you after receipt of your completed booking form and deposit. Participants will receive maps, a list of hotels and important contact numbers prior to departure.
Please Note:
Motorcycle riding, at the best of times, is an inherently dangerous pursuit. In a country where the road rules, riding conditions and bikes are unfamiliar, the potential risks are massively increased. Participants must recognise these dangers and accept full responsibility for themselves while on the tour.
