Sach Pass / Pangi Valley / Shinku La (15 Days)

Your adventure begins on the 7am express from New Delhi Railway station.The 4 hour journey will bring you to Kalka (at the foot steps of the Himalayas). A 4 hour bus/coach journey from here will bring you to Shimla (capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh & former “summer capital” of India).

Today you’ll meet your Royal Enfield Motorcycle, your ride for the next several days. After an extensive briefing session by your ride leader you’ll take a short ride in an effort to familiarise yourself with the bike and riding conditions. Today’s ride to the village of Tattapani on the banks of river Sutlej is short but challenging. Tattapani (as the name in local dialect suggests) is famous for it’s a Sulphur “hot spring” and you shall get every chance to have a dip in its refreshing & rejuvenating waters at the resort you’ll be staying at.

A long day today, but one which will leave you with a sense of accomplishment. From the 660 M altitude of Tattapani, you be reaching an Alt of 2200 M. Riding through scenic mountain landscape and villages you shall certainly admire the variety of the terrain before you arrive at today’s unique destination.

An easy day today, compared to the last, but no less scenic than the last. Dharamshala (at 1200 M), a hill-side town & summer capital of the Govt of Himachal Pradesh, is surrounded by cedar forests on the edge of the Himalayas and is home to the Dalai Lama & the Tibetan government-in-exile. You’ll get to visit the most famous monatery this part of the world.

Dalhousie (2090 M)

Rest day or Optional ride to surrounding spots.

Today’s ride will take you further up into higher mountains. Your first destination is Khajjiar (given the destinction of India’s own little “Switzerland”).

Over the Sach Pass (4525 M) you shall enter the Pangi Valley.

Continuing along the Chandra-Bhaga river.

After breakfast, you shall first ride on the newly open road to Shinku La (5060 M).  Backtracking from there you finish the ride on the banks of the Chandra river. 

The ride to Manali, although short one, will be specatular (includes riding through the 9 km Atal tunnel).  Arriving around lunch time it shall give you enough time explore this tourist town.   Situated along the banks of River Beas at the northern end of the Kullu valley, Manali is a popular tourist destination attracting thousands of Indian tourists in the summers who want to beat the heat of the plains. 

Heading south from Manali, along the banks of the Beas, today’s ride takes you through some beautiful scenery. Riding down the Kullu valley past Naggar, you’ll leave behind the Beas and turn south-east towards Banjar at Aut. From here, a 28km journey lined with apple orchards leads you to your destination, a small hamlet called Sai Ropa, right on the banks of the Tirthan valley and on the edge of “The Great Himalayan National Park”.

The penultimate days ride is another spectacular journey over the Jalori Pass (3200 M), through the apple orchards, past several picturesque villages down to the village of Tattapani on the banks of river Sutlej. Tattapani (as the name in local dialect suggests) is famous for it’s a Sulphur “hot spring” and you shall get every chance to have a dip in its refreshing & rejuvenating waters at the resort you’ll be staying at.

You’ll saddle-up yet again and for the last time on this tour for your journey back to Shimla. The evening can be spent taking a stroll on The Mall and doing some souvenir shopping. A farewell dinner is organised at a popular restaurant in the city.

It’s time to say your goodbye’s to fellow travelers & the Himalayas. You’ll be taking a 3-hour car ride down the Shivalik range to its footsteps at Kalka, where an Express Train will take you to New Delhi (in about another 4 hours). Dinner is served in the train & is inclusive in the fare. If you’ve purchased a “Farewell” add-on you’ll be transferred to the hotel where your accommodation has been arranged.

If you have concerns regarding the standard of accommodation on our tours, we’d like to assure you that our selection of hotels will not disappoint you.  In fact, despite the limitations of this region (having seasonal tourism & remote locations) we have ensured that our riders get the most comfortable stay possible.  The reason for that is that we have carefully selected (and fine tuned) a good mix of heritage & modern hotels/ lodges/ holiday homes in the villages, towns & cities we stay at which have a good balance between the old charm and modern travelers needs. Some have been chosen for convenience, some for their spectacular location and some just to give you a taste of the “luxury” of the colonial era without sending our tour prices “through the roof”.  Even the high altitude camp(s) we’ve chosen are the best set-up accommodations  (almost “glamping” considering their location) all with ensuite toilets.  The reason we don’t share photos here is to keep the surprise element.  Nonetheless, we’ve provided a small “glimpse” of it on one of our Gallery webpage (scroll down to “Himalayan Accommodation” slide) as evidence 🙂

Please note:  On all our tours the space on the support vehicles is limited.  Hence, we request that you limit your baggage to 25 KG.

• Driver’s license*
• International Driving Permit
• Travel insurance**
• Protective Riding Gloves
• Riding boots
• Riding jacket & pants
• Helmet
• Rain suit
• Riding goggles
• Balaclava
• Eye drops
• Sunscreen
• Torch/Flashlight
• Thermal underwear
• Insect repellent

Suggested

• a fleece/pullover/ warm jacket
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Scarf/Bandana
• Ear Plugs

*Full and valid for  min 411cc motorcycle

**Must cover riding motorcycle overseas for leisure

Our Himalayan tours start and end in New Delhi where the temperature can get up to 42°C in July.  However, as soon as you’re in Shimla (2200 M) on Day 01, you’ll feel a drastic change.  But even in the Himalayas the day temperature at low altitude can get up to 30°C.  And at high altitudes it can fall to freezing temps in the mornings and during the nights (0-5°C).  Rain is almost a certainty with snow being a possibility, specially while riding over high passes.  Statistically, on half our tours in the Himalayas, our riders are glad that they brought rain gear with them and on the other half they wonder why.

Health

Please keep in mind that you need to be reasonably fit to participate in tours.

IMPORTANT: Applicants are advised against participating in any high Himalayan tours if they suffer from severe asthma,  muscular disorders, respiratory or heart disorders, or any medical precondition which might be detrimental to the health of the participant on a tour which involves spending nights in high altitudes (3500 to 4500 metres).

Please consult a doctor before booking a Himalayan tour which goes to high altitudes.

Food & Drink

When travelling through India it is advised to carry your own drinking water that has been obtained from a reliable source (RO/UV water filter) or always drink branded mineral/packaged water.

Water for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should first be boiled or otherwise sterilised.

Avoid dairy products likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Milk in India is often unpasteurised and should be boiled before consumed.

Any fruit and vegetables should be cooked and/or peeled before consuming. To avoid TD or other sickness while travelling include avoiding undercooked foods and street vendors.

Hygiene

Popular tourist restaurants and hotels will have clean facilities for you to use.

The following vaccinations are recommended for your trip to India* (if visiting for less than 5 months):

• Hepatitis A
• Diphtheria
• Typhoid
• Malaria
• Tetanus
• Japanese Encephalitis, Poliomyelitis
• Rabies

Please ensure you are also up to date with routine vaccinations such as:

• Influenza
• Chickenpox
• Polio
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR)
• Diphtheria/Pertussis/Tetanus (DPT)
• Rotavirus (for children)

If you are arriving from the following countries it is required for you to have the Yellow Fever vaccine:

• Angola
• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Congo
• Cote d’lvoire
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Ethiopia
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• Sudan
• Tanzania
• Togo
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• French Guiana
• Guyana
• Panama
• Peru
• Suriname
• Venezuela
• Trinidad
• Tobago

*This is a general guide. Please consult your doctor for country specific medical advice.

Telephone: Country code is 91

Mobile phone: Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is limited to major towns.

Internet: Wi-Fi is available in most hotels and cafes.

Post: Airmail service to U.S and Western Europe takes up to two weeks.

When travelling to India you will need the following documents:

• Passport (valid at least 6 months past the intended period of stay)
• Indian Tourist Visa

Indian Tourist Visa

Travelers should apply for a tourist e-visa before they visit India. Processing time is generally between 36-48 hours, you can apply for an e-Visa here. These are single/multiple entry visa’s that are valid for a 30/60-day stay. To see if you are eligible for a tourist e-visa visit this website.

We’ll get back to you within a couple of days with a registration form and a full list of T’s & C’s.  Once you’ve submitted the completed registration form we’ll send you an Invoice of the tours/services opted by you.  If the tour start date is more than 3 months away, a 25% advance payment will secure your spot on the tour.

To pay for your tour, we only accept Bank telegraphic (wire) transfer.

It’s our preferred option because it’s safe, transparent & cheap. While it may seem like outdated technology where you’re from, it’s still standard business practice here.  Transfer of funds takes place from your bank account directly to our bank account (with reasonable commissions or charges levied by the banks).

Our T’s & C’s document details more info about our payment policy, but if you’ve got questions about ‘wiring’ money please don’t hesitate to contact us or your bank.

We’ll send you an email with confirmation, a receipt, and everything else you need to know – so you can get ready for new experiences, with new friends, in foreign lands!

The open road beckons. See you at the airport.

Booking shall be subject to availability & eligibility. Your booking is confirmed after deposit is received as per the terms & conditions. Your privacy is protected and we agree not to share the information provided with third parties for any purpose, commercial or otherwise, unless legally required.

The price of the tour is per person on the basis of twin-share accommodation. “Twin Share” means sharing a “double bed” or a “twin bed” room with your companion, or another member of the tour of the same gender.

If you don’t want to share a room you can purchase a single accommodation add-on.  Single Accommodation is subject to availability.  On the Himalayan Tours, it cannot be guaranteed at locations where we stay in “tented camps” as the availability of such accommodation is scarce during the high season.

We reserve the right to impose a “single accommodation” price on a participant, like a minor participant or an unaccompanied participant, if he/she cannot be accommodated with another member of the tour due to any reason(s).

To participate as a rider an individual has to be an adult above the age of 18 years at the time of the tour, holding a valid full motorcycle driving license authorizing him/her to ride a 411/500cc motorcycle and in sufficiently good health to undertake a motorcycle journey without any pre-existing medical condition(s) which may be detrimental to the participants health & safety.   To participate as a co-rider on the pillion an individual has to be above the age of 12 years.

Further details will be available for your perusal in the terms & conditions appended to the tour registration form.