Bhutan and Ladakh Bike Trips
Bhutan and Ladakh Bike Trips
Many people cycle to Leh in Ladakh from Manali in Himachal, a journey over the Himalayas. While a fantastic bike trip it is good to know that you can fly into Leh and rent a bicycle there, set out on your own or book a tour. Booking a tour is worthwhile as you get the vehicle support to transport your gear and you can dismount whenever you feel like it.
Ladakh offers variety of bicycle routes but one of the most comprehensive experiences is a journey to Dha Hanu in the far west bordering Pakistan. It traverses the Indus Valley from Leh, takes you to the spectacular Lamayuru Gompa, and then to the villages of Dha-Hanu. Inhabited by the the Brokpa people, said to be the descendants of the Alexander the Great's troops thus believed to contain the genes of pure Indo Aryan race.
But that is only the beginning of the journey. From lower Ladakh we cycle north to Nubra, once the staging ground for caravans of Silk Road to Turkestan. To get there we have to cross two of world's highest passes. On the way there we tackle the Wari La, 5250m, and on our return back to Leh we summit the mightiest of them all, the legendary Khardung La straddling the ridge at an incredible elevation of some 17,582 feet above sea level.
As Ladakh, Bhutan too is a traditional homeland of Buddhism, and the cycling itinerary allows you visit all of its key monasteries, from Lamayuru and Alchi to Likir, Thiksey and Takthok.
Cycling Bhutan you must venture on the full country traverse, from the more developed west where Bhutan's main towns are located, namely Paro and Thimphu, to the remote and seldom visited east beyond the Thrumshing La, Bhutan's highest road pass, though by comparison to Khardung La a mere bump at some 12,000 feet.
But Bhutan does not have only the climbs to crest of passes, it has some of the most delightful and descents within the biking world. From Trumshing La the road plunges over 10,000 feet to the valley floor. The ride is mind-blowing and it's a bit shame as there is some fine flora to observe on the way, though how can you dare to stop?
There are also thrilling sectors of the road that is hewn from the side of a cliff on one side and a steep drop on the other.
At Trashigang in far eastern Bhutan the road turns south toward the plains of India. If you've made it this far east there is no point to backtrack to Paro but to ride out of the Bhutan Himalayas to Guwahati in Assam India and fly back home from there. European Destinations: Luxembourg Why Not Travel To Switzerland Getting Cheap Theatre Tickets in London World Travel Awards 2011Nominees for regional Categories unveiled during ITB Berlin Tips For Staying Fit While Traveling Queensland tourism operators offer the holiday of a lifetime Why Should You Opt For A Beach Rental? Pros And Cons Of Cheap Travel Deals How To Choose The Best Beach Resort Rubbish Clearance London Learn More About Life In Nepal With Nepal Cultural tours Taylor Swift Tour Dates 2011-Taylors Gift Australia Trip a Dream Come True Experience