Known for its exciting roads and changing landscapes, the Manali-Leh highway is a favourite among travellers across the world. Now what better way to explore this route than cycling through it! Zooming through these roads on mountain bikes not only gives one the opportunity to soak in the landscape to the fullest extent possible but also quenches your thirst for adventure. As we would like to call it, it is an adventure of a lifetime, taking you through some of the highest mountain passes in the world with breathtaking views that refuse to leave your side!
Visually, the route has so much to offer; the beauty is almost overwhelming. No day is the same on the expedition, with the landscape constantly changing from the lush green forests of Manali to the cold desert of Ladakh and everything in between!
The expedition is a true test of endurance, physical and mental, but is also soothing with the picture perfect views it offers. And isn’t that what an adventure in the Himalayas should sound like!
While there are numerous reasons why one must embark on this expedition, we present to you some of the highlights from the route that will put it on your bucket list.
Highlight 1: A Ride through Six High Mountain Passes
One of the biggest highlights of this expedition is that route goes through six high mountain passes including Khardung La! It is one thing to get to these passes in a car but it is an adventure beyond your imagination to cycle through all of them. These are some of the highest motorable passes in the world, offering striking panoramic views of the Himalayas. The expedition goes through Rohtang Pass, Baralacha La, Nakee La, Lachung La, Taglang La and Khardung La, which is the second highest motorable pass in the world! Each of these passes stand out in their own way. Rohtang Top can be one of the windiest of places, Baralacha La gives us a teaser of the cold desert while Nakee La and Lachung La offer full blown views of the sceneries that make Ladakh what it is. The climb to Taglang will leave cyclists gasping (both for air and in awe of the landscape!) only to reach the third highest motorable pass in the world, with views of Zanskar Himalayas all around!
With prayer flags decorating the milestone at the passes, there is an aura of accomplishment and joy that can be sensed after having reached there through grit and perseverance. The passes also mark the end of a long uphill climb and the beginning of a thrilling descent that everyone looks forward to.
Highlight 2: The Lush Green Ascent to Marhi
The route to Marhi is a difficult yet beautiful one, with the colour green dominating throughout. Small town establishments gradually decline along the highway as the road goes higher into the mountains. Lush green forests, coniferous trees and views of trickling waterfalls on far away mountains take over the scenery and stick around all the way to Marhi. The damp smell from the green forests is comforting and is perfect to give out the feeling of being surrounded by nature. At the bends, bird’s eye views of the green valley below with small towns and if the sky is clear, then even the snow-capped peaks in the distance become visible! The ascent to Marhi is a fitting introduction to cycling through the winding roads and valleys of the Himalayas, which is quite the routine for all the days on this expedition.
Highlight 3: Gliding Into Lahaul and Spiti
What excites most cyclists on this route are the downhill stretches. From Rohtang Top, the road winds down for close to 24 kms! This is one of the most thrilling downhill rides during the expedition given the excellent road conditions and towering mountains all around, serving as a gentle reminder about our place in nature. There is no better feeling than zooming down on this stretch that takes one into Lahaul and Spiti. The ease and delight of the downhill ride on these roads smells like freedom in its purest sense. It serves as a much deserved reward for making it to the top of Rohtang Pass!
Highlight 4: The Decline of the Treeline
Now don’t get me wrong, decline of the treeline does not imply that the views become any less beautiful. We all love the greens but the arid regions of the Himalayas hold a certain kind of beauty which is even more breathtaking! Cycling from Sissu to Jispa, the landscape undergoes a stark change. It is more arid, with a lot of greys and browns, scree and moraine, as the route progresses towards Keylong. The mountains suddenly feel bigger and mightier than they did the previous two days. The landscape is hinting at an ascent higher up into the Himalayas much above the treeline and into the cold desert region. A little beyond Keylong, views of Mt. Lady of Keylong, a 6000M snow capped peak, stands in all her might along the ride to Jispa.
Highlight 5: The Pristine Blue Waters of Deepak Tal
Deepak Tal appears in full serenity at a mid-way point on the ride to Zinzingbar. Nestled amongst tall dusty mountains, the pristine blue lake of Deepak Tal proves to be quite refreshing after a physically strenuous ride. It is made of everything that goes into the template of a perfect desktop wallpaper. Bright blue skies, brown mountains standing tall in the backdrop, crystal clear blue waters and the element that completes all Himalayan lakes - prayer flags. Perfect spot to take a break - waiting here before continuing the ride forward is inevitable. The beauty of the place demands to be captured - who are we to deny it!
Highlight 6: The Legends of Gata Loops
Everyone who comes on this expedition usually hears of Gata Loops and probably also fears them for the challenge they pose. The Gata Loops consist of 21 hair pin bends. It serves well to know that we are going up these loops, not down! But what’s the fun in an adventure without a challenge, right? Dry and arid scenes from the valley showcase the grandeur of the mountains around. The landscape is starkly different from the ride up until here - the trail never fails to offer ip surprises.. These are not the only reasons people know of Gata Loops though. Cycling up the 19th bend, a small shrine with a mountain of plastic water bottles around it appears on the left. The route and the shrine itself are shrouded with legends and mysteries which can be uncovered on the way up through the Gata Loops.
Highlight 7: The Road through Middle Earth
Don’t we all love the Lord of the Rings and the picturesque locations where it was shot, in spite of the darkness it held? This is no New Zealand but it’s as close as it gets! Riding the mountain bikes through More Plains definitely feels like cruising through Middle Earth - it would be perfectly normal to expect Gandalf on his horse just around the corner. We personally love More Plains not just for these views it offers but also for how easy the entire stretch is. Flat stretches with gentle ups and downs for 42 straight kilometres! After all the ascents on the trail up until now, this comes as a much needed reward and that too just in time. However, More Plains is also subject to strong winds so don’t forget your wind cheaters and enjoy the panoramic views!
Highlight 8: Rainbow Mountains
Remember how we spoke about stark changes in the landscape? On the stretch between Taglang La and Lato, the desert-like brown mountains start to change in terms of their composition, colour and texture. A little past Rumtse, streaks of brick red and olive green can be seen flowing through the mountains, giving them a very colourful appearance! This marks a transition from the dusty mountains into a region that is surrounded by these rainbow-like mountains that are visible everywhere in the valley. The sight of these mountains is bound to leave you in appreciation of nature’s wonders and also ponder over the reasons for the presence of such colours.
Highlight 9: The Final Stretch to Khardung La
The final stretch to Khardung La, the second highest motorable pass in the world at a height of 5359M is of course one of the most awaited highlights of this expedition! Needless to say, the route and the top of Khardung La offer panoramic views of the Zanskar ranges and being on one of the highest roads in the world, which in itself is a point of excitement and also pride given that reaching here on a mountain bike was no easy task!
The ascent to Khardung La top is the biggest challenge of the entire expedition! The routel tests one’s physical and mental endurance but also delivers a hefty reward once on top. With each bend, the views get better and the climb gets more challenging. At Khardung La top, views of the mountain ranges on the other side of Ladakh are visible. The road that goes down from there is the way into Nubra Valley and beyond. It truly is a breathtaking moment, to be able to stand there, knowing that you reached that point in the most beautiful way possible. And of course, there is a souvenir shop at the pass for you to take something back as memorabilia!
Words cannot do justice to the visuals of the landscapes described above. There is so much more to the route than what we managed to put out here! Take on this adventure and see for yourself the magic that the route and the mountains have to offer!
