India Bike Roads Update: Himalayas: Manali - Leh - Ladakh

Hello,

For all the bikers who are have been waiting for the snow to melt and the passes to open so they can ride over the mighty Himalayas, the time is here.

The Manali - Leh - Ladakh road is now open!

I am up in Manali in the himalayas as I write this and the riders are coming in, thundering on Classics and Thunder birds. I am waiting for a wee bit before I head off on a 18 day tour of the Himalayas on a brand new Royal Enfield Desert Storm! I can't wait!

But here's a word of caution; there are already tales of bikers being miserably stuck in lunar like landscapes with mechanical failures and punctures.

This stretch is not a joke people, and requires VAST amount of research and planning. I've seen so many people stuck with bike problems up there in desolate stretches, on Pulsars and Enfields, swaying madly to altitude sickness, going "help me, help me, please!" And there is nothing one can do but leave a bottle or two of water and a pack of biscuits, and a pat on their backs.

If you are planning on going up, the guy to talk to is Zander. He is the bloke who runs Extreme Bike Tours. They were the fixers of the BBC's 2011 Top Gear Christmas Special, and I found him through a BBC contact of mine. Though I've been up before on a Bullet, I got in touch with Zander, who proved to know the himalayas and the bike routes over them like no one else does. He is a great chap, and loves to help.

But seriously, if you are planning a biking trip, get in touch with him. He will help out, and knows all the best routes and fab tips and tricks!

See you soon with the Himalaya Bike trip photo essay!

Sounds like a spam post

manali leh highway is still open for bikers, however it may soon get closed depending upon the snowfall at rothang pass.