Motorcycle Tour

Spiti Valley

Spiti valley is located in the north-eastern part of Himachal Pradesh, a state in the Himalayas of India. The name “Spiti” means “The middle land,” reflecting its location between mainland India and Tibet.

Spiti is isolated from the rest of India from November to May each year due to heavy snowfall, making the tour a unique blend of 30-70% paved and unpaved roads, with numerous stream crossings. This ride is the perfect adventure for motorcyclists seeking both challenge and beauty. The landscape transforms from lush green to barren mountains and back again, providing a harmonious and stunning backdrop. Immerse yourself in rich cultural experiences by visiting some of the world’s oldest Buddhist monasteries, and tackle three high-altitude passes. Explore the highest villages in the world that are populated year-round, and culminate the journey with a ride to the beautiful Chandratal lake, a high-altitude gem in the Himalayas.

A motorcycle ride to the remote Spiti valley is by no means easy, but using our experience we have crafted a route that lets you have a comfortable stay after each days gruelling ride and return home saying you had the ride of your life.

Tour Dates
  • 26th July → 5th August
  • 31st September → 10th October
Day 1

Arrive in Manali

Plan to arrive in Manali by noon. Upon arrival, you will be checked into a hotel where you will meet the Ride of My Life team and your fellow riders. The road captain will brief everyone on the route and day-by-day plan. After the briefing, you will receive the keys to your Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle, giving you the freedom to make your own plans in the scenic town of Manali. If any adjustments to the motorcycle are needed, our skilled mechanic will be on hand to assist you.

Day 2

Explore Manali

In the morning, we set out on the Manali-Leh highway, the world’s highest road. We head north from Manali towards the newly-constructed Atal Tunnel, the longest tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world, stretching 9 km. Exiting the tunnel, marvel at the changing landscape in the Chandra valley, which becomes increasingly rugged as the mountains grow taller. Ride along the mighty Chenab river in the valley and arrive at Tandi, where the Chandra and Bagha rivers converge to form the Chenab. Tandi is the last fuel stop for the next two days, as the roads ahead are closed during the winter months. We follow the Bagha river to Jispa, a charming village surrounded by magnificent mountains, and spend the night at a hotel.

Day 3

Manali to Shoja

Today, experience the transformation from lush green landscapes to the barren moonscape that Ladakh is famous for. Enjoy a picturesque ride past small lakes, waterfalls, and streams. Tackle your first high-altitude pass, Baralach La, reaching 16,500 feet, and ride down to Sarchu, a high-altitude plateau surrounded by dramatic landscape. We spend the night at Sarchu, where comfortable Swiss tents with attached toilets will be your accommodation.

Day 4

Shoja to Chitkul

Today, take a well-deserved break from the challenging journey you\’ve had from Manali. Take the opportunity to explore the various sights of Leh city, such as the Namgyal Palace, Tibetan market, Shanti Stupa, and numerous monasteries.

Day 5

Chitkul to Kalpa

Plan to arrive in Manali by noon. Upon arrival, you will be checked into a hotel where you will meet the Ride of My Life team and your fellow riders. The road captain will brief everyone on the route and day-by-day plan. After the briefing, you will receive the keys to your Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle, giving you the freedom to make your own plans in the scenic town of Manali. If any adjustments to the motorcycle are needed, our skilled mechanic will be on hand to assist you.

Day 6

Kalpa to Tabo

In the morning, we set out on the Manali-Leh highway, the world’s highest road. We head north from Manali towards the newly-constructed Atal Tunnel, the longest tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world, stretching 9 km. Exiting the tunnel, marvel at the changing landscape in the Chandra valley, which becomes increasingly rugged as the mountains grow taller. Ride along the mighty Chenab river in the valley and arrive at Tandi, where the Chandra and Bagha rivers converge to form the Chenab. Tandi is the last fuel stop for the next two days, as the roads ahead are closed during the winter months. We follow the Bagha river to Jispa, a charming village surrounded by magnificent mountains, and spend the night at a hotel.

Day 7

Tabo to Kaza

Plan to arrive in Manali by noon. Upon arrival, you will be checked into a hotel where you will meet the Ride of My Life team and your fellow riders. The road captain will brief everyone on the route and day-by-day plan. After the briefing, you will receive the keys to your Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle, giving you the freedom to make your own plans in the scenic town of Manali. If any adjustments to the motorcycle are needed, our skilled mechanic will be on hand to assist you.

Day 8

Kaza

In the morning, we set out on the Manali-Leh highway, the world’s highest road. We head north from Manali towards the newly-constructed Atal Tunnel, the longest tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world, stretching 9 km. Exiting the tunnel, marvel at the changing landscape in the Chandra valley, which becomes increasingly rugged as the mountains grow taller. Ride along the mighty Chenab river in the valley and arrive at Tandi, where the Chandra and Bagha rivers converge to form the Chenab. Tandi is the last fuel stop for the next two days, as the roads ahead are closed during the winter months. We follow the Bagha river to Jispa, a charming village surrounded by magnificent mountains, and spend the night at a hotel.

Day 9

Kaza to Chandratal

In the morning, we set out on the Manali-Leh highway, the world’s highest road. We head north from Manali towards the newly-constructed Atal Tunnel, the longest tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world, stretching 9 km. Exiting the tunnel, marvel at the changing landscape in the Chandra valley, which becomes increasingly rugged as the mountains grow taller. Ride along the mighty Chenab river in the valley and arrive at Tandi, where the Chandra and Bagha rivers converge to form the Chenab. Tandi is the last fuel stop for the next two days, as the roads ahead are closed during the winter months. We follow the Bagha river to Jispa, a charming village surrounded by magnificent mountains, and spend the night at a hotel.

Day 10

Chandratal to Manali

Plan to arrive in Manali by noon. Upon arrival, you will be checked into a hotel where you will meet the Ride of My Life team and your fellow riders. The road captain will brief everyone on the route and day-by-day plan. After the briefing, you will receive the keys to your Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle, giving you the freedom to make your own plans in the scenic town of Manali. If any adjustments to the motorcycle are needed, our skilled mechanic will be on hand to assist you.

Day 11

Departure from Manali

In the morning, we set out on the Manali-Leh highway, the world’s highest road. We head north from Manali towards the newly-constructed Atal Tunnel, the longest tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world, stretching 9 km. Exiting the tunnel, marvel at the changing landscape in the Chandra valley, which becomes increasingly rugged as the mountains grow taller. Ride along the mighty Chenab river in the valley and arrive at Tandi, where the Chandra and Bagha rivers converge to form the Chenab. Tandi is the last fuel stop for the next two days, as the roads ahead are closed during the winter months. We follow the Bagha river to Jispa, a charming village surrounded by magnificent mountains, and spend the night at a hotel.

Literally meaning “The Middle Land”, Spiti is so called because it is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides. Located in the Trans-Himalayan region of main range of Himalayas, it also lies between the former empires of Bushair, Kullu, Ladakh and Tibet.

People

Spiti is predominantly a Buddhist region populated with people of Tibetan stock. The valley is one of the least populated regions of the country, with an average population density of 2.3 people per square kilometre. The Gompas (Buddhist Monasteries) in Spiti are a sight to behold just by virtue of their location. Their position in the society is unique and are major guiding forces of people’s daily life. The Ki and Tabo monasteries, which we visit on our ride are among the oldest monasteries in the world.

Terrain

Spiti is a land of contrasts. With negligible annual rainfall but with heavy snowfall, patches of green fields amidst barren landscapes, it is a feast for the hungry eyes of a traveller. Apart from mountains and valleys, Spiti has a unique storehouse of shale and an unmatched geological collection of fossils. Some of the rock faces tell stories about the geological history of the Himalayas. In some valleys, the effects of tectonic thrust, which created Himalayas, can be seen and studied.

Weather

Spiti experiences severe winter from November to May with Arctic like wind conditions and heavy snowfall. The treacherous weather permits visitors to tour only between the months of June to October, when the roads and villages are free of snow and the high passes (Rohtang La and Kunzum La) are open. Rest of the year, Spiti remains cut-off from the mainland by road. During the tour, we can expect temperatures to range between 29 degrees celsius at the highest and a low of 2 degrees celsius in the nights, though it will typically be around 10 degrees celsius. Note that on the high-altitude passes, the temperatures can drop below zero degrees celsius depending on the weather.

Flora and Fauna

The valley is blessed with a good population of Snow Leopard, Ibex, Himalayan Brown Bear, Musk Deer, Himalayan Blue Sheep and more. There are two important protected areas in the region that are home to the Snow Leopard and its prey – the Pin Valley National Park and the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary. Due to ardent religious beliefs, people of Spiti do not hunt these wild animals. Apart from the exotic wildlife, the Spiti is also known for its amazing wealth of flora and the profusion of wild flowers. There are more than 62 species of medicinal plants found in Spiti.

For more information on Spiti, visit the Wikipedia page.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of frequently asked questions. If your question is not in this list, just contact us.

Each tour will have a road captain and a support vehicle with a mechanic on board.

Depending on the tour you select, it will either be a Royal Enfield 500cc motorcycle or a 411cc Royal Enfield Himalayan dual-sport motorcycle with gears on the left and the brake on the right hand side.

We keep aside half a day at the start of your tour for this very important exercise. On this day, you ride with an experienced road captain and support staff to get the hang of riding a Royal Enfield on the left hand-side of the road.

On our tours, we have identical make and model of Royal Enfield motorcycles for all riders and road captains. This ensures that we have adequate spares and required tools in case of any breakdown. Hence we do not allow riders to do the tour on their motorcycle.

No, we have back-up vehicles on all our tours that will carry your luggage for you. But you should carry your valuables like passport, cash, camera and other important equipment with you at all the time. We shall be providing you with a tank bag for the same.

Yes, there is a restriction on the number of riders for every tour. The main reason behind this is to keep the group size small for us to interact with each rider personally and give them a Ride of their Life. The maximum riders we take on a tour are mentioned on the individual tour pages.

Yes, you surely can. We believe that the travel experience is more enhanced when you have your partner with you on the journey. That is why we have discounted couple packages for our tours. Please note that if you book the couple package, we only provide one motorcycle.
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Ideally, your partner should be riding with you on the back seat of your motorcycle. But occasionally, they can travel in the back-up vehicle. Back-up vehicle are primarily for support staff and to carry your luggage, motorcycle spares and tools. Each back-up vehicle acts as support vehicle and will always tail the group maintaining a certain time distance.
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We are motorcyclists and are well aware of the fact that when a motorcyclist really decides to do a route, he will do it come what may. But to join our tour, you should have a reasonable level of fitness at the time of the tour and at least one year experience of riding a motorcycle. Most of our tours are on routes that are physically enduring.

The same applies to your partner/ spouse riding on the back seat of your motorcycle with you. He or she must have some experience riding behind a motorcycle and fitness level appropriate for such an adventure.

You should also have a valid motorcycle driver license and additional permits to ride internationally. If your partner is also taking turns riding the motorcycle, he or she would require the same set of documents.

You would also need travel insurance that includes riding a motorcycle in India.

Different countries and companies have their own policies, but you should pick one that covers you for your entire period of travel. The policy should also cover you for riding motorcycles, unexpected curtailment of the holiday, medical expenses arising overseas, loss or damage to luggage & property and personal liability claims against the participant and emergency evacuation.

We definitely are not making you climb Mount Everest. But if you can climb few flights of stairs without getting breathless, you are fit enough! But you should consult your doctor if you want to join any of the tours to Ladakh, where all the action is at high altitudes.

The risk factor is about the same when you drive or ride to work every day in your country. Just because you are riding a motorcycle in India does not mean that all of a sudden you are in a high risk zone. Motorcyclists around the world get overwhelmed after watching images and videos of Indian traffic, but all our tours are in remote regions of India where traffic is minimal. It all depends on your mindset, whether you want to call tough riding conditions as adventure or risk, or understand the paradox behind this argument.

We will arrange transportation to the nearest doctor / hospital immediately. We do carry a basic first-aid kit with us.

Our motorcycles are covered under third-party insurance and don’t cover accidental damages. We trust that you will, in good faith, cover the cost of repairs in case of any unlikely damages caused by you.

Ideally, you should wear certified waterproof riding gear, riding boots, riding gloves along with a helmet. But if you do not have riding gear, wear clothing that will give you some protection in the unlikely event of a spill. As a minimum, you should wear the following: Footwear that protects your feet and your ankles (hiking boots are good). Durable pants-leather is best; but you can make do with jeans, work pants, or something similar. An abrasion resistant jacket that zips or buttons up close to the neck. For the Ladakh tour, you would also need a pair of thermal inner wear to combat the cold. Please make sure your riding gear is waterproof or you have a separate rain gear. You should also pack nightwear and casual clothing and footwear for your time away from the motorcycle.

To book a tour you have to fill this form. After receiving your details, we will send you the bank transfer information. You will then have to pay the booking amount as per the tour you have chosen. The balance amount will be payable not later than three months before the start of the tour.

You should book the tour as soon as you are sure of making it. For all our tours, we have limited seats, so book as soon as you can.

Yes, you should meet your doctor and he would be the best judge on the precautions you need to take depending on your medical history.

It is a tour specific question, in some tours, we cover all your expenses, but in some budget tours, we do not cover all your expenses. Details of the same are mentioned on each ride page. If you plan to shop around or need Indian currency for personal needs, you should bring INR (Indian Rupees) available at various establishments at the airport or in major cities around the world. You should bring cash depending on how much you intend to spend on personal shopping. Don’t count on Traveller’s cheques or credit cards being accepted at the places that we are visiting. You can check currency conversion rate to Indian Rupees at http://www.xe.com/ucc/

Since most tours are in remote parts of India, you will not have access to ATM machines every day, but once we are in small towns you can avail of this facility. You will need to check with your bank if they would allow withdrawals at Indian ATMs, though.

It is a tour specific question, for most of our tours, where night stay is at Hotels or campsites, a mattress/blanket is provided by the respective establishment. But for tours that involve a lot of camping, you would need to bring your own sleeping bag. Tents will be provided by us.

On all our tours, we would serve hygienic Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian food. Depending on the tour you take, your meals will be made by our cooking team while camping or by the hotel or campsite staff when we stay at their facility.

Bottled water is included only in the luxury tours.

Usually late in the afternoon, a few hours after lunch. In the luxury tours, we would also be providing you with biscuits, dry fruits and nuts that you can carry in your tank bag.

It is a tour specific question. For our budget tours, the stay is at guesthouses and for the other tours it is at well-established hotels.

If we are staying at a hotel or fixed campsite, you would have proper toilet facilities and if we have set up our own tents, you perform your duties out in the open. During a day’s ride, toilets would usually not be available.

Yes, lodging for all our tours are on double-occupancy basis, but you can choose to avail of single-occupancy lodging for an additional charge.

No, you will have tent a to yourself.

You should carry the medicines you have to take for your present medical condition. We would be carrying general medicines for basic illnesses.


Depends from person to person. If you are into photography, you can bring the camera of your choice. If not, a simple point and shoot digital camera to save your tour memories should be sufficient. Avoid carrying too much equipment because it will be very cumbersome to manage it on the tour.

You can recharge your electronics through power outlets on the days we have hotel accommodation. Note that in India, the power mains run at 220v. Most modern electronic device chargers support both 110v and 220v but do check each charger / device in advance since 110v chargers and devices will not work without a special adapter.

The standard plug socket is also of a different kind. You will need to get converter plugs to enable your chargers and devices to plug into standard Indian wall sockets.

While we are camping, you can recharge your equipment using the 12v DC connection in our back-up vehicles. Note that you will need 12v car chargers for your equipment in this case.

No, all your luggage would be carried in the back-up vehicle.

If you have international roaming activated on your mobile phone plan, it will work in places where network coverage is available. But you might want to check with your cell phone company for related tariff and compatibility.

You will have access to the internet in major town and cities, but in remote regions of Himalayas you will have zero access.

You would not be riding at more than 30-40 mph (60-70 kph) on any given day. Apart from the obvious safety reasons, we advocate riding slow for you to enjoy and absorb the landscape.

After judging the situation on the ground, the Road Captain will take a call on the alternate route.

No, but we can guide you to the best of our knowledge to make your stay in India comfortable before and after the tour dates. There will be no consultation fees for the same.

No.
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Our couple package entitles you to only one motorcycle. If both of you want to ride separate motorcycles, you will have to book separately as individual riders.