Current mood:	hopeful
Entry tags:	biking, first, india, j and k k, photography, travel

Leh , Srinagar


Delhi-> Manali -> Leh -> Kargli -> Srinagar -> Jammu -> Delhi
2650Km
12 Days
6 guys
5 bikes


Route map.

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20th July 2007

The journey begins from bangalore. we head to delhi from where we started the bike ride.
I guess the most obvious Question is "To rent a bike at delhi or take it from bangalore?"
Suggestion if you want to rent bike from delhi.
you can rent bikes from a market called Karol barg, you might have to keep a security deposit of about Rs 10,000 - 15,000 each bike.
It is highly recommended that you go a day in advance and rent a bike and try it out in delhi to see if you need to repair anything.

Suggestions if you want to take the bikes from bangalore.
go to the railways about 7 hrs in advance of the departure time of the train.
the person to whom the bike is registered is necessary to to do a check-in, hence get an letter of authority as you need it when you are doing a check in at delhi.

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21st July 2007

much of the time in the train is spent in playing cards. and watching the countryside.

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22th July 2007
Reached Delhi railway station at 11:00 , checked out the bikes at 1:00 and headed to karolbhag. on the way we saw indian gate

 



Rented the bike and headed to manali. we stopped at panipat which is about 120km from delhi.

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23rd july 2007
Left panipat and headed to manali. stopped at a dhaba for breakfast. this is where we had the best "Aloo Parata" we had ever eaten, this is the time we realised why all the north indians who come to bangalore curse all the hotels.
 


Chandigarh is a very beautiful city. but the police are not very friendly.

got drenched in the rain and were delayed by about 3hr. had to search for accommodation at around 9:00PM
finally as suggested by a shop keeper we head a "Gurudwar" ( temple for sikhs) and asked for accommodation. the room was big enough to park all our bikes and sleep in it. Yes park all our bikes inside.
 

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24th July 2007
Headed to manali. the ride from here is super. the accent starts.
   

you pass through a tunnel which is about 4 km in length.
the most scary part was when we were riding the lights in the tunnel went off.

 


the manali city

 

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25th july 2007
Headed towards Leh,
there are taxi ( Tata sumo) which leave manali at around 2:00 in the morning and reach leh at around 7:00 in the evening. there are tour operator who take 2 days to reach leh giving a night halt at surchu. we had 3 days to go to leh.
Up the rotang pass we went.


                 

halted at Jispa

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26th July 2007
 
            
           
Do you see the Road


Now?


Ok here you go.


halted at pang

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27th July 2006
Left the hotel in the morning at 9:00


Moree planes.
 
Leh City
 
               


Halted at Leh.

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28th July 2007
headed to Kardungla - which has the highest motorable road in the world.

you have to get a permission letter form the DC office near the polo grounds in Leh city. you should apply a day prior to your trip.
      

Later that day we went to a palace ruins and monastery
  

                        

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29th July 2007
Headed to kargil
On the way we had a flat tire.

       


Halted at Wakow

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30th July 2007
Headed to Srinagar
Had break fast at kargil.
Sonamarg.
 
            
passed sona marg.

Srinagar
  

        
Qahwa - Kashmiri Tea. this was one of hte best teas i have had in my life. Probably i would go to srinagar just to taste this again.

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31 July 2007
Headed to Jammu
       
Halted at Jammu

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1th Aug 2007
Headed to Delhi
Drove 320 Km , Driving on the NH1 at 100Km to 110Km was sheer pleasure.
Halted at Rampur

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2nd Aug 2007
Headed to Delhi
  
Manja and keerti playing.

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3rd Aug 2007
fly back to Bangalore

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Some Panaroma Photos.

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Biking Tips.
Start early. at around 6:00 in the morning.
smaller the group, the better.
carry puncture kit and tool kit. if there is a flat tire, it is suggested to remove the wheel and take it to a puncture shop.
give breaks for ever 50 to 60 Km.
Drink lot of water



PS: some photos which should have been vertical are not. sorry for that.

PS: I have Settled, started cooking, have to buy mobile.