Zanskar Bike Trip with Phuktal Trek, Shinkula, Gombo Rangjon

Day 1- Arrival and acclimate for the new altitude 

Difficulty – Easy

Altitude gain – 3500m

Highlights – Shanti Stupa and Leh Palace 

• Today you will arrive at the Leh airport where you will be get a taxi on your own to a hotel in Leh. 
• Keep yourself hydrated and avoid any physical activity for today, you will need to acclimate to the new environment. 
• In the evening you will visit Leh Palace and Shanti Stupa and will be dropped at the local bazaar at Leh.
• Overnight stay in Leh

Day 2- Leh to Lamayuru | Sangam point | Hall of Fame  

Difficulty/Duration – Easy/Approx. 4 hours

Altitude gain – 10m 

Highlights – Moonland view | Lamayuru monastery 

• After breakfast you will leave for Lingshed Village, visit hall of fame (war memoribilia). 
• After that you will come across Pathar saheb gurdwara, halt for a prayer and leave for Magnetic hill on the way. 
• Head over to the deserted area of Taru Thang and enjoy the view of Ladakh Konkha, today will be a smooth ride as the road is national highway 1. 
• After punching some miles you will come across Moonland view of Lamayuru, take some photos and head towards your hotel, later in the evening visit Village Monastery on a hill.
• After that return to your hotel and prepare for the big day tomorrow. 
• Overnight stay at Lamayuru.

Day 3- Lamayuru to Padum (Zanskar) via warila | Sir Sir-La | Singe-La

Difficulty/Duration – Difficult/Approx. 8 hours

Altitude gain – 180m 

Highlights – Offroad, Zanskar river and picturesque landscape

• Fill your tummy with a lip smacking breakfast, its a big day.
• After punching some mile you will come across Wanla village, and after short riding you will see beautiful village of Photoksar, where you will see stunning monestary, take a break at sir sir la and continue riding.
• Reach Singe-la pass 16590ft, and you will take a turn to the left into Nyerak village. 
•  “Zanskar” this is a offbeat track so make sure to strap your bags the right way, Zanskar bike trip is indeed a test of your riding skills and you have to be slow at the corners, i can’t emphasise this enough but you have to ride the bike within your skillsets. 
• You will come across many spectacular landscape on the way, so feel free to stop for a photography session. 
• After riding for sometime you will come across Zanskar river, and the first village of Zanskar Zangla village (Headquarter of Zanskar). And after riding your motorcycle for half an hour you will see Stongday village on your left, there is a beautiful monastery on the left side of the road when you are heading towards Padum, Padum is the main market of Zanskar and also the biggest village. 
• Roam around the bazaar and overnight stay at Padum. 

  Day 4- Padum to Purne ( Phuktal Monastery trek) Shinkula pass (16580 ft) 

  Difficulty/Duration – Easy/Approx. 3 hours

  Altitude gain – 200m at Purne as compared to Padum

  Highlights – Offroad, Gombo Rangjun (sacred mountain of Ladakh), Skinku-la pass (16580ft)

  • After a healthy breakfast, you will leave for Purne, and again the terrain is Asphalt. Follow the tour guide and keep your pace with the rest of the riders. After some miles you will come across beautiful village of Purnay, the view is amazing at this village then the last village of Zanskar is Kargyak.
    Today you will stay at Purne,

  • Trek towards Phugtal Monastery, it can take about 2 hrs for regular trekkers and about 3 hrs for non-regular trekkers. After reaching the monastery, have your lunch at Phuktal.
    There is a small guest house and restaurant which is run by Phuktal monastery monks for the trekkers, you can get Maggi or tea. 

  • Trek back to Purne camp via same route, have your dinner and enjoy the silence of this valley.

    Overnight stay at Purne Campsite. 

     

  Day 5- Purne to Serchu | Gombo Rangjon | Shinku-La ( 16580ft)

  Difficulty/Duration – Moderate/Approx. 7 hours

  Altitude gain – 450m as compared to Purne

  Highlights – Gombo Rangjon, Shinkula pass, Baralacha-la pass

•  After a healthy breakfast, you will leave for Serchu, and again the terrain is offroad. Follow the tour guide and keep your pace with the rest of the rider. After some miles you will come across beautiful village of Kargyak, the view is amazing at this village then the last village of Zanskar is Kargyak. 
• You will not fail to see a beautiful mountain (Gombo Rangjun) in the middle of nowhere, this is a sacred mountain of Ladakh. Continue your journey for Shinku-La pass, and the road down is bit tricky, be mindful of the of your riding for this Zanskar bike trip. 
• And after sometimes you will be joining the route of Leh-Manali highway at Darcha, and continue your trip for Serchu, which is an asphalt road and will give your back the rest it needs. 
• Overnight stay at Serchu.

Day 6- Serchu to Tsomoriri | Ghata Loop | Moore plain | Tsokar

Difficulty/Duration – Difficult/Approx 7 hours

Altitude gain – 0m 

Highlights – Lachung-La, Ghata Loop, Pang, 

• After a healthy breakfast leave for Tsomoriri
• Serchu to Tsomoriri is the most sought after route for bikers as this terrain offers the best offroading, after some miles you will come across the famous Ghata loop which is a series of 21 hairpin bends and if you have a drone the view looks amazing from above. 
• reach lachung-la and its time for some photography, after some time you will come across Pang, you will take your lunch break here, After Pang starts Moore plain which is around 40 km of barren land and offers great visibility of the area. enjoy the road and take a turn at Debring for Tsomoriri, on the way you will come across Puga Hotspring,
• if time permits take some time at Puga hotspring and leave for Tsomoriri via Tsokar, which is a little dried salt lake, its not dried all the way but the plain of tsokar looks mesmerising, you may spot Blacked neck Crane if you are lucky. 
• Reach Tsomoriri and rest for the evening, Have your dinner and Stay at Tsomoriri.

Day 7- Tsomoriri to Hanle  

Difficulty/Duration – Moderate/Approx. 6 hours

Altitude loss - 200m as compared to Tsomoriri

Highlights – Hanle Observatory, Hanle Monastery

• After breakfast, begin your journey to the remote location of Hanle that inhabits only 200 families.
  You will witness the world’s second-highest observatory for stars of (ISRO) and also visit Mahe bridge on the way and enjoy the beautiful views of the hot springs there.

• You will also get a chance to witness the changes in the landscape and watch the mountains change hue in the most brilliant way possible.

  The night sky view in Hanle offers you to enjoy the peaceful and calm atmosphere while gazing at the starry sky.

  Visit the Observatory before 5 pm.
  Sum up the day after a hearty meal and enjoy a comfortable stay.
  Overnight stay at Camp in Hanle. 

Day 8- Hanle - Umling-La - Hanle

Difficulty/Duration – Difficult/Approx 8 hours

Altitude gain – 1580m from Hanle to Umling-la

Highlights –Plain of Kalatartar, Nerbo-La, Umling-La (World highest motorable road)

• Take a hefty breakfast, lube the chain of your bike, check for loose nuts and bolts and head towards Hanle bridge, stay in a group and don’t keep huge distance between riders. Our road captain and backup car will coordinate with a radio.

• After crossing the bridge you will come across Kalatartar plain, it is same as the Moore plain of leh manali road but not an asphalt one. This is off-road with sands flying from the rider ahead of you so ride in any direction you want to avoid the sand.

  This bike expedition to Umling-la is about this terrain and serenity of the place. You can meditate for a while if you want. Reach the top and take some photos and realise the accomplishment of your endeavour.

• After absorbing your feat, head back to Hanle via same route.
  Overnight stay at Hanle. 

Day 9- Hanle to Leh via Chumathang (Hotspring)

Difficulty/Duration – Moderate/Approx 8 hours

Altitude of Leh - 3500m

Highlights – Chumathang Hotspring, 

• Don’t shy from taking a huge breakfast because Hanle to Leh is 240km. And you are going to need some calories to burn.
  Start your day early around 7 am, so that we have spare time for soem sightseeing on the road, Head towards Chumathang, where you can go for a hotspring bath. today is 30% Offroad and 70% Asphalt. fuel the bike and leave for Leh

• On the way back visit Thiksey monestary, 3-idiot school from the movie 3 idiot if time permits.

  Overnight stay at hotel in Leh. 

Day 10- Departure 

• After the breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home, Zanskar bike trip with Umling-la ends with loads of smile and memories, See you on our next adventure.