A flight from Delhi to Leh at the crack of dawn places us in this picturesque mountain town by late morning.  At 14,500 ft, our brains may be eager to ride out but our bodies need a day to acclimatise and get used to the thin air. 

We will spend our time walking through the charming old town and take in the panoramic view from Leh Palace. You will also be introduced to your two-wheeled friend as we head out for a test ride.

Today we snake our way on the Leh - Srinagar highway towards Lamayuru. Along the way, we visit a couple of ancient monasteries, try out local dishes and take in the stunning beauty of Ladakh’s lunar landscape. After a fulfilling day of riding, we settle into our guesthouse and continue acclimatising at 3500m, the same altitude as Leh.

Our first hour is spent on the switchback climbing up to our first pass Fotu La, at 4100m (13,478 ft) After the photos and leisurely descent to our tea stop we begin our long loop back towards Leh. Instead of the main highway we take the old road beside the Indus river, past quaint villages and waterfalls. Our day ends at a family run hotel nestled in a lush green valley with the dizzying monastery towering overhead. (Altitude 3230m) 

Riding out of Leh early, we head for the mother of all passes, Khardung-La. At an elevation of 17,582 ft, altitude sickness is a real danger so we will only remain long enough to drink in the awe-inspiring reality that you are over a half-mile higher than the highest summit in the contiguous United States. The ride down into Nubra Valley is pure motorcycling bliss. The gravel has been replaced in most places with a smooth ribbon of tarmac and the sweepers have no end as we descend to a more manageable 10,000 ft. and our rest stop for the night, the tiny village of Hunder.

Riding out of Leh early, we head for the mother of all passes, Khardung-La. At an elevation of 17,582 ft, altitude sickness is a real danger so we will only remain long enough to drink in the awe-inspiring reality that you are over a half-mile higher than the highest summit in the contiguous United States. The ride down into Nubra Valley is pure motorcycling bliss. The gravel has been replaced in most places with a smooth ribbon of tarmac and the sweepers have no end as we descend to a more manageable 10,000 ft. and our rest stop for the night, the tiny village of Hunder.

Today is less about testing your off-road prowess and more about soaking up the beauty of the Nubra Valley and riding as close to the Pakistan border as possible. Couple of hours in the Turtuk village allows you time to  walk around and get a brief glimpse of the Baltic locals and the Karakoram range before riding back to our base in Hunder. 

With one last look at the Nubra Valley from Diskit, we fuel up our bikes and head towards the Wari La Pass at 5300m. Look out for the Himalayan marmots, yaks as you get closer to the pass. Be ready to be wowed by the panoramic view on the other side. Tonight our hotel is located at 3800m.  

Our last night on the road takes us to Tso Moriri. Expect the landscape to change constantly as we enter the Changthang plateau, the pastureland of the nomads. If you somehow managed to miss capturing your ‘money shot’ during the rest of our ride, turning your camera on Tso Moriri and the 20,000 ft peaks surrounding it will be a slam dunk. We stay in the village of Karzok, our highest night of the tour at 4500m. 

The grand finale? 235kms of winding mountain roads surfaced with every material imaginable. As we ride across two smaller passes, the tarmac resumes its reign – just in time for the most beautiful Himalayan sweepers.  We arrive at Leh after crossing one last high pass at 5300m, the Tanglang La. It is time put our Enfields to bed and head into the town for a celebratory meal and several rounds of drinks.

A morning flight puts us back in Delhi by late afternoon. The day is yours to finalize shopping, sightseeing or just getting used to air laden with oxygen. With one final dinner together we bid each other goodbye as we begin to part ways

With an 11am checkout, today we say farewell and set off for whatever happens next. Your airport car will be arranged at a time of your choosing and, should you decide to remain in Delhi for a bit more sightseeing, our hotel will be happy to oblige.