Pedal Power

Always in quest for a new adventure Sherwin Noronha replies to an internet posting by a group of IIT (Mumbai) students and joins them in a cycling expedition from Manali to Leh, a journey of 500 odd kms through breathtakingly stark landscape and snow covered passes including Tanglang La (5360 metres), the second highest motorable road in the world. A photo essay…

Fact Box

Manali-Leh: 500 odd kms, cycled: 451 kms.
Passes en route: Rohtang (3978 m), Baralacha La(5065 m),
Nakeela La (4739 m), Lachung La (5065 m) and Tanglang La (5360 m).
Cycles: 15 or 18 geared cycles (ATBs).
Team: Sameer, Kaushal, Prasanna, Ketan and myself.
Support team: Jeep with driver/ guide cum look plus helper with camping equipment.

DAY 1

Manali (2000 mts) to Marhi (3312 mts): about 37 kms

We cycle out of Manali through an evergreen area of pine and deodhar trees and tackle the first of a set of numerous hairpin bends and switchbacks on the way to the Rohtang Pass. We spend the night at the PWD guest house at Marhi.

DAY 2

Marhi (3312 mts) to Sisshu (3120 mts): about 49 kms

We start the day early by finishing the 12 km gruelling ascent to Rohtang La (3978 metres). We leave the lush vegetation of the Kullu valley behind and descend to Gramphu. From here, there are quite a few unmetalled stretches of flat roads till we cross the raging Chandra river at Khoksar and continue on a short and easy ride to Sisshu. We camp a little before the village in a beautiful forest.

DAY 3

Sisshu (3120 mts) - Gondla - Thandi - Keelong - Jispa (3290 mts): about 61 kms

This section was more or less a relaxed ride up to Keelong. At Thandi, the Chandra and the Bhaga rivers meet up to form the Chenab. Keelong is a dusty village perched up high over a gorge. The last part to Jispa is neverending, especially over pretty bad roads.

DAY 4

Jispa (3290 mts) - Daccha - Patseo (3811 mts): about 29 km

Spent most of the morning trying to cross the river at Darcha. The bridge was damaged by a drunken truck driver who rammed into one of the supports. The climb to Patseo is tough and the roads, dusty and rutted. We camped by the stream a little before the army camp.

DAY 5

Patseo (3811 mts) - Zing Zing Bar (4225 mts) - Baralacha La (5065 mts) - Sarchu (4280 mts): about 62 km

It's a long, tough climb to Baralacha La - a heavenly place covered with snow as far as the eye can see. The long descent to Sarchu is through some of the most rugged and beautiful scenery I have seen. We lost Prasanna and Kaushlal to altitude sickness here. The two had to be evacuated to Pang. Now the team is down to three and I have a whole tent to myself.

DAY 6

Sarchu (4280 mts) - Brandy Nala: about 25 km

Quite a relaxed day, waiting for the jeep to come back after dropping Prasanna and Kaushal at Pang. Started off for Brandy Nala after lunch, a short ride away just below the start of the Gata Loops.

DAY 7

Brandy Nala - 21 Gata Loops (4665 mts) - Nakeela (4739 mts) - whisky Nala - Lachulung La (5065 mts) - Pang (4555 mts): about 55 km

The toughest section of the entire trip - two passes to be crossed, Nakeela and Lachulung La. From Nakeela, the road that snakes up the mountains to Lachulung La. In between lies Whisky Nala. There is no whisky here, not even water… the guy who made up these names is one sick person!

DAY 8

Pang (4555 mts) - Moray Plain (4770 mts) - Debring - Taglang La (5360 mts) - Upshi (3550 mts): about 121 km, 55 km cycling

From Pang we climb up the switchbacks to the Moray Plain - a flat, windy place and beautiful. Here we were advised by some jawans not to camp at Debring, as planned, as there was no water available there. We decided to hitch a truck ride to Taglang La and cycle down to Upshi from there. Taglang La is the second highest motorable road in the world. From here we cycled the 55 km down to Upshi through the villages of Rumtse and Gya. The scenery is out of this world . Just before Upshi, we got our first sight of the Indus. We are finally in the Ladakh valley. We camped on the banks of the Indus near the bridge.

DAY 9

Upshi (3550 mts) - Leh (3650 mts): about 49 kms

We start off for the last stretch to Leh, the lure of a hot shower giving us that extra push. The route passes through the town of Karu, a huge army base, and the monasteries of Thikse and Shey. We reached Leh around noon gasping, thirsty and hungry. I have never been happier to see a German bakery. We had completed the 500 kms journey from Manali - 451 km of which we cycled, an unforgettable experience.

(The author is sales manager (Mumbai), British Metal Corp (India) Ltd)