DELHI TO TOP OF THE WORLD . . . .

ENDLESS ROADS

HELLO FRIENDS.......Now Its not a LoVe story , but a story about my RIDE TO  TOP OF THE WORLD....
ITS KHARDUNGLA The Highest Motor-able Road On Earth.

After reading many article i came to know that , its going to be a very difficult journey as the roads , climate , hotels and other necessities are not so easily available...so i decided to check it,,

SO LETS GO TO CHECK THE NERVE ON ITS CURVE....

On 18/AUG/2011 we decided to make this day a memorable , as its the birthday of ASHU.....

We were only three friends [ HARMEET,JUNAID, VISHAL ] ON THREE BIKES [KARIZMA, THUNDERBIRD AND PULSAR220].
Its Thursday morning at 4:00am when we left from Greater Noida the climate was really so pretty and we were too excited, by 5:30am we were out of Delhi and now the roads were looking endless.......... As i have told you about the birthday so decided to celebrate it the HAVELI RESTAURANT on Karnal highway and the party was from my side BECAUSE SHE IS MY FRIEND............its was not the more fun but a good breakfast ....
After leaving at 8:30am from Karnal our most drunker friend started searching for CARLSBERG ( the finest beer) as its was the area of Haryana and Punjab so its easily available there, after drinking one cane we started the journey again...........LONG.........LONG.........RIDE..........Our main aim was to reach Shimla by evening, after our lunch  on a highway DHABA ( really nice food ) we were again on our route and luckily we were there on time.....
We booked a hotel for 2 nights as we wants to visit every near by areas, dinner was on KAKE DA DHABA the famous for its non-veg. items....now we started roaming here and there on the beautiful SHIMLA MALL ROAD......all of there was so many tourists and more and more lightnings , there were many thing which you can buy from there as a memory but many products were made of wood by the local peoples.....now we are so tired and we are rushing towards our hotel.......GOOD NIGHT.:)

SHILA CHURCH , LOCATED ON MALL ROAD

19/AUG/2011 FRIDAY

It was the pleasant night we slept as we were tired with journey last night, we got up early and decided to visit KUFRI a small hill station near to Shimla just 20 kms.  There were several locations where you can take photos and the whole way is like a picnic point just due to favourable climate and venders selling cholay with other eatibles.

Attractions………..

1. There is a Wine shope, who sells the good and cheap in price wine.
2. An old person having a shop of perfumes and deodorants’, which you can’t found anywhere else.
3. A local ZOO having several mountain species, and we were able to watch some of them like white snow leopard, bear and few others.
4. Parking facility and horse riding is also available, some small but well maintain snacks store.

Getting back to Shimla by 2:00pm , we decided to take a ride of toy train, but we will advice you to don’t try this, it has very slow speed and not more enjoyable then your vehicle. One of the main attraction is University of Shimla, built in the time of Britishers its really a nice place to visit.

20/AUG/2011 Saturday

STEAM RISING IN MANIKARAN SAHIB

This day we are going to Manikaran Sahib a pilgrimage place of both Sikh and Hindus, even after getting at 8:00am from Shimla we reach late by 7:00pm  as the distance was more then 230 kms roads are long. Here you can take the pleasure of HOT NATURAL BATH, market is well built and rooms and parking in gurudware and hotels are easily available, so you can spend your night or two there.

If you are nature lover then a resort name HIMALAYAN ----- is located on the way to manikaran from kullu, that resort is fully made of wood and having the orchards in its back. 

22/AUG/2011 Monday 

A short drive of 60 kms takes us to Manali , A popular hill station of Himachal Pardesh.

 A VIEW IN MANALI

It is less crowded but more enjoyable then shimla, lots of shops,eating corner,boating and many more things like river rafting is available there.

Now our main journey starts, this was all fun but not it may be going to harder. we all have fitted 2 Jerry cans of 5 ltr. each on our bikes.

Attractions………..

Main attraction was the Hadimba Mandir devoted to the mother of BHEAM .

24/AUG/2011  Wednesday

By 4:30 am we were out of Manali hotel and started our journey to Rohtang pass the distance is just 54 kms from manali, as it is very busy road and the main attractions are snow sports , para gliding and few more adventurous sports parking your vehicle is really tougher but you can enjoy the MAGGIE and  EGG there, the road is single lane with lots of taxis moving in chain.

The climate is chilling over there so the snow costumes are available on rent just when you leave the Manali highway, many vendors have there shops so you can easily get them on rent just paying a small amount and some security money also. 

We were there by 7:00am and by not waisting much time we continued our journey on Manali Leh highway and after riding 75 kms we reach TANDI the main stoppage for every traveler as it the last point where you can get these tings.....

1. Fuel no other filling station for 314 kms, as that's why we got that Jerry cans from Mandi.

2. You can make last phone call, as no network coverage till Leh.

3. It has only the service point till Leh.

After travelling 170kms on highly hilly area we stoped our bikes in Key-long the major town on this route,here the hotels and guest houses are available , if you want to take the tent accommodation you can stop at Darcha a small township with temporary tents where one gets a chance to interact with locals, listen to the Bhaga river flow, experience the chilling cold and perform morning duties out in the open. 

We must advice you to stay here for at-least a night, so you can get habitual of less oxygen and the climate even the Key-long is a nice place to stay.

We are enjoying the nature, up to here the journey is not so tuff lets see wats up next.....??

26/AUG/2011 Friday

We haven taken rest for a complete day so we are ready for the ride coverying Jipsa, Darcha it is the popular starting point for tracks into Zanksar valley, Baralacha pass or Crossroads pass, we are taking here a coffee break on 16,000ft/4880m the winds are really bone chilling,after riding 110kms we reach Sarchu, imedialtely after crossing it there is a check point that marks the Himachal Pardesh border. Remember there is no DHABA for next 79 kms. Ride to pang covering Gata Loops  the twenty - one hairpin bends.At 35km milestone out of pang we have spot a dirt track leading towards the basin of twin lakes, the less known TSO KAR (salt water) and Startsapuka (fresh water) lake, the view was really worth. 

From here 43 km ( 2hours) uphill drive to Tso moriri a smooth dirt track where the tent accommodation are available even the staple food ( Rice, Dal and Maggie) is available.

27/AUG/2011  Staurday

After the ride of 142km covering Mahe and Upsi we reach to our main destination LEH, the town is dramatic surroundings in a fertile side valley of the Indus river and ringed by high mountains of stok and Ladhak.there was not much to see within the town but it was pleasure to walk around the historic bazaar that has gates at each end where in the past caravans from distant lands were parked.

Leh has varous types of hotel suiting your need and pocket.

28/AUG/2011 Sunday

Hey you are forgetting something ......its my birthday yar......heeheee

So we are celebrating here by doing shopping in the local market and the main thing the party...

Attractions………..

1. The Magnetic Hill  , her your park your vehicle in neutral mode so it moves slowly by it self so remember to put the breaks.

2. The leh Palace which was damaged during the dorga assult in 1834 abd with royal family having been exile to stok, has been abandoned. 

3.Tsemo (Red) Gompa that was built in 1436 by Tashil Namgyal, contains fine three storey high image of maitreya buddha flanked by Avalokiteswara and Manjusiri.

4.Shanti Stupa built by Japnese resident lives in India.

29/AUG/2011 Monday  

KHARDUNG LA

Now our main destination is Khardungla at the top of 18,280ft/5600m, the highest motorable road in the world, view from here is amazing as we can see all the way over the Indus valley while the seeming endless peaks of the Zanksar range spread out.we are advised not to stay here for more than 30 min as due to acute mountain sickness.The Khardung la pass is approximately 35 km away and the road surface is reasonably good,expect for small sections .

One of my classmate's parents are also living there in the main city so we also visited to her house, they were really nice.

You can come back through the same route or by the the Kashmir - Srinagar highway.

AT LAST WE REACH THERE WITH MUCH MORE TROUBLE AND WITH LOTS OF ADVENTURES ....

Remember that.....

If you are well set to ride then dont worry about the roads and other problems mentioned in the several articles, there some areas where the roads are broken and wooden bridges but you can manage......as you are going to touch the TOP OF THE WORLD.

HARMEET - +919810028469

© HARMEET BATRA