Crossing the Himalaya by bicycle is one of the great endurance journeys on earth, and YHAI has been organising it for decades. The route runs from Manali over a chain of legendary high passes - Rohtang, Baralacha La, Lachung La and Tanglang La - across the Morey Plains to Leh, before the final assault on Khardung La at 18,380 ft, long celebrated as the highest motorable road in the world.
The achievement is more than scenic. YHAI's National Motorbike Expedition (2009) and its National Mountain Biking Expedition for Girls (2011) - in which 86 young women cycled from Kullu to Khardung La - both earned places in the Limca Book of Records, the latter as the largest contingent of women cyclists ever to reach the pass.
What makes it legendary
- Five Himalayan passes above 13,000 ft on a single route
- The 18,380 ft summit of Khardung La
- The vast, otherworldly Morey Plains and the Indus valley
- A genuine test of acclimatisation, grit and teamwork
The YHAI way
Cyclists ride in a supported convoy with a back-up vehicle, medical support and staged acclimatisation - essential at these altitudes. The window is short, roughly August to September, before the passes begin to close. Riders need real base fitness and a medical certificate before joining.
More Trek Guides
TravelogueEasyYou cross a border on foot at Jaigaon, and within a few hours the noise simply stops. Bhutan does not try to impress you quickly - which is exactly why it stays with you.
TravelogueEasy to ModerateI had never slept in a tent, never walked uphill for more than an hour, and had booked a Himalayan trek on a whim. Six days later I was standing on a summit at first light, wondering why I had waited so long.
TravelogueYou don't just visit Ladakh - you surrender to it. A YHAI Leh Explore Camp told through acclimatisation days, high passes and the long silences in between.
