14 DAY TOUR (The Real Himalayan Ride)

The Real Himalayan Motorcycle Expeditions

NEW DELHI – SHIMLA – SARAHAN – KALPA – KAZA – JISPA – TSO KAR – LEH – KHARDUNG LA – LAMAYURU – KARGIL – SRINAGAR – NEW DELHI

(Distance: about 1,600 km / 1,000 miles )

Highlights:
• Riding the historic Royal Enfield “Bullet” Motorbike
• Riding on the world’s highest motorable road
• Remote ancient Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples
• High Himalaya passes and stunning valleys
• Floating markets of Srinagar & staying in a houseboat
• Breath-taking views of the mighty Himalayas.

Accommodation:
Accommodation ranges from luxury hotels/similar, houseboats to camps. All accommodation is on a same-sex twin–sharing basis, (couples double – room) Single Room is possible with a supplement.

The list of Hotels are:
Delhi: Ashok Country Resort (Arrival)
Srinagar: Houseboat (Shera Palace)
Srinagar: Houseboat (Shera Palace)
Kargil: Hotel Zozila Residency
Lamayuru: Hotel Niranjana
Leh: Hotel Hilltown
Leh: Hotel Hilltown
Leh: Hotel Hilltown
Tsomoriri: Hotel Tsomoriri Lake View/Camp
Tsokar: Tsokar eco Resort/Camp
Sarchu: Dorje Camp/Camp
Jispa: Padma lodge
Manali: Hotel Highland
Manali: Hotel Highland
Chandigarh: Hotel Shivalik
Delhi: Ashok Country Resort (Departure)
(Total nights 14)

NOTE: A deposit of 300 USD/EURO must be made on arrival in India. You are responsible for any damage to your bike during the trip, the repair charges will be deducted from this deposit and the balance will be reimbursed once the trip is over.

Documents required to ride/travel in India:
• Valid International Driving License.
• You are required to bring your travel insurance policy with you on the tour. Please print two copies, one for yourself, and hand one copy to the tour operator upon arrival. Please ensure it has the address and contact details of the travel insurance company on it. Without these documents, you will not be able to take part in the tour as your safety is our primary concern.

What riders should bring with them on this tour?

Bike Gear:
• Goggles and/or sunglasses
• Motorcycle gloves
• Snood/Dust mask
• Kidney belt
• Water-resistant backpack
• Bungee/Cargo net

Clothing:
• Wide-brimmed hat
• Warm clothes
• Water Resistant Jacket/Raincoat
• Strong and warm pair of trousers
• Fleece/under jacket
• Warm socks
• Warm underclothes such as thermals
• Riding boots and shoes
• A warm scarf or neck sock

Camping:
• Warm sleeping bag (-100C)
• Dense travel towel/Quick-drying towel
• Penknife
• Torchlight/Headtorch
• Thermos for Hot & Cold
• Helmet

Other:
• 2 Passport pictures
• Alarm watch/wristwatch
• Money Belt
• Medication (consult GP)
• Basic first aid kit
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen/sunblock UV 30/40
• Lip balm
• Earplugs

Ladakh region Motorcycle Tour Grade
Riding the Himalayas is often regarded as the toughest adventure ride in the world with some of the planet’s most extreme roads. Reaching altitudes of 5,600m including two of the highest motorable roads in the world and it is certainly tough in parts.
It is full of uphill and downhill hairpins, sometimes on tarmac but often on gravel roads. The climate is unpredictable and can be extremely harsh with all four seasons experienced in one day. You could experience riding in mud while it is misty and raining with minimal visibility in 50C temperatures while dodging oncoming traffic.
The riders on the Himalayan Heroes 2013 tour experienced these very conditions twice and they all said it was the best two days of the tour!
While it is usually suggested that riders have a minimum of 2 years of off-road riding experience; there were several riders on the Himalayan Heroes ride of 2013 that had no off-road riding experience. The riders that handled it well were the confident and competent road riders. If you are a new or not a confident rider then this expedition will prove too much of a challenge for you and possibly put not only yourself but the other riders at risk. If you are not sure of your abilities, please talk to us first before you book this tour.

Motorcycle Expeditions & Logistic
Every tour is conducted by our hugely experienced motorcyclist guides. The staff has years of all-terrain experience allowing you to enjoy the bike, the ride, and the many wonders the Indian Himalayas has to offer.
We provide the best Himalayan motorcycling experience by ensuring that your safety is paramount. Our motorcycles, backup vehicles, mechanics, staff, accommodation is second to none.
Our tours are designed to cater to riders of all abilities looking for that once-in-a-lifetime experience. We know how important your holiday time is to you, so we don’t skimp on organizational detail. We’ll take care of all transport and accommodation while you’re here, and then whisk you safely back to the airport for your trip home – simple as that.

Please Note
• This ride will take place at high altitudes and on unpredictable roads, therefore the tour operator insists riders seek travel insurance.
• Riders should also have a check-up or consult with their doctor before they travel.
• Please consult the terms & conditions on our webpage.
• Kindly note this itinerary can be changed or modified due to any uncertainty of Mother Nature such as landslides, heavy rainfall blocking roads. This is beyond our reach. In this case, our guide will take the appropriate decision according to the situation on the spot, which gives priority to your safety.
• A deposit of US$300 must be paid on arrival in India. You are responsible for any damage to your bike during the trip. On the off chance that you damaged the motorcycle, the repair charges will be deducted from this deposit and the balance will be reimbursed after the trip is over.

Visa for India
First of all, please note that today it is irrelevant whether you refer to India.
To facilitate the issuance of visas through an Indian Embassy or Permanent Mission, it is best if persons with pre-booked travel arrangements submit along with their visa application a so-called “e-Tourist Visa (e-TV)” from this website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/ We shall obtain our tour company registration together with the hotel confirmation letter and forward it to you. The confirmation letter implies that the tour operator is responsible for you during your entire stay in India and eliminates further questioning by the Indian Embassy.
Please note that Indian Embassies generally do not consider the exact travel dates but simply stamp visas valid for 3 months and entitling the holder to 1 single entry into India within these 3 months. Therefore, we will forward to you the visa confirmation letter approximately 1 ½ month before the start of the tour to ensure that the validity of your visa will extend beyond the length of your stay in India. Once you have received your visa confirmation letter, you should contact the nearest Indian Embassy or Permanent Mission to obtain visas application forms, fill in the visa application forms in triplicate, attach one passport photo to each copy of the application form and enclose a printout copy of the visa confirmation letter with the application. Please refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diplomatic_missions_of_India/ for a list of all Chinese Embassies, Permanent Missions, and Consulate Generals.

Terms & Conditions

Dear Bikers,
We are providing you following list of terms & conditions of our motorcycle tours with us. You are humbly requested to go through it before you book any of your tours with us.
Kindly note when making an online booking with BIG BIKE TOURS LTD., PART. (hereafter referred to as (BBT) along with appropriate deposit/s. A contract will come into existence between you (the Client) and BBT (the Organizer) in conjunction with the Terms & Conditions laid out in this document. Your booking with us is governed by and construed following Indian law and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Indian Courts.

1. Your Responsibility
You participate with BBT knowingly as a competent rider and do so entirely at your own risk. Understanding that motorcycle touring in India involves a certain amount of risk and we further ask please show respect and courtesy to your fellow riders.

2. Our Responsibility
At our discretion, any rider seen taking unnecessary risks en-route will have their journey terminated, thereafter traveling in one of the support vehicles for the remainder of the tour. No reimbursement is given. Safety is our primary concern.

3. Booking
On receiving your online booking, your deposit should reach us within 8 days and two months before the departure date. On receipt of the deposit, an invoice will be sent enclosing full details, including information required for visa application. From your online booking, it will be deemed you accept the Terms & Conditions set out in this document.

4. Costs
All our prices are fixed.
Please see our costs page with detailed programs for expedition prices online. A special cost can be offered for a group of more than 10+ participants.

5. Deposit and Balance payment
30% – Deposit per person required when online booking with BBT as advance money to ensure that you’re joining one of our motorbike tours.
70% – Balance collected at the hotel, New Delhi. On your arrival in India by one of our representatives. Deposit payments are made payable to BBT, and they can be made via Bank Draft or Personal Cheque. The deposit will ensure your place on the expeditions. The remaining 70% balance can be made either in Euros or dollars, Sterling Pounds as this makes paying for facilities easier en-route. Please, no TravellersCheques are accepted. All deposits should be addressed to BBT

6. Accommodation on our tours
Accommodation ranges from a luxury hotel, guesthouses to camping and homestay. All accommodation is on same-sex twin-sharing (couples double-room). Sometimes there might be a single occupancy in a double room.

7. Single Rooms are provided on Supplement costs.

8. Documents required for Ride Riders must bring with them appropriate travel insurance and documents as follows:
a. Full Motorcycle License – valid
b. International Driving License/Permit – valid
c. You are required to bring your travel insurance policy with you on tour. Please print off a photocopy and keep it safe. As well as the address of your travel insurance company. Riders are requested to hand over the insurance numbers and addresses to our guide.
d. Without these documents, you will not be able to take part in your chosen tour (safety is our primary concern).

9. Cancellation
If you need to cancel your booking, please do so in writing. If your cancellation is received more than eight weeks before your departure date, 30% of your deposit will be refunded. If cancellation is received less than eight weeks before the departure date, there will be no refund.
If you are delayed or think you might be late. Contact details will be available and everything possible will be done to make alternative arrangements to meet further down the road. Extra costs may be incurred.
No refunds are given if a person/s leaves a tour en-route.
Our tours are planned for several months to avoid adverse climate conditions. However, changes will be made (en-route) if unfavorable weather hampers our progress.
However, while on tour should any unforeseeable situations arise beyond our control, e.g. landslides, snowpack, earthquake, or glacier movement. As safety is important, we will make changes en route and detour to continue with the adventure.

10. Tour Amendment
If we find there are insufficient numbers of riders in a particular tour group. We reserve the right to amend that route for the smaller group, without diluting any of the characteristics of the tour.

11. Food & beverages
We are very conscious of the catering it’s very important to have hygienic cuisine during our motorbike tours while doing homestay during the motorcycling we always eat organic food with local families, our efficient kitchen crews are always ready to serve you the five-star cuisines at the altitude of 4500 meters during the expeditions. Water bottles are always provided by the backup jeep during the road trip. Consumption of high degree alcohol is prohibited during the riding time but the evening is full of chit-chat and rum punch to knock out the fatigue of the day.

12. Motorcycle Damage Deposit
A safety deposit of 300 US$ is required before motorcycle assignment and this deposit can be paid in cash or via credit card authorization before the tour start, if no damages are incurred during the motorcycle holiday then no charges will appear on your credit card. Repairs of small accidental damage from bikes falling over & light spills are normally covered with the tour cost, but BBT reserves the right to appraise all damages & repair costs and bill accordingly.

13. Etiquette & Protocol
Riding a motorcycle in India is a privilege. BBT is grateful to the Tourism Authority of India for permission to operate tours of this kind in the country. Although Ladakh-north-east, continue slowly open its doors to the outside world and experiment with new ideas for tourism, participants are reminded of the culturally sensitive nature of this trip and are urged & requested to conduct themselves respectively & show extra courtesy & riding style while encountering traffic in India!

14. A Word of Caution
Motorcycling in the mountainous areas of the Indian continental (Himalaya & Karakorum), is surely one of the best ways to experience the region’s rich cultures, friendly people, and unequaled scenery. At the same time, motorcycling does have its dangers – Especially on narrow mountain roads with unpredictable traffic & quickly changing weather conditions. This tour operated “Big Bike Tours”, should be undertaken by fit, experienced riders with an open mind to accept the changing conditions and different rules of the road. We granite you an everlasting lifetime or life-changing motorcycling with us in India (Himalayas & Karakoram).
a. Additional Documents – In addition to the required documents, it is always advisable to bring with you the following documents important documents you must bring with you on tour are:
b. Spare Passport sized photographs – for Permits and SIM card purchases
c. Photocopies of your Passport and Visa page – for Permits and SIM card purchases
d. Important telephone numbers – E.G. Credit card company contact number (in case of loss or theft).
e. International Driving Permit – Translated if necessary
f. Motorcycle License – Translated if necessary
g. Travel Insurance – To cover riding large capacity motorcycles as a means of transport you must have a suitable Travel Insurance Policy. It is your responsibility to obtain a suitable travel insurance policy covering your health, personal belongings and it must cover you whilst riding large capacity motorcycles as a means of transport.

15. Where to ride and when to ride?
a. A basic ‘Rule of Thumb’ as to ‘Where to Ride and When’ is, as winter approaches, we ride south.
b. During winter it is too cold to ride in the high mountains and high passes will be covered with snow. We ride through western, central, and down to southern India Rajasthan, Kerala-Tamilnadu.
c. From the beginning of spring, we ride across Nepal-On the road to Kathmandu and through Bhutan-The Legendary Ride. In late spring, we can reach Lhasa from Kathmandu.
e. During the Monsoon, we cross the southern ranges of the Himalayas and enjoy the warm dry weather where the Ladakh Plateau is shadowed by the Monsoon rain. This is the time to ride through Spiti-Kinnaur-The lost kingdom and the mighty Trans-Himalayan Ride Ladakh and west to Zanskar and Kashmir.
f. In the Summer, when the rainy season has finished across the sub-continent riding conditions are nice from the mid-Himalayan Ranges – Uttarakhand-Homage to Mighty Ganges’ and Himachal Pradesh-The valley of Gods and Goddesses and across the northeast of India through Bhutan and Tibet, are all accessible regions.

16. Packing Essentials
Riding in the Himalayas always requires a range of clothing. The passes are sometimes very cold. Crossing Tanglang La (5,300mtrs) for example there is sometimes snow. Your riding jacket though should be well ventilated. Evenings in the mountains can be cool. we advise you to bring a warm pullover or body-warmer.
Riding in South India requires lightweight, cool clothing, with a woolen pullover or fleece for chilly evenings. Riding during the day can get very hot, so protective/armored clothing should be lightweight and well ventilated. Remember to bring swimwear and a lightweight towel.
For Ladakh, Nepal, and Tibet you can manage with lightweight clothes provided you bring thermal underwear. Evenings can be chilly when the sun goes down. After the summer season, warm clothes are required. We provide a fleece sleeping bag and a lightweight long-sleeved fleece jacket.
When visiting Temples or Gompas you must remove your shoes, slip-on and zipped boots make this lot easier. Often newcomers to India and Nepal will bring too much “stuff”! All over India and Nepal, the essentials are available, from toothpaste to batteries, from headache tablets to pants and socks. It’s part of the experience to buy simple requirements as you go along.
We always wear Helmets! It is the law to wear a helmet everywhere we ride. ‘Local quality’ helmets can be bought in larger cities though your own is always more comfortable.
We recommend you travel to India with rugged, ‘soft’ luggage, which can later be stowed in our hotel or the support jeep. Bring casual clothes for evenings and non-riding times.

17. Tips for Planning Your Arrival 
It may not always be possible, but planning to arrive a day before your tour starts, gives you time to rest and acclimatize to local conditions. This is particularly important if you be flying onwards to Leh, which at an altitude of 3,500m, gives you time to get used to the climate there. It is often the case that the onward flight to Leh connects well with your arrival in Delhi.
Part of your Tour Booking and Planning process includes submitting forms with your Flight Times and Arrival Dates. You can submit these details through The Rider Pages after you have confirmed your booking. The Rider Pages contain other details about your tour.
If you are planning to arrive a day or two early, let us know and we can arrange to collect you from the airport and book hotel rooms for you. You can let us know by email and in the Flight Arrival and Visa details Form you will complete in The Rider Pages.
If you wish to transfer to the hotel we have booked for you, unaccompanied, we strongly advise you to take only Government Registered Taxis, particularly when arriving in India. If you plan to stay for several days after your Tour we are happy to help with your accommodation and travel plans. If you have questions about anything, please ask!

18. Emergencies 
Nobody wants to get hurt or injured on tour but accidents do sometimes happen. You should have a Travel Insurance Policy that is sufficient for your personal needs.
Check your insurance policy covers such needs as hospitalization or repatriation. Sometimes we ride in remote locations in which there will be no mobile signal, no helicopter recovery service and ambulances may not be available.
The Tour Leader will ensure the best possible evacuation/services are provided – given our location and the services available locally.
As part of the booking process, we ask Riders to provide an alternative emergency contact. In the unfortunate event that anything serious should happen to you, we will inform this alternative contact of your condition as soon as possible.
If you are unwell on a ride day, you may ride in the support vehicle, assuming we have one with us even though with 2 riders. The mechanic will ride your bike until you are fit to ride again.
Most medicines are available almost everywhere. Asian medicines tend to work more effectively on Asian ailments. If you use medication be sure to bring ample supplies with you. Your preferred brands of toiletries may not always be available. Drinking water comes in 1Lt plastic bottles and we drink bottled water at all times. The stock is always in our backup Jeep.
Be aware that your insurance may cover helicopter rescue, but that we may have to send a messenger for one day back down the road to find a telephone that works to summon one, assuming the nearest helicopter is in working order. For that reason alone we will always wear helmets and armored riding gear. We ensure our riders stick to a minimum “2 Second Rule” keeping a safe separation between riders.

19. General Terms 
You must know that motorcycle touring in India, Nepal, Bhutan or Tibet is an activity involving risk. The security and full and safe control of your motorcycle, whilst riding, is your responsibility.
We expect that you will have at least 3 years of motorcycle riding experience behind you, on large capacity motorcycles. To ride on our Tours we expect you to ride with skill, care, and confidence, on and off-road. Sections of highways are ‘off-road’ rough and some riding days can be long and require good physical fitness and stamina.
Your contract is with Big Bike Tours Ltd., Part.
Our responsibility is according to the laws of the United Kingdom and India and where possible we comply with ABTA standards.

20. Risk, Responsibility, Contract, and Liability
You must know that motorcycle touring in India, Nepal, Bhutan or Tibet is an activity not without risk. The security and full and safe control of your motorcycle, whilst riding, is your responsibility.
We accept responsibility for neglect or omission on our part and the part of any external service employed (e.g. support jeeps and mechanics) and will make refunds when our standards lapse below a reasonably acceptable standard. In such a case the limit of our liability will be up to or no more than 150% of the Tour Price.
We will not accept responsibility in the case of your death, injury, or illness, except when due to the negligence of the staff of external services we employ. We do not accept responsibility in respect of death, bodily injury, or illness by causes other than our Tour team and their actions.
Your contract is with Big Bike Tours Ltd., Part. Our responsibility is according to the laws of India where possible we comply with IJL standards. You the Rider and Pillion Passenger are responsible for necessary travel and medical insurance. You must ride wearing protective clothing and a helmet.

21. Motorcycle Experience
Some sections of the highway are ‘off-road’ rough. We expect that you will have at least 3 years of motorcycle riding experience behind you, on large capacity motorcycles.
To ride on our Tours we expect you to ride with skill, care, and confidence off-road. Some riding days can be long and require good physical fitness and stamina.
When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority and required motorcycling experience to do so and that you also accept these Terms and Conditions.

22. Documents Required
You must bring to India or Nepal the following documents:
a. A valid Motorcycle Licence.
b. A valid International Driving Permit/Licence.
c. A valid travel insurance policy. Riders have confirmed the following Insurers were prompt and efficient and offered large capacity motorcycle cover as part of a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
If you are unable to show any one of these three documents on arrival in India Nepal or Tibet, you may jeopardize the success of your Tour.

23. Conduct On Tour
We reserve the absolute right to remove you from the Tour without notice should your behavior, in our opinion:
a. Cause annoyance, distress, or danger to others in the group or anyone with whom we come in contact on Tour.
b. Cause undue damage to motorcycles or places in which we stay. In such cases, you will receive no refund. We will not tolerate racism.

24. Leaving a Tour Mid-Way
We cannot pay refunds if your Tour is terminated early due to an accident, impaired fitness to continue, or dismissal from a Tour. Leaving a Tour mid-way will incur the loss of your Motorcycle Security Deposit.

25. Our Tours Are Physically Demanding
Some sections of the highway are rough – off-road rough. We expect that you will have at least 3 years of motorcycle riding experience behind you, on large capacity motorcycles. To ride on our Tours we expect you to be able to ride with care and confidence in both on and off-road conditions. Some riding days can be long and will require good physical fitness and good physical stamina.
Sometimes we ride through hot sunshine, rain, snow, and freezing temperatures, in the space of a few hours, your physical stamina will be tested.
Good health and physical fitness are a ‘must’ for all our Tours. Off-road riding skills will be required, sometimes for hours and hours and again the next day.
Can you ride standing-on-the-pegs for 5 kilometers on a rough track for example? Familiarity and experience in handling a motorcycle ‘on the rough’ are important advantages. Our motorcycles have electric starters but we expect Riders to be able to kick-start their motorcycles. Some riders visit local Royal Enfield Dealerships for a short familiarization ride.
Although our mechanic checks the motorcycles regularly, Riders are responsible for the safe operation and care of their motorcycles. Our Tours pass through isolated and remote places and care for your motorcycle is important.

26. Law
The Contract between you and Big Bike Tours Ltd., Part. is based on the Terms and Conditions lay down in all our terms and conditions pages.
To comply with IATA directives, we do not purchase any international air tickets on behalf of our Riders on any of our Tours. Where necessary we will advise Riders of the exact flight ticket to purchase and in some cases through which Ticketing Agent to purchase the ticket. We advise all our Riders to purchase any international flight tickets required to complete Tour details.
We reserve the right to make changes due to natural uncertainty to Tour Itineraries without prior notice. Please ask any questions you may have regarding our Terms & conditions, kindly

27. Our Team
We are more than happy to welcome you on one of our motorcycle expeditions; our team ensures all your safety, comfort, your bikes, food, accommodations. An immemorial motorcycle tour with us is a grantee; we know how valuable your holidays are, especially while planning a motorcycle trip in foreign countries. It’s a year or two years of planning. You are in safe hands, we have years of experience of terrains, we know every corner of the itineraries or the countries where you are riding with us. Your tours are guided by a professional motorcycle crew, they are motorcycle enthusiasts, and they love, what they are doing. We are looking forward to riding soon with you. Our motto is Big Bike Tours awaits your ride with us……..A ride beyond your dreams!

2023 Tour Starts
| 01. July – 14. July 2023 |
| 01. August – 14. August 2023 |
| 05. September – 18. September 2023 |

2024 Tour Starts
| 01. July – 14. July 2024 |
| 01. August – 14. August 2024 |
| 05. September – 18. September 2024 |