Ladakh Motorbike Expedition (India)

Ten nights into Ladakh, guided, 2,080 kilometres on a Royal Enfield, staying with local families rather than in hotels.

The homestays are the distinction here. The operator’s flagship tour covers similar ground from hotels and lodged camps; this shorter version puts guests with Himalayan families along the way, which changes the trip considerably.

The route runs north out of Himachal Pradesh into the Trans-Himalaya, crossing Umling La, a sealed army road at 19,024 feet and the highest motorable road in the world. Lamayuru follows, a thousand-year-old monastery above eroded ridges that most descriptions call lunar, and Pangong Tso, among the highest salt lakes anywhere at four and a half thousand metres, with very little around it. Off-road trails and deep water crossings run throughout, which is the nature of riding in Ladakh: the roads are built and rebuilt each summer and the rivers cross them wherever they like.

The bike hire is included; the full inclusions were not itemised on the operator’s page and are worth confirming at booking, along with what the homestays provide. June to September is the season, since the passes are snowbound outside it. Altitude is the serious consideration, since much of the route sits above four thousand metres and anyone with a heart or lung condition should take medical advice before booking. Eleven days at this price makes it the better value of the operator’s two Ladakh routes, and for riders who would rather eat with a family than in a hotel dining room, it is also the better trip.