The Himalayan Traverse is our longest and most complete journey across the mountains — a sweeping arc from the green valleys of Himachal Pradesh through the high desert of Spiti and Lahaul, across the Changthang Plateau, and into the ancient kingdom of Ladakh and remote Zanskar. You'll ride through apple orchards and pine forests, cross some of the highest motorable passes on earth (17,000+ feet), glamp beside glacial lakes, and trek to a monastery built into a cliffside cave. Along the way you'll pass through villages that have barely changed in centuries, and watch the landscape transform again and again — from lush valleys to lunar desert to shimmering high-altitude lakes. This expedition reveals the layers of the soul of the Himalayas, in one unforgettable journey.
Snaps from the Traverse
Expedition Highlights
Kalpa & Sangla Valley
Ride through one of the most beautiful valleys in the Himalayas, where dense pine and deodar forests frame the road along the Baspa River. Continue to Kalpa, a village facing the sacred Kinner Kailash range, where the peaks glow pink and gold at sunset.
Spiti Valley
Explore the high-altitude desert of Spiti, riding past centuries-old Key Monastery perched dramatically on a hilltop and on to Kibber and Langza, among the highest motorable villages on earth, set against a stark, otherworldly landscape.
Zanskar & Phuktal Monastery
Navigate the remote, rugged canyons of the Zanskar Valley, one of the most culturally preserved regions in the Himalayas. Trek to the legendary Phuktal Monastery, a spectacular cliff-side structure dramatically built into a natural cave.
The Expedition Roadmap
Stage 1: Arrival in Delhi
Your adventure begins the moment you land. Your guide will meet you at Indira Gandhi International Airport and transfer you to your hotel in Delhi for the night. Use this time to rest, recover from your flight, and get acquainted with your fellow riders before the journey north begins.
Stage 2: Delhi to Nalagarh
We take a train from Delhi to Chandigarh, followed by a scenic van ride into the foothills to Nalagarh, home to a beautifully restored heritage fort. Settle in for a good night's rest — in the morning, the bikes come out and the remainder of the journey continues on two wheels.
Stage 3: Nalagarh to Shimla
In the morning, the motorcycles come out and the real riding begins. We climb out of Nalagarh into the pine-covered hills of Himachal Pradesh, winding our way up to Shimla, the former summer capital of the British Raj, perched along a ridge at 7,000 feet. Colonial architecture, mountain air, and our first full day in the saddle set the tone for the journey ahead.
Stage 4: Shimla to Sarahan
Leaving Shimla, we follow the Sutlej River upstream on a road that hugs its banks far below. The Sutlej is one of the great rivers of the Himalayas — originating near Tibet's sacred Lake Rakshastal and carving the valley we'll follow for much of the days ahead. Apple orchards give way to steep terraced hillsides as we climb toward Sarahan, home to the striking Bhimakali Temple and some of the first big mountain views of the trip.
Stage 5: Sarahan to Sangla
Today's ride takes us into the dramatic Baspa Valley, often considered one of the most beautiful valleys in the Himalayas. Dense pine and deodar forests frame the road as it follows the Baspa River toward Sangla, a lush green valley ringed by snow-capped peaks.
Stage 6: Sangla to Kalpa via Chitkul
A short detour first takes us to Chitkul, the last inhabited village before the Indo-Tibet border and one of the most remote settlements on the route. We then climb to Kalpa, a village facing the Kinner Kailash range, where the peaks glow pink and gold at sunset.
Stage 7: Kalpa to Nako
The landscape shifts dramatically today as we leave the green valleys behind and climb onto the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau. Here, Hindu culture makes way for Tibetan Buddhist culture — prayer flags, chortens, and monasteries begin to replace temples as the terrain turns to stark desert. Riding along the Sutlej gorge, we climb toward Nako, a small village built around a sacred lake at over 11,800 feet.
Stage 8: Nako to Kaza
We continue deeper into the Spiti Valley, riding past the confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers and through some of the most surreal, moon-like terrain of the entire expedition. Kaza, the administrative hub of Spiti, sits at over 12,000 feet and serves as our base for exploring the valley.
Stage 9: Day in Spiti Valley
A full day to explore the heart of Spiti. We ride out to Key Monastery, a centuries-old Buddhist monastery perched dramatically on a hilltop, and on to Kibber and Langza, two of the highest motorable villages in the world, where fossil hunters and giant Buddha statues watch over the valley.
Stage 10: Kaza to Sissu
We climb out of Spiti over Kunzum Pass at 14,930 feet, the gateway between Spiti and Lahaul, marked by prayer flags snapping in the wind. The descent into Lahaul Valley is one of the most breathtaking of the entire trip — glaciers, waterfalls, and green valleys unfold below as the road drops in a series of raw, rough switchbacks carved into the mountainside. We continue down the valley to Sissu, a quiet village surrounded by glaciers and waterfalls beneath the Pir Panjal range.
Stage 11: Sissu to Purne
We leave Sissu and continue down the Lahaul Valley before climbing toward Shinku La at 16,580 feet, the dramatic high-altitude gateway into remote Zanskar. Cut off for much of the year by snow, Zanskar is one of the most isolated and culturally preserved regions in all of the Himalayas. We descend into the valley to reach Purne, a small riverside village and the gateway to the trail leading toward Phuktal Monastery.
Stage 12: Purne to Zangla
From Purne, we set out on foot along the Tsarap River gorge, hiking to the legendary Phuktal Monastery — a spectacular structure built into a natural cave in a sheer cliff face, accessible only on foot. After exploring the monastery, we return to the bikes and continue deeper into the valley to Zangla, a small village with an old royal fort, surrounded by Buddhist gompas and untouched landscapes that have remained largely unchanged for centuries.
Stage 13: Zangla to Lamayuru
We continue through the heart of Zanskar before climbing back out over Sirsir La and the formidable Singge La, retracing a route that feels like it belongs to another century. The descent brings us to Lamayuru, perched above an otherworldly landscape of pale, wind-sculpted earth known as the "Moonland," home to one of Ladakh's oldest and most dramatic monasteries.
Stage 14: Lamayuru to Leh
We ride east along the Indus River, stopping at Alchi Monastery, renowned for its remarkably well-preserved 11th-century murals, before continuing on to Leh, the ancient capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh and a key stop on the old Silk Road.
Stage 15: Day in Leh
A well-earned rest day in Leh to explore the town, its markets, and its palace before the second half of the traverse begins. Time permitting, we ride out to visit some of Ladakh's largest and most historic monasteries, including the hilltop Thiksey Monastery, often compared to Lhasa's Potala Palace.
Stage 16: Leh to Hunder
We climb over Khardung La, one of the highest motorable passes on earth at 17,582 feet, before descending into the dramatic Nubra Valley. The landscape shifts once again as we arrive in Hunder, home to rolling sand dunes and herds of double-humped Bactrian camels set against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks.
Stage 17: Hunder to Pangong Lake
Leaving the sand dunes of Hunder behind, we follow the Shyok River along a remote, rugged route toward Pangong Lake. The road winds through dramatic canyon walls and high desert terrain before delivering us to the shores of this breathtaking lake, a body of water at 14,270 feet that stretches 134 km into Tibet. We make camp on the Indian shore as the last light turns the lake from turquoise to deep violet.
Stage 18: Pangong Lake to Tso Moriri
We traverse the full breadth of the Chang Tang plateau, home to the Changpa nomads who have herded yaks and pashmina goats across these highlands for generations. Along the way you may spot kiang (Tibetan wild ass) and rare raptors circling above. Tso Moriri sits at almost 15,000 feet and is one of the highest lakes in the world, its deep blue waters framed by snow-streaked ridgelines and total silence.
Stage 19: Tso Moriri to Leh
Riding back across the vast Rupshu Plateau and the Chang Tang, we retrace our path over high passes and empty plains before descending back into Leh to close the loop on the remote lake country of eastern Ladakh.
Stage 20: Leh to Delhi
A short domestic flight carries you from the roof of the world back down to Delhi, marking the official close of the Himalayan Traverse. Check into a 5-star hotel for a well-earned night of comfort — hot showers, soft beds, and a proper meal to celebrate the road behind you, before your onward or international flight home.
