Ladakh
Cycling the Leh – Manali Highway
The 475 km Leh – Manali Highway is a "must do" for any touring cyclist, so in September 2004 I arrived in with my bike, ready to tick it off. It took 10 days of cycling, with 4 nights spent in lodgings (Marhi, Sissu, Keylong and Upshi), 2 nights in "tented accommodation" at Patseo and Pang and 3 nights in my own tent (Sarchu, Whisky Nala and Debring). I spent a while in Leh after I finished, exploring the Indus valley.
I drove to Birmingham Airport in a hire car, flew to Delhi via Amsterdam with KLM and stayed at Nirula's Hotel. A couple of days later I caught a train to Chandigarh where a Tara Brothers people carrier was waiting to take me and my bike to the Mayflower Hotel in Manali. After the ride I flew back from Leh to Delhi with Jet Airways.
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9 Sept 04
9 Sept 04
11 Sept 04Palchan, 2290 m
12 Sept 04Chamba Dhaba, Marhi
13 Sept 04Staff bedroom, Chamba Dhaba, Marhi
13 Sept 04Chamba Dhaba, Marhi
13 Sept 04Marhi
13 Sept 04Rohthang Top, 3978 m
13 Sept 04North side of Rohthang Pass
13 Sept 04Sissu, Lahaul
14 Sept 04Hotel Triveni, Sissu, Lahaul
14 Sept 04View from Hotel Triveni, Sissu, Lahaul
14 Sept 04Chandra river, Lahaul
15 Sept 04Keylong, 3080 m
15 Sept 04Khardang
15 Sept 04Khardang
16 Sept 04Tinno
16 Sept 04Darcha
16 Sept 04Accommodation at Patseo, 3800 m
17 Sept 04Right fork for Zing Zing Bar...
17 Sept 04Zing Zing Bar
17 Sept 04Baralacha La climb
17 Sept 04Baralacha La, 4890 m
17 Sept 04Baralacha La, 4890 m
17 Sept 04Near Sarchu
17 Sept 04Near Sarchu
17 Sept 04Sarchu
18 Sept 04The Mountain View Dhaba, Sarchu (preparing takeaway momo)
18 Sept 04Whisky Nala
18 Sept 04Whisky Nala
Photo: Nancy Olson 19 Sept 04The Drive Around The World expedition (sponsored by Red Bull) on the Lachulung La
19 Sept 04The four Land Rovers begin the climb out of Whisky Nulla towards the Naki La, 4951 m
19 Sept 04The Lachulung La, 5060 m
19 Sept 04North side of the Lachulung La
19 Sept 04Chok Valley
19 Sept 04En route to Pang
19 Sept 04Pang, 4500 m
19 Sept 04Accommodation in Pang
20 Sept 04Morray Plains, 4760 m
20 Sept 04Near the deserted village of Debring, Tanglang La in the backround
20 Sept 04Nomads near Debring
21 Sept 04Nomad tents
21 Sept 04View from the Tanglang La
21 Sept 04Tanglang La summit, 5328 m
21 Sept 04North side of Tanglang La
21 Sept 04Gya Valley
22 Sept 04Upshi
22 Sept 04Upshi: 424 km done, 49 km to go
22 Sept 04Matho Gompa
22 Sept 04On the road to Leh
22 Sept 04Stakna Gompa
22 Sept 04Thikse Gompa
23 Sept 04Leh
23 Sept 04Shanti Stupa, Leh
23 Sept 04Leh Palace and Namgyal Tsemo Gompa
23 Sept 04
23 Sept 04
23 Sept 04Stok Kangri (6153 m) from the Padma Guest House, Leh
24 Sept 04Spitok Gompa
24 Sept 04View east from Spitok Gompa
26 Sept 04Indus valley
26 Sept 04Indus valley
26 Sept 04Thikse Gompa
26 Sept 04Thikse Gompa
26 Sept 04Thikse Gompa
26 Sept 04Thikse Gompa
26 Sept 04Thikse Gompa