Ladakh, Northern Indian Himalaya

August 8th to 22nd, 2010

This country of extreme contrast is located on the Western edge of the Tibetan Plateau. It is divided by the glacial feed Indus and Zanskar river valleys, which in turn are surrounded by Himalayan peaks reaching up to 7000 metres.

The landscape of this high desert region is something of great beauty. It is punctuated by the brightest of green fields, where Barley and yellow flowered Mustard Seed grow. The sky is so blue it’s the colour of the ocean and the Tibetan architecture is timeless.

We start off our two week trip to this amazing region nice and easy, as we acclimatise to the 3500 metre base elevation and the warm summer temperatures. Our first week will be spent based at the Highland Hotel in a local village called Stok, from where we will head off on various day rides to explore the lower Indus Valley and other surrounding villages. There are many ancient Buddhist Monasteries, Palaces and Stupa’s within riding distance of Stok which make excellent day trips. We will also visit a festival at Phyang Monastery, to watch traditional dances being performed and mingle with the local people.

For the second week of the trip, we will be heading north towards Lamauru. Along the way we will be sampling local single track in adjacent valleys not normally visited by mountain bikers. We get to visit some more monasteries and generally fill our minds with visual awe in this amazing landscape.

We return to the Highland Hotel in Stok for our last few days in Ladakh. The crowning glory to the trip is getting to ride down from the world’s highest motorable pass. The Khardong La at 5600 metres serves up 65 kilometres of downhill back to the Indus River. Guarantied to leave you with an ear to ear grin.

This trip suits riders with a good level of fitness and riding ability. The trip is 15 days and costs USD$2950.00 and the next trip runs August 8th to 22nd 2009. Minimum 6 pax, max 10.

This includes:

• All accommodation while in Ladakh.
• All meals.
• Ground transportation including back up vehicle and airport transfers.
• Local guide and staff.
• New Zealand professional bike mechanic, first aid provider, guide and liaison.

A deposit of US$500 is needed to secure a place on this trip. Full payment is required 8 weeks before the trip start date. Please contact Doug Hamilton at Black Peak Travel for a full itinerary and banking details
doug@blackpeak.co.nz