India motorcycle tours

Need we say more? The biggest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas are so striking and so diverse in the landscapes they form and the cultures they host it feels like an entirely different world. In Sanskrit, Himalaya means “The Snow Abode”, but these mountains are much more than just snowy peaks: out here, the mountain roads twist and curl around jaw-dropping passes and gorges, shoot across windswept deserts at high altitude and dive down into lush green valleys isolated from the rest of the world. The birthplace of Buddhist religion and culture, the Himalayas are home to incredibly diverse nations, tribes & communities, and riding motorcycles in India, you’ll get to experience the best of it all.

The Himalayan routes are hands-down among the most spectacular motorcycling roads on the planet. Hugging the mountains with dizzying sheer drops, crossing some of the highest passes in the world and meandering through beautiful valleys and canyons, the roads in India are guaranteed to offer up a decent mix of challenge and pure motorcycling bliss as you lean into yet another corner swinging around a precarious cliff or skirting an edge of a gorge! Motorcycle adventures in India offer so many incredible sweepers, tight hairpins and countless switchbacks you may forget how to ride in a straight line altogether.

While the Himalayas in India are more accessible than in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan put together, the riding here is adventure in its purest form. On a guided motorcycle in India, expect no two days to be the same as you will traverse wildly contrasting landscapes, experience different road conditions and immerse yourself in the Indian culture every step of the way.

Speaking of culture: Northern India is a vibrant melting pot of different communities, faiths, and influences. Unlike the busy resort towns and touristy beaches of Kerala and Goa or the pure mayhem and madness of Mumbai and New Delhi, the North is more Tibetan than Indian. The locals here are friendly and inquisitive, but Ladakh is all about the ancient Buddhist temples, monasteries and ways of life rather than the colourful chaos that is the rest of the country. During your motorcycle tour in India, you’ll visit some of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in the world, experience the local hospitality and feel like you’re entering a different, quieter world where the traditions and heritage roots go millennia deep.

If you’re a fan of Asian food, your motorcycle holiday in India will offer delicious experiences on a daily basis. In Ladakh, the two must-try local dishes are the momos (a sort of a dumpling with meat and veggie filing) and churpe (a hard yak milk butter cheese perfect for snacking on the go). If you’re feeling adventurous, be sure to try gur-gur chai, a butter tea locals drink to battle altitude sickness and to stay warm at high elevations: it’s an acquired taste, as the tea is literally a mix of milk, butter, salt, and tea leaves, but it’s a great way to keep your energy levels up as you tackle those mountain roads and passes aboard your motorcycle.