Hello travel enthusiasts! I am Siddharth
Have you ever heard about Bikepacking? If not, let me share my experience and the meaning of it with you. It’s just simply traveling and experiencing places on your bicycle. In simple terms, bikepacking is a combination of off-road cycling and backpacking. It combines the freedom of hiking in the backcountry with the speed and excitement of riding a nimble bicycle. Bikepacking involves carrying only the necessary gear on a bike that can handle off-road terrain for an overnight or multi-day journey. This gear can vary from a full load with camping essentials to a minimal kit for traveling between shelters or hotels. For us, there’s nothing quite like the adventure of traveling by bike.
I just completed my first bikepacking trip, which took me over 15 days to complete from Manali to Leh to Srinagar. I have never done anything so difficult in my life! However, it was worthwhile.
Itenary of 11 Days Manali to Leh to Srinagar
I have some fascinating details to share about my recent 11-day Bikepacking journey from Manali to Leh. Our goal was not speed; hence, we carefully planned for a comfortable 11-day trip, incorporating rest and filming days at Tso Kar Lake.
Throughout the journey, I covered a total distance of 511 kilometers, averaging 46.5 kilometers per day. Although it may not seem like much, considering we carried all our gear in one of the most challenging terrains, I’m satisfied with the daily efforts.
Over these 11 days, I climbed more than the height of Mt. Everest, with a total climbing elevation of 9460 meters. This was accomplished by conquering four high-altitude mountain passes:
1) Baralacha La (4850 m)
2) Nakee La (4739 m)
3) Lachung La (5059 m)
4) Tanglang La (5328 m) – (Highest Point of the trip)
The total time in motion was 43 hours and 25 minutes, accounting for approximately 17% of the overall hours spent pedaling. This indicates that we took the time to appreciate the landscapes and approached the journey one step at a time.
Calculating the average speed over the 511-kilometer journey with 43.25 hours in motion, the average speed was 11.81 km/hr.
I am pleased with covering an average of 12 km per hour, considering the challenging terrain and the fact that I used a mountain bike loaded with luggage. Gravel and road bikes are generally faster.
Total Downhill comes out to be 8180 m vs 9460 m of Uphill climbing. This highlights the strenuous nature of the Manali to Leh highway. Choosing a mountain bike with good gear ratios (2×10) was a wise decision for handling the heavy climbing.
Throughout the 11 days, my top speed reached 56 km/hr, a noteworthy achievement on a loaded mountain bike.
Necessary Things to carry :
- I used Komoot, Strava + FATMAP (by Strava) combo to track all my rides on this trip.
- Driving License
- Windproof Jacket and Raincoat
- Woolen Accessories
- Sturdy Shoes
- Caps/Hats, Sunglasses, Sunscreen, and Lip Balm
- Trekking Pole and Flashlight
- Basic Medication and Toiletries
- Full Face Helmet with Clear Visor
- UV sunglasses
- Gloves
- Riding Jacket
- Riding pants
- Shoes
- Raincoat
Best time for Bikepacking from Manali to Leh to Srinagar
Only June to September is the travel window for the Manali to Leh route. Therefore, the best time to visit Leh Ladakh is during these months.
If you’re a thrill-seeker and love exploring off the beaten path, I highly recommend embarking on a bikepacking adventure in the mountains. Be sure to document your journey on Instagram, as it’s a great platform to share your experiences with fellow adventurers.
So gear up, hop on your bicycle, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!
For such more energetic travel tales do visit https://sowl.in/stories to fix your wanderlust desires.
Happy Exploring!!!
