Markha Valley

Route Plans

• Manali-Leh Highway
The classic Himalayan ride. 475km of mountains, glaciers and 5,000m passes - all you'd expect from the second highest road in the world. Begins in Himachal Pradesh, ends in the ancient mountain kingdom of Ladakh - threshold of Tibet, China and Central Asia. Takes 8-10 days.

• Lahaul, Spiti & Kinnaur
Even more remote than the Manali-Leh Highway, the valleys of Spiti and Lahaul have only recently opened up to foreigners. This 1,000km loop starts in Manali, heads east to Tibet then loops west again along the old Hindustan-Tibet Highway. Plenty of side valleys and rock hopping to keep you amused. Takes up to 4 weeks.

• Leh-Khardung La
The highest road pass in the world at an extraordinary 5,602m. India would have you believe this is the highest road in the world, although Bolivia might disagree. Khardung La is the pass from the Indus Valley to the lush Nubra Valley, and from it you can see over the Karakoram range, home of K2. Takes 1 day.

• Leh-Kargil
The road to Kashmir. Kargil lies halfway along the Leh-Srinigar Highway, and is a scruffy, likeable Muslim town. On the way you'll cycle past the pea-green Zanskar River and the extraordinary monasteries of Lamayuru, Basgo and Alchi. Super-glossy tarmac and plenty of military trucks to keep you company. Takes 4 days.

• Zanskar
From Kargil a rough road leads southeast through the Suru Valley to Padum. While the locals aren't always friendly, the scenery is spectacular. The7,000m fish-tailed Nun Kun massif towers over you and glaciers sweep down the mountainsides to within inches of the road. After the Pensi La Pass you're back in Buddhist Ladakh and entering the stunning Zanskar Valley. At present there's no road from Padum to Darcha, so hire a horse, truss up your bike and set off across the Great Himalaya Range on foot. You'll rejoin the Manali-Leh Highway at Darcha, 10 days later.

• Manali-Dharamsala
Home to the Dalai Lama and a cool travellers' hangout, Dharamsala is a great place to wind up a trip, especially if you've spent a few months in the Buddhist regions of Lahaul, Spiti, Ladakh and Zanskar. Take the high road out of the Kullu Valley and you'll swoop down onto the Kangra Plain - your first horizon in months. But beware of the lower altitudes - they make the roads steeper! Takes 3 1/2 days.

Spiti Valley
Manali Leh Hway

Manali-Leh Hway