: TADJIKISTAN :
Wakhan Valley - Ishkashim to Langar, exit by Khargush pass (4'300 m)
Biking paradise! From Ishkashim, Pamirs range on your left (Peak Karl Marx 6'700m), Panj river next to you, Afghanistan and its Hindu Kush range on your right hand. About 200 km of happyness, warm welcomes by the locals Wakhis. To exit this corridor up from Langar, one pass, a few lost afghanis camels and the next great session ahead: Pamirs and highway M41!
Pamirs highway (M41) Alichur to Murghab, exit to Kyrgistan toward Sary Tash Almost no traffic (a few trucks bringing goods from China to Dushanbe), red soil, snow caped mountains, pure blue lakes all allong, perfect for camping. Hoppefully you'll have the wind with you!
: PAKISTAN :
Karakorum Highway - Sost to Gilgit
Comming from China (Kashgar), get a Paki visa on arrival and enjoy Hunza Valley, its apricots and Ismailis people. Amazing bike following Hunza and Indus river, in the middle of the Karakorum range, 8'000 m peaks all around (K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrunn I & II, Nanga Parbat). You'll pass amazing places such as Pasu - Karimabad - Gulmet village on the botom of Rakaposhi (7'788m). Ending in Gilgit, good base for going to lots of paralell valley, why not toward Skardu!
: INDIA :
Cachemire - (enterring from Jammu) - Srinagar - Sonamarg (Zoji La) - Drass - Kargil
As soon as you'll leave Jammu, monkeys are offering a good entertainement. Srinagar, perfect place to relax on the Boats of Dal lake, a bit touristy but... . A few passes, lots of army presence (around 200 trucks a day), but Ladakh is ahead!
As soon as you'll leave Jammu, monkeys are offering a good entertainement. Srinagar, perfect place to relax on the Boats of Dal lake, a bit touristy but... . A few passes, lots of army presence (around 200 trucks a day), but Ladakh is ahead!
Ladakh - Mulbeck - Saraks - Lamayuru - Leh
Mulbeck, first ladakhi village :-) Happyness is ahead, peace - respect and warm welcome from local people, Djulley! 4 passes, high altitude, piste, road on construction, great landscape and amazing himalayan villages!
... a few excursions
Pangong Lake - via Chang La (5'360m)***
Lots of altitude difference and curves, open almost year round (under army protection). Amazing place along the lake, colourfull!
Tso Moriri - Tso Kar*****
Starting from Leh, 3 biking days to reach the first lake, Tso Moriri. Permit to get in Leh, one pass, no traffic, nobody, one tiny village at the end comfy installed on the shore. Time has stopped here!
2 possibilities of trekking:
1) Tso Moriri - Kyber (5-7days, poney man to hire, latest september!) Perfect plan to reach Spiti Valley!
2) Tso Moriri - Tso Kar (3 days, easy) Yacks valley, a few passes, high altitude, camping paradise. Good option for a connection to the Leh-Manali Rd.
Mulbeck, first ladakhi village :-) Happyness is ahead, peace - respect and warm welcome from local people, Djulley! 4 passes, high altitude, piste, road on construction, great landscape and amazing himalayan villages!
... a few excursions
Pangong Lake - via Chang La (5'360m)***
Lots of altitude difference and curves, open almost year round (under army protection). Amazing place along the lake, colourfull!
Tso Moriri - Tso Kar*****
Starting from Leh, 3 biking days to reach the first lake, Tso Moriri. Permit to get in Leh, one pass, no traffic, nobody, one tiny village at the end comfy installed on the shore. Time has stopped here!
2 possibilities of trekking:
1) Tso Moriri - Kyber (5-7days, poney man to hire, latest september!) Perfect plan to reach Spiti Valley!
2) Tso Moriri - Tso Kar (3 days, easy) Yacks valley, a few passes, high altitude, camping paradise. Good option for a connection to the Leh-Manali Rd.
Spiti Valley *****
(enterring from Losar Pass, carreful of the snow, closed in October)
Kaza - Tabo - Sumdo - Nako...
Perfect option to avoid Manali and to make longer the good time you had in Ladakh! Same -same, but 10 times less touristy. Exit via Kinnaur Valley...
* Don't miss the tiny villages upper Kaza!!
* Unforgottable, Mud and its Pin Valley! :-)
(enterring from Losar Pass, carreful of the snow, closed in October)
Kaza - Tabo - Sumdo - Nako...
Perfect option to avoid Manali and to make longer the good time you had in Ladakh! Same -same, but 10 times less touristy. Exit via Kinnaur Valley...
* Don't miss the tiny villages upper Kaza!!
* Unforgottable, Mud and its Pin Valley! :-)
: NEPAL :
Everest Trek, Solukumbu Valley
: SRI LANKA :
Tea plantation
Loop via Trincomale on the East cost
: CHINA - East Tibet (Yunnan - Sichuan - Qinghai):
Amazing landscape and tibetan culture. Lots of passes, high altitudes, mostly paved, sometimes piste (5% only).
Season: May - October, June can be rainy!
Shangri La - Litang - loop off road via Bayu - Dege - Tro La - Manigango, Serchu - Xiwu - Amnye Machen Valley, Machen, Maduo - Xinning
: MONGOLIA :
Paradise for bikers, off road, pistes more or less ok, only 1'000km are asphalted in the whole country which is 3 times the size of France.
Remotes area and valleys:
* Connection between Bayanghongor and Tsetserleg: 200km, 1 old monastery on the way, 2 days up the valley, one pass, down for 2 days through an other valley. Huge welcome from the nomadic families, lots of river crossing (avoid rainy season - July, August), rocky like hell for about 1,5 day.
* Loop from Moron to Tsagannur, via Arbulag, Bayanzurgh, UlanUul, Tsagannur. From there excursion to the Tsatan communities, visit of Chamans. On the way back, Rechingkumbe, Jigeliyn Davaa (ONLY BY DRY CONDITION), Khovsghol Lake, Hatghal, back to Moron. Total, 10 biking days.
* Loop East of Khovsghol Lake, restricted area close to the Russian border:
Hatghal -Chadman Ondoor - Tsagannur - Erdennebulgan - connection on the main piste Bulgan-Moron
1 week biking, log cabins (no gers), a few river crossing (1 tricky after Tsagannur, bridge destroied). In theorie, permit requeseted!
