Top 3 Hiking Trails in The Indian Himalayas

The Himalayas are the Holy Grail to every biker. A bike ride through any stretch of these peaks allows you to experience the crowning glory of nature and the diversity of cultures. Breathtaking landscapes, the highest roads in the world, delicious food - everything unique is delivered to you as you explore the tracks.

The Himalayan region covers an area of over 500,000 square kilometers, divided among eight Indian states. If one state has the highest motorable roads, in the other you’ll find shades of Buddhist culture. One thing that you can’t miss is the delicious food that seems to change with every passing mile. Fun, isn’t it? In fact, this diversity itself poses a challenge in picking the finest mountain biking tour over the Himalayas - everything there is resplendent!

To make our job easier, the members of Trails Of India, graciously shared their experiences and helped us choose the most rugged and challenging tracks for enthusiasts who want to conquer the mountains.

If the Himalayas are the king, Spiti Valley is their beautiful queen. The highest village in the world; stands at an elevation of 12,500 feet. A trip to this valley starts from Manali and rides through the exotic Banjar Valley, Pin Valley and into Kinnaur. The road passes through different tribal regions and offers the rider a chance to visit some of the most sacred temples of centuries past. Visiting the Bhimakali temple in Sarahan and the village of Nako on the Tibetan border is a must. A round trip of the tour takes around 10 days to complete and the best time to visit is in between June and October.

Another tour that holds the potential to become the most memorable bike trail of your lifetime is Manali-Leh. This is a journey that feeds your innermost fantasies and turns them into reality. This challenging biking trip starts from the beautiful hill town of Manali and navigates through Jispa - Pang – Leh – Sarchu and back to Manali. Terrifying mountain passes, air that leaves you breathless, quite literally, and the beauty around you makes it the best route for adventure. May-September is the best time to explore this region.

While the western Himalayas treat you to beauty, the eastern Himalayas have something different to treat you with - royalty. The kingdom of Bhutan lies on the easternmost fringes of India, and while a small country, it is big on nature. Nestled in the Himalayan range between Nepal and India, this mystical land measures itself by how happy its people are, which automatically makes it the perfect destination for riders. Starting from Jalpaiguri, this trail will first take you through Phuntsholing into Paro – Thimpu – Punakha – Phobjika – Bumthang – Gelephu commencing to Guwahati. Ensure that you have a permit to visit Bhutan. Only 10,000 foreigners are allowed to visit the country each year.

All we can say in conclusion is that the mountains are calling. Will you answer?

A tech geek, who love to explore and share about the latest bike technology.