The Grand Himalayan Circle
Day01. Arrive at the city of Gauwhati in Assam, . Gauwhati is connected by air from Bangkok, Delhi, Kolkata and all major cities in . Upon arrival our crew will receive you and transfer you to the India-Bhutan eastern border in the town of Samdrup Jongkhar.
Day02. S/J to Trashigang.
Bikes will be handed to you and do some acclimatization rides around and ride to the town of Trashigang. You cross many small towns and villages on this route. The scene is panaromic as you climb from sea level to heights of 3000m and along with that encounter changes in flora and fauna. 180km.
Day03. Trashigang to Trashi Yangtsi
and sightseeing around this rural and remote part of . o/n Yangtsi appx 70 km with halts at sights. Visit the Tashigang Dzong/Fortress, ride by the side of the Trashigang river visit the Gom Kora monastery and to Yangtsi. Yangtsi is a quite town with a beautiful stupa called Chorten Kora with a great history. Your guide will tell you that!Yangtsi is also the border in the north with the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in .
Day04. Yangtsi to Mongar. 160km.
The ride is a beautiful one again crossing many settlements, you ride along the river.
Day05. Mongar to Bumthang. 200km.
Ride today will take you through cliff hanging roads and the highest road in at 4000m. Beautiful scenery throughout, rice fields and villages. Bumthang is also known as the Switzerland of Bhutan as the hills and mountain are similar to the Swiss alps but with a difference that there are many monasteries and prayer flags that dot the landscape.
Day06. Bumthang sightseeing and local rides.
Tang Valley excursion appx. 80km.
Bumthang is a place that has a history dating back to the 7th century when the great tantrik saint Guru Rimpoche visited and gave Bhutanese people a religion, it would be a pity to miss all the sights and monasteries around Bumthang. Bumthang district comprises of 3other valleys. We will visit a remote area the Tang valley.
Day07. Bumthang to Punakha. 210km.
You cross the districts of Trongsa enroute we will visit the Trongsa Dzong which is also one of the largest Dzongs in the country. The Bhutanese royalty descended from this Dzong. Has great history. This Dzong at one point of time till the 19th century controlled the plains of .
Day08. Punakha to Thimphu. 77km.
After visiting the beautiful Dzong at Punakha which lies between the two rivers, and seeing the beautiful villages in this valley with its many rice terraced fields we head on to Thimphu the capital city of . Later you would have enough time to explore the many bars and café pubs in Thimphu. Visit the many curio shops in this city.
Day09. Thimphu to Paro. 55km.
A short 1 hr ride and you have the time to explore the beautiful Paro valley, the National muesuem is housed above the Dzong which used to be the watch tower for the Dzong. Explore the town and Drugyal Dzong. For the interested folks can visit the 7th century Kichu monastery which is the oldest monastery in .
Day10. Paro to Phuentsholing. 180km.
End Tour. You would have traversed the whole country from the east to the west. 7 -8 hrs ride would take you through the villages of Chukha, Chapcha and to the border. ’s hydro power plants are located on the rivers on this route.
Start Tour in India
Day11. Complete immigration formalties exit and enter and ride through the rural plains of Bengal and tea gardens and climb to Kalimpong. Today has a leisurely ride to Kalimpong. The steep but pleasant road, with little traffic, winds through the hills, villages, tea gardens forests into the town of Kalimpong where we will have the chance to really relax at a lovely hillside hotel not far from the town centre.
Day 12 – Kalimpong – Rest Day. Known for its mild climate, lovely views, great shopping, orchid nurseries and Dr Graham’s Homes, Kalimpong is a good place for walks and offers some very relaxing down time.
Day 13 – Kalimpong – Pemayangtse (98kms). En route to Pemayangtse, and after crossing the border into , we’ll visit the ruins of Rabdentse, the second capital of from 1670 AD to 1793 AD. Our hotel, Mount Pandim (a converted palace) is located right next to the magnificent 18th century Pemayangtse Gompa. Day 14 – Pemayangtse – Ravangla (115kms). Just 27kms from Pemayangtse we’ll stop to visit the sacred Khecheodpalri Lake. Located serenely in the midst of a dense forest, this unusually calm lake is a place of prayer and worship for both Buddhists and Hindus. After lunch at the quaint village of Yuksom, we ride to Ravangla for the night.
Day 15– Pemayangtse – Darjeeling (96kms). Today we head back down to the valley and lunch at the confluence of the Teesta and Rangeet rivers. Then it’s up, up and more up – negotiating a 360 degree spiral turn on the way. Past densely forested hillsides and tea gardens we come to Ghoom (also Ghum) and thence to the charming old British hill station of Darjeeling.
Day 16 – Darjeeling – Rest Day / Local Excursions. Among many other attractions, we will visit the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute and Darjeeling Zoo with its world renowned Snow Leopard and Red Panda breeding centres.
Day 17 – Darjeeling – Rest Day / Local Excursions. Free to do as you please – take a local ride, go for a trek, hit the shops (great buying and maybe your last opportunity), investigate the historic buildings of Darjeeling, take a ride on the World Heritage listed stream ‘Toy Train’ or loll around the hotel.
Day 18 – Darjeeling – Siliguri (80kms). Departure and end of services. You can fly from bagdogra airport to any major cities in India or take a train to continue with your onward journey. General Information
Please enquire for Price and Dates.
Price includes:
· Group transfers to/from airport and hotel
· Accommodation throughout the tour on a Twin-Share basis (Single supplement TBA)
· All meals with tea/coffee (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
· Visa
· Comfortable support vehicle with driver and staff (for luggage transport and assistance)
· Full motorbike rental for the duration of the tour.
· Experienced mechanics
· All fuel and oil costs
· Repairs, maintenance and spare parts
· Motorcycle Damage Insurance
· Basic emergency first-aid equipment
· Experienced tour leader with current First Aid qualifications
· English-speaking local guide
· Entrance fees to selected monuments and attractions
Price excludes:
· Travel insurance policy covering use of motorcycle.
· Tourist visas for India, you have to get that prior to your departure for India.
· International Driving Permit
· Vaccinations and personal medication including known allergy antidotes
· Items of a personal nature such as postage, laundry or souvenirs
· Personal consumptions such as bottled water, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages Accommodation & Food
The general standard of accommodation is excellent, varying from four-star hotels and resorts to “best in town” in more remote areas. Meals are of the more ‘Western’ style eggs, cereal and toast for breakfast etc., but for those who prefer, there is always the choice of local cuisine.
Bikes
On all our Indian tours we use the Royal Enfield Bullet single-cylinder, 500cc
In addition to being delightfully authentic, these wonderful old bikes are comfortable, well-balanced, manoeuvrable with lots of low-end torque for the hills and perfect for Indian traffic and road conditions. The pillion seat is roomy and quite comfortable with the foot pegs set so knee height is below hip height – a great thing when travelling any distance.
Please enquire for KTM 640CC. Driving Licences and Travel Insurance
Riders must have a valid and unrestricted international rider’s licence. Travel insurance is mandatory and, if on a bike at all, must cover riding motorcycles.
Please Note:
This is a “best-fit” itinerary and may need to be changed from time to time due to amended timetables, weather and road conditions, political expediency and/or on advice from the guide/organizer. It is not always possible to comply with plans made in advance, so a flexible attitude is essential. Departure is guaranteed with 4 riding guests.
Pillons and passengers in the chase vehicle is also accepted. Contact us for more information on this Tour. Bookings are on for 2009. Hope to see you on this Tour! This tour can also be taken by 4 x 4. Landcruisers in Bhutan and for India we arrange the 4 x 4 toyota SUVs or Chevy SUVs. |
