Leh was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Leh, with an area of 45,110 km2, is the second largest district in the country (after Kutch, Gujarat) in terms of area.Leh is at an altitude of 3524 meters (11,562 ft), and connects via National Highway 1D connects it to Srinagar in the southwest and to Manali in the south via Leh-Manali Highway
LEH-LADHAK now has gain popularity amongst many people.Earlier very few Indians know about its beauty thanks to Amir Khan Movie 3 idiot scenes shoot at Pang-gong Lake. Still lot of people they ask me that is LADHAK is part of INDIA and I answer them in detail with a smile.
I did LEH-LADHAK trip 2 times on my Enfield Thunderbird and both times I find something different and new to experience.
In 2011 Latest trip we group of four started from Vadodara, our local riders had come for flag off and ride with us for next 100 kms.
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| WILDTHUMPERZ |
Also before going on trip I spend days in Workshop getting my Bike ready for the TRIP. Thanks to Local MECHANIC Mahesh Bhai, his work is really admirable.Till today I have not any mechanic working with whom is fit for me and my bike.
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| MAHESH BHAI WORK SHOP |
Vadodara to DELHI route is quite good infact awesome except some 100-150 km AJMER-Makarana stretch as it is single road with lots of TRUCKERS movement.
UDAIPUR >>>>>>>>>>>>
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| UDAIPUR HIGHWAY |
Till Delhi we halt in UDAIPUR & PUSKAR and DELHI we faced extreme hot weather with HUMIDITY.
We wanted to left DELHI early morning but couldn’t do it and thus hit by traffic and 100% humidity.
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| PUSKHAR GHAT |
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| PUSKHAR GHAT |
Heading towards Chandigarh on GT ROAD we reached Chandigarh around 9 pm and we had few beers first to get ourselves cool down.
I like to add do try Chaatbir Zoo (Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park), is a zoological park located near Zirakpur, near Chandigarh with ROCK GARDEN , very few know about this ZOO but I can say it’s one the best in INDIA and having one lion safari in which in one van you have to take ride under 2-3 km fencing area filled with dozens of LIONS.
We cross Rohtangla Pass around 2 PM,we stayed over there for 1 hour 30 mns and below you can see the worse condition of pass as now easily acessable by people from NCR and Punjab side.Also you can see the colour of ICE its almost Black because of pollution.
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| SLURRY DIRT TRACK |
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| This buddy was coming from LEH Side and after so much traffic went back |
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| Rohatang PASS ICE blacked out due to pollution |
For fun & adventure part we had slurry roads on which riding bike was tough enough. I remember very well bikes were doing FISHTAIL and another BIKER from some other group fell down and landed on his face.I smiled first and than gave him a hand.
I was discussing with teammates that thanks we are on our motorbikes otherwise on four-wheeler its almost impossible to cross with that LONG Que.
After Crossing Manali we stayed in KASOL not KOSOLI, it make me remind hype’s place like in Devanand movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna song in which one song DUM MA RO DUM of Zeenat Aman.
Kasol is also very nice peaceful place with full of tourist round the world. One can enjoy all kind of cuisines here whether it’s IRISH or SWEDISH. Restaurants over there has developed themselves to cater majority of customers coming from different places so food is little expensive as per Indian pockets but lodging is relatively very cheaper as I saw & meet people there living from almost months.
KASOL>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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| Wind Chimes made from BEER canes at KASOL STAY In one the Lodge |
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| LOCAL Festival celebration at KASOL |
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| PAINTINGS on Lodge walls by travelers live almost 3-4 months |
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| Our Lodge at KASOL and below Marijuana plantation |
I must say when you are going to Manali don’t forget to take a 2 days stop in KASOL. We stayed 3 days as unfortunately one our team mate was down with his health but that two days we had good memories.
To be continue in next POST .........................
