Roaring Engines And Daunting Mountains : 6 Best Biking Trips Across Ladakh

Biking around the beautiful region of Ladakh is counted as one of the best adventurous experiences ever! There's  just something surreal about driving in this gorgeous region with the chilly wind hitting your face as you unravel the beauty that is Ladakh, whilst taking in the lofty mountains, the snowy peaks & the azure lakes! 

To make your trip worthwhile, we’ve curated a list of the best places you can take your bike for a spin at in and around Leh! 

1. Khardung La  

This pass is one that you just cannot miss taking your bike out on at all! Known as the “Highest Motorable Road”, the Khardung La Pass is insanely famous and just the idea of being able to conquer this road seems to pump people with adrenaline! It lies north, about 39 kms from Leh and is the way to Shyok & Nubra Valley. Make sure you take a bike on this route rather than a car, and thank us later for telling you about it!

Distance | About 39 Kms From Leh

2. Magnetic Hill

Another popular attraction, the Magnetic Hill is famous for defying gravity. It’s a small stretch, 30 kms from Leh on the way to Kargil. There’s a white box marked on the road where you can slow down or stop your vehicle, and it will start moving on its own! Fascinating, right? Well it’s all an optical illusion but more importantly it’s also a great bike ride because of the landscape so head out here to experience it yourself!

Location | About 30 Kms From Leh, on the Leh-Kargil-Batalik Highway 

3. Chang La 

At a height of 5,360 m, Chang La claims to be the second highest motorable road after Khardung La. It's a really good road to travel on but is slightly steep and can get a bit dangerous to travel on, specially for bikers during summer when some parts of the road get muddy so, usually more risk taking and adventurous bikers take on this pass. After you reach the top, you’ll be very proud of yourself and can treat yourself to some Chai at the Tea Point. 

Distance | About 76 Kms From Leh

4. Baralacha Pass

Situated along the Leh-Manali Highway, roughly 283 Kms from Leh, this pass is an absolute sight for the eyes! Situated at 4,890 m, this is a high mountain pass located in the Zanskar Range. Since the pass is mostly covered with snow, even during the summers, it's advisable to cross it before noon. The road is good in some places, and bad in others where there’s a lot of snow which leads to offroading. The trail is absolutely gorgeous and you should definitely try it out if you’re coming from Manali!

Location | Zanskar Range

5. Pangong Tso

If you’re travelling to Pangong Tso, you should ditch your car and get a bike! The road to Pangong is full of escapades and scenic landscapes and is a very smooth drive. Plus, the first sight of the lake as you’re driving your bike and feeling the chilly wind on your face will leave you ecstatic! One of the routes from Leh to Pangong is through the Chang La, so you get to drive on both in one go!

Distance | About 225 Kms From Leh

6. Nubra Valley

Those who've been to Nubra Valley swear that it's the most beautiful place that they've ever seen! Driving through the ‘Valley of Flowers’ as it's commonly known, you not only get to see mountains but also meadows of flowers and also a desert. The roads are amongst the highest motorable roads and are in pretty good condition! The Himalayan Bikers Association organises Biking Tours in the valley and across Ladakh that you can check out as well!

Distance | About 160 Kms North From Leh Town

So grab your bikes, or rent one and head to these places to have the most enthralling biking experience of your life!