022 JULY 2019 →TOPGEAR.COM
t some point or another, anyone who owns
a motorcycle, be it an experienced rider or
a novice, dreams about riding in Ladakh.
Everyone has that one vision –
a solo ride, changing landscapes, many selfies, with
the motorcycle, of course! On fulfilling that dream,
everyone’s profile picture instantly becomes that of an
exhausted, yet over-enthusiastic individual, flashing
their now-brown teeth in front of the Khardung La Pass
stone, which many believe is a rite of passage when
becoming an expert rider. Like many, I, too, dreamt
about this and accomplished the impossible, very
easily.
The only stumbling block was convincing myself to
take the plunge.
What’s the best way to travel there? Before I went,
I asked many. Some said, take a flight to Delhi and ride
from there, some said ride from Shimla. My laziness
said fly to Ladakh directly and hire a bike and then
finally fulfil that dream. And that’s what I did.
01) There are approximately 33 to 35 flights into
Ladakh from Mumbai every day, but only one airline
has a direct flight and the timings work well. I highly
recommend taking this 4 am flight since you get there
in two and a half hours. Apart from reaching early and
having the entire day to rest, which is a must, there are
fewer travellers.Leh 101
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY: SUSHANT ISHWARKARA BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO RIDING IN PARADISE
A
ROAD TRIP02) Try and stay awake during the last hour of the
flight as the aerial views are breathtaking. Aerial views
of the mountains slowly change from brown to snow-
covered white. Also, staying awake will keep you that
much more alert when you get off the flight as you will
immediately feel an altitude and climate change.
03) The airport is small but a well-organised one.
Taxis are available instantly on fixed rates. You can
either ask your hotel to send a pick-up at an extra cost
or take one of the taxis. The hotel I picked was walking
distance from the old Leh market. Once you get there,
you will realise it’s a one-stop destination for booking
adventure activities such as biking, rafting, trekking,