Leh to Srinagar on Motorbike
Surviving the Second Part of the Himalayan Bike Trip
Aug 17, 2008 Satu Susanna Rommi
You survived the road from Manali to Leh and the Royal Enfield is still in one piece. Now it is time to plan the second part of the great Himalayan bike trip: the 434 km drive from Leh to Srinagar. The bad news is that the road is just as bad as the Manali-Leh road. There are less mountain passes and the passes are not as high as on the road from Manali, but there are endless roadworks on this route, and a lot of dust.
Driving from Leh to Kargil
Most bikers do the trip in two days, stopping overnight in Kargil which is approximately half-way to Srinagar. Between Leh and Kargil there are two high mountain passes: Fatu La at about 4100 m and Namika La at 3880 m. The passes are lower than on the Manali road and altitude sickness is less of a problem on this route. (For this reason some bikers choose to do the trip the other way around, driving from Srinagar to Leh first.)
The passes are not high but the road is incredibly dusty, and visibility can be bad. This road also seems to bring out the worst in Indian truck drivers who drive very carelessly and ruthlessly. Arriving in Kargil may feel like a great relief, but unfortunately Kargil is a depressing place with very little decent accommodation, and what is even half-decent is badly overpriced. However, it may be a better overnight stop than the next town, Drass: the second coldest inhabited place on Earth, with temperatures dropping to - 60 C in winter. Places to stay in Kargil include Hotel D'Zojila, far too expensive at INR1200 for a double room but at least it offers hot showers and clean rooms.
It is worth making a detour to Alchi, about 65 km from Leh on the way to Kargil, to see its famous but half-destroyed murals.
Driving from Kargil to Srinagar
Kargil is where Islamic mosques begin to replace the Tibetan Buddhist gompas familiar from the rest of Ladakh. The road is now approaching Kashmir where Muslims form the majority if the population.
The road after Kargil follows closely along the Line Of Control between India and Pakistan, and signs along the road remind travellers that they are "under enemy observation". There are several police checkpoints on the road to Srinagar and all drivers need to stop to have their passport, visa details and bike registration numbers recorded. The Indian Army is present everywhere.
The toughest part on this road is Zoji La. At just over 3500 m it is the lowest pass on this route, but the road is awful and if it rains, it becomes a terrifying mudslide. The only good thing about this part of the ride is that whatever everyday worries one has will become insignificant as the main worry is whether one will actually be alive at the end of the day.
After Zoji La the scenery changes from Ladakh's barren and brown to Kashmir's green forests. By the small town of Sonamarg the worst is over and it is time for a well-deserved lunch break. The last part to Srinagar is an easy drive through forests and valleys.
Arriving in Srinagar is no different from arriving in any busy, polluted Indian city full of traffic jams and chaos. There are biker-friendly houseboats on the banks of the Jhelum River where bikes can be parked on the riverbank.
What to Pack for a Bike Trip in the Himalayas
Spare parts should include a spare inner tube, spark plug, throttle cable, clutch cable and front brake cable, and a spare bulb for the head light. There are mechanics in Srinagar but the quality of the work can be questionable. As on the Manali-Leh road, carry spare petrol, bring snacks, and pack waterproofs.
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