Not gonna lie, a big part of me wanted to go to Ladakh because of 3 Idiots…. that Pangong Lake scene where Rancho and Pia finally reunite? Tell me I’m not the only one who wanted to sit on that yellow scooter and get a picture there! And GUYS, my dream finally came true!
I recently completed my first ever dream bike trip to Ladakh with WanderOn in August, and guys…. I genuinely don’t know where to start!! Ladakh had been on my bucket list for YEARS. And not only did I finally get to visit, but I also ended up doing my first ever bike trip here.
Before booking, I went through a lot of WanderOn reviews because obviously, I didn’t want to just book any trip and regret it later. I was excited but also a little nervous, especially about the weather, the altitude and the whole bike riding part. But now that I’m back, I can honestly say I’m SO glad I booked this one.
Our trip captains were Mohit and Andeep, and our trip started with an overnight bus journey from Delhi to Manali. We reached Manali the next morning, and the first day was pretty chill. We got to explore Old Manali at our own pace and just relax. The property was beautiful too, with such lovely views of the mountains and waterfalls…
That evening, Mohit and Andeep gave us a briefing about AMS and how to take care of ourselves at high altitudes. And when I say they explained EVERYTHING, I mean it! From layering our clothes properly to drinking 3-4 litres of water, eating even when we weren’t hungry and even little things like covering our faces when needed. These might sound like small things, but when you’re travelling to places like Sarchu and Leh, they actually matter a lot.
Next day, we left for Sarchu in our tempo traveller. We saw Suraj Tal and Deepak Tal on the way, and the views were already beautiful. But Sarchu…. bhai, the cold and the wind!! It’s an open valley, and the weather was something else. We had a basic camp stay there, and it definitely wasn’t the most comfortable weather to be in, but that’s part of travelling to places like these. The next day, we continued towards Leh, crossing Gata Loops, Moore Plains and Whisky and Brandy Bridges. The mountains looked unreal, and we stopped for butter tea on the way too. By evening, we were in Leh, exploring the market and doing a little shopping.
I have to mention this because I think it made a huge difference…. the itinerary actually gave us time to acclimatize before the bike rides started. We weren’t just thrown into riding at high altitudes from day one. We spent time in Manali and Sarchu first, and the team kept reminding us to take care of ourselves. Honestly, I appreciated that more as the trip went on.
Then came the day I’d been waiting for…. THE BIKES!!
We started with Shanti Stupa and then headed towards Khardung La. Except it was raining like crazy. The weather was so bad that we had to wait at North Pullu for almost an hour, hoping things would get better. There was even a chance we’d have to leave the bikes behind and take the backup vehicle. And I was just thinking, “Please, not today…. I’ve waited so long for this!”
Thankfully, we got to continue on our bikes and made it to Khardung La!! I was SO happy. Getting those pictures there was a different kind of feeling altogether.
Nubra Valley was my favourite part of the trip. Hands down. The moment we saw the Shyok River, the whole landscape changed, and I couldn’t stop looking around. Mountains, greenery, rivers, sand dunes…. everything was there! We did an ATV ride over the sand dunes, and I swear, that was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done. I was a little scared at first, but once we got going, I didn’t want it to end. Our instructor was great too! After that, we visited Diskit Monastery and spent some time at the sand dunes before heading to our camp.
And the night sky in Nubra!! We went stargazing, and I actually saw a shooting star. I don’t think I’ve ever been that excited over something so small.
The next day, we were off to Pangong via Agam village because the water crossings on the Shyok route were overflowing. The first half was full-on off-roading, and then suddenly, after Durbuk, the roads got SO smooth. At one point, we literally stopped on the road just to dance. No special occasion, nothing…. we were just happy!
Our bike broke down briefly that day, which obviously wasn’t part of the plan, but the mechanic got it fixed pretty quickly, and we were moving again.
And then came Pangong.
I actually cried when I saw the lake. I’m not even lying here. We even saw a rainbow! Our cottage in Spangmik had a clear view of the lake, and we took SO many pictures with the 3 Idiots scooter and chair. The next morning, the weather was much better, and seeing all those different shades of blue, turquoise, green and violet was just…. wow. Pictures really don’t do it justice.
From Pangong, we went through Man, Merak and Chushul to Rezang La War Memorial. This part of the trip felt very different. We watched a short documentary, and the whole experience was super emotional. It really makes you think about what our soldiers have been through. We also found a dhaba in the memorial serving the best chhole bhature ever!! Later, we stopped near a river for high tea before reaching Hanle. The property there was lovely, and the whole place felt so peaceful.
The Umling La ride was another story. SO MUCH OFF-ROADING. Narrow roads, rocks everywhere…. at one point, I had to switch to the backup vehicle because the stretch was getting too difficult. But that’s also something I liked about the team. There was support available when we needed it, and nobody made us feel bad about taking the safer option. After Norbula Top, the road got much better, and the ride became smoother than I’d expected.
After that, we came back to Leh, travelled to Kargil, visited the Kargil War Memorial and then went to Srinagar for our flight back.
Also, shoutout to the food and stays because breakfast and dinner were included every day, and we got high tea on most days too. The daily briefings were helpful, the mechanic was quick whenever something went wrong, and having a backup vehicle gave us some peace of mind.
I’d read quite a few Ladakh WanderOn trip reviews and Leh Ladakh bike trip reviews before making my decision, so I know how much these reviews matter when you’re spending money on a trip like this. Ladakh is unpredictable. We had bad weather, rough roads and a few unexpected situations, but the team handled things well, and we always knew what was happening next.
If you’re looking for the best Ladakh bike trip organizers, I’d say give WanderOn a look. Obviously, every trip is different, and Ladakh will always have its own challenges, but my experience was genuinely worth it.
Basically, I need another trip now because how am I supposed to go back to normal life after all this?!