Tours of India

Cover more miles and explore more of the world's extraordinary landscapes and cultures on one of our Road Cycling or Mountain Biking holidays. Whether you fancy a Himalayan mountain bike challenge or an Alpine road riding blast in preparation for your next sportive, you will find what you are looking for amongst our global selection of biking adventures. With a track record that stretches back almost 30 years, KE Adventure Travel has more accumulated experience of adventure cycling holidays than any other tour operator. Our range of popular biking adventures now includes holidays as different as Jordan's Dead 2 Red ride, Lake Titicaca to Machu Picchu in Peru, the Rajasthan Road Cycling Tour in India and the classic trans-Alp Geneva to Nice road biking adventure. Our biking holidays are separated into 3 types (Fat Tyre, Semi-Slick and Road Cycling) on the basis of the terrain involved and the type of bike and tyres required. Additionally, each of our holidays is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Please refer to our grading system, which identifies each holiday's level of difficulty and enables you to compare the difficulty of two or more cycling holidays of the same type.

The Classic Leh to Manali Mountain Bike Traverse

Our classic high level bike traverse holiday provides real challenge and adventure, beginning with the truly spectacular flight over the Indian Himalaya to the Ladakhi capital of Leh where we spend the next 5 days acclimatising. From Leh, we'll enjoy a series of exploratory day rides to visit some of the many Buddhist monasteries in the upper Indus Valley. Easy rides and more challenging rides, such as our ascent to the Wari La (5159m), will provide great preparation for the traverse of the Indian Himalaya. Our time in Leh culminates in the epic ascent to (and speedy descent from) the Khardung La which is the world's highest road pass, at 5380 metres. Leaving Leh, this giant rollercoaster ride to Manali follows what is unquestionably one of the greatest mountain roads on the planet. The Leh to Manali highway crosses the main Himalaya Range by a series of very high passes, including the Taglang La (5280m), the second highest road pass in the world. This classic route offers exposure to a tremendous variety of landscape and culture, linking the strongly Tibetan influenced high plateau of Ladakh with the semi arid plains of Lahaul and the lush greenery of the Kulu-Manali Valley. Once on the main route we will have the constant back up of a support vehicle and any of the group who feel the need to hitch a lift for any section of the journey will be able to do so. From the crests of the passes, there are superb views of the major peaks of the Ladakh, Zanskar and Chandra-Bhaga ranges. We are not in a race; there will always be time to rest, take photographs and to cool hot brakes before the next amazing hairpin descent! After crossing the final pass, the Rohtang La (3900m), we reach the town of Manali in Himachal Pradesh and from there drive back to Delhi.

Cover more miles and explore more of the world's extraordinary landscapes and cultures on one of our Road Cycling or Mountain Biking holidays. Whether you fancy a Himalayan mountain bike challenge or an Alpine road riding blast in preparation for your next sportive, you will find what you are looking for amongst our global selection of biking adventures. With a track record that stretches back almost 30 years, KE Adventure Travel has more accumulated experience of adventure cycling holidays than any other tour operator. Our range of popular biking adventures now includes holidays as different as Jordan's Dead 2 Red ride, Lake Titicaca to Machu Picchu in Peru, the Rajasthan Road Cycling Tour in India and the classic trans-Alp Geneva to Nice road biking adventure. Our biking holidays are separated into 3 types (Fat Tyre, Semi-Slick and Road Cycling) on the basis of the terrain involved and the type of bike and tyres required. Additionally, each of our holidays is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Please refer to our grading system, which identifies each holiday's level of difficulty and enables you to compare the difficulty of two or more cycling holidays of the same type.

India - Himalayan Hill-stations Ride

Where the fertile North Indian plains meet the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, the hills rise abruptly to a picturesque snow-capped crest known as the Dhaula Dhar. Here, during the days of the British Raj, a number of hill-stations were established, such as Dharamsala and Shimla. Flying in to Amritsar, there is the chance to witness the Pakistan-India border closing ceremony at nearby Wagah, whilst our early morning visit to the Sikh religion's amazing gilded Golden Temple creates a magical first impression of India. Then, setting off on our bikes, we begin a similarly unforgettable ride through this historic region, from the cobbled streets and medieval houses of Pragpur, to Mcleodganj, home of the Dalai Lama. Biking on village roads between tea estates, we then drop down into the Kangra Valley, cross the Beas River and begin the long climb to the Jalori Pass (3135m). En route, we'll see ancient forts, mystical temples and traditional villages. Well off-the-beaten-track, we'll meet few other Westerners while biking and the unspoilt scenery and views of the Garhwal Himalaya and distant Tibetan peaks are unparalleled. Travelling by bike, we can expect a friendly reception from the local population, who are well used to this form of transport. We end this superb, steady-paced and fully vehicle-supported biking adventure in Shimla, with its slightly chaotic mix of modern Indian tourism and faded colonial charm.