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Brief overview

The Unmap Adventures Tso Moriri Cycling Expedition is a trip that goes to really high places in Ladakh. This trip is for people who have been cycling for a time and want to ride on very difficult roads. The Unmap Adventures Tso Moriri Cycling Expedition starts in Leh. Goes along the Indus River valley to Upshi. Then it leaves the Leh-Manali highway. Goes through some remote areas where the army has settlements and some old villages, like Hymia and Kiari and Chumathang and Mahe. The Unmap Adventures Tso Moriri Cycling Expedition is a way to see the beautiful Himalayan mountains. The ride from Mahe goes up into a valley that not many people visit. It has to cross the tough Namshang La which is at 4,850 m. After that the ride goes down past Kiagar Tso to the village of Karzok. The village of Karzok is on the shores of Tso Moriri. Tso Moriri is Indias high-altitude lake that is completely, inside the country of India. The Tso Moriri lake is a special place. Surrounded by towering peaks including Lungser Kangri, Chamser Kangri, and Mentok Kangri, this 26 km long lake lies on the Changthang Plateau and forms one of Ladakh’s most important wetland ecosystems, home to migratory birds such as bar-headed geese and black-necked cranes. Spanning 9 days and reaching altitudes of 4,850 m, this Difficult-grade expedition offers a rare blend of endurance cycling, remote landscapes, wildlife, and cultural immersion—delivered with the expertise and care of Unmap Adventure.

Day 01 :

Arrival in Leh (11,500 ft)

To get to Leh the easiest way is by airplane. However when you get to Leh you need to stay for at least two days so your body can get used to the high altitude before you go to even higher places.

You can also get to Leh by driving. This takes a lot longer like two or three days on the road.

We will send you an email with all the details about where you will be staying in Leh.

When you arrive in Leh go to the Guest House or Hotel. Check in. Take some time to rest.

In the evening you can walk around the Leh market. See what it is, like.

The Leh market is a place to explore in the evening and you can do some shopping or just look around.

Day 02 :

Acclimatisation in Leh

Leh is a beautiful place with a lot of culture and natural beauty. When you visit Leh you will get to know the town. It will help you get used to the weather.

Leh is in the middle of Laddakh. It is a big town where people start their trips from.

The town of Leh is very rich in culture. You can visit monasteries and old temples.

They are, around the town of Leh.

You should try the food of Leh because it is very tasty and people who travel love to eat it.

Day 03 :

Leh (11,500 ft) to Karu (11,150 ft) - 36 km

Today we are going on an easy ride. We will start our journey from Leh. Go along the Indus River in the direction of the Manali. Leh highway. The ride will take us through the towns of Shey, which's famous for its palace and Thiksey which has one of the largest gompas in the region. Our ride will be on flat paved road, with a slight downhill slope and the occasional short uphill climb. The Indus River ride will continue until we reach the Karu station. We will spend the night at a guest house or home stay.

Day 04 :

Karu (11,150 ft) to Hymia (12,150 ft) - 45 km

We start our journey from Karu. Then we will leave the Leh. Manali highway at Upshi. From there we will go along the Indus River.

The valley gets really narrow after Upshi. It becomes a steep gorge. There are rocks and cliffs that are hundreds of feet high. These cliffs are above the Indus River.

We will ride our bikes through a small villages until we reach Hymia. Hymia is one of the villages in the valley. It is also the village where we can stay with a family after we leave Upshi. We can stay in a home, at Hymia. The bike ride is on nice roads that are completely paved. These roads have an uphill slope but that is okay. There are a few little parts where the road is broken. We will sleep in a guest house or a home stay, in Hymia tonight.

Day 05 :

Hymia (12,150 ft) to Kesar (13,000 ft) - 47 km

Today our ride is going to be really tough. We are leaving from Hymia. We have to ride on bad roads for 35 kilometers until we get to the Kiari military station. This part of the ride is going to be very slow. So we should get ready for a day today. The view around us is dry. There are not many trees or plants. This means we will be in the sun, for a time and it will be hard. When we finally get to Kiari the road gets better. The hills get steeper. It will take a few hours, around 2 to 3 hours to get from Kiari to Kesar. Kesar is another village and it has a home stay and a satellite phone. We will stay overnight in a guest house or a home stay, in Kesar.

Day 06 :

Kesar (13,000 ft) to Sumdo (14,450 ft) - 46 km

We are going to start our trip from Kesar and then ride on nice roads to Mahe. On the way to Mahe we will go through Chumathang. This place is famous for its hot sulphur springs.

From Mahe we will cross the Indus river on a bridge. After that we will leave the Indus Valley. Enter a smaller valley.

The scenery here is really beautiful and green. There is a stream with clear blue water that runs next to the road.

As we ride along Kesar, to Mahe route will take us through fields where sheep and goats are grazing. This is an unusual thing to see in Ladakh, the sheep and goat herds are a nice sight. The road to Sumdo is paved,. It is broken in some sections. You will have a climb the whole day until you reach Sumdo. At the end of the day you will stay in a guest house or a home stay, in Sumdo.

Day 07 :

Sumdo (14,450 ft) to Karzok/Tso Moriri (15,000 ft) via Namshang La (15,900 ft) - 44 km

We are going to start our day from Sumdo today.

The road from Sumdo will take us to the hairpin climb that goes up to Namshang La.

This climb is not too steep and the road to Namshang La is in condition.

As we go higher the place around us becomes dry like it was before.

It will take us, around 3 to 4 hours to get to the top of Namshang La.

When we get to the top of Namshang La we will then go down to Kiagar Tso.

Kiagar Tso is another beautiful blue lake that we will see after we cross Namshang La. You will ride along the shore of the lake and then you will make another short climb to a vast plateau. The lake and the plateau are really beautiful. Although there is a tarmac road you will also see tracks from vehicles that are going off-road around the lake and the plateau. From the plateau it is a descent all the way to Tso Moriri. After 5 km of descent from the plateau you will cross a bridge across the nallah that is flowing to your right. The bridge is a landmark on the way to Tso Moriri. There is a dirt road that's 15 km from the bridge to the village of Karzok. You will follow the dirt road to get to the village of Karzok, from the bridge. You walk for 5 kilometers and then you get to the lake basin. From there the village of Karzok is still 9 kilometers away along the bank of the lake. When you get to Karzok in the evening you have time to look around the lake and the village. You will stay overnight in a guest house or a home stay, at Karzok.

Day 08 :

Karzok to Leh - 220 km Drive

Today we will go back the way we came and drive along the Indus River to get to Leh. We will stay in a hotel or a guest house, for the night.

Day 09 :

Departure from Leh