Journey To Sikkim and Bhutan By Motorcycle

Sikkim And Bhutan Motorcycle Tour - 17 Day Bike Tour Of the Eastern Himalayas

The eastern Himalaya is a taste of paradise for adventure-seeking motorcycle travelers.

Tucked away in the mountains between India and Tibet, centuries of religious isolation have shrouded it in mystery. Legends describe it as Shangri La, the Himalayan home of the gods and the enlightened. The last Buddhist kingdom is gradually opening to tourism, yet only around 10,000 foreigners are permitted to visit Bhutan every year, and individual travelers are not allowed in. During the motorcycle tour you will witness at first hand Spectacular mountains, rare plants and animals, the ancient walls of Buddhist monasteries and a mystical aura that wraps it all. Bike Tour Of Sikkim From Darjeeling, the motorcycle tour will first take us to Sikkim, a region which was only made a state of India in 1975. Sikkim is bordered by towering mountains, including Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), the third-highest peak in the world.

You can look forward to monasteries in spectacular locations, rugged gorges and breathtaking vegetation during the Motorcycle tour of Bhutan and Sikkim . Sikkim was totally isolated for centuries, and even today, a special permit is required to travel there.

www.roadmania.weebly.com

We'll be visiting a world of pristine natural beauty during our Eastern Himalaya Bike Tour.

A land of snowcapped mountains, deep, broad valleys with fertile rice paddies and orchards, tiny villages and bustling market towns. Spectacular mountains, rare plants and animals, the ancient walls of Buddhist monasteries and a mystical aura make Bhutan a unique, exclusive experience.

And finally, our classic single-cylinder Royal Enfield Bullet 500cc motorcycles – relics of India’s colonial past that are still rolling off the production line today – will help make our bike tour through Sikkim and Bhutan truly unforgettable.

We have visited Bhutan 16 times with our groups on motorcycles since 2010. Our Bhutanese friends now travel with us, giving us a unique perspective on their country.

The Bhutan And Sikkim Motorcycle Tour Route In Detail


Bhutan and Sikkim motorcycle tour map

---

Day 1 :

Flying independently to New Delhi.

Day 2: Mirik (Altitude 1,760 m)

Breakfast in Delhi Intl. Airport, transfer to the domestic Terminal and connecting flight to Bagdogra.
Our crew will pick you up there and drive you via Siliguri to the Mirik hill station (1,760 m) just over 50 km outside of Siliguri. Welcome dinner in the hotel.

Accommodations: Hotel Jageet
Distance Travelled: 50 km by Bus

Day 3: Darjeeling (Altitude 2,150 m)

After breakfast, we'll be taking our Enfield Bullet 500 motorcycles out for a warm-up ride on adventurous side roads through tea plantations along the border to Nepal to Darjeeling (2,150 m), the famous tea planter's bazaar high up in the Himalayan foothills. (approx. 90 km) We stay at the famous colonial-style "Cedar Inn" Hotel, Darjeeling (2,150 m) . (approx. 90 km)

Accommodations: Hotel Cedar Inn, Darjeeling
Distance Travelled: 90 km

Day 4: Pelling hill station(Altitude 2,000 m)

After breakfast, we start by heading steeply downhill through tea plantations to Great Rangeet River, crossing the border into Sikkim at Jorethang after about 30 km.

We'll then continue on our bikes through serene forests and fields back uphill to the renowned Pemayangtse Gompa Buddhist monastery (2,085 m), built in 1705 by the Nyangmapa order. We'll spend the night in the exclusive, colonial-style Elgin Mt. Pandim Hotel in the small Pelling hill station (2,000 m), around 10 km further. The hotel has a stunning view of the Mt. Kanchenjunga massif (8,598 m). (approx. 90 km)

Accommodations: Hotel Eldin, Mt. Pandim, Pemagyantse
Distance Travelled: 120 km

Day 5: Rumtek (Altitude 1,600 m)

Today we'll be taking narrow mountain roads through deep valleys and remote passes. After a long, twisty motorcycle ride at various altitudes, we'll reach the Gangtok-Siliguri national highway at Sigtam. From there, it's not far to our destination for the day, Rumtek Gompa, the most renowned monastery in Sikkim.

This large, wealthy monastery is the seat of the 17th Karmapa Lama, the head of the Tibetan Buddhist Kagyupa Order, who fled from Tibet to India via Mustang and Nepal under dramatic circumstances only three years ago at the age of 18. After dinner, we'll gather around the campfire in the garden with the crew and have our first opportunity to sample the local fire water. (approx. 120 km)

Accommodations: Teen Tale Farm Resort, Rumtek
Distance Travelled: 120 km

Day 6: Round Motorcycle trip via Gangtok to the Phodong monastery (Altitude 1,600 m)

40 km northeast of Gangtok, we'll reach the picturesquely situated Phodong monastery. We'll spend a second night in the cozy Farmhouse Hotel Lodge. Once again, we can settle in for an evening in front of a campfire with a panorama of Gangtok and the snow-capped Tibetan peaks. (approx. 110 km)

Accommodations: Teen Tale Farm Resort, Rumtek
Distance Travelled: 110 km

Day 7: Melli and Rangpo Check Post (Altitude 350 m)

We'll be leaving Sikkim via Melli and Rangpo Check Post. A long day's bike riding will take us across Tiger Bridge, Mall Bazaar (where we'll be having lunch), Binaguri, Jaldapara and Hashimar to the Bhutanese border at Phutsoling. We'll be spending the night at Druk or Larki Hotel, taking care of border formalities for ourselves and the bikes, and meeting our Bhutanese crew.

Accommodations: Hotel Druk or Hotel Lakhi, Phuntsoling
Distance Travelled: 280 km

Day 8: From Phuntsoling to Paro (Altitude 2,100 m)

From Phuntsoling, we'll be taking our bikes up the initially steep - and for the first 60 km relatively busy - main road into the Western Bhutanese mountains. After 70 km and arriving at an altitude of 2,000 meters, our street turns into a quiet dream road through peaceful forests and fertile valleys to Paro. The road starts ascending just after the border crossing, winding its way through the wooded Himalayan foothills, past a hydroelectric station (electricity is Bhutan's main export), and on to Paro via the Changspa pass (3,000 m).

Paro remains a quaint little town with ancient temples, the royal palace and Bhutan's only airport. We've allotted a maximum of six hours riding time to cover just over 200 km. The town itself is rather small, as most people live in the surrounding countryside, working the most fertile soil in the country.

The road from the dzong to Paro is lined by very large chortens. The royal palace of Ugyen Pelri, built by Paro Penlop Tshering Panjor around 1930, is barely visible on the right. We'll be spending the night in the old Gangtey Palace, one of Bhutan´s finest Heritage Resorts, cosy and rustic, with the option to enjoy the traditional Bhutanese "Hot Stone Bath" and the scenic Paro town and Dzong view from the bar and terrace.

Accommodations: Gangtey Palace, Paro
Distance Travelled: 200 km

Day 9: Paro Valley (Altitude 2,100 m)

Today we'll take a short motorcycle tour of the Paro Valley in western Bhutan to the imposing ruins of the Drukgyel Dzong fortress monastery. The day will include time for sightseeing and shopping in the town of Paro, a settlement that was not established until 1985. As is so often the case in Bhutan, there is no village near the dzong. The houses along the main street are built in the traditional style and are painted with colorful patterns. The ground floors contain small shops typical of mountain villages that stock the basic essentials for the inhabitants. Alternatively, we can organize a memorable trek to the renowned Taktshang monastery (the "dragon's nest") – a Bhutanese national treasure with a stunning vista. (a 2-hour, 500-meter climb)

Accommodations: Gangtey Palace, Paro
Distance Travelled: 50 km

Day 10: Cheli La pass (Altitude 2,550 m)

Today we'll be doing a fantastic climb up to the Cheli La pass (3,990 m) Bhutan´s highest road ! We'll then take the new main road into Thimphu, Bhutan's capital city. (2,400 m, approx. 50,000 inhabitants) Our accommodations for the night are in a rustic and cosy , scenic located local Resort. A speciality dinner is lined up for us in the evening, followed by a little tour of the capital's pubs, if you're up to it.

Accommodations: Wangchuk Hotel, Thimpu
Distance Travelled: 130 km

Day 11: Wangdoe (Altitude 1.600 m)

A short sightseeing tour in the morning and time to change money and shop; at 11:00 am it's time for our next bike ride through the mountains. Just out of Thimphu, the road begins a steep, twisty climb to the Dochu La pass at 3,450 meters. The top of the pass is marked by a large Bhutanese chorten and prayer flags.

The road down from Dochu La into the Punakha Valley and on to Wangdi Phodrang goes on for some distance, descending 1,700 meters to the valley floor. In Punakha, we'll visit the largest and mightiest dzong in Bhutan and spend the night 10 kmaway in Wangdoe, in the cozy, family run Y.T. Resort. (approx. 140 km)

Accommodations: Damchen Resort or Y.T. Resort
Distance Travelled: 140 km

Day 12: Trongsa (Altitude 2.180 m)

We'll then climb back up the winding Pele La pass (3,300 m), and take a detour into the wild Pubjika Valley, later enjoying a lunch stop during the descent near the imposing Chendebi Chorten. After four hours of winding our way through the mountains, we'll catch our first glimpse of the dzong. Eight kilometers outside of Trongsa, the road takes a tight bend to the left around an outcrop and presents us with one of the most breathtaking vistas in Bhutan.

Trongsa dzong, a fortress built in 1648, sprawls down a steep hillside. Like nearly all towns in Bhutan, Trongsa is dominated by a dzong that dwarfs the surrounding buildings. We'll take our time to have a look around. We stay at the comfortable Yangkill Resort with a scenic view at the Dzong and the deep valley. We will enjoy a campfire in the evening !

Accommodations: Yangkill Resort
Distance Travelled: 140 km

Day 13: Bhumthang (Altitude 2,550 m)

We'll continue after a sumptious breakfast climbing up and up, across the Yotong La pass (3,425 m) on our way riding our motorcycles, into the picturesque Bhumthang Valley. En route, we'll stop briefly to visit the Chumey Yathra weavers. (approx. 160 km, 6 hours in the saddle!)

We'll spend the afternoon hours exploring Choskhor Valley, with its grazing Brown Swiss cattle and Swiss-run dairy plant. Naturally, we're also interested in the Tanshing Gompa, one of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries, with an impressive temple dating back to the 15th century. We'll spend the night in the scenic and cosy Swiss Guest House Resort in Jakar, Bhumthang, with attached beer brewery.

Accommodations: Swiss Guest House Resort
Distance Travelled: 110 km

Day 14: Mongar (Altitude 2,050 m)

From Bhumthang, we'll be heading east. Foreigners may be few and far between in western Bhutan, but virtually none make their way into the regions we'll be seeing today. On the way to Mongar (1,800 m), we'll be crossing the Tumsi La, on of Bhutan's highest road passes.

During the motorcycle ride, we can observe the changes in the beautiful surrounding vegetation as we climb through the various climate zones. But first, we'll visit Ura, a village that is untypical for Bhutan. The houses are all built very close to one another, all facing in the same direction. (approx. 140 km). Overnight in the stylish Wangchuk Hotel in Mongar.

Accommodations: Hotel Wangchuk
Distance Travelled: 100 km

Day 15: Tashigang (Altitude 1.300m)

Today we're going to cruise to Tashigang via Drametsi. We'll cross the Korila pass (2,490 m) and wind our way through refreshing evergreen forests in the Yadi Loops. From the hot Kanglung Chu valley, we'll ride up on our bikes to the quiet little mountain town of Tashigang (approx. 150 km). Our romantic hotel is is built like a small fortress and has more atmosphere than actual creature comforts, but we'll hardly miss them considering the spectacular views. Accommodations in Hotel Druk or Doethjung Resort.

Accommodations: Hotel Druk or Doethjung Resort
Distance Travelled: 120 km

Day 16: Samdrup Jonkhar (Altitude 1,800 m)

Today we'll tackle the last leg of the Bhutan motorcycle tour, from Tashigang to Samdrup Jonghar. 30 km into the day, we'll reach Bhutan's only university in Kanglung. Later, in Khaling, we'll visit weavers, practitioners of a craft that's very popular here in eastern Bhutan. For the rest of the ride, we'll once again experience Bhutan as a true paradise for bikers, with endless winding roads through the mountains.

We'll enjoy the view during our picnic lunch, then slowly descend to Samdrup Jongkhar, a town on the border to the Indian state of Assam, at an altitude of only 200 meters. And that's the end of the tour! Dinner will be served at Hotel T.L.T., a basic place, but the best one in town.

Accommodations: Hotel T.L.T.
Distance Travelled: 180 km

Day 17: Delhi

Today we return to India. Our AC deluxe bus will take us 130 km through the lush plains to the Assamese capital Guwahati on the Brahmaputra river.

From there, we'll transfer straight to the airport for a short flight to Delhi. We reach by 6-7pm. will stay close to the airport at the comfortable, quite, Ashoka Garden Resort, just 4 km from the Airport. We will have our last Indian Style dinner buffet together, you can sleep in the rooms we provide. Until it is time for your airport transfer...

Accommodations: Ashoka Garden Resort, 4 km from the Delhi Airport
Distance Travelled: 140 km

Day 18:

Flying independently from Delhi to your home or next destination.

Distance Travelled: 180 km

 The itinerary is therefore subject to change.

Group strength for the Bhutan and Sikkim Motorcycle Tour:
Generally 8 to 14 riders and 2 to 5 passengers. Passengers can also ride in the support jeep any time they wish
Minimum number of participants: 6 riders for the tour.
We join this group with our "Bhutan Highlights Groups" from Paro onwards.

Our fleet consists entirely of new Enfield motorcycles with electric starters, 5-speed gearboxes and gearshifts on the left.  These modified 2008 to 2010-model 500cc Royal Enfield Bullets are now standard on all of our tours.
All of our Enfields are equipped with full touring gear, including a front disk brake, dual horns, crash guards and roomy, rugged leather saddlebags.  All of our bikes have yellow all-India rental registration number plates and special insurance for rental vehicles.

As is always the case when traveling in exotic countries without advanced tourist infrastructure, it may become necessary to alter the program on the spot due to unforeseen circumstances. The itinerary is therefore subject to change.

Our Sikkim & Bhutan Motorcycle Tour services include :

• 17 overnight stays in double rooms in hotels or guest houses
• All breakfasts, all lunches in Bhutan and all evening meals
  
• 500cc Enfield Bullet rental motorcycle with E. Starter and 5 speed left side shifted gear box
  
• All fuel, motor oil and other lubricants for the bikes
  
• Experienced, professional German and English-speaking guide for the entire motorcycle tour
  
• Fluent English speaking Local Bhutanese guide
  
• Support vehicle for baggage as well as spare parts and tools for the motorcycles
  
• First-aid kit containing adequate stocks of the most frequently-needed medicines
  
• Professional motorbike mechanics with a basic command of English in the support vehicle. they can also act as spare rider..
  
• Admission fees (not including camera and video fees)
  
• Road and bridge tolls
  
• Fees for temporary driving permission, special road permits
  
• Sightseeing in Timpu
  
• Road map and unique Tour T-Shirt
  
• Bhutan visa fees
  
• Airport transfers

Not included are :

• Drinks, soft drinks and coffee breaks
• Lunches in Darjeeling and Sikkim and on the flying days..
• International flights in and out of New Delhi
• Travel health and accident insurance and the "holiday cancellation"- insurance
• Optional activities not included in the itinerary
• Personal expenses, tips, etc.

Bhutan & Sikkim Motorcycle Tour rates and dates.
Contact us directly to book:
www.roadmania.weebly.com