A cycle expedition from Manali to the beautiful Chandratal lake. It takes you from the lush green lands of Kullu through the arid landscape of spiti & lahaul . The blue water of chandratal lake will take your breath away & reaching here on cycles gives you another level of high. A must do cycling trip for anyone who is into cycling . One of india's best cycling route in terms of natural beauty. Chandra Taal (meaning the Lake of the Moon) is situated at an altitude of about 4,300 Metres. Mountains of scree overlook the lake on one side, and a magnificent cirque presents a view on the other. The name of the lake originates from its crescent shape.
Arrival in Manali, Distance: 0, Altitude: 1,980 m (6,400 ft)
Check-in to the booked hotel or orientation camp set up by Bikat Adventures. Proceedings will start after lunch with a round of introductions for the participants and organizers. The tour leader will brief about the expedition and after that fellow cyclists will be free to explore around Manali. Overnight at the hotel/ camp.
Manali-Marhi, Distance:38 kms, Altitude: 3,300 m (10,800 ft)
The first ascent of the trip prepares up for the tough ride ahead and takes you through the panoramic view of pine and deodar trees. We will take an early start to beat the traffic rush destined for Rohtang Pass. One has to negotiate many hairpin bends to reach Marhi. Marhi offers picturesque camping sites and prepares up for the muddy ascent of Rohtang Pass. Overnight in camps.
Marhi-Chhatru, Distance: 50 kms, Altitude: 3200m (10,499 ft)
We start the day by finishing the 18km ascent to the Rohtang pass (3980m) and there are some lovely scenic views on the horizon of snow covered peaks and glaciers of Spiti valley. After a refreshing halt at Rohtang, a steady descent takes us to Gramphoo (3250m) on the highway along Chandra river. The day ends with camping at Chhatru. Tucked away hidden in the vast expenses of the rugged Himalayas, a tiny little hamlet Chatru stands out like an oasis in the middle of this "high altitude cold desert" of Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.
Chhatru-Batal, Distance: 31 kms, Altitude: 4095m (13,435 ft)
We start early as the road condition from Chhatru to Batal is bad which means more time. Major part of this road is boulder strewn. There are many water crossings where vehicles get struck quite often, but nothing to worry with bicycles. The route goes along the Chandra river.We cross the small village of Chhota Dara (3640m) .After few hours of more paddling we arrive at Batal, where we have the hot lunch in our camps.
Batal-Chandratal, Distance: 14 kms, Altitude: 4300m (14,100 ft)
From Batal diversion up to Chandratal is a gruesome climb. Climb is challenging but the views are equally rewarding. It will take 3-4 hours to arrive at Chandra Tal. The camping is not allowed at the lake but a few Kms before the lake there are good camping sites. We will spend rest of the day soaking in the natural beauty of this jewel in the mountains, Chandratal. Overnight in tents. The most surprising thing about this lake is that there is no visible source of this lake but there is a visible outlet of this lake which means that water to this lake comes from underground.
Chandratal-Manali, Distance: 118 kms, Altitude: 3250m (10,663 ft)
The ride back will be in support vehicle . After an uphill ride to Rohtang, we will cruise along the downhill and will reach Manali by evening . The trip ends here & you can book your bus from Manali as per your convenience.
The minimum age limit is 13 years. However, minors aged between 13 to 17 should be accompanied with their parents or guardians. If you are above the age of 60, kindly carry a medical certificate from your doctor that deem you fit for adventure activities like trekking.
Are you an avid biker or even a regular cyclist? If yes, then Manali-Chandratal Cycling Expedition is just the adrenaline boost for you. Manali-Chandratal Cycling expedition is a 6-day challenging consisting of difficult terrains and uphill riding conditions. Factors like high altitude, difficult passes, and hairpin bends make it completely different from cycling in plains. However, if you are a newbie and still want to take up the challenge, it is advised that you start preparing for the expedition well in advance. You will need to invest in a good bike and follow a strict exercise regimen before the final showdown.
Toiletries
Bike Spares- In case you are not renting from us
Best months to do the trek is between the months of June to October.
Manali is well connected to Delhi with through road and air. There are no direct trains from Delhi though.
By Road
The road distance from Delhi to Manali is 536 km. There are overnight HPRTC buses and Volvos available from ISBT Kashmere Gate, Delhi for Manali. It is a 14-hour journey by bus. You can book your bus tickets online through hrtchp.com or any other bus services available. You can also hire a private taxi or an outstation cab from Delhi.
By Rail
To reach by train, take a direct train from Delhi to Pathankot. Some of the trains that run on this route are Delhi-Pathankot Express, Jammu Tawi Express, Delhi-Dhauladhar Express. You can then take a bus from Pathankot to Manali. Or you can take a connecting train from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar which is the nearest station to Manali. There are buses running frequently between Joginder Nagar and Manali.
By Air
The nearest airport is Bhuntar Airport which is located 50 km from Manali. There are taxis available at the airport which will take you to Manali. You can also take local buses that keep running from Bhuntar to Manali at a regular frequency. Buses are decent and very cheap compared to a taxi that can cost you around INR 2000 to 2500 depending upon the season.
You will get a good connectivity till Rohtang Pass. Beyond Rohtang pass, BSNL network is available on some other campsites.
When you reach Manali, you will have a day to explore the tourist place. Manali is the gateway to Solang Valley where you can participate in adventure activities like paragliding, and zorbing in the summer months when the snow melts. This famous tourist hill station has so many places to visit in Manali. Visit the ancient Hadimba Devi Temple which has an interesting mythological tale associated with it. Walk through the charming lanes of Old Manali. Visit the bazaar to buy some souvenirs. Jogini Fall and Vashisht Temple are other famous attractions in Manali. You can also visit Rohtang pass while you are in Manali.
Twin/Triple sharing rooms in Manali. Please note that hotel meals are not included in the stay. On all other days during the expedition, we would set up camps with toilet tents, sleeping tents, and dining tents.
We provide 4 seasons tents by Gipfel for higher altitudes which can easily withstand heavy snowfall and storms. They are spacious enough to accomodate 3 people at once with a vestibule to place the backpacks. Our sleeping bags are made up of Heatseeker Pro synthetic insulation that can provide you comfort in -10 degrees celsius. We also use additional fleece liners to have thermal efficiency even in the extreme temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius.
Toilet tents will be provided to you on the trek. These are portable toilets tents where a deep pit will be dug. A shovel will be provided inside the tent to cover the waste after you have made your business. You can take a toilet roll inside. Make sure you dig used toilet paper along with the waste. Though water is recommended in place of toilet paper. Please refrain from using wet wipes as they are non-biodegradable. There will be no facility for bathing on the trek. Go to our blog section for tips on how to maintain personal hygiene on treks/expeditions.
Vegetarian food will be served throughout the trek. The only non-vegetarian item served on our treks are eggs. Our kitchen staff follows a proper menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner which has been designed in order to fulfill the nutritional requirements of the participants. There will be milk, poha, eggs, muesli/corn flakes, and bread butter served in breakfast. Rice or simple roti sabzi will be packed for lunch. In dinner, you will have dal, egg curry or any other vegetarian dish along with rice, roti, and a dessert item. Packed lunch will be provided to you on the days you are cycling. You are requested to carry your own tiffin box and a mug to consume food.
During the day, the temperature will range from 13-18 degrees Celsius. The nights will get cold dropping the temperature to 0-7 degrees Celsius. The higher the altitude you gain, the colder it gets. Lahaul and Spiti, both are arid regions. So, the probability of rainfall during the expedition is very low after you cross Rohtang La but till then, you can expect some rains.
One can see snow at the passes during June and early July batches but post that you can only see snow in patches around the passes (Rohtang La).
Your luggage would be in the support vehicle but you should carry you day pack with you with your nutrition bars, dry fruits, and hydration packs.
There will be a Lead cyclist and an expedition leader with you on the expedition.
Manali is the last point where you can buy anything related to the expedition. Once we move from Manali, you would not find anything before Chandratal.
Absolutely. We have many single women who have traveled with us for this expedition. You would be provided tents either to share with another woman or in case there is no one to share, then alone. Proper toilet tents are pitched at all camp sites.
Yes, e-certificates will be given at the end of each trek provided that you completed it. It will bear your name, the trek, and the maximum altitude you achieved on the expedition.
Our community is an integral part of us and we take pride in our members. When you complete at least three days on any activity with us, you become eligible for our membership and referral programs.
For us, a successful activity is not about completing it but about making it safely back.
Cancellations up to 30 days prior to departure date
5% Deduction
Between 30 days to 15 days prior to departure
50%
deduction
Less than 15 days of departure
No Cash Refund
Cancellations up to 5 days prior to departure date
No Deduction
Cancellations less than 5 days prior to departure
No Refund
Bikat Adventures 31 March 2017
<p>This six week practice schedule can be followed by people planning to do Manali Leh Cycling Expedition. The expedition itself takes ten days & crosses over many high altitude passes. The expedition route comprises of different type of terrains
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