This was a dream trip for all of us. We were all super excited for what was in store and prayed to get some snow.

BHPian varunraizada recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Warning and Suggestions before we dive in

• This is a really long travel Blog, so remove some time to read it
• Please see the pics in full screen (click on the pic to zoom into full screen mode)
• Keep making notes for your trip !

There's a cycle of life.

• Have a Dream
• Find ways of achieving it
• Give it the final push
• Live it
• Repeat

Well, till very recently, I thought, the cycle ends at Step 2, till I realized, the most difficult, critical and life changeing step is the 3rd one.

Here's a story of one such dream which we managed to get to Step 5

Dream Catchers

We (3 cars, 5 people) were all set to pack off to Spiti Valley

We : 3 Bhpians (Bhushan, Sauvik and me)

• 2 cousins of Bhushan (A & S)
• Bussy (VW Van)
• Furteela Ghonga 2.0 (White Fortuner from Mumbai)
• Haryanvi (White Fortuner from Gurgaon)

The Plan

Bussy, FG 2.0, Bhushan Sauvik and me were to start driving from Mumbai and Haryanvi and A & S were to join us from Gurgaon

At this time of the year, we were expecting roads to be shut between Manali and Kaza, thus we planned to go via Shimla to Kaza and then return back in case the roads were found to be shut .

BTW, this is Bussy

This was a short trip (Gurgaon Kaza Gurgaon in 7 days) and it was everyone's (except Bhushan) first trip to Spiti, so we were prepared to be on the road most of the time, although we kept 2 days for Kaza

Our single minded focus was to find some snow there ! (Probability was decent if we got clear roads without land slides)

Preparation

Warm Clothing

1. Warm Jacket - Rateted about 5 degrees
2. Warm Jacket - Rated about -15 to -20 degrees
3. Thermal Inners - for about 4 to 5 days
4. Wollen Socks
5. Gloves
6. Wollen Cap (Covering the ears)
7. Neck Warmer

All of the above items are critical during different temperatures that we came across. We mostly shopped from Decathlon who have superb quality stuff at a reasobale cost

Car

1. Additional set of wipers (Just in case the rubber hardens in sub zero termperature) - Nothing like this was observed
2. Jumper cable - As a precaution - Thankfully this wasn't required for any of the cars
3. Snow Chains -In anticipation
4. Tow Ropes - In case we get stuck
5. Wiper Fluid - In case we need to drain it in the night to avoid freezing and bursting of the pipe - Wasn't required
6. WD40
7. Few Micro Fiber clothes
8. Tyre Inflator / Deflator
9. Puncture Kit - Although we did encounter a puncture, the TPMS warned us and we got the puncture repaired at a local shop

Again, these items are critical for a long road trip - Better to be safe than sorry , especialy in a place where we may not find someone to help for miles together

Medication

• First Aid Kit
• Many Band Aids - In the cold, it's easy to get bruised
• Sunscreen
• Diamox - We had one every day when we were ascending
• Oxygen Can

Food and Eatables

We carried quite a bit of food in the cars as there are trips where you will get something to eat only in villages that we reach and not anywhere else. If you're well fed every morning, this should not be a problem. We were overprepared on this one

Photography Equipment

1. Camera
2. Lenses
3. Go Pro
4. Drone

(Not getting into details here, else this will become another thread in itself)

Day Wise Iternarary

• Day 1 (11th April) - Mumbai to Gurgaon
• Day 2 (12th April) - Gurgaon to Khandaghat
• Day 3 (13th April) - Khandaghat to Sangla
• Day 4 (14th April) - Sangla to Chitkul to Tabo
• Day 5 (15th April) - Tabo to Kaza
• Day 6 (16th April) - Kaza
• Day 7 (17th April) - Kaza to Kalpa
• Day 8 (18th April) - Kalpa to Gurgaon
• Day 9 (19th April) - Gurgaon to Mumbai

Total Distance Covered : 5004 km

Sections marked in Pink are the sections of NE4 (Delhi Mumbai Eway) that are currently open)

I'll try to mention a daily record of the places we visited, route taken, road conditions and of course lots of pictures. Read on !

By the way, this is Bussy

Day 1 - Mumbai to Gurgaon

We left Mumbai around 5pm and reached Gurgaon at about 2pm (About 21 hrs including breaks). We were 3 drivers, so the drive was nice, safe and not at all a stretched one.

Route taken

• Mumbai to Bharuch - NH48 - 325km
• Bharuch to Dehgam (NE4 interchange) - 10km
• Bharuch to Vadodara - NE4 - Reyaka Exit - 91km
• Vadodara to Thandla NE4 Interchange , MP (Via Godhara) - NH148N - 218km
• Thandla Interchange to Bhanpura Interchange - NE4 - 211km
• Bhanpura Interchange to Kushtala Toll Plaza NE4 Interchange - NH148D - 257km
• Kushtala to Sohna - NE4 - 295km

• Sohna to Gurgaon - 20km

Total : 1425km

Notes : Google Maps will try to route you through internal roads especially in the Gujarat and MP sections connecting the two interchanges of NE4. Try to stay on NH148 / NH52 always, even if it may lead to a 20 to 30 km additional route. The internal roads are narrow and full of speedbreakers / bad roads.

Taking the NE 4 on the 3 sections where it is ready was an amazing experience and also time saving (Except for the Bharuch / Vadodara section - where NH48 might be faster as we need to go through Vadodara city towards Godhara) . We managed to beat google ETA by almost 4 hrs over the entire 1425km journey due to that

Here's a footage showing the eway in full glory

NE4 Feedback

Bharuch to Vadodara - 90km(8 lane) section is concrete road and very similar experience to the Mumbai Pune EW. Slightly underwhelming given that this is a greenfield project, the quality of roads could have been better - We paid zero toll here given that this was recently launched and it's toll free till elections we believe

Thandla to Bhanpura (MP Section) - (8 lane) One of the best roads to drive on in India ! Fresh tarmac with hardly any undulations - We could count the number of cars that we passed during the entrie 211km route . Risk : We encountered a fox and a hare on the eWay. This was during our night drive. Please drive with highbeam and keep an eye on the sides of the road for any movement that might come through onto the road. Best to stay within the speed limits (120kmph)

Sawai Madhopur to Sohna : 297 km (8 lane) - Fantastic road quality but about 90% of the MP section. Well inhabited in terms of traffic. There's a 15km toll free section where we encountered wrong side driving by bikers - That too on the rightmost overtaking lane - So please drive carefully here

Day 2 - Gurgaon to Kandaghat

The original plan was to reach Narkanda on this day, but we got extremely late in starting from Gurgaon which meant some traffic getting to the highway and stopping our trip pre maturely at Kandaghat

We picked up the sparkling Haryanvi and loaded it with our stuff.

There was an issue with the spare tyre of the car, due to which we needed to rotate the tyres and also get the alignment and balancing done for both the cars. This took us some time causing a dealy. We stopped at Cosmopolitan Wheels - We would rate it 4.5 on 5 for the quality of work, service and hospitality they showed

We then set off towards Rohtak to take the trans Haryana Expressway (NH152D) to Ismalibad (About 40km from Ambala / 100km from Chandigarh). Roads again were majestic with minimal traffic.

The views around the eway were brilliant with fields and farms all across on both sides . This joins NH152 to lead to Panchkula. We took some photo breaks as wel

As we were quite late entering Himachal, we found sparse traffic at most places and took the right before Shimla towards Chail.

Given the roads becoming extremely narrow and the wonderful scenic beauty of the place, we did not want to drive in the night , so we decided to stop at the first decent hotel / homestay. We found the same at Kandaghat where we checked in at 11pm .

Seven Heaven Home Stay

Feedback on the HomeStay - Very decent , peaceful and hospitable staff. We only had to spend the night and had planned to leave really early morning next day.

I'll rate it 4 out of 5

One feedback - Avoid delaying dinner as we found that most hotels / eateries were shut post 10pm and we found nothing. Even this homestay couldn't provide us with dinner at 11pm so we dug into our reserves we loaded from Mumbai.

Day 3 - Kandaghat to Sangla

We were up an awake at 5am and ready to start by 6am. This was the first day of sub 10degrees temperature and we all had our teeth tottering

Driving lot at Kandaghat Hotel

The whole day today was only driving and trying to reach Chitkul / Sangla.

Kandaghat to Kufri - We took the Shimla By Pass route through Chail and met NH5 at Kufri. This ensured that we don't get into the mess of Shimla during the day and also a fantastic and scenic road to Kufri. The negative of this route is that the roads are very narrow and need to be careful and slow all through to Kufri , but we were not in a hurry :-)

Kufri to Narkanda - Roads are two lane and quality of roads is brilliant for NH5.

Narkanda was infested with rash cab drivers so we went even slower inside the town.

Narkanda to Rampur - We had to descend here and Rampur reminded us of the plains as the temperature suddenly soared to 30 degrees

Rampur to Karcham - Two lane fantastic tar road (Only issue is roads getting spoilt due to landslides) - There are sudden places where we found this issue and thus it is advicable to go slow in these sections

Karcham to Sangla - The road becomes a single road here and is a Kaccha Road . Need to be slow and careful as there are no barriers on the cliff side.

Again, our hard cut off was when the daylight ends as we didn't want to miss out on the lovely landscapes

So, today was about very few photo breaks. Sharing some

Bussy about 20km from Shimla

A clear distinction of the types of mountains / terrains and weather we found in Spiti. It's quite marvelous the difference which is clearly visible

While waiting for roads to be cleared after a small landslide, the clouds decided to give us a beautiful sight

Hotel where we stayed - Hotel Sangla Mansion - https://maps.app.goo.gl/1L7VYuWHaAVCC33n8

Part of INEJ Hotels Group - This is a chain of 4 hotels that has been started off in 2022 and Sikandar and his wife are doing a marvelous job in creating a brand that most of us will absolutely love. The stand out for us was their hospitality. Never before have we felt so much at home ! We really wish this chain grows larger in the Spiti circuit catering to travellers like us

Highly recomended

Feedback and Rating : 4.5 out of 5 - Only reason is the lack of heaters / bed warmers - May be they will build that in very soon.

Continue reading BHPian Varunraizada's travelogue for more insights and information.

It rained heavily as we exited Bengaluru, didn't change into rain gear, but we dried up by the time we reached.

BHPian shyamg28 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

This was a trip we took back in 2021 on our beloved RE Himalayan.

Bengaluru to Spiti - The One with the visuals

Let the pictures do the talking before any of my words spoil this log

Leaving home.

Bangalore to Hyderabad.

NH44 - our home for the next few days.

Entering Telangana.

Towards Hyderabad.

Hyderabad to Nagpur.

Getting out of Nagpur city.

Exited Nagpur and stopped for a small photo shoot.

Getting out of Nagpur city.

Continue reading BHPian shyamg28's travelogue for more insights and information.

DPF issues in the Thar at high altitudes got solved with excellent service by Mahindra service centers.

BHPian BikerKeeda recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Typically, when planning a group trip, the number of people who commit often drops by at least half on the actual day. Surprisingly, our initial plan involved 5 bikes and 5 riders, but it ended up with 6 bikes, 4 cars, and a total of 15 people.

Here's the breakdown of vehicles:

• Himalayans: 6
• Thar: 2
• Scorpio: 1
• Bolero Neo: 1

The Bolero exceeded my expectations on this trip, giving me the confidence that exploring the country with the Neo will be a breeze.

Over the course of 18 days, we covered a distance of 5123.4 kilometers.

Planning:

1: How did we end up planning the trip with Bikes and Cars? Is it a good idea for Bikes and Cars to go together as a group?

Let's find out.

My group was planning this trip and I spontaneously committed to pitch in as a 5th rider. When I went back home, I realized I got married recently and wifey would not be happy if I tell her that I am planning trip alone  so I told here WE are going SPITI on bike. She is not used to travel as pillion on the bike so she was concerned for which we did a trial ride for her to Bhimashankar. It was a night ride and conclusion was we can not go to SPITI on bike as I was riding these many years solo and it would be challenging for her as well as me to ride in difficult terrains. So we dropped the plan however, the urge was not settling in and we asked our friends if it is okay with them if I join with my newly purchased Bolero Neo? With a lot of discussions, listing down pros and cons we all agreed that I can act as a backup vehicle for the group and it will be an advantage for us.

Then I casually called my friend asking him if he and his wife wants to join me in Bolero, he said I will call you tomorrow and cut the call. I was sure there is going to be a negative reply but the other day he called and said Yes We are joining but with my Thar. And then another friend came to know about the plan so he also pitched in with his Thar and one of the biker who was already in the plan asked his kids if they want to join, they said yes and then came the Scorpio. So we ended up with 6 Bikes and 4 Cars.

We all were concerned about going as a group because the terrain was difficult and going as a group means you also have to stay together as a group. However, cars were not going to keep up with the bikes in the mountains so we decided that we will treat this trip as 2 groups going together. Bikes and Cars will go as individual groups and will coordinate during the journey. We laid down some ground rules.

• NO MAN LEFT BEHIND
• Both groups will decide the location we want to meet at the end of the day and will meet there.
• No rush. It is okay to spend more time on fewer spots than rushing through the itinerary.

With a leap of faith in our friendship we decided let's give it a try, it will be a fun experience.

2: What was the itinerary?

One of our rider Sharath (@Sharath_Chandra) was planning for this since 2 years and the route he had planned, had some scenic and challenging routes. It was amazing. Attaching the original excel file here for reference.

3: Things to carry

I did some work to gather details about all the prerequisites which includes

• Car Spares
• Documents
• Medicines
• Other things to carry.

Group was instructed to print 2 copies of the document, use 1 while shopping for all the stuff, and tick with a pen so nothing will be missed. And another printout will help while packing the stuff so there will be a double check.

4: How did we co-ordinate during journey?

Bikers were connected over SENA mesh and we car guys decided to procure the Walkie Talkies. Getting walkies turned out to be THE BEST decision of the trip. It helped us save a lot of time during travel, with just a click of a button we could coordinate with the group.

Mistake: We bought the walkies which can change frequencies not knowing that we need license to operate those, however, with a lot of research we found the government documentation about the citizen band which citizens can use without license. Refer page 78 on this link.

Citizen band: 446.0 - 446.2 MHz

We got a cable which will help us charge the walkies inside car while travelling.

Journey

Meeting point was decided as Chandigarh. Bikes were being transported and cars were going to travel by road.

Day 1: Cars started from Pune at 5:05 am with aim of reaching Jaipur by eod.

Maintaining 100-110 we managed to reach Kota by eod covering 950 kms.

Could not reach Jaipur as we started 2 hours late than a planned start time and we faced some traffic near Ujjain.

Route: Pune-Nashik-Dhule-Ujjain-Kota

Before reaching Kota, we booked our rooms and had dinner at the hotel. After celebrating friends birthday we called it a day at 1 am and went to sleep.

Day 2: We started the day 2 towards the meeting point i.e. Chandigarh.

Reached Chandigarh by evening.

Route: Kota-Deoli-Jaipur-Narnaul-Ambala-Chandigarh

Experience of driving on Trance Haryana Express Way was amazing and extremely challenging. We had to be extra attentive and cautious while traveling there. You tend to get bored and there is always a risk of falling asleep because of the boredom and if you manage to stay awake, then there is always a risk of highway hypnosis. Walkies helped us be awake as we were messing with each other to keep the brains active.

Tip: one of the best practice I personally follow in my 500+ km journeys on bike as well as car, is while checking the rear view mirror, instead of just moving pupils and looking at the mirror, I move my head and neck, and I turn towards the mirror. I have been practicing this for past 12+ years and has helped me a lot.
Pic from the Trans Haryana Express Way

Size comparison of Thar with grandpa Commander :P

By the end of 2nd day we grouped up with the bikers in Chandigarh and on day 3 we started our journey to Shimla, which was our first stop where we were going to stay for a day and give ourselves time to acclimatize.

Day 3: With few challenges like all big journeys have, but we were prepared for them so we managed to move ahead with slight delays.

Group picture while starting our trip.

Some of the challenges we face during trip are:

• Rear disc pads worn our due to dead peddling during off-road patch. We had spare break pads and changed them ourselves.
• Blocked fuel filter due to low fuel quality in BS6 Himalayan. We opened the tank to access the fuel filter and clean it on the go.
• DPF issues in Thar got solved with excellent service by Mahindra service centers.
• Rim of one Himalayan was bent due to hard impact was repaired and brought to a ridable condition with the help of a hammer in KAZA.
• Heavy rain and car repairs caused delay and split the group into 2 but for one night only.

Day 3 onwards, it was an experience which can not be put into words hence I am attaching few pictures at the end of this post to share few of the unlimited moments we lived together.

Memorable Experiences:

• 950 kms & 800 kms drive
• Minus 9 Degrees at KAZA
• Journey to KunZum pass via Jungle, 2 hours driving uphill on 1st gear through slush
• Snowfall at Giu Monastery
• Spotting Mountain Deer's and Yaks

Few tips:

• Plan a trip in advance with good research
• Distribute the responsibilities amongst group members
• Prepare physically before you go in the mountains
• Drink plenty of fluids in the mountains
• Eat light and take frequent breaks during long highway journeys
• Get to know basics of your car/bike. At least you should be able to change tires, change break pads, clutch/accelerator cable, bleed breaks
• When you learn above things, make sure you try them once before starting the journey.
• Get a dashcam, a basic dashcam would also do.
• Click a lot of pictures but don't get lost into camera. Enjoy the beauty through your eyes first then focus on capturing moments.

Roads till KAZA are butter smooth. Once you enter the SPITI valley, the roads are even better than the highways we get nationwide, BRO has done fantastic job. Only Kaza to Manali is the patch where you have to do off-roading and this is the patch for which you go there.

You get water crossings, snow on the road, snow walls, punctured vehicles and what not.

The real adventure is hidden in this last patch. If you find anyone in need of help, please take a stop and help them. You might fall behind by couple of hours in your plan but you might help save some real problems.

Let's browse through the memory lane.

Halo at Dhankar Monastery

Bolero With Halo

SPITI Roads at their best

Mandatory I Love SPITI pic

Somewhere on the road, Neo enjoying the protection by 2 THARs

Snow walls on the way to Kunzum pass.

Snow walls on the way to Manali from Kaza.

Riding through these walls is an amazing experience in itself. You have to keep check of the water on the road while going through walls, they are deep and have mid size rocks at times. If you don't ditch them, they can damage the underbody.

Size comparison with Scorpio

Continue reading BHPian BikerKeeda's travelogue for more insights and information.

For such trips, it is a must to keep the car in top-notch mechanical condition. We did not have any backup vehicle & we encountered an issue with the Duster.

BHPian PointZero recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The frozen waterfalls, The highest polling station, The holiest monastery, The highest village, The highest Filling station, The mud Houses, The highest level of the post office, The Mummy, Glaciers, the Lowest population Panchayat, the Cold desert, The frozen rivers and lakes - Well, so many things to list but I am sure that you have already drawn a picture of Spiti in your imagination. And it was not the lure of an imaginary land for us, we had been there before and this time we preferred the winter to witness how the valley looked covered with a white blanket. On the other hand, the smoother tar roads through the oak woods, the verdant hills, cascading waterfalls and a long drive from the origin to the mouth of the holiest river Ganga pull us to visit Gangotri to be endowed by the goddess Ganga.

It was October 2019 when Tanmoy (My Brother) & Soumyadip (My College Friend) agreed to sail for the North. We had a lot to prepare for the trip but one thing we decided was that we would not do any pre-booking for the entire trip. As we were only three men and no family members we could even spend nights anywhere with a little arrangement of shelter. For food and water, we chose to carry out a complete cooking arrangement to survive for 3-4 days. The biggest question was the vehicle.

When I plan for a long trip I always prefer the Lazy Turtle (My Bolero) over any other vehicle as I know my vehicle well and it still offers less electronics compared to the other modern vehicles. On the other side, we had a choice of Soumyadip’s AWD Renault Duster which is very capable, comfortable, fast (Compared to Bolero) and proven over the years. And we envy each other whenever any of us put some good pictures of our vehicle in some good place. It was obvious that we would select the AWD Duster not only for a technical reason but it can also be driven by both Soumyadip and Me whereas if we take the Bolero then it's only me who has to drive for the entire trip as Soumyadip is not comfortable to drive Bolero. And with a heavy heart, I agreed not to be overwhelmed with some good snaps of Lazy Turtles from the trip.

For such trips, it is a must to keep the vehicle in top-notch mechanical condition as we did not have any plan for a backup vehicle. Here we got an issue in the vehicle, the Duster was less than two years old and only 25000 KM run but sometimes noise was coming from the rear wheel bearing. Without any delay, we asked the Renault service center to replace the pair under warranty and they confirmed that within 3 weeks they would arrange an alternate.

Unfortunately, one week before the trip started we were informed that they could not arrange the parts and hence we needed to live with the faulty bearing. I was mostly worried about the situation thinking that even if the bearing works till we return from the trip the noise will increase gradually and it will be irritating for a long drive. Finally, we started the journey on 23rd December with our fingers crossed with the hope that the fault bearing would not cause trouble till the end of the trip.

Glimpse

Hibernation mode activated

Winter is coming

Driving in a winter wonderland

Standing on a lake

Memories made in the mountains

The relaxing murmur of a freezing river

The eye is always caught by light, but shadows have more to say.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness

Itinerary:

• DAY 01: Kolkata - Varanasi, UP
• DAY 02: Varanasi - Karnal, HR
• DAY 03: Karnal - Narkanda, HP
• DAY 04: Narkanda - Kalpa, HP
• DAY 05: Kalpa - Nako - Puh - Chango, HP
• DAY 06: Chango - Dhankar - Kaza, HP
• DAY 07: Kaza - Chicham Bridge - Langza - Hikkim - Kaza - Tabo, HP
• DAY 08: Tabo - Chango - Rakcham, HP
• DAY 09: Rakcham - Chitkul - Suru - Samla, HP
• DAY 10: Samla - Chakrata - Tiger Fall - Quansi, UK
• DAY 11: Quansi - Uttarkashi, UK
• DAY 12: Uttarkashi - Bharwari - Gangotri - Harsil, UK
• DAY 13: Harsil - Srinagarh - Khirsu, UK
• DAY 14: Khirsu - Rishikesh - Haridwar - Rampur - Meerut - Yamuna Expressway, UP
• DAY 15: Yamuna Expressway - Lucknow - Dehri, BH
• DAY 16: Dehri - Kolkata

Preparation

Other than the periodic vehicle service and enough warm clothes we carried a few utility items which offer more confidence and in a worried situation it works like an additional insurance. Duster provides an ample amount of boot space and I already have the complete set we carried the below items with us -

• 20L diesel Jerry Can and Spout.
• Jump Start Cable.
• OBD device with Bluetooth connectivity.
• 50 feet long ¾ inch diameter nylon rope.
• Antifreeze diesel additive.
• Coolant & Brake Oil.
• Electronic Tyre Inflator and Puncture Kit.
• Shovel
• Camping Stool
• Sleeping Bags (-20 degree C grade)
• Tent and Tent Light
• Gas Stove and Butane Gas Canister
• 50L ice box full of ready-to-eat or easy-to-cook food items.
• 3 X 2L Thermo Flask for drinking water
• Head Torch
• Big Umbrella
• Packing Tape
• Car DC to AC (220V) Adapter
• Tyre Chain (1 pair )
• Oxygen Cans

DAY 01: Kolkata - Varanasi, UP

In the last few years, we learnt that if we start on a weekend from Kolkata we face unnecessary traffic in the city which continues till Durgapur/Asansol. The reason is that many people who stay in Kolkata for a job and used to travel to their native place for the weekend used to start on Saturday morning. So keeping this in mind we started on Thursday morning with fresh energy and current work-from-home options allow Soumyadip and my brother to travel on weekdays with their laptops. For the first day, we took many breaks as sometimes Soumyadip or my brother needed to take some important calls in a stable network. On the first evening, we reached Varanasi and decided to spend the night there.

DAY 02: Varanasi - Karnal, HR

As there was not much travel on a fast day, we were full of energy and started early. We kept the Purbanchal highway for the return journey and took the old route via Prayagraj, Kanpur, Lucknow-Agra Expressway, Yamuna Expressway & Eastern Peripheral Expressway. Thankfully we did not have to take breaks for office work as everyone was in holiday mode on the last day of work in the year. With typical food/tea breaks, we reached Karnal around 8:00 PM.

Somewhere before catching the Lucknow-Agra expressway

In 2017, we found a hotel in Karnal that provides a good stay along with safe parking. So without moving further we spent the night in Karnal and prayed for less fog the next morning.

DAY 03: Karnal - Narkanda, HP

This is the third time I chose Narkanda to spend a day there. Not just because of the location connectivity issues, the staying option in Narkanda Circuit House is also very attractive. It was predicted that the morning would be very foggy in Haryana, but after a couple of hours, the road was clear without any waste of time until we reached Narkanda in the afternoon.

Dense fog on Delhi-Chandigarh Road - Video

Before Narkanda we had to collect the antifreeze diesel additive and one of our friends there delivered us on the way. So we were all set for the next moves.

Reaching in Narkanda, I got a little unhappy. In December 2017 when we were in Narkanda, we saw it was almost covered by snow, however, this time the temperature was even lower than in 2017 still there was hardly any snow on the road or beside. Yes, the weather has changed a lot in the last 4-5 years but I was not sure that it has changed so much.

Similar frame from dec - 2017 with Lazy Turtle

Another from 2017 with Lazy Turtle

The last two times, we had a very good experience in a restaurant situated in Narkanda Market, so this time also we chose to spend the evening in the same restaurant to have some coffee and good food there. I am not very sure whether the quality has been lessened permanently or not but for the day it was not at all satisfactory. This is the day we started enjoying the sub-zero temperature.

DAY 04: Narkanda - Kalpa, HP

Going to Kalpa was not in the actual plan and we could have gone to Nako directly. However, Kalpa in winter is always a favourite place of mine. The main reason is that in the other season, many people reach there and you will face chaos. In winter most of the hotels get closed so spending some time watching the Kinner Kailash from Kalpa is simply fabulous and we didn't want to miss it. As it was a lazy day and less drive-in plan, we took many breaks in between and reached Kalpa after lunch. As usual, most of the hotel was closed, so we had only a few options to choose from but fortunately, the view from the hotel and balcony was amazing.

First snow in Kalpa, Himachal - Dec 2021 - Video

Reached Kalpa

This is the only day we got a little snowfall in the evening on this trip.

Continue reading about PointZero's road trip for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

Apart from the KTMs, we also had a Yezdi and 3 Royal Enfield Himalayan bikes in the riding group.

BHPian masterChief007 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have a personal philosophy to try a new thing every year, this keeps the clock ticking and helps in building new memories to replace some old ones which one needs to let go.

Skippable Background

I was doing too many Google searches on KTM vs Interceptor 650, once I found that my Bullet Std 350 CI though a sweet thumper is not anymore a mile muncher in the highways. Sure she can do 600-650 kms rides, but it's always filled with more exhaustion, than relaxation due to the sluggish nature of the ride.

I really liked the KTM adv and the Interceptor 650, but was leaning more towards the KTM. Eventually, I decided that the 5 km test ride is not enough to plonk lakhs of rupees into a bike which will be stuck with me for the next 15 years (possibly). Browsing through the KTM sites and internet I came across a group ride with KTM bikes for spiti/leh. This will give me enough "test-ride" to make a solid decision.

In between I also had the most irritating task of searching a new house for rent. The dates for the Spiti trips were all set for June and I had to vacate my house in June too. Thus my frantic house search began which consisted of 100 kms minimum of travel in my bullet and finalized one dwelling. In between I was juggling office work, FC renewal of my bullet, personal issues and zillions of miscellaneous items. I booked the trip with the company for the June 1st week slot and started getting ready for the trip.

Gearing Up

I had a 10 yrs old Dsg Nero jacket which is clearly not at all capable for Himalayan adventure anymore. So I went to the Rynox showroom and got hold of a stealth Evo3 jacket, a couple of bungee cords, rain liners for the jacket and rain pants. Also, I got a tank pouch from Guardian Gears for a princely sum of 600/- which I think is a good accessory that could possibly free up your pockets from bulging up and cheap enough to let it stick to the bike unattended.

Trip Plan

The trip was planned as below.

• Day 1: BLR to Chandigarh arrival and bike assignment
• Day 2: Ride from Chandigarh to Narkanda
• Day 3: Narkanda to Chitkul
• Day 4: Chitkul to Nako
• Day 5: Nako to Kaza
• Day 6: Kaza and nearby places
• Day 7: Kaza to Batal
• Day 8: Batal to Manali
• Day 9: Manali to Chandigarh
• Day 10: Chandigarh to BLR

There were some concerns about not being able to explore Chandratal due to ice on the roads, but for me, I was oblivious to where I go, for me going was the destination in itself, where it didn't matter. Sometimes life sets you up with pieces you can't really play, those times it's important to just play for the sake of it, win or lose doesn't matter. If not this then the next game will be better, but for that to happen you need to get along and play the current one.

Day 1: Red eye flight to Chandigarh

Being of middle-class disposition it was always paramount that I will save a few thousand bucks over the comfort of good sleep, so not as a surprise to myself I ended up clicking on the 4.45 am flight and doomed myself to a sleepless night for catching the flight. 2 days back I had already check listed my things to carry and dumped everything in my 70L trekking rucksack.

For the riding gear, I planned to carry them in my hand-baggage as losing them was not an option. Other clothes I will get in Chandigarh too. So I dismantled all the armor inserts from the Jackets and Pants and stowed them precisely in the hand baggage. Whose weight came out to be 6.5 kgs and thus within the carrying limit.

Got a cab at 12 am reached the airport by 1 am and finishing off the baggage drop and security check I prepared myself for the long wait for boarding. I had carried "A Life over Two Beers" by Sanjeev Sanyal which is a light read, so delved into the book and a few of the songs from my mobile.

Slowly the time crept up and I got into the flight for an amazing view of the morning sun.

The Chandigarh Airport is shared with IAF so multiple Antonovs were sighted when the flight landed. As is the norm with us Indian fliers, before even the gates were open passengers started jostling with their luggage as if all the windows will turn doors. I admire their zeal to get off the plane even knowing that they will anyways have to wait in the baggage belt for their luggage. Ignoring all the hustle I read a page more of the book and once the queue started moving I got my gears and got my luggage and headed out for the "Airport Pre Paid Taxi", Which is a scam of 800/- vs 450/- as shown by OLA/UBER apps. Based on the trip coordinator's suggestion and against my better judgement I opted for the scammy pre-paid and headed towards the hotel near the Chandigarh railway station.

Somehow managed to get an early check-in, then freshened up and restored my riding gear with the armor inserts and got it ready. Slowly more riders/pillions started joining in and we started cussing the trip coordinator en masse upon the location of the hotel. The hotel staff and interiors were nice but the location was of serious concern for all.

As being a diligent foodie I had already prepared a list of places to cover and the first of them was Pal dhaba. So I and a bunch of other fellow riders and pillions headed towards the shop and ordered a jumbo serving of tandoori chickens, butter chicken, naan and tandoori roti apart from malai lassi. Butter chicken was okay but not up to the mark but the rest of the stuff was quite good. Lassi was awesome though and we had a second glass too.

In the evening we got introduced to our rides. I did a customary check and picked up a bike which I felt was decent enough. The not being able to flat-foot the ground hit me immediately as to turn the bike's orientation it was difficult from the saddle as I was not getting enough traction from the ground. So as would be the norm in future, I would get down and would steer the vehicle off the saddle. The first ride itself was off-road and I was a bit anxious about a fall, this was bound to happen but today was not the day.

I took the bike out and got the tank filled and fumbled with the tank cap when closing (riding a new bike comes with its own challenges as I was faithful to my bullet all these years, and these simple operations seemed like piloting a fighter jet ).

Then took the bike for LS2 shopping as the accompanying helmet was like a papad. So got it from the famed helmet shoppe in sector 21/22. After that returned back to hotel chatted and made acquaintances with many of the riders/pillions while sitting on the hotel terrace. At night we had a sumptuous dinner. Discussed the next day's plan with the ride captain. And then headed back to our rooms for rest.

Day 2: Chandigarh to Narkanda - Jam jam jammy

I woke up early as I am used to, finished off my chores and then headed out for a cup of tea, which in the location was difficult to find and was a bit of a walk away. Returned back and slowly everyone started getting ready. There were KTMs, a yezdi, and 3 Himalayans, out of which 1 each of KTM, yezdi and Himalayan were personal vehicles of the riders. The riders were from all over India - Maharashtra, Gujrat, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan. But namma Bengaluru was over-represented

As usual in a group, there is bound to be a delay and thus we were waiting on our bikes and sweating in the typical Chandigarh heat. Finally, the time had come and we started the ride after fueling up. Chandigarh being in the foothills, we didn't take much time to reach the hilly sections of the highway towards Solang. The roads were excellent and we started to get into the lap of the Himalayas.

Feeling upbeat about the ride we were all happily cruising on our mighty 390 Advs, I was still getting used to the mirrored controls in every aspect of gear and rear brake operations but it was a smooth-shifting motorcycle with immense pickup on the road. Overtaking of larger vehicles was just with a slight twist of the wrist. It was a totally different experience than the bullet, and I was loving it.

But all good things come to an end and so did the smooth rides as we entered Shimla. It had already started raining and on top of that the miles-long traffic jams were a car driver's nightmare. We being on bikes made faster progress but here I realised that the tank pouch was unable to help me navigate easily as via the helmet the mobile was not easily visible. I started missing my bobo holder, which I forgot to bring to the trip. Every time I lost my way I would stop the bike, check the map on the mobile and remember the next turns to take and ride again, which was quite a tedious process.

After getting out of Shimla, we headed out for Narkanda and on the way we stopped at an eatery to have simple dal-rice. With Shimla in our rear view now, the roads were quite less congested and we again started enjoying the ride. Riding in a group has its disadvantages as you don't get to stop where you want to take a pic and you have to stop and stop for longer when you don't want to. So a few pics which I managed to get on the way to our camp at Narkanda.

We had already made good acquaintances with our fellow riders and pillions by this time, all were friendly and nice people including the ride captain and the support staff in the backup vehicle. It was a friendly journey together and I was enjoying my time riding.

Finally, after a few hours of riding, I had my first real experience of off-roading when we took a steep gravelled downhill path to the camp stay at Narkanda. To top it off I was not using the rear brake as it was confusing enough to operate the mirrored gear controls so had to handle the gravel path by using only the front brake (Which is not advisable on turns, but it was too confusing to use the rear brake for my 4-speed RS brain ). In a tall bike where you don't have the guarantee to reach the ground, I negotiated a bit carefully to not make a mistake.

A Note to Self: need to learn to manage tall bikes in uneven terrain. Due to not being flexible/aware enough I had 2-3 parking falls in the trip. More on that later.

The views from the campsite were gorgeous.

As the night started settling in, the cold started hitting us fast. Being in the heat of Chandigarh, the first bite of the Himalayan chill was starting to register. I sat a while near the campfire after dinner and as the crowd there started dissolving I headed downstairs where the party had just begun with torches as disco lights and whatnot. It was a fun time there sitting there and enjoying the songs and the vibe.

Continue reading masterChief007's road trip experience for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

As we departed from Tabo, we crossed the Tabo bridge and soon found ourselves on the most treacherous & adventurous stretch of road encountered thus far.

BHPian ADI_77 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I would like begin this travelogue with this captivating photograph, brimming with emotions, unforgettable memories, and so many untold stories. It depicts the triumphant moment when as a team we stood atop the summit, a determination to drive to Spiti. It represented the culmination of twelve days of relentless driving across diverse terrains, where we delved into the heart of untouched nature, experienced vibrant cultures, savored interesting cuisines and so much more. So let us embark on this journey through ‘FLASHBACK’ mode.

The setting:

In 2021 we embarked on a thrilling adventure to Ladakh with 'Blacky' - my TATA Harrier XZ. Conquering the rugged terrains and overcoming challenges, we forged an unbreakable bond. It was an exhilarating experience with some lifetime memories that left me craving for more.

As the year 2023 rolled in, 'Blacky' celebrated her third birthday in March, reminding me that her time had come for yet another epic journey.
As the idea of embarking on a road trip to Spiti settled in my mind, a rush of excitement surged through my veins, giving me goosebumps. Known to be a thrilling escapade for travel enthusiasts, the Spiti circuit promised a mixed bag of experiences.

It would take us through some of the most treacherous roads in the world, amidst ever-changing weather conditions. The thought of potentially encountering a landslide sent a shiver down my spine.But it wasn't just the unpredictable roads that concerned me. The region's remote and challenging terrain posed another set of difficulties. The oxygen levels could drop dramatically, leaving us gasping for breath. The endless list of "what ifs" played on my mind. What if we got stranded in the middle of nowhere? What if we couldn't find help? Yet, deep down, I knew that these risks were part of what made the Spiti circuit so alluring. the thought of jagged mountain peaks, vast expanses of barren desert, and crystal-clear rivers was irresistible. With every passing day, my anticipation grew stronger. I imagined the wind in my hair as we navigated the winding roads, the thrill of overcoming each obstacle that lay in our path. The journey would test our mettle, challenging us physically and mentally. But it was precisely this adventure that we sought—the chance to break free from the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary. So as a team we were all set to drive to Spiti, knowing that this would make for some unforgettable memories.

With the date set 24th May, anticipation filled the air as we counted down the days. We spent countless hours fine-tuning our preparations, ensuring that 'Blacky' was in perfect shape to conquer the rugged terrains that lay ahead.

Day 1: Ahmedabad to Kotputli:

Setting off with an early start at 5:20 AM from our home in Ahmedabad, our adventure began. By 9:30 AM, we had already crossed Udaipur.

The weather was on our side, with intermittent clouds shielding us from the scorching sun. Driving along NH48, a familiar route I had traversed countless times on my way to Jaipur, felt somewhat monotonous. The only notable changes over the years were the heavy truck traffic and occasional unexpected diversions before reaching Jaipur. However, one thing that remained constant was the sheer joy of leaving behind a dry state and entering the vibrant realm of Rajasthan (a sentiment only understood by those hailing from Gujarat).

As we continued our journey, we enjoyed a working breakfast, savouring the sandwiches the wifey had packed for the road. Approaching Jaipur, the weather took an unexpected turn. A gentle drizzle greeted us, offering a refreshing change, the rain accompanied us on our drive until we reached Kotputli. After a long tiring & uneventful day of highway driving, we finally arrived at our first stop for the night, Hotel Highway Prince. We had booked a deluxe family room for the night.

Day 2: Kotputli to Kasauli:

We kicked off our day's journey at 8:30 AM, filled with anticipation for a smooth and straightforward drive. The highlight of our drive was undoubtedly the newly constructed Trans Haryana Expressway, NH152D. However, after a minor delay due to ongoing road digging at Kotputli, we found ourselves on the NH152D. What amazed us was the lack of traffic along the entire 232-kilometer stretch until the Ambala bypass. It felt as if we were driving on a runway. We engaged 'Blacky's' cruise control and zipped along. Occasionally, we had to reduce our speed to 100 kmph where speed cameras were positioned. The NH152D has well-designed rest areas including clean toilets, fuel bunks & eating joints on both sides.

We soon left the expressway and entered Punjab, where beautiful Sunflower farms welcomed us on both sides. Interestingly, most of the cars we passed had oversized tires, regardless of their size, reflecting the Punjabi Swag.

Our lunch stop was "Haldirams" on Zirakpur road where we couldn’t resist ordering the ‘Cholle Bhature’, Hereon we continued our journey on the iconic NH05, also known as the Trans Himalayan Highway, which would lead us all the way up to the hills. As we ascended towards Kasauli, we passed through the "Welcome to Devbhoomi Himachal" gate.

The NH05 stretch is adorned with numerous shops selling juices, jams, wines, pickles (HPMC), and plenty of liquor stores. After a pleasant two-hour drive from Zirakpur, we finally arrived at our resort "The Fern Surya." Like many hotels in this region, the parking and approach to the hotel involved a steep climb. We had reserved their best premium category room, which was truly amazing, featuring a sit-out area overlooking the lush green valley. The weather was perfect, and we decided to end the day by indulging in some wine with delicious food.

Day 3: Kasauli to Narkanda:

As we woke up in the morning, my son informed me that according to the latest image from IMD, Shimla and the surrounding areas were covered in clouds. There was a possibility of encountering rain and even landslides on our way.

As the captain of the trip, I decided not to dwell on the discussion and instead encouraged everyone to keep moving forward. I reminded my son of the old saying, "Never measure the size of the mountain until you reach the top." After a satisfying breakfast, we resumed our journey on NH05. Approaching Solan, we encountered heavy traffic jams. The constant start-and-stop motion while climbing uphill was taking a toll on my left leg.

Despite the mixed traffic, we persevered for a two-hour drive and finally arrived in Shimla. The dreaded traffic welcomed us, with numerous trucks, buses, and taxis already queued up. It took us a good hour to exit Shimla and Kufri, but eventually, we found some relief as we cruised towards Narkanda. The picturesque green hills adorned with pine trees, curvy roads, and perfect weather made every mile worth it. Skipping lunch, we reached 'The Tethys Resort' in Narkanda around 2:30 PM.

We ordered pizzas and burgers for lunch, which we enjoyed sitting in the open. The weather was pleasantly chilly, and as a backdrop, some of my favourite tracks played, including "Have You Ever See
n the Rain” and some soulful unplugged bollywood music.

We spent rest of the evening exploring the resort, capturing pictures as the sun began to set. Our room was on the top floor, offering breath-taking views of the pines & valley through large windows. In the middle of the night, we were jolted awake by the deafening thunder and the sound of rain relentlessly pounding on the tin roof above us. I lay silently praying, hoping that the rain would diminish and we shall have clear weather the following morning. Our upcoming drive to Kalpa in Kinnaur involved traversing less-than-ideal roads with landslide zones.

Day 4: Narkanda to Kalpa:

Upon waking up we immediately checked the IMD forecast and were relieved to see signs of clear skies. With the intention of an early departure, we hit the road again on NH05. Within just 30 minutes, we found ourselves gliding smoothly on the superbly paved roads, enjoying the lovely curves with pine trees, It felt like I was holding a joystick as 'Blacky,' effortlessly cruised along.

We stumbled upon a decent dhaba along the way, where we had the customary breakfast of Aloo Paratha. However, as soon as we entered Kinnaur, the road conditions deteriorated, significantly reducing our speed. It became a challenge to maintain even 30-40 kmph due to the numerous potholes that plagued the roads. The landscape transformed from lush green hills adorned with pine trees to towering rocky mountains as we delved further into Kinnaur.

As we started to climb again, soon we encountered the famous cliff-hanger road, marked by a natural cave-like structure that serves as the gateway to Kinnaur.

This is a famous photo spot , so we proceeded with caution, searching for a safe place to park. After capturing a few clicks, we resumed our journey and faced our first nerve-racking moment. Out of nowhere, a truck suddenly appeared while I was navigating a narrow, slushy road with no clear boundaries. The absence of any protective barrier on the cliff side heightened the tension. With no alternative, I had to reverse and allow the truck to pass. My wife and son got out of the car to guide me, and after a considerable effort, I managed to reverse on the extreme right side, with the mountain wall just a few inches away. It felt like a daring circus stunt, reminiscent of driving in the "maut ka kuva" (well of death). I folded the ORVMs and said a prayer as the truck passed by with a mere whisker of space. Once my wife and son were back inside, they wasted no time in reminding me to drive slowly and carefully, emphasizing the importance of caution.

Our next obstacle was navigating through a location called Nigu Sarai, where the road was scheduled to close for repairs in a mere 15 minutes. We quickly checked Google Maps and felt relieved to discover that we were only 3 Kms away from reaching that point.

The road conditions deteriorated further, transitioning from bad to worse at certain stretches. We encountered marked areas indicating landslide zones with warnings such as "shooting stones - don't stop." The blissful memory of the earlier smooth roads seemed distant as we encountered two water crossings, where thick slush threatened to trap 'Blacky,' at one point. It truly felt like we had entered 4WD territory. To tackle the challenging terrain, I kept the vehicle in 'Sport' mode throughout so that I could get enough power while navigating some steep hairpin bends. After a place called ‘Tapri’ the roads improved and finally we were in BRO territory.

The roads constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) were exceptionally well-maintained, just as we had experienced in Ladakh.

Driving alongside the majestic Sutlej river we reached the intersection where the road diverged towards Baspa (Sangla, Chitkul) and Rekonpeo-Kaza. Continuing straight, we took a sharp left turn to ascend towards Kalpa.

First, we entered Rekongpeo the HQ of Kinnaur, and then continued climbing for another 9 kms on a steep and narrow but well laid out road to reach Kalpa. This quaint village sat perched high, offering splendid and up-close views of the snow-capped Kinner Kailash mountain. At every turn, the magnificent Kailash peak made its presence felt. We had booked Hotel Kalpa, which required a significant climb and was located near the famous "suicide point." Our hotel terrace offered breath-taking views of the snow-capped mountains. As the sun set the snow-capped mountains kept changing colours before eventually disappearing in the thick evening mist. It was summer but the temp in the evening was 5*C, we had an early dinner and went off to sleep, as the TV had no channel showing the IPL. Mesmerizing views of Kinner Kailesh from Kalpa.

Day 5: Kalpa-Nako-Gue Village-Tabo:

With high anticipation, we embarked on our journey to cross into Spiti. The morning greeted us with clear skies, and as we loaded our bags back into the car, we couldn't tear our eyes away from the breath-taking sight of the snow-capped Kinner Kailash range. Bathed in sunlight, the peaks held us mesmerized. Within the next 30 minutes, we descended from Kalpa and were back on track on NH05, with rocky mountains looming on one side. We had to remain vigilant as we encountered scattered fallen stones along the way.

After an hour of driving, we reached a significant milestone in our journey: the 'Khab Sangam,' where the Sutluj and Spiti rivers meet. This spot was a must-stop location, surrounded by towering rocky terrain that concealed the winding road ahead. We took a 15-minute break before continuing towards Sumdo, the starting point to Spiti Valley. At Sumdo, we made a stop at the ITBP-run cafeteria, where we enjoyed hot samosas and tea. The cafeteria also showcased the intriguing history of the cloud burst event at Nako and the regiment's road clearance efforts.

After driving for about an hour from Khab Sangam, we began our ascent towards Nako, encountering numerous hairpin bends reminiscent of the famous Gata Loops in Leh. This section of the road, known as Nako loops, demanded our full attention as we navigated the narrow roads while steadily climbing uphill. It required considerable effort to stay focused and maintain control of the vehicle.

Eventually we reached Nako village at the top, feeling a sense of accomplishment. We decided to take a break and refuel ourselves at the Khos dhaba, where we ordered a quick lunch of rajma chawal and momos. The ‘Helipad’ is just behind this dhaba, we couldn’t get Blacky’ there as the local children were playing cricket. The Helipad offers good views of the sandy mountains all round.

The next highlight of our journey was crossing the highly anticipated "Malingnala." However, now there’s no water flowing in the nala (stream) and BRO had constructed a road over most of the treacherous sections. The thrill that remained was a narrow stretch of about 50 meters without any boundaries, offering a breath-taking view of the deep gorge below. It was enough to make any co-passenger experience a panic attack while looking down the sheer cliff. We swiftly passed through this section, keeping our nerves intact.

From there, we began descending, and the road ahead became almost non-existent. For the next hour, we had to traverse a dusty and uneven terrain."Blacky," constantly wobbled due to the challenging conditions. Despite the bumpy ride, we persevered due to the changing landscape all round which had already started unfolding the magic.

Our next destination was Gue village monastery, renowned for its ancient mummy of a monk that has been preserved for over 500 years. Making a right turn onto a narrow road, we initially encountered a smooth path for the first 2 Kms, however beyond that point, the road deteriorated significantly. The drive to Gue village became quite challenging as the narrow, steep road was plagued with deep potholes. Despite the rough conditions, we were treated to breath-taking views along the way, with a meandering stream flowing through the rugged terrain. Upon reaching our destination, we stepped out of the car only to be greeted by a strong, chilly breeze that made it difficult to even walk around. To add to the peculiarities, I noticed that my iPhone had automatically adjusted its time to China Standard Time. After spending about 15 minutes exploring the area, we decided to head back to NH05. The round trip to Gue village covered a distance of approximately 20 kms, and the journey took us nearly an hour. The road from hereon is pretty straight and once you reach Hurling the road open up to the vast valley, with lovely views of the mountains all round, we kept driving for another 20 mins to reach our stop for the night Tabo. This is a small village that has many home stays, however we were lucky to get a room at Maitreya Residency which is the only good hotel in Tabo. They also have a Café which has a sit out and serves good fast-food options. There wasn't much to explore in Tabo, except for the monastery which happened to be within walking distance from our hotel. This quaint town resembled Nubra Valley in Leh, with towering rocky mountains encircling it. The hotel we stayed at boasted a unique star gazing experience, so we eagerly prepared ourselves for the event by dressing warmly and layering up, as the temperature had dropped to a chilly 2 degrees Celsius. We were informed at the last moment that due to cloudy weather conditions, the star gazing activity had to be cancelled. Disappointed we decided to save this experience for our next trip.

Day 6: Tabo–Dhankar-Chicham-Kee-Kaza:

As we departed from Tabo, we crossed the Tabo bridge and soon found ourselves on the most treacherous & adventurous stretch of road encountered thus far. This section was extremely narrow, allowing only one vehicle to pass at a time. To the left, the Spiti river flowed vigorously, while to the right, towering sand mountains loomed, occasionally shedding stones onto the road. The absence of proper pavement resulted in a rough, rubble-filled pathway with visible tire marks.

It was crucial for me to stay focused, while my wife & son kept a vigilant eye out for any oncoming traffic, ensuring we stopped in advance to allow each other to pass. It felt like playing a game where the levels grew increasingly difficult and challenging. I was constantly driving in second and first gears. At times, we encountered stretches where the Harrier struggled for power and required an extra burst of acceleration. The next hour of driving was certainly not for the faint-hearted, demanding exceptional skills behind the wheel.

Taking a left detour, we embarked on the ascent to Dhankar Monastery. This leg of the journey took us to another level of excitement as we faced a steep climb accompanied by constant curves. The higher we ascended, the more breath-taking the views became.

Before reaching Kaza we decided to veer off the main road and venture onto the banks of the Spiti river. The lure of the ice-cold water and the stunning views beckoned us. As we approached Kaza, a delightful surprise awaited us on the right side—a waterfall designed in such a way that water cascaded out as if from a giant faucet. It felt like a grand water salute, reminiscent of the ceremonial gestures performed for aircrafts on special occasions. This sight served as a warm welcome to the town, and took away some fatigue.

Our accommodations for the next two nights was at 'Jigme Homestay.' However, before settling in, I had a pressing task at hand—I needed to find a car wash to rid 'Blacky' of the accumulated slush & dirt all over.
We indulged in a satisfying lunch at the highly acclaimed 'Deyzor' restaurant located near the bustling main market. Upon entering, we were captivated by its unique decor, resembling a museum. The walls were adorned with intriguing facts about Spiti and adorned with photographs of one of the owners, an ardent adventure enthusiast and cyclist. Adding a touch of charm to the ambiance were two large St Bernards who were lounging outside. The soothing tunes of Pink Floyd playing in the background made for the vibes.

Next up we visited Chicham bridge which is the highest suspension bridge in Asia at an altitude of 13615 Ft, the winding narrow road kept climbing up, as we gained altitude we could sense the lack of oxygen, with tingling around our faces and fingers going numb. The first sight of the bridge was like a DeJa’Vu feeling as I had seen this in so many vlogs. After a few clicks we took a U turn and returned the same way.

On the way back we visited the Kee monastery which is a 8 Kms detour from the mid-point. Once back in Kaza we checked into our homestay, we were allotted a huge family room on the first floor with cosy beds having electric blankets. The dinner was a simple homely meal served in their traditional dining area

Day 7: Kaza-Langza-Komic-Hikkim-Kaza – 45 Kms:

It was a much-needed rest day for us today, considering the early mornings we had experienced throughout our trip. We decided to take it easy and enjoy a leisurely breakfast, while glancing at the cloudy sky with fresh snow on the towering peaks in the distance. Although the sun was somewhat obscured by haze, we felt determined to make the most of the day and embarked on our planned trip. Leaving the NH05 behind as we exited from Kaza, we took a right turn and found ourselves on a well-maintained but winding road. Compared to our previous journey to Chicham, the drive to Langza was relatively effortless, we reached the parking and from there continued to walk to reach the Buddha statue.

Walking downhill towards the statue, we couldn't ignore the thin oxygen and the cold weather that accompanied us. The altitude made breathing a bit challenging, but we pushed through, knowing that our return journey would require us to climb uphill. Fortunately, there weren't many people around at this time, allowing us to take our time, capture some pics. Continuing on our circuit, our next stop was Komic, the highest village reachable by a motorable road.

The road to Komic takes you to 15500Ft above the snow peaks.

While there wasn't much to do there, we were eager to capture some photographs with the village sign. After spending some time in Komic, we headed towards Hikkim, which required us to descend from the lofty heights. The road, however, presented us with a few challenges, as some stretches were broken and uneven. We visited the highest post office in the world.

As we began our return journey towards Kaza, we couldn't resist exploring the local market upon our arrival. Our lunch stop was "The Himalayan Café”

By evening, the weather took a turn, as the clouds blanketed the sky, casting everything in shades of grey. the locals shared news that the road from Losar to Kunzum La had closed due to intermittent snowfall. This unexpected development left us with no choice but to alter our plans and prepare for the return journey via Shimla the following morning.

Birds eye view of Kaza from 14000Ft:

Day 8: Kaza to Rekongpeo:

Return journeys often tend to be hurried, and this time was no exception. The weather forecast from IMD predicting rain, thunderstorms, and the risk of landslides had been weighing on our minds as we set off on our way back. The skies remained cloudy until Nako, and from there, we encountered rain. Determined to make good time, I continued driving without taking any breaks, eager to reach Rekongpeo by 4:30 PM. With the rain pouring down, our lunch options were limited, and we settled for a quick meal of Maggi noodles. Finally, we arrived at Rekongpeo, where we had pre-booked a stay at the "Wanderers Home Stay" for the night.[h2].

Day 9: Rekongpeo to Kufri:

We awoke the next day to find clear skies. Eager to make the most of the day, we checked out early and embarked on our journey. The drive itself was uneventful, but the scenic beauty surrounding us never failed to captivate. By afternoon, we arrived at our hotel, "The Twin Towers," which was strategically perched at a height, offering uninterrupted views of the lush green valley below.

Day 10 & 11: Kufri-Jaipur-Ahmedabad:

To avoid the infamous traffic congestion in Shimla, we decided to leave Kufri early, and our strategy proved to be beneficial as we encountered relatively smooth roads. Within a span of two hours, we found ourselves in Kasauli, marking the beginning of the final leg of our journey. The remaining drive mainly comprised highways, with no notable incidents or highlights to mention.

As the ODO kept ticking, we eventually reached Ahmedabad from Jaipur, signaling the conclusion of our highly anticipated Spiti road trip. It felt surreal, as if the adventure had just begun yesterday, and now it had come to an end. The memories we had created along the way, the breath-taking landscapes, and the wonderful experiences would forever remain etched in our hearts.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and. information.

The SUV had barely clocked 500 km in the last 18 months, I was away.

BHPian ARAY recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The meaning of "Spiti" originates from the Tibetan word referring to "middle land." Elevated at an average height of 12,500 feet above sea level lies this region with approximately a population of 10k inhabitants mainly communicating through a local variant of Tibetan - Spiti Bhoti dialect. Buddhism assumes a dominant practice around here. The essence and vibe create interest among nature enthusiasts who choose trekking, camping, or mountaineering apart from being awed by numerous Buddhist monasteries such as Key Monastery, Tabo Monastery, and Dhankar Monastery.

Let's start with some Stats:

• Total Distance = 5137 km
• Total time behind the wheels = 113.5 hours out of 12 days
• For approximately 40% of the trip, I was behind the wheel, driving our trusty Duster AWD, aka Travolta, from the movie Faceoff because the Amazon green changes between brown and bottle green depending on the Sun

What more can I ask for?

Coordinates that might be helpful

• A cluster of hotels near the Taj Mahal's western gate: 27°10'06.8"N 78°03'02.9"E
• Bridge, where you need to take U, turns for viewing the Taj Mahal opposite Yamuna: 27°11'24.8"N 78°01'36.0"E
• Toll Gate to enter into Yamuna expressway, Agra Bypass : 27°12'10.8"N 78°06'51.3"E
• Shimla Bypass - Take Right: 31.100659, 77.142170
• Fuel Pump in Narkanda : 31°14'45.8"N 77°26'50.0"E
• Dhaba with basic needs en route near Pooh: 31°45'08.3"N 78°37'39.0"E
• Needlepoint Rocks : 32°02'19.4"N 78°16'33.0"E
• Lingti Village before Kaza : 32°06'53.5"N 78°10'34.4"E
• Kaza Ice Skating Rink : 32.226503, 78.064830
• Kaza Fuel pump : 32°13'39.3"N 78°04'11.7"E

The Plan

1. Day 1 Hyderabad to Agra
2. Day 2 Agra to Karnal
3. Day 3 Karnal to Theog
4. Day 4 Theog to Kalpa
5. Day 5 Kalpa to Kaza
6. Day 6 Losar, Chicham Bridge, Kibber, Kee Monastery
7. Day 7 Langza, Komic & Hikkim
8. Day 8 Kaza to Kalpa and visit Dhankar Monastery, Tabo Monastery & Nako lake on the way back
9. Day 9 Kalpa to Chitkul & back to Kalpa
10. Day 10 Kalpa to Shimla
11. Day 11 Shimla to Greater Noida
12. Day 12 Greater Noida to Hyderabad

The Team

• The Doctors Legion - 2016 Duster AWD - 59,000 km at start
• SaSu Duster Gang - 2018 Duster AWD - 58,000 km at start
• Hyderabadi Biryani with potato - 2016 Duster AWD - 86,000 km at start

The Route

For folks planning a trip to SPITI here is a quick summary of the routes used.

Hyderabad to Tajmahal

• Hyderabad - Nizamabad - Adilabad - Nagpur - Jamtha ( Nagpur Bypass ) - Mansar - Seoni - Kareli - Sagar - Jhansi - Gwalior ( take the bypass if you a passing after 7 am) - Monera - Agra.
• Actuals: 1502 km in 24 hours + 3 hours drive for viewing the Taj Mahal opposite Yamuna.

Taj Mahal to Karnal

• Route Used - Agra - Kuberpur - Khandauli ( lunch ) - Garsauli - Suraj - Jewar - Dankaur ( Greater Noida Bypass ) - Ghaziabad - Panipat - Karnal

Karnal to Theog

• Actuals: 271 km in 7 hours 40 mins.
• Route used: Karnal - Ambala - Panchkula - Solan - Kandaghat (Shimla Bypass) - Chail - Fagu - Barog - Theog

Theog to Kalpa

• Actuals:195 km, 7 hours.
• Route Used - Theog - Narkanda - Nogli - Kache - Kushpo - Tapri ( we thought we should have some tea here ) - Rekong Peo - Kalpa

Kalpa to Kaza

• Actuals: 220 km 7 hours 15 mins
• Route used: Kalpa - Ribba - Pooh - Nako - Sumdo ( blizzard, blizzard, and some more blizzards ) - Lapcha - Tipta - Tabo - Dhar - Kaza.

The Hotels

• Agra - Hotel Taj Resorts ( 6/10, the only good thing about this place was its proximity to Taj's Gate )
• Karnal - Hotel Jewels ( 7/10, Parking is scanty, you might need to park outside the campus, although it seemed safe )
• Theog - De Exotica Crest Resort & Spa ( 8/10, near the highway although away from the hustle and bustle )
• Kalpa - Grand Shambhala ( 9/10, great staff, parking is fun on black ice, parking is scanty )
• Kaza - Jigmey Homestay ( Cant rate this, the family hosting us was very hospitable, although the power supply is a mystery )
• Shimla - LaRisha ( 8/10, the drive up the hotel was steep and fun, and parking was in abundance )
• Greater Noida - Crowne Plaza ( 8/10, nice hotel, lots of parking, gets the job done, the buffet was spread well )

My travels from Hyderabad since the 2019 Bhutan trip have been limited, with only a delightful visit to Kerala along with several round trips home to West Bengal and one visit to Vizag before moving to England. However, without access to my own vehicle here in England renting has become necessary through companies like Enterprise though it hasn't always proved fulfilling. These rentals were useful for trips around Snowdonia or the Lake District and South Scotland along with other destinations in England; however we often ended up renting hybrid KIAs or even getting seats in a Tesla Model X together (an experience that had its challenges). But discussing that tale can wait till later.

I was craving those crazy 24-hour nonstop drives, I was craving to drive the Duster AWD. I was missing my Duster. Samba and I have known each other for over two decades now, we connect often, one fine day I was informed that there MIGHT be a winter Spiti trip. On discussing the dates I came to know it was doable and of course once in a lifetime drive. I was coming to India in January so why not make the best out of the time?

Approvals from the office and the entire drill began from the month of October. Everyone was excited. My kid started daydreaming about white-washed snow, and so did I. We used to spend hours on video calls planning for the trip. He is just 8 years old but he had better plans than I did on how to enjoy the trip. He is crazy about Tintin, Bengali Detective Feluda, and the lot, he went into a different zone altogether.

Eventually, my wife agreed as She was worried about our kid, who however has done Bumla Pass and several other passes in his last 7 years.

• Wife: You must be very excited about this trip.
• Me: Absolutely, with all these years of driving on the Himalayas and southern hills and practice, I would get to apply all thAt knowledge on a Snow drive.
• Wife: For you, it's a trip in a trip.
• Me: Inception of trips.

Going back home after a long time is always exciting, this Winter Spiti was literally icing on the cake.

Upon my arrival in India, I was struck by the sweeping changes that had transformed the entire landscape of Hyderabad, particularly the HiTech city. The concept of infrastructure as a service took on an entirely new meaning, and I found myself gazing out the window in utter amazement. The level of development and growth was truly breathtaking, and it was clear that the city had undergone a remarkable transformation. What's more, I was pleased to note the absence of rash bike riders and auto drivers, a sure sign that things had changed for the better. All in all, it was a wonderful and eye-opening experience to witness such beautiful progress firsthand.

My wife had already checked the Great Wall of China off her bucket list, but she had yet to see the Taj Mahal. So, I decided to make that a part of our itinerary. To prepare for the trip, we did some shopping at Decathlon, which made it all the more exciting. What's amazing is that Hyderabad has more than five Decathlon outlets, and even home delivery was quick and convenient. I was pleasantly surprised by the speed of grocery delivery services like BigBasket Instant and Blinkit in Hyderabad. Compared to Tesco, Lidl, Iceland, and Sainsbury in England, which requires a minimum order of £40+ and additional fees to book a slot, Hyderabad was a breeze. On one occasion, I was in the middle of cooking chicken curry when I realized we were missing some essential spices. I ordered them through Blinkit, and they arrived at our doorstep in a lightning-fast 6.5 minutes. It seems like everyone takes online payments these days, including our local cobbler. Hyderabad has truly become a hub of fast-paced living, and I'm sure the situation is similar in other major cities.

Beautiful Hyderabad

The Planning

The planning had already begun even before arriving here. However, it was all a matter of putting meat to the bones. I had bought and brought a few of the winter materials from Primark / Superdry etc. I was under the impression they would get the job done. Well, I was partially wrong.

Over the past 18 months, my trusty Duster had barely seen the light of day, having clocked a meagre 460 kilometres during my absence. Prior to embarking on the trip, I gave the car a thorough checkup and servicing, which included replacing the radiator intake manifold hose pipe that had given up along with its O-ring. However, while driving in the city, I experienced misfires in two different instances, with no errors detected by my OBD2 tool. I tried running diagnostics on my own but to no avail. As luck would have it, the classic injector issue that plagues Duster 110ps had finally caught up with me, I wondered, causing the vehicle to jerk just before the gear indicator appeared for an upshift.

Issue #1: Despite a week-long stay at the authorized service centre, they couldn't find a solution as the error was not replicable. With an unsolved issue looming over my head, I took the car on Hyderabad - Bangalore highway, bashed it a bit, and fortunately, the error code reared its head. I immediately took a screenshot and sent it to the service centre. After picking up the vehicle, they identified the issue as a faulty solenoid valve and promptly replaced it. A few test drives on ORR later, I was finally content that the issue had been resolved.

Issue # 2: The duster had been running in 2wd mode for the last 6 months, the entire propeller shaft was removed remotely with help from ASC as the driver was a young lad and had thought of the AWD as the AC adjustment knob. There were U-turns and some sharp turns made with AWD lock. The guys at the ASC said it's not a major issue, but I could see errors popping up on my OBD2 sensor. I was not ready to take any risks with my family in such harsh weather. Ordered the part and got the entire differential unit replaced. The young driver was explained through youtube videos and he understands the concept of AWD/ 4WD now. I have heard good things about the driver from my parents

With the Duster all ready to rock, I was in a much better place mentally. Also, this was my long trip in a group, that too with two other dusters. I carried two spare injectors and a fuel pump just in case. Luckily none of us needed to use any spare parts at all, except one spare tire at Needle Rock points.

Continue reading BHPian ARAY's travelogue for more insights and information.

While I normally prefer to drive with minimal stops, I couldn't help but stop at multiple places to take in the beauty of Himachal.

BHPian turboNath recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Quick question: What's better than one Thar going on a Winter Spiti Expedition? Well, 36 Thars going on a Winter Spiti Expedition!

Here's a sneak peek

Prelude

It was back in July 2022 when I first drove down to Bangalore from Kolkata. My office was finally opening up after the pandemic and we were asked to visit the workplace at least one/two days a week. I was looking for excuses to drive our newly acquired 'Fern' (Thar P/MT/HT) and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to explore its on-road manners. My father and I cramped all our luggage in the back of the Thar and we just started our journey from Kolkata (both nervous and excited at the same time).

After landing in Garden City, I got in touch with a few bhpians and Robi connected me with Vasthav from the Thar Bengaluru Group. The group comprises some amazing people who can cook up brilliant offroading plans at the drop of a hat. And just like that, I saw a message to put down our names on a list for Winter Spiti Expedition. The dates were not finalized back then and yet people were just going on adding names at a rapid pace. Within the next couple of hours or so, the list exploded with over 60 entries and I was really surprised to see this kind of enthusiasm for a trip which seemed as distant as the Himalayan range itself.

Time flies by in this city and soon we were in October (and things were starting to heat up). By then, I had clocked around 7k kms and I was starting to get used to this car that drove and handled like a boat and still managed to put a big smile on my face every damn time. When the dates were finally announced, I still couldn't believe that we were just two months away from this trip of a lifetime! And with the dates came the extensive planning (and shopping part).

A quick weather check on Google revealed that we were going to face temperatures in the mid-20s in Kaza (prefixed with a '-' sign) and this meant frequent trips (both online and offline) to Decathlon & Columbia stores were on the horizon. The expedition partner 'Blue Mountain Expeditions' came on board during this time and it finally felt like we were about to step into the execution phase of this monumental plan! While most of the members from the group were going to drive down to Chandigarh from Bangalore (via Gwalior-Nagpur route), I thought of starting early and taking a 'strategic' pit stop in Kolkata before driving down to Chandigarh.

The drive from Bangalore to Kolkata was mostly mile munching and Fern chugged along happily, gulping down poor million-year-old fossils like a thirsty traveler in the Sahara (or should I say Thar) desert! I took 6 fuel stops to cover this 1893km long journey and Vaidya (Indian Oil's mascot Rhino) was winking at me from every single IOCL billboard!

Back in Kolkata, I got the 10k servicing done from Royal Motors (at the 9k kms mark) and we were finally ready to hit the road.

Our plan was something like this:

• Day 1 (23rd Dec 2022) : Kolkata to Chandigarh
• Day 2 : Vehicle check up & coolant replacement at Chandigarh
• Day 3 : Chandigarh to Theog
• Day 4 : Theog to Kalpa
• Day 5 : Kalpa to Kaza
• Day 6 : Kaza
• Day 7 : Kaza to Tabo
• Day 8 : Tabo to Chitkul/Rakcham
• Day 9 : Rakcham to Theog
• Day 10 : Theog to Pench National Park
• Day 11 : Pench to Bangalore

The calm before the storm

We started our drive from Kolkata at 5pm on 23rd December and Fern seemed to be brimming with excitement on her maiden trip to the Himalayas.

For those who enjoy their music during long drives, having a perfectly curated playlist is very important. And when I am travelling with my father riding shotgun, I have a playlist that covers an insanely wide spectrum of songs from our favorite artists. The silent mStallion was revving along smoothly and we had just crossed the now-infamous Dankuni toll plaza (traffic was lighter than usual). While we were busy singing 'Turn the Page' along with Bob Seger (completely out of tune but never mind that), IT cropped up.

The dashboard blinked for a moment and a message flashed across the MID - 'Check Engine System' and that cute little 'Engine!' icon lit up. Kudos to whoever designed that icon because that person was straight to the point. No drama, no greek icons, just pure 'Engine!' complete with an exclamation mark to further enhance the criticality!

The storm

I was half expecting the car to go into a limp mode but nothing of that sort happened. I pulled over to the shoulder and dropped a note in our WhatsApp Group about the observation. Immediately I got a call back from Mr.Prahlad Kulkarni (Head of Customer Care M&M Karnataka). He asked me turn off and turn the vehicle on again and also suggested getting it checked at the nearest service station. After turning it back on the light vanished and we continued our journey with a tiny dark cloud over our heads

The engine temperature gauge was at its usual level and there was absolutely no performance degradation. Fern seemed as eager as before and this seemed to allay our fears a bit. But as soon as we crossed Asansol that light came back on. I immediately contacted Prahlad and he reassured us that he will get the vehicle diagnosed asap.

By this time it was already around 8:30pm and all the service centres were closed. We received a call back from Prahlad and he informed us that he was co-ordinating with Mr.Anshuman (CCM) to set up a team at the nearest Dhanbad dealership to get the vehicle checked on priority. We reached the M&M dealership (Model Fuels) in Dhanbad at 8:00pm and Prahlad's team was ready to receive our vehicle. We couldn't believe that someone would actually go this far to set up a team at such short notice (and that too outside regular workshop hours) to solve the issue. The technicians at Model fuels hooked up their laptops
and the error code received was - 'Engine Oil Pressure Negative Deviation Error'.

After multiple diagnoses and trial runs the possible solution came up to be the replacement of the oil pressure sensor and (or) the oil pump, both of which were not in stock at the dealership.

The team at Model Fuels led by Mr. Ajay Singh was super hospitable and they even arranged for our dinner while this troubleshooting was in progress. At this point the technical team gave us two options - i) Stay the night at Dhanbad and they will get the parts replaced by the following day and ii) Continue to Chandigarh with a reduced speed (< 100kmph) taking breaks of 15-30 minutes after every 300kms and then get those parts replaced during the scheduled coolant change at Chandigarh. Meanwhile, they would also keep the RSA teams along the route updated in case the vehicle needed to get towed.

We decided to opt for the second option and hit the road again at 11:30pm. While the issue was not resolved, our faith in Mahindra's customer support got multiplied tenfold.

Chandigarh was still some 1550kms away and we were constantly driving at 80-90kmph. With this drastically reduced pace, the journey seemed never ending but we soldiered on. Throughout the drive, the light would go off whenever we shut down the engine and then come back again after 20-30kms of running. Prahlad and his team were constantly checking in on us throughout the drive and that was a huge mental support for Fern and her occupants. Also a huge shoutout to Kolkata bhpians Samba, ABHI_1512, dip27in, mountain_deep for calling up at regular intervals (in the middle of the night) and encouraging us to fight it out!

We finally reached Chandigarh at 10pm on the following day. Total time taken to cover those 1800 odd kms : 29 hours (driving time was ~ 24 hours).

The storm continues

Mahindra had allocated two service centres on Sunday to get our vehicles checked up and change the coolant to a different grade for handling extremely low temperatures. We dropped off Fern at Harbir Service Centre in Chandigarh and proceeded towards Sukhna lake for birding. The afternoon was spent in the company of our favourite winged friends which included Brahminy Ducks, Grey Herons, Egyptian Vulture and a few hyperactive warblers. It was almost 5pm by the time we reached the service centre.

Much to our surprise, the service centre folks had only changed the coolant till then and the critical check engine issue was still not resolved. After a few follow-ups, they changed the oil pressure sensor and the vehicle went for a test drive. By this time it was well past 6:30 pm and most of the mechanics were signing out for the day. The car came back and the check engine light was still on. The next action item on their checklist was to replace the oil pump which is a pretty time-consuming process. Prahlad worked his magic yet again, this time with the CCM Mr.Shankar Mishra and assembled a team of ‘avengers’ to save the day. Four technicians worked at a lightning pace and got the job done within 1.5 hours. By this time it was almost 10pm and there was pin-drop silence all around.

As Fern roared back to life, the chief mechanic suspected that the engine was sounding different. No one had heard the mStallion engine’s idling noise at such a silent setting before and that added to the already sky-high levels of anxiety. There weren’t any petrol Thars in the service centre to cross-check and I called up Vasthav for help. He immediately agreed to send over his vehicle with Anil & John (Senior Mahindra Technicians) and thus began yet another wait for the second mstallion’s voice.

As Anil was pulling up to the main entrance, the mechanics shouted out in delight since the sound was perfectly matching with Fern’s four-cylinder symphony. They immediately went for a long test drive and 30 anxious minutes later came back with the news that we have been waiting for the last 24 hours. Fern was fine at last. The clock was nearing 11:30 pm and we were 9 hours away from the flag-off! We thanked the team profusely and proceeded towards Pal Dhaba to celebrate the occasion over a round of hot chicken tandoori.

Spiti now seemed closer than ever before!

The expedition begins

The convoy finally started for Theog around 10am from our hotel (Golden Palms) in Zirakpur and the very first stop was at a petrol bunk in Solan. Traffic was moderate to heavy but the road condition was splendid barring a few under-construction stretches. Fearing a traffic jam in Shimla, we took the Chail road and finally merged with NH-5 at Kufri. While the road was a bit narrow, Fern seemed to enjoy the corners as she powered on through the winding tarmac, floating like a boat and yet still managing to stick to the line. We reached our hotel (De Exotica Crest) at around 1:30pm and were instantly blown away by the sight of it.

It seemed like a lite version of the Overlook hotel which ‘starred’ in one of my favourite movies - ‘The Shining’. The entire hotel is located at the top of a hill overlooking the Taj. It offers amazing views of the surrounding valley covered with a thick green forest and if you’re lucky you might also get to witness a stunning sunset sequence.

Being the very first day of our expedition, we didn't have too many plans for 26th December. The team from Blue Mountain Expeditions (Dheeraj, DJ & Rajiv) joined us post lunch and we had a quick briefing session before dinner. Some of the key points discussed revolved around maintaining the convoy, planning for fuel stops and basic dos and don'ts for a snow drive.

The very next morning as I came out of our room, I was awestruck by the sheer presence of so many Thars which had gobbled up the entire parking space of the hotel!

Continue reading about turboNath's winter Spiti expedition for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

All the 3 Dusters performed brilliantly. Apart from a failed glow plug and a flat tyre.

BHPian Samba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

When I bought the Duster AWD in 2018, I had two trips in mind. One was Sandakphu & the other was Winter Spiti. The Duster completed both trips with flying colours!

Now let me start with the negatives

1. It snowed all throughout the night, and the outside temperature was -11c. We went with 3 Dusters. Tried to start all the cars in the morning. The rest two started in the first crank, but mine refused to start. I immediately knew something was a miss. 2 to 3 times I put the ignition on for 30 secs and allowed the glow plugs to heat the cylinders, but still, the car was not starting. I put the OBD, and the rpm was not going over 280 to 300 rpm while cranking. I checked the error codes and voila! The culprit was detected. One of the glow plugs failed!

Just beside our homestay, there was a mechanic. Along with him, we poured some hot water on the diesel filter and primed the diesel filter valve. The engine slowly started to come back to life. But by then we have already cranked around 10 times. I was afraid the battery might drain out. So decided, not to take a chance and use the jump start cable. We put it on Bhpian Arays Duster, revved it to 2500 rpm and cranked my car. On the next 2-3 attempts the engine came to life.

The next two nights at Kaza, we kept the engine on from 11 pm to 7 am. After leaving Kaza, once the temperature was over 0 degrees C, the car started without any fuss, even with a failed glow plug.

2. On a steep downslope with a sharp turn, the road was covered with black ice. Even in first gear, Duster reached a speed of 25 km/hr. It fishtailed a bit. That was scary. Missed a low range at the time. With a low-range gearbox, I could have taken the downslope in a more controlled way, as on black ice we can't touch the brakes!

Now the positives

I was in two minds. This year the Duster will turn 5 and here in West Bengal, we have to pay the road tax every 5 years & after 5 years the Duster will be out of warranty too. So whether to keep the car or sell the car. After this trip, I decided to retain the Duster.

Reasons

1. The car is running more or less in a reliable way. Apart from some minor niggles, no major problems in the last 30,000 km.
2. It's a brilliant long-distance tourer.
3. The car is robustly built. It can take rough terrains without a sweat.
4. The 52L diesel tank gives a very good range.
5. Got an mileage of 14+ km/L for the whole trip.
6. Driving on snow or slush is just like a cakewalk. I do not even have to engage the 4wd lock mode. The auto mode did the job exceptionally well.
7. The ESP & ABS worked like a charm on slippery surfaces.
8. The heater kept us warm even at -15 c.
9. This car is damn comfortable for long hauls. The driver just does not feel any fatigue even after driving for 1000+ km in a day.
10. All the 3 Dusters performed brilliantly. Apart from a failed glow plug, and a flat tyre on Bhpian mountain_deep's Duster, there were absolutely no issues with the cars.

Will write the travelogue shortly. Till then sharing a few pics from the trip.

And a mandatory wash after the trip. This time I tried My Carz Studio in Chinarpark, Rajarhat. They did an excellent job. They washed the car thoroughly and now it's shining like new!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The roads were all good till Kaza barring the one in Pin Valley which was gravel, but easily manageable by even sedans barring a patch or two.

BHPian BattleHardened recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The summers of 2022 were a big unleash after a 2 Year COVID blockade. We (My family) had already made a trip to Uttarakhand and my wife along with the kiddo wanted to spend some time with her parents in June's first week and I never had a second thought to encash the opportunity. I set off for Jibhi from Rajdhani on my 2019 HEXA XTA.

To avoid the bad bad Delhi traffic, I set off early morning and crossed Narkanda at around 1600h as I prefer to drive at mediocre speeds on the winding mountain roads firstly to tackle frontal traffic and secondly to enjoy the majestic views. I halted at some place just short of Kumarsain. Had a good night's sleep just opposite Delhi where the heat was just killing me.

The next morning when I was about to cross Kumarsain; the T-Junction, onto the left of which was the road Jhalori Pass & the straight one went the gateway to Kinnaur Valley, I halted for a mandated hot cup of tea. There was still a lurk in my heart to go straight as I still had not been to Spiti Valley and my mind said take left as you had planned. As always, my heart defeated my mind and I decided to head to Spiti.

The only doubt that had was "Is my SILVERSTONE (as I call my Hexa) capable of taking the abuse?" But I moved on. I drove through Chitkul, Kalpa, topped up at Reckong Peo, went till the last motorable village of Pin Valley i.e. Mud, did my top up again at Kaza after visiting all the nearby attractions and finally moved towards Chandratal. The roads were all good till Kaza barring the one in Pin Valley which was gravel, but easily manageable by even sedans barring a patch or two. But I knew the real challenge would be once I left Kaza for Chandratal and the track beyond Batal as I did keep an ambitious goal of going to Chandratal and then hitting Manali on the same day.

I cranked early morning at 0430 and I was on the base of Kumzum La by 0700. I started the climb and this was going to be the real test of character of my SILVERSTONE. I reached on top with comfort and nowhere I could sense that she found any difficulty to negotiate a bad patch. As I moved towards Chandratal there was a water crossing with around 2-2.5 feet water level and there was none on any of its banks but shifting to Manual mode, I took the dare and she responded aptly. I reached the camping site before Chandratal well in time and the Police guy praised my car for its road presence. I was running against time as I wanted to negotiate all major water crossings before late afternoon to mitigate the rising water levels as my SILVERSTONE is two-wheel powered. Pumped up by the Police man's remarks, I pulled the throttle a bit, as took the next hairpin bend, a sharp ground-embedded stone pierced the FR tyre and there was a huge sound of leaking air from the tyre.

Luckily or Unluckily, there was space to park it keeping the other lane open. Those who've travelled on such isolated roads would know why I used the word UNLUCKY. I had the puncture kit with me along with the tyre inflator, but the hole was large. I decided to put on the Stepney. I tried to remove the punctured tyre, but it was jammed and was not ready to come out. Vehicles and bikes crossed by me but none stopped. What if I have to stay here, I thought. I didn't have a sleeping bag or anything to eat. Finally, after almost two hours of struggle, an Innova Taxi stopped and the driver helped me, he even injured his thumb in the process, but we succeeded. My only cause of worry was that I had completely overshot the timelines that I had set to cross the water bodies en route. It was already 1200. One option was to stay at Chandratal camps but I decided otherwise and moved on, as I was alone and this much risk was meant to be taken to term the trip as ADVENTUROUS.

I reached Batal at approximately 2 pm. Had a hot cup of tea and asked the local vendor whether it would be feasible to move ahead now. He blatantly told a big NO for 4x2 vehicles. Now was the last decision dilemma as to "Do I move ahead or stay here" as no more vehicles were moving ahead. Having faith in my SILVERSTONE, I decided to move again. This time my heart was beating at double the pace. The condition of the track was really bad, now was the real test of its character. I was inching forward as I didn't have any spare shoes for her now. She crossed each water body like the previous one and finally once I reached Gramphu in the evening, the sun was already set. It also started to pour down a bit, although a drizzle only, and lose rocks started tumbling down from the mountainside onto the track. This was the most difficult situation. The adventures were not ready to end only. They must be saying "First you chose us now we've chosen you". But God was kind that I hit Gramphu (the blacktop road head) without any mishap.

I finally hit Manali after dusk and stayed in Kullu for that night.

P.S:

1. Such ventures are to be tried on self only.
2. Wheels to be removed and tightened before such trips, if they're planned

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.