animeher

This might be once in a lifetime opportunity for many bikers, and as luck would have it, I have to pass this

Youth hostel India completes its 100 years this year, and they are organizing many camps. One of them is motorcycle touring on the following route:

Delhi-Panipat-Ambala-Chandigarh-Kullu-Manali -Tandi- Sarchu – Upshi- Leh-Khardungla-Leh--Kargil-Drass –Zozila Pass-
Srinagar-Jammu-Ludhiana-Karnal-Delhi

The cost is only Rs.9500 per person INCLUDING STAY< FOOD, FUEL AND OIL!!! Now this is absolutely a great deal, as the effective cost comes down to only 550-600 per day all inclusive!

There are few conditions, which stop me from entering the camp:
1. Bike has to be >150CC registered after 2006. I do not have a >150CC bike registered in my name, I am saving up for this, but it's not in sight
2. Only one biker per bike, no pillion accepted. My wife will kill me if I don't take her to the dream place!
3. 17 days of travel will mean 15 days of leave, which monetarily cost more than the tour cost. I'll plan the future tour in joint holidays so as to minimize the leave days.

But if you are single (or with rider wife/wife uninterested in touring) and have >150CC bike registered after 2006, you can/should/must go for this trip!

From YHA Site:

ATIONAL MOTORCYCLE EXPEDITION:100 Motor Cyclists will also start from Delhi Youth Hostel covering the above passes and also reaching Khardung La Pass (18,380 ft. ht.) (5602 mtr.), the highest motorable road of the world via Kullu, Manali & Leh. They will return back to Delhi via Kargil, Drass, Kashmir & Jammu.

Criteria for Selection:

• Preferred Age Group: 20 Years – 50 years
• The participant (male/female) should be in excellent physical and medical fitness.
• They must have a taste for adventure and willing to live life in the rough and tough terrain.
• They should be able to withhold the stress and strain in such high altitude expedition (where oxygen is less) for long
duration.
• The participants must have a driving License for Two wheeler valid in India.
• The participant must own a Motor Bike as per specification given below (for foreign national, the bike can be hired by
them locally)
• Only single Rider per Motor Bike. No Pillion Rider will be allowed.

Participation Fee:

Rs. 9,500/- per participant (USD 225 for foreign national)
The actual cost of expedition will be much higher. This is highly discounted/subsidized fee as this is a special event to
celebrate Centenary Celebration of Youth Hostelling International and 60th Anniversary of YHA of India. The fee is payable
immediately on acceptance of application.

Specification of Bike:-

Minimum 150 cc bike, Registered after 1st July 2006, Fully Insured. The participant must possess a valid national driving
license (International driving license for foreign national valid in India).

NB:- All selected participants should send/bring their bike on 22nd/23rd August 2009 at International Youth Hostel, New
Delhi for inspection & approval.

Source: :: YOUTH HOSTELS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA :: Centenary-celebration-events

Do keep us updated here, those of you who are going. And hurry up, as they have limited entry, and you have to first fill up a form for 500Rs, and then if selected, submit rest 9000rs. I have a personal experience of YHA Mumbai, which has been very good.

Aryan

News Approved.

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...in search of that perfect world - My Travel Blog :)

Praful

100 bikes to Leh....

When are they exactly going? I'd not want to go then!

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xinfii

Grrr... Interesting to some. But like Praful said, I wouldn't want to be in such a place when its infested. The whole purpose it defeated.

EDIT:

Just got this from the PDF...

Duration: 17 days. Participants will report at Base Camp, International Youth Hostel, New Delhi on 24th August 2009. After
expedition, they will leave from New Delhi on 09th September 2009.

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MG

@animeher-Thanks for posting.

@All-This is indeed a great oppurtunity and the price is too good.A 15 day trip to Leh will roughly cost 30k.You are straightaway saving 15K(5k for sending and getting the bike from Delhi).Also one is saving and lot of time in planning & other stuff.

Praful

MG agreed money is being saved a and lot that too. Saving 15K is big thing, atleast for me it is. But then on the other hand I see 100 people doing it together. It just kindda takes out the zing of doing Leh, don't you think?

How will they manage 100 bikers? What will be the group dynamics?

Well this is just IMO, riding with 100 people may someone's cup of tea, but its a difficult thing for me to do. Esp in the Hills, if it was the GQ hell why not....but in the hills!

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MG

^^For that zing my new thread is coming in a day or two.You know what I mean don't you

Praful

Yap Yap.....mera number aaega....Jaldi aaega!

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dcs

Thanks for the news Animeher. it would be a wonderful oppurtunity for a lot of newbies to go to Leh. as for the cost factor...am not very sure if 9,500.00 is a decent enough money, because when I ride...my expenses drill down to the basic fuel cost, a Pack of Cigarette( I dont promote SMOKING!) and a one time decent meal...so it may sound a bit too much for me. Secondly, it again would mean that you would have a whole lot of people going to a relatively unhabited place together, though I understand that all 100 of them would not be riding in one single Line!

It may be a wonderful chance for someone who like to have the adventure with a sense of safety and comfort, for some it might be like Enjoying a snowfall on a filmscreen( You can see the snow falling but cant feel the chillof it). I for sure would make sure that if am doing a Delhi-Leh-delhi again this year, I should not be bumping into them, not that am a super class biker...I would just be left with almost no place to sleep at Night as most of it would be occupied by thye Group.
Cheers

P.S: Imran...... I am thinking hard on that Proposal, lets see if it materialises!

kurtrules

100 people! .. It would be a terrible morning at sarchu

9500 is pretty decent though ...