When it comes to travelling in Himachal Pradesh, most people stick to the tried and tested stuff. Manali, Shimla, Kullu, Dharamshala etc are the usual spots that people choose for their vacations. I am someone who is always looking for something new, some new motorcycle to ride and some new place to explore. 

Being blessed enough to live in Dharamshala, I had the luxury of choosing a relatively untouched place. For the motorcycle, I chose the Royal Enfield Himalayan as I have been looking to give it a try for a while now. And for the location, I chose Barot Valley. It is situated on the banks of the Uhl river and is surrounded by the mighty Dhauladhar range. 

To many people, Barot Valley is like a mini-Switzerland. But the best bit about it is that it is still far from being massively commercialized. It is filled with hamlets, fields, views of the mountains surrounding it, and, of course, the sound of the Uhl river flowing calmly through it. Barot Valley is also the gateway to the Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary which starts across the Uhl river. 

After doing my due diligence on the place, I was getting ready to finalize my plans. At this time, I was also fortunate enough to be xBhp’s next CEAT xPlorer. Since I had never ridden to Barot Valley and in these kinds of rides, you have to be well-prepared. So I decided on some new shoes for the Himalayan. I had heard very good things about CEAT Gripp XL tyres so it was an obvious choice. 

“You can check out CEAT Gripp XL tyres here.”

With the motorcycle fitted and the new tyres rearing to go, I was ready to start this little roadtrip of mine. From Dharamshala, where I stay, Barot Valley is about 150 km which may not seem like a lot, but in the mountains, it isn’t as easy as it sounds. Regardless, I was confident enough as I had just got the motorcycle serviced and the tyres were brand new. After all the preparations and last-minute checks, it was time for me to start the adventure! 

Day 1: Dharamshala > Kangra > Bir-Billing

Despite my best efforts, I always tend to get late on the day I have to start a ride. The excitement made it hard to sleep and since I was going to explore a place I had never been to, the repeated checks meant that I started from Dharamshala a little late. But since I was not planning to cover the whole distance in a day, I thought it was going to be okay, I thought… 

When I started the ride, the weather was nice and sunny but after covering a few kilometres, it started to rain. That is one of the things about the weather in the mountains. You can never be too sure and it can turn around on you really quickly. Regardless, I took a halt to put on my rain gear and cover up my bags as well. After that little hiccup, I was on my way despite the rain. 

This was the first instance when the good things I had heard about the CEAT Gripp XL tyres materialized. I had a great time riding in the dry but as it started to rain, I realized that these tyres were just as good in the wet as they were in the dry. The confidence inspired by the tyres made it easy to maintain a decent pace and even enjoy the adverse weather! 

After riding for about 20 km, I took my first stop near Kangra. I did not plan to stop for too long but in a shop, I saw some delicious Samosas being fried and I just could not help it. I am an explorer, yes, but I am a foodie as well and trying new stuff to eat is second nature to me. After this little snack break, I resumed my ride. 

I continued towards my destination for the day- Bir. On the way to Bir, there is a famous Shiva temple in Baijnath. Of course, I took a break there as well to receive the blessings of Mahadeva. By the time I was about to reach Bir, I was a little confused about my accommodation. I had not pre-booked anything so I decided to pick up the pace, reach a little early, and look for places to stay. 

After a bit of deliberation, I decided to stay at a decent hostel I found. I also took some time out to explore Bir-Billing. I visited the world-famous paragliding site and also went to the landing zone for it. I saw a fair few people learning to paraglide. But before I could go further and explore some more, it started raining again. I had enough rain for a day so I decided to retire to my stay which was a nice and cosy place. This marked the end of a very good day of riding and exploring. 

Day 2: Bir > Barot > Dharamshala

Since this was a very short weekend trip of sorts, I had to get back home the same day. Before departing for Barot from Bir, I got my motorcycle fuelled up and enjoyed a nice and hearty breakfast near the hostel. After filling up both myself and my motorcycle, I left for Barot Valley. 

Even before one reaches the Barot Valley gets the chance to steal one’s heart away, the views en route do that. There were some stunning vistas and the feeling of riding in the mountains cannot be compared to anything else. One of the highlights was the panoramic view of Joginder Nagar. The vast fields and the forests and mountains in the distance made for some stunning photos. The shutterbug inside me was thoroughly satisfied. And there was more to come! 

After riding for a bit more, I was around 25 km from Barot Valley. This is when a group of random guys approached me and asked me to stop. In general, the people of Himachal Pradesh are some of the nicest people so I was not worried but still, this was a little sudden and I was taken aback. As it turned out, they were just distributing Prasad from their temple which was not too far away. They also told me that it was a ritual. I also had some very delicious Kheer at the same place which I miss to date.

After this short break, I resumed my ride and trust me when I tell you this, the closer I got to Barot Valley, the better the views I got to see. And upon reaching the valley, it was like being greeted by heaven. Greenery all around with the views of the mountains and the river… it is so peaceful that you never want to leave. While I did not have any such plans, Barot Valley is also famous for Trout fishing, if that’s your thing… 

While I did not have my fill of this beautiful valley, I had to get back home the same day and I wanted to complete that journey before night. On the way back as well, I kept thinking about the place and how easily time passes in a place that serene. With those thoughts, I reached home and this marked the end of the ride. A short and sweet ride, but one that helped me tick off another remote and unexplored place that Himachal Pradesh has to offer. In hopes of many more to come, I sign off… 

Tyre Review: CEAT Gripp XL

When it comes to tyres, I am very particular. I make sure that I always go with the right kind of tyre based on the kind of motorcycle I am riding and the kind of terrain I will be treading. Despite that, you cannot always be sure of what you will encounter and it is better to be safe. When it comes to the Royal Enfield Himalayan and uncharted routes, I can confidently say that the CEAT Gripp XL tyres are one of the safest options out there. In the dry, these tyres are as good as it gets. The grip on offer is consistent and confidence-inspiring be it under hard acceleration or hard braking. In the corners as well, the tyres inspire a lot of confidence and despite the Himalayan being a motorcycle that is not meant to carve corners, the tyres offer enough for a very respectable pace. The best bit for me though was the grip in wet conditions. Throughout the rain-smitten first day, there was never a moment where I felt unsure of the grip on offer. With the great tread design, the tyres are very good at channelling the water away from between the surface and the tyre itself. So the wet grip offered by the CEAT Gripp XL tyres is something you can lean on reliably… quite literally!