Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Awesome, now here's a thread to look forward to. *subscribed*
Congrats mate.

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Even i got the same bag with 3 lens setup. but now decided only to keep my 50mm and invest in 18-200 for traveling.

Srinagar to Kargil in 4 days ?? :O Zozilla pass was closed ??

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Congratzz bro... Looking forward to read the travelogue, Bring it on!! Subscribed

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Salute to you sir!

RIDE WITH DIGNITY .

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

@Shaktiv3 nothing was closed, took me time as I started late from srinagar after meeting my father, who is posted over there as he is working in army, spend lots of time in other days taking photographs and talking to people.
My ride was not just to complete the loop, but to understand the depth and beauty of the valley.

----consecutive posts auto-merged-----

Journey from Pune to Ratlam : Day 1 :
As I already mentioned I started my trip only having destination in my mind and as I was travelling solo, had no time constraints, no distance, no location, nothing. I started and ended days as per my wish, stayed at location I loved, had food I prefer, without worrying about anyone.

As I was in no hurry, I started from Pune approx 8am in morning, crossing Ahmednagar, Shirdi, proceeded towards Ratlam which was near Indore. That was my day 1 plan. but who cares, after every 15 or 20 min I was stopping and reason being the beautiful terrain, location and picturesque hills.

As I was excited about being at Leh, I was at easy also, riding slowly, enjoying the endless beauty of changing locations, hills, mountains, grass meadows, paddy fields, temple, etc. It was like having a dream. As if everyone was wishing me all the best for my trip. After crossing Shirdi, I found a fort and a baba near a small temple, and when I asked him about the fort and location, he started expressing about his journeys he took, he mentioned as he walked from Pune to Vaishno Devi with other babas. He also dictated stories of the fort and some "Saint" who use to stay in the fort. It was a long discussion for hour and at end I had to stop him to let me continue in the trip. He was happy and wished me for my trip.


He is the baba I talked about.

Now Madhya Pradesh was different, it had lots of beautiful and dense forests. Once you enter Madhya Pradesh, you will feel the difference. At few location, it was so beautiful and amazing that you can compare that place with Switzerland. That day I was not able to reach Ratlam, so spend night at a Dhaba and camped over there after my dinner. Before sleeping I had a long chat with the dhaba cook and owner. They were some good guys.

One advantage of solo trip is because you are alone, you are exposed to many things, and if your attitude is correct, people starts understanding and respecting you. They will love what you do and help you. My parents were worried about me, but during my whole journey I had no issues any place, as there were someone or else at every cornor to help you out.

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Day 2 & 3 Ratlam to Amritsar.


Starting every day with the sunrise, would reassemble stuff, tent, have hot tea and tasty parathas. As per my plan, I was supposed to cover an average of 550km per day, but every turn, every corner seems so beautiful and new that I had to struggle every day to complete my journey.

Crossing Ratlam, I entered Rajasthan, and it was hell different than any other state I had ridden. I was completely speechless and was lost in the beauty of Rajasthan. And that point I decided to leave the state as soon as possible, so that I can come again only to enjoy the beauty of the state, to get lost again in those sand dunes and forts, which stands tall and tells the story of brave kings who ruled this land once.


While I reached Rajasthan, I had plans of visiting Chittorgarh fort, did a quick view of fort, it was a rather a huge one, with lots of places which cannot be completed in an hour. Visited a popular temple inside the fort and continued my journey. By night, I was able to make it to Jaipur. Next day early morning I started for Amritsar, as it was more than 800km. Once I reached Rohtak, it was all 6 lane, properly marked, decorated highway.





Above photographs are of local people I found near the Chittorgardh fort creating ganpati idol. Even those this festival was no so popular over their, but the idol are no less compared to Mumbai and Pune.











Above Photographs from Chittorgardh fort.

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Great going!

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Bhai eagerly waiting for the rest of the trip log. Bring it on..

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

i am sure this will turn into a great travelogue which will inspire other people as well,,,,,,,,,,

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Jammu to Kashmir


From Amritsar, where I spent the whole evening, in the golden temple, completely, hypnotized and lost in tranquillity, serenity, and composure of the temple. Next day early morning started for Srinagar. Till Jammu, it was decent highway and nothing much exciting, but once you leave Jammu city, story changes and you enter the paradise on earth.





























Nothing can explain the simply amazing, lush green peaks of Jammu. Too amazing, wonderous, and marvelous to ignore them. Every trail I see, feel like doing offroad. Every turn feels inspiring and stimulating. Every mountain over there is distinct, every turn is contrary, every experience is diverse.<br>











Patni Top is another such place, where lots of off roading trails you will find. A steep uphill and the view from the top is too gorgeous. Spent lots of time enjoying the unseen. Nothing more could have satisfied me, than being over there.


But from Patni Top to Srinagar is scary, cause once you complete the downhill section, you had to cross one of the scariest pass, thin, curvy roads, with lots of truck from opposite side in high speed. One side huge rocks of mountains and other side 100ft of the deep valley, from which nothing can escape.


Slowly and steadily crossed it, took me time to reach Jawahar Tunnel. A funny tunnel rather, so small, no one can overtake. And once you cross it, you are at Srinagar.

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Great, nothing beats the mountains, and it's only beginning. Keep'em coming mate. Wonderful log!!!

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Such stories which starts with Leh\Ladhak are always popular with the people. But when a "SOLO Rider" tag is added then it comes spicy. 8500kms on solo is one of the self determination and strength test.

Awesome log....Keep writing bro.

Can you please give more details like:

1. Iternery
2. Cost of entire trip
3. Cost of the stay per day
4. Name of the Hotel\Lodge etc where you stayed.
5. any pointers one should be focused of ?

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Superb story and captures. Feeling jealous!

Sent from my Xperia L.

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

Amazing pictures...please continue.

Re: Pune Leh Solo Trip of 8500kms covering Incredible India

[MENTION=48174]chaosaddict[/MENTION], yes I rode from hills of pune to planes of MP to deserts of rajasthan to mountains of Ladakh, nothing can even stand the beauty of endless mountains.
----consecutive posts auto-merged-----
[MENTION=71523]NightFurry[/MENTION]

1. Iternery : I did not worked on iternery. Only knew my destinations and no of days I had. Only thing I kept in mind is to complete 500km per day, till J&K after that, I stayed at places till time I feel like. And as I was solo, no responsilibity or any burden to follow any plan.
2. Cost of entire trip : from 21 days, I booked hotel only 2 days, other all days I camped, some place or other, so it saved my hotel price, total was 18k approx~
3. Cost of the stay per day : depends, 2 days I booked, one in leh for 500/- , and in kashmir I booked for 400/-.
4. Name of the Hotel\Lodge etc where you stayed. sry didnot remember. And I prefer camping in leh, so that I can get real feeling.
5. any pointers one should be focused of ? YES, not everyday we get chance to do these kind of trips, so enjoy it to the core.