If you love to bicycle and at the same time are fascinated by the cultures of the Indian subcontinent, there are three itineraries in the region that you should consider for your next adventure trip.

The first premier cycling destination is Bhutan, the Land of Thunder Dragon. The second is Rajasthan in west-central  India, and the third is Ladakh, the Indian part of Tibet in extreme north-west of India.

The road to Paro and Thimphu follows the very first road in Bhutan, which had been constructed only in 1962. Up until then the interior of Bhutan was completely virgin, only with foot path connecting much of the country.

The highway steadily ascends the mountains from the plains permeated by a thick tropical woodland. In the southern parts of the mountains in good weather conditions, you can have wonderful look at the huge plain of India spreading out forever towards horizons, rendering ever more so the Himalaya range a great obstacle that it is. 

Bhutan bike trip is about crossing passes through landscape of ancient forests, from bamboo to cedar and rhododendrons. Though none of the passes are higher than little over 12,000 feet, the first pass, the Dochu La in the west is the gateway into the interior of the country. From there on east there are some half dozen more of these passes, all around 11,000 feet, with the highest being the Thrumshing La, 12,160 feet sea level, and a an entry point into eastern Bhutan. 

The further east you’ll go from here the hotter the climate becomes and eventually you can get back down into the plains in the eastern end of the country.

Rajasthan is the ancient heartland of India. Studded by medieval forts and palaces this is the land of the Maharajas. Rajasthan bike tour follows the main axis of highlights, through Jaipur, Jodhpur to Udaipur, but the beauty of this route is to stray away from the main roads and venture onto the remote roads and paths of the Aravali Hills.

Ladakh mountain bike tour, on another hand, is once again completely different. Being located in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, only partially penetrated by summer monsoon, this is an arid high altitude region, a remote outpost of western Tibet.

Great bike trip to undertake in Ladakh is a journey to the village of Korzok on shore of a striking expanse of a high altitude lake of Tsomoriri Lake. The ride follows through vast rocky region devoid of vegetation save a few rugged shrubs and willows in handful of villages.  A barren land at imposing elevation of 15,000 feet landscape and you cycling through it seems surreal . But that is the beauty of the trip.