RE Himalayan Odyssey - Nubra ride

 It all began with a general comment from my weekend riding brother, Suresh, that he wanted to do a ride in the Himalayas — specifically from Leh. Royal Enfield Motors Limited (REML), makers of the famous Royal Enfield motorcycles (I own two of REML bikes — a Super Meteor 650 and a Himalayan 450), runs an annual calendar event called "The Himalayan Odyssey" (HO).

That breakfast chat over idli, vada and kaapi during a routine catch-up led me to suggest that he tries it out. It's generally a twenty-day trip, which I couldn't afford given work commitments. So I approached Mr. B Govindarajan, CEO of REML, for his suggestion, and he graciously directed me to Mr. Adarsh Saxena. A quick call helped us understand that HO now runs in multiple legs called the "Satellite rides", and he recommended the Nubra Circuit to us.

The timing and duration were in a sweet spot for me. I mentioned to Suresh that we could do it together, and one thing led to another — we quickly formed a group of five: Arun Kashyap, Panduranga Prabhu, Anantha Keshava, and the two of us. We registered enthusiastically, excited to kick off our first major ride together, and with the added comfort of it being curated and organised by REML under expert guidance.

The Prep

We booked our flights to Leh, completed our medical checks, and got our insurance sorted (mandatory). We did some serious weekend rides, with Suresh and Anantha trying out my Himalayan to get a feel for it. We picked up some gear — winter gloves and the like (one always needs a reason to visit a riding store). Some of us started our Diamox doses two days before the flight. We were all set.

Day 0

It was all about "doing nothing." Suresh and I have a knack for having mastered that art, and now we had a legitimate reason to practise it. We rested and drank plenty of warm water to stay hydrated and acclimatise. The evening visit by the HO-arranged doctor showed good oxygen levels for me, though my blood pressure was slightly elevated. The doctor assured me this was normal at altitude, asked me to continue my current medication, and declared me provisionally fit.

Day 1

Another day of quasi-rest, followed by more tests. We were briefed by our leads, Sarin and Vaibhav, and introduced ourselves to the group. Ms. Anjana gave us a short talk on physical fitness and breathing techniques. Bikes were allotted by lottery, and we collected our goodie bags. I had specifically requested for the lower seat (805-825 mm) option and not the stock seat (825-845 mm). Mr.Hari, the technical expert for our ride changed the seat and got my bike readied. In the evening, once the sun had tempered down, we took our bikes out for a spin, following all riding safety protocols, and visited the Hemis and Thiksey monasteries. We turned in for the night with great anticipation for Day 2 — the start of the real ride.

Day 2: Leh – Khardung La Pass – Nubra Valley

It was a ride of ups and downs - gaining elevation from 11,480 ft at Leh to a peak of 17,582 ft at Khardung La pass and later climbing down to 10,000 ft into the Nubra valley. The road was busy with tourist traffic and riding groups on various motorcycles (proudly -most of them being REML). We reached the pass, took our photos, and were advised not to linger more than ten minutes — a plan that went out the window when an army convoy needed to pass and we had to give them priority. We began our descent only after the convoy cleared.

Post-lunch at a Dhaba, as we neared our destination, we were given the option of riding via Diskit Monastery or heading straight to the resort. While I wasn't especially tired, I decided not to push myself on the very first day and went straight to the resort — I'd already seen Diskit on an earlier trip.

We reached the beautiful Nubra Valley, which I'd last visited in 2009 with my wife, cousin, and sister-in-law. We stayed at a lovely property called the Nubra Eco Lodge — gracious host, attentive staff, lovely rooms, and great food. We relaxed, had kahva (Kashmiri tea - no alcohol as we on a riding trip) along with some Bengaluru short eats, finished a light dinner, and spent the evening around a campfire swapping stories from the day — riding styles, tips, advice, warnings — an easy, trusting conversation with no malice or agenda. Day 3 required an early start, and most of us were tired, so we turned in early, while a few decided the night was still young.

Day 3: Hotel – Siachen Army Base Camp – Hotel

PC: Yashraj Singh Deora

We started early, with breakfast at 5:45 AM. We'd received special permission from the army to cross the bridge and visit the base camp, the war memorial, and the OP Baba temple.

My day started poorly — I dropped the bike just as we set off from the resort (at a top speed of Zero KMPH). I wasn't hurt, but my ego certainly was, and my confidence took a real hit. That self-doubt stayed with me through the ride, the way one bad shot can throw off an entire round of golf. 

Later, we hit a sandy, slushy patch, and I hit a low point of my own. All the training — stay calm, breathe deep, walk the bike through rather than force it, let the handlebar take some liberties, hold on tight — became purely theoretical. In my heart, I was nervous, scared, and close to panic. When I made it through without dropping the bike, the relief was immense — I was drenched in sweat, as if a cloudburst had hit that exact spot.

PC: Yashraj Singh Deora

At the Siachen base camp, the officer on duty and his team asked us to hand over our mobile phones. We then mounted our bikes to cross the suspension bridge into the camp in a disciplined 2+2 formation, escorted by two army personnel — riding, fittingly, a Royal Enfield Bullet. Reaching the memorial was a goosebump-inducing moment. An army guide explained its significance and the extraordinary challenge of holding the heights here — the army doesn't just watch the neighbour, it battles the weather and terrain of the world's highest battlefield. We had the honour of a brief talk and photo session with the area's commanding officer.

The ride back took us through the same dreaded sandy patch. Halfway through, I mentally gave up, asked one of the RE team members to ride the bike through, and walked the rest of the stretch myself. Another blow to the ego, but the sane call. The day's ride ended in some light rain, and I retired early, mentally spent.

 Day 4: Ride to Thang Village, LOC, and on to Diskit

PC: Anantha Keshava

After the usual briefing, my confidence still hadn't fully recovered. This was a long day — 230 km of mixed terrain: good tarmac, rough and loose gravel, pebbled stretches, water and stream crossings, and steep ascents and descents. Everything, in short, that a good rider looks forward to. We were given the option to stay back or join.

I discreetly asked the leads for their honest read on my ability to handle it. Their reassurance helped, but I wanted an extra layer of insurance, so I asked my teammates Ayyappa and Rahul if they'd ride alongside me — just in case. They graciously agreed.

It's a decision I'll never regret. I completed the ride without incident, enjoyed every bit of it, rebuilt my confidence, and bonded well with Ayyappa and Rahul along the way. Alongside thanking them, I have to credit my trainer at Cult, Mr. Nagendraprasad, whose relentless pushing kept me fit enough for rides like this. The day was demanding and exhausting, but deeply satisfying — for me and for many others in the group.

Day 5: Diskit to Leh

PC: Vinu Ayyappa

This was the return leg, largely retracing our outward route, so we weren't expecting many surprises. But nature had other plans — we were rewarded with cold weather and a light dusting of snow at the pass. The kid in all of us came out, and I happily joined in a snowball fight. The rest of the ride back was uneventful, and we reached Leh safely and on schedule.

It was time to thank the team behind the Himalayan Odyssey – Nubra Circuit: leads Sarin and Vaibhav, technical support from Hari, the media team, and everyone else who worked tirelessly to make it a success. We handed back the bikes, took a group photo, and spent the evening celebrating — bonding over the brotherhood that only a shared ride can build.

That evening was a time to relax and retell our war stories. Got our certificates signed by Mr. B Govindarajan, CEO of REML and watched a nice cultural show of dances and singing of Ladakhi region.

And then it was time for goodbyes, and promises to stay in touch.

Final comments 

The tag line of the Himalayan Odyssey is “Come as a rider and leave as an explorer”.

That’s what happened - we came as riders and while leaving explored not just the nature, the mighty Himalayas, the wonders of Border road organisation (BRO), what it takes to be a soldier and have that commitment to protect our nation, we explored about religions - the Shias of Islam, Buddhist traditions.

More than these, we explored our inner selves. 

I rode in with my angst, my fears and I explored the ways to conquer those fears. I explored to seek feedback and help to make myself stronger.

To all my fellow riders, Keep riding and be safe.

For others - do not give excuses - start somewhere - follow your passion and your dreams.

एक न एक शम्मा को जलाए रखिए,

सुबह होने को है, माहौल बनाए रखिए।

- तारिक़ बदायूनी