Enjoying the view as we look down from the Tanglang La (5328m).

On our journey through the Indian Himalaya we’ve ridden two spectacular high-altitude roads: the Srinagar-Leh Highway and the Leh-Manali Highway. These are the only two roads that connect Leh, the capital of Ladakh, with the rest of the country, and only for five to six months a year. The rest of the time the high passes are snowed under and flying is the only option.

The twisty road to the Fotu La (4108m), the highest pass on the Srinagar-Leh Highway.

Posing with some bikers from Delhi.

The buddhist monastery of Likir at sunset.

Despite the very bad road condition (as opposed to the newly paved Srinagar-Leh road), the Leh-Manali Highway has been one of our most beautiful rides ever. Much of the road is above four thousand metres and it crosses several high passes, including the world’s second highest motorable pass. The scenery is simply stunning and over the whole five hundred kilometres never once gets boring.

Trucks on the Leh-Manali Highway.

The uninhabited Moore Plains, at 4000m altitude.

The road passes through a few impressive canyons.