| Rajasthan Palace Classic Tour | Ladakh High Roads | Kerala Mountains and Beaches |

India

For the curious Westerner there is no more distant, exotic and worthy region to explore and confirm the beautiful diversity of our planet! And explore you will. The adventurous spirit is there in every tour we offer - no short cuts, no cheap options - and we take pride in our reputation for quality and organization, matters that are not always easy to ensure in the Subcontinent. And we only take a maximum of 8-10 motorcycles, ensuring you get the level of service you should expect..

Here at H-C Travel, we have been running tours in India on Royal Enfield motorcycles since 1996, and are the longest established UK tour operator to India. Since then we have added Bhutan, Tibet and Mongolia to our Asia programme, as well as Thailand, Laos and the Philippines. Our Ladakh High Roads Adventure attracts riders to the challenge of riding the highest motorable pass in the world, Khardung-La, at over 5,600 m (18,000 ft).

You may only get to ride any of these destinations once in your life, so ride with H-C Travel on the edge of adventure – not the edge of disaster!

There are no hidden costs, these tours are as complete as they can be, from the moment you are met at the airport to the moment you leave. Because we only run small groups, you are always assured of our personal attention throughout the tour. You also benefit from the enjoyment of being in a small group of like-minded people, swapping stories and experiences, and with such a small group and our extensive local contacts we have access to accommodations, restaurants, monuments, roads and parks that larger groups simply miss.

We hope the information here will convey some of the spirit of our tours. There really is nothing we can say or show that does justice to any of them, please believe what we say and have the holiday of a lifetime! And if you have any questions, we will be happy to discuss our tours with you.

And of course we can also arrange custom tours for groups of four or more riders, in addition to our published dates.

Why tour India?

Indian tour schedule 2012/13 Tour Dates Kerala 14 Jan – 29 Jan 2012 Rajasthan 21 Jan - 04 Feb 2012 Kerala 11 Feb – 26 Feb 2012 Kerala 10 Mar – 25 Mar 2012 Kerala 24 Mar – 08 Apr 2012 Bhutan * 14 Apr – 28 Apr 2012 Ladakh 29 Jun – 16 Jul 2012 Ladakh 10 Aug – 27 Aug 2012 Bhutan * 19 Oct – 02 Nov 2012 Kerala 12 Jan – 27 Jan 2013 Rajasthan 19 Jan - 02 Feb 2013 Kerala 09 Feb – 24 Feb 2013 Kerala 09 Mar – 24 Mar 2013 Kerala 23 Mar – 07 Apr 2013 Bhutan * 13 Apr – 27 Apr 2013 Ladakh 28 Jun – 15 Jul 2013 Ladakh 09 Aug – 26 Aug 2013 Bhutan * 18 Oct – 01 Nov 2013

• Expect the unexpected
• Whatever your preconceptions, India will surprise you
• Our Royal Enfield motorcycles really are in their element on Indian roads
• Fabulous historic cities
• Breathtaking scenery and nature
• To be spoilt rotten for two weeks

Why tour India with H-C Travel?

• The most experienced Himalayan and Keralan motorcycle guides in the business
• Small groups to enhance your experiences, 2-8 motorcycles
• Trained mechanic and a/c support/luggage vehicle
• Quality accommodation, typically 4* except in the Himalayas
• Flight inclusive holidays from the UK’s only ATOL licensed motorcycle tour company
• The only UK tour operator (and one of probably only three tour operators in the World) to take you to the highest motorable pass in the World, Khardung-La, at 5605 m.
• Royal Enfield 650’s in Northern India

Your guides

Alam

Alam was brought into our team as a mechanic by our sadly missed tour organizer Patrick Moffat at the age of 16, way back in 1996. Then he was the tour mechanic, and he led his first tour in 2005. He has now participated in over 100 tours in India and the Himalayas as rider, mechanic or guide. Alam is no mean rider either. He participated in the Himalayan Raid Rally in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and came second in his class in 2005. And when not working to make your tour the best possible riding experience, Alam is married and runs a motorcycle repair business and custom bike building shop in Dehredun that is famous throughout India.

I believe that one would have to search high, low & far to find a better tour leader than Alam who was most ably supported by his driver and mechanic - both quiet, but most responsible guys, who ensured that the bikes were ready to roll each morning, and always in show-room condition!

Trevor Millett (ex-professional tour guide), UK, 2011

Alam’s team
Without his local support team, the logistics of running our tour programme in Northern India, Bhutan and Tibet would be well-nigh impossible.

Our chief mechanic is Biru, who has worked on our tours since 2000, and our support/luggage vehicle driver is Bopinder, who joined in 2002. They are usually supported by two assistant mechanics.

Daniel Benster
Daniel is our guide and tour organiser in Kerala in the far south. Born and raised in Yorkshire, he currently lives in Pune and spends as much time as he can in Kerala. Until recently he lived in an idyllic beach bungalow in a fishing village, with sunsets over the Indian Ocean every night. Married to Anamika, he has incredible local knowledge, and the requisite laid back but firm attitude necessary to make your holiday run smoothly. Daniel has been running tours in Kerala since 1999.

Daniel’s team
As with our northern Indian tour, we travel with a mechanic and a support vehicle driver.

Ranesh, our chief mechanic runs a very respected repair shop in Cochin, and has introduced his son into both the repair and tour business. A real wiz with the spanners, there’s nothing you can teach him about Enfield Bullets.

Niyaz, our support vehicle driver, is the man who makes everything tick. He’s always on hand to offer a cold drink, sort out permits, red tape, and any other local ‘difficulties’ with a smile and the right words. And he somehow manages to get our support vehicle through gaps that you’d think only a motorcycle could get through.

Please read this!

Motorcycling in India is surely one of the best ways to experience the country’s rich cultures, people, and unequalled scenery. At the same time, motorcycling here has its dangers, especially on narrow mountain roads with unpredictable traffic and quick-changing weather conditions.

While most of our Indian tours are well-suited to any relatively experienced rider, High Roads Adventure should be undertaken by fit, experienced riders with an open mind for changing road conditions and different rules of the road. On this tour itineraries and accommodation may be changed due to local conditions. It is not suitable for novices, we expect you to have a minimum 5000 miles riding experience.

And because of our organization and our small group size, we have an accident record that is the envy of even European tour operators – since we started in 1996, we have never had a two-vehicle accident and not one of our customers has been hospitalized.

Age restrictions 18-65, but please check with us if you are over 65, we can be flexible.

Visa requirements

Visas are required for travel to India (if you are not a UK citizen, please check with your travel agent). You will be sent further details once you have paid for your tour in full (usually visas can only be issued less than three months before the required dates). Visa costs are about £40, and if you wish to use a visa processing agency, rather than apply in yourself, they usually charge about £40.

Websites

For UK government information and advice www.fco.gov.uk

For visas http://vfsglobal.co.uk

For visa services www.rossconsular.com

Indian Tourist Board www.tourisminindia.com/

For more information on our Kerala tours www.keralabiketours.com

Photo and video album

http://s609.photobucket.com/albums/tt178/leisureman/India%20Jan%202011/

Articles

Ladakh High Roads, Bike, Nov 1998 Please click here

Ladakh High Roads Adventure, 2007 http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/article.php?page_id=107

A Bullet in the Ghats, Kerala Mountains and Beaches Adventure, 2006 Please click here

| Rajasthan Palace Classic Tour | Ladakh High Roads | Kerala Mountains and Beaches |

111015
110817
110720