We created this adventure in less than a month when we figured out it was too dangerous (at the time) to get into Myanmar. It turned out to be one of the best tours we’ve ever done. While that was partly because we had an epic bunch of guys with us (Mike Vandegriff the epic photographer, Bill the founder of Biltwell and Tyler the founder of Lowbrow Customs) it was also because of the roads and the people were so different to what we are used to. This is a truly special adventure that I hope I can share with you.
The eastern Himalayas is a land that is forgotten about by western tourists which makes it all the more attractive for us. Our adventure sees us head to Nagaland where head hunter tribes ruled the land. The tattooed faces of the few remaining elders hark back to an era of lawlessness and recrimination. We visit the chief’s house and spend time in the village before heading back to Mon and watch the sunset turn the charcoal smoke-filled sky all hues of red, orange and pink.
We spear towards the Himalayas that loom before us on our journey north. At the base of the Eastern Himalayas is the Kazaringa National Park which has two-thirds of the world’s remaining single horned Rhinos as well as Tigers and other exotic, endangered animals. We wake early to catch a glimpse of these prehistoric beasts as the sunrise sprinkles its warmth over their backs.
The rest of the trip is full-on motorcycling nirvana through the mountains, with roads that resemble cooked spaghetti for kilometre after kilometre. The bikes start to wheeze as we climb over Sela Pass at 4170m (13,700ft) and we keep our eyes peeled for ice on the roads as we ride into Tawang, the point where the current Dalai Lama sought refuge from Chinese controlled Tibet in 1959. We take a free day under the gaze of the warming sun to soak in the culture around the Tawang Monastery which is the largest in India and the second largest in the world.
A night in an eco-lodge before closing out the adventure in the ancient city of Guwahati where we visit one of the most important pilgrim destinations for Hindus – the Kamakhya Temple.
You’ll struggle to remember everything that you packed into 10 days and you’ll long for more adventures on two wheels soon.
| DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION |
Arrive in Dibrugarh, India (catch a connecting flight from Delhi or Kolkata) Depart from Guwahati, India (catch a connecting flight to Delhi or Kolkata) |
| ADVENTURE DATES |
We don’t have fixed dates for this adventure but it is available for private groups upon request. Please contact us if you have a group that would be interested in exploring this amazingly surreal part of the world. |
| PRIVATE ADVENTURES | This tour is also available as a private adventure for solo adventurers, a couple, a club or even just a group of mates. This can be any combination of riders, pillions, sidecar passengers or even family in one of our expedition support vehicles. The tour can be shortened or lengthened to suit your desires. Please contact us to discuss your needs.
The best months are October, November, December, January and February |
| PRICES | Rider: US$3,990 per person (Limited to 10 riders) Pillion: US$2,590 per person |
| WHAT’S INCLUDED | A complete guided tour with experienced English speaking tour captains Reception at Dibrugarh airport and all transfers by private vehicle Motorcycle rental of a Royal Enfield 500cc including all fuel Backup van with spare parts and a qualified Royal Enfield mechanic throughout the adventure 10 Days / 9 Nights’ twin-share accommodation in mid-range hotels (1-night camping) Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for the entire tour All transportation during special security zone Mechanics with all necessary spare parts Support vehicles to carry all luggage (if riders are injured or feeling unwell they can take a break and jump into our backup vehicle to relax!) Bottled mineral water throughout the adventure Tea/Chai & snacks en-route Taxation and service charges of local providers Monument entrance fee Special Overland Permission fees for Participants (mandatory) Travel Insurance (compulsory) |
| NOT INCLUDED | International flights Connecting flights to Dibrugarh or from Guwahati Indian visa (details sent with rider pack) Any damage to the motorcycle must be covered by the rider in full (Optional insurance is available) Personal Expenses Tipping Alcoholic Drinks |
NOTE: The prices above are based on a twin share basis. If you’d like your own room, then there is a US$650 supplement.
Payment terms: A US$500 deposit must be made at the time of booking. Balance payment must be paid 8 weeks before the tour start date. Payment plans are available upon request.
Terms & Conditions What To Bring Price GuaranteeAdditional information
| Rider or Pillion | Rider, Pillion |
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Staying away from the cities, we explore a relatively untouched land where the village is situated on the border of Myanmar. This tribe has thankfully given up its head hunter tradition and welcomed the unusual site of foreigners travelling through their village on motorbikes.
We’ll spend a day in a national park and see tigers and single horned rhinos before heading high up through the forests of the lower Himalayas towards a pass that is 4000 m high.
Experienced guides will escort you safely through the Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and the Assam regions of East India with a full support crew including mechanics to ensure that you have the best two weeks of your life.
An easy but scenic ride along the Brahmaputra River until we get to the national park. Home to two-thirds of the world’s single-horned rhinos and a tiger sanctuary, it is certainly something special.
A whole day to spend exploring the national park amongst some of the world’s most endangered species.
We head north into the eastern Himalayas. As we climb in altitude the traffic becomes sparse and the temperature drops.
There are some great riding roads in the mountains so we’ll make the most of it by exploring the area.
We head further north to the place where the Dalai Lama entered India, Zemithang before heading back to Tawang for the evening.
We head to Dirang over the Sela Pass to Sangti Valley. On the way, we stop at Jung to explore a Monpa village and visit the Indo – China war memorial.
Starting early, we take the scenic route to Guwahati via Khalakthang and have a feast to celebrate an amazing adventure. For many, this day will be the highlight of the trip.
We’ll take you to the airport in Guwahati to catch your connecting flight from Delhi or Kolkata to your hometown.
INSURANCE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
(INDIA, NEPAL, BHUTAN, TIBET, MONGOLIA, MYANMAR and SRI LANKA)
In the countries we conduct adventures, commercial insurance on motor vehicles is either not available, or is of questionable value. 3rd party insurance will usually not cover foreigners and even if it does, it is generally worthless if one needs to make a claim. In the event of an accident in these countries, the situation is usually settled on the spot without the “assistance” of insurance companies. If insurance companies are involved, it can take days, weeks and even months before there is a resolution.
Damage Cap Option “DCO”
Himalayan Heroes offers its riders the option of capping the cost of your damage bill on the motorcycle you are riding. The cost of this damage cap option “DCO” is US$195, paid as a lump sum before the tour starts. In the event you damage the motorcycle, the DCO will cap your damage bill at US$200.
3 Scenarios
- If, like most of our riders, you do not damage the motorcycle then the total cost to you is only the cost of the DCO = US$195.
- If, like some of our riders, you put the bike down at slow speed and damage mirrors, levers, foot pegs etc and the damage bill is say, US$120 then you pay the US$120. The total cost to you is US$315 (US$195 DCO + US$120 damage bill)
- If you have a big off and damage the tank, forks etc and the damage bill is say US$750 then your damage bill is capped at US$200. The total cost to you is US$395 (US$195 DCO + US$200 damage bill).
The DCO is optional, so if you would like to carry the risk yourself, you are welcome to. At the completion of the tour, you will be presented with an itemised bill of the damage to the bike. Approximately 50% of our riders do not damage the bikes and of the 50% that do receive a damage bill, the majority of the bills are less than $300. Please send us an email if you’ve got any questions about the DCO.
The DCO is not an insurance policy and therefore any costs related to it cannot be claimed on a travel insurance claim.
