What kind of rides have you been planning lately? Do you want to ride some of the highest mountain trails in the world? If so, you might be headed to the Himalayas, and going that high takes planning and that includes luggage, gear, and even physical conditioning.
Climbing up mountains is part and parcel of the adventure rider package. What makes riding special for adventure bikers is not just the trails that will be tracked, but also the sights, sounds, and smells on the way up. A bucket list destination for some of the most hardcore adventure cyclists out there, the Himalayas ranks high on many’s lists (pun intended). As the highest mountain range in the world, it’s a very different experience and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
It is at those ranges where you can find some of the highest roads in the world. The beauty of the region hides many challenges and threats that may leave some experienced riders wheezing. Preparation is key, and this content creator from the Philippines has some mighty interesting tips that you should definitely take note of if you’re planning a trip as monumental as this.
Aaron Palabyab is a Filipino motorcyclist and content creator who makes epic motorcycle travel vlogs on his show called RideXP. Experience is the name of the game with his content, and he regularly documents his rides in the South East Asian nation. He recently concluded (at the time of writing) his trip to the Himalayas, publishing two videos that cover the trip and the preparations he made.
So what do you need to ride in the Himalayas?
Riding skills are first on his list of required things to prepare. Prepare yourself and arm yourself with the skills to ride a motorcycle, and this doesn’t mean that you need to pass the MSF’s (Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s) course and claim your license to ride. In fact, it goes beyond that given how arduous the trip is and how difficult things can get on the ride. Multi-day riding experience on tour is a must, low-speed skill is also a need, and being able to handle an adventure bike is a definite yes. You may think that you need professional enduro skills to ride the Himalayas, but the basics will do according to him.
The biggest factor, however, that will affect your ride is altitude. Elevation gain is quite common in the Himalayas with the highest point going up to 19,024 feet above sea level. The lowest part of the trip measured in at 10,825 feet. Because of this, it is imperative that you acclimate to the high altitudes as the air is thinner. Aaron also recommends that you pack or secure some altitude medicines like Acetazolamide (Diamox, also called Cetamid) for the trip. The worst case is that you will get Acute Mountain Sickness, which can be fatal, especially on the back of a two-wheeler.
Getting the right tour operator is also important. For this tip, you can go with a do-it-yourself approach, which means that you would have to navigate the permits yourself, prepare entrance fees to places, and other stuff like hotel accommodations. Bike rentals are plentiful around the region, so you won’t have a problem there, but you could consider contacting Colokal, as recommended by Aaron if you are not from the Philippines. (Aaron booked with Philippine Moto Tours for his trip).
As for the cost of such an adventure with an organizer, it costs a grand total of about $3,000 USD given current exchange rates and the booking rate of Philippine Moto Tours (163,500 PHP). The price included the tour, motorcycles, hotels, fuel, flights, and some of the food for the trip.
Apart from that, it’s pretty standard and what you would expect, though do prepare for cold and wet weather if your wardrobe isn’t already acclimated.
Aaron also goes into detail on his blog in addition to everything that he mentioned in the video. If you’d like to see all the sights and sounds that he experienced during his trip, he has an hour-long feature on his YouTube channel.
