India Motorcycle Challenge

November 2010

This motorcycle challenge is designed to ensure that those taking part get an intimate and once in a lifetime experience of Rajasthan. 11 Days, 1825km covered and the experience of a lifetime!

We will ride from Delhi to Agra, through Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Pushkar, Jaipur and Agra, taking time along the way to visit world famous monuments such as the Red and Amber Forts and the magnificent Taj Mahal. While the distances may look relatively short, the bikes, Royal Enfield Bullet’s, and the condition of the roads will ensure a long day’s ride! With drum brakes, gears on the right foot, rear brake on the left and the need for kick-starting, the classic, much loved Royal Enfield Bullet is still built and widely used in India, making our journey a truly unique Indian experience.

Your Itinerary...

 

Day 1: London to Delhi

We depart the UK for our overnight flight to Delhi.

Day 2: Arrive Delhi, transfer to Behror

Upon arrival in Delhi, we’ll be met at the airport by our motorcycle crew and taken by coach directly to our hotel in Alwar. On the outskirts of Delhi, Alwar is known as the Gateway to Rajasthan. In the afternoon they’ll be time to test ride the bikes, which will have been transported to Alwar in readiness for our challenge.

 

Day 3: Behror to Mahansar (160km)

Following breakfast, we have a reasonably short day’s ride as we become accustomed to our bikes and the climate. We’ll travel through the renowned Shekawati region, famous for its elaborately painted houses, a throwback to the area’s heyday, when rich merchants painted their houses in the styles they’d seen on their business travels around the globe. We’ll stay the night in Mahansar Fort, a charmingly quirky establishment still run by the ex-ruling family of the region.

Day 4: Mahansar to Dhingsari (285km)

Today we leave the Shekawati region and have unbroken views of the mighty Thar Desert. After lunch en route we’ll head to the infamous Rat Temple, 30km south of Bikaner. This is one of the few temples in the world where rats are worshipped and thus encouraged to run free amid the temple complex – quite a sight! After we’ve soaked in the atmosphere we’ll ride into the desert for a night under the stars, the sheer number of which has to be seen to be believed. We’ll enjoy a beer around the camp fire before spending the night in large ‘A’ frame tents, with both beds and linen provided!

Day 5: Bikaner to Jaisalmer (340km)

Following breakfast at our camp in the desert, we transfer back to the hotel where we left our bikes and luggage. After a quick shower we’ll head out once again for a day on the road. A long day today, but we’ll be back on the main highway so it’s smooth tarmac all the way. The sight of the fort city of Jaisalmer rising out of the stark desert landscape is pure magic. We reach our accommodation, the Shahi Palace Hotel, and then we’ll spend the early evening exploring the meandering lanes of this unique city, a place truly unlike any other.

 

Day 6: Jaisalmer to Jodhpur (315km)

Again a good road for today’s ride, meaning we should be in Jodhpur in time to visit its superb Meherangarh Fort, easily the best preserved and presented of all Rajasthan’s many forts. It sits high above the rest of the city, making the views from the top breathtaking. We’ll stay the night in a traditionally styled hotel - Pal Haveli – again, offering splendid views of the fort, although this time looking up from below.

 

Day 7: Jodhpur to Pushkar (250km) 

Today we have a lovely day’s ride through rural landscapes, less sand than you’ll have seen so far! After a day’s riding, we’ll arrive at our hotel the Pushkar Palace. Pushkar is an amazing place. Arranged around its holy lake, the town has a spiritual air, the perfect place to unwind after a long day’s ride.

 

Day 8: Pushkar to Jaipur (120km)

A short ride, mostly on the main highway, means we’ll be in Jaipur with plenty of time to spareto explore its many sights. A visit to Amber Fort is an absolute must, as are the bazaars of this famous Pink City. To experience yet another mode of transport you can take the famous elephant ride up to the fort. Tonight we’ll stay in Diggi Palace, the Jaipur residence of the Maharaja of the nearby Diggi region, an oasis of calm in this otherwise bustling city.

 

Useful Downloads

Further Information Medical Form Packing List Registration Form  Open Challenge Dates & Costs

Registration fee: £199

Minimum Sponsorship, rider: £2900

Minimum Sponsorship, pillion: £2500

 

Please contact Sarah Tennent on s.tennent@spinal.co.uk or call 0845 678 6633 for more information.