It was February 2020 and the coronavirus was something like China’s problem and not ours. February is the perfect time to find some snow after just half a day’s drive from Delhi. I was also looking for something like that for my next bike trip to Himachal.
The plan was to see some snow, spend some time on a river’s bank, visit some ancient Himalayan temple, and stay away from tourists. All of this except the last part was possible on a ride to Manali and beyond. But I really wanted to be at a place which is less crowded.
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Bike Trip to Himachal Itinerary
Initially, the plan was to go for a ride following this itinerary:
- Delhi – Yashwantnagar – Day 1
- Yashwantnagar – Kharapathar – Tiuni – Chakrata – Day 2
- Chakrata – Paonta Sahib – Delhi – Day 3
However, my plan was flexible and it did change on the go. So the itinerary that I followed was this:
- Delhi – Summer Hill, Shimla – Day 1
- Summer Hill – Kufri – Kharapathar – Tiuni – Hanol – Mori – Purola – Naugaon – Day 2
- Naugaon – Mussourie – Dehradun – Delhi – Day 3
Usually, I leave pretty early around 5-ish in the morning when I go for my trips/rides. But not this time. It was the election day in Delhi and I really didn’t want to be the irresponsible guy who leaves for a trip whenever there is a voting day.
Well, I did leave for the trip, but only after casting my vote. I was ready with my bike topped up with petrol and all my riding gear. Even though I reached the voting center exactly on time the voting begins, there were still 5 people in the queue. I anxiously waited for my turn, did my duty, and straightaway hit the road at around 9:00 AM starting my short bike trip to Himachal.
Day 1: Delhi to Shimla
Crossing Delhi was not a challenge as it was a holiday and then, I still had enough time to comfortably reach my destination in the daylight. Dominar has one of the best headlamps in its segment but I still prefer not to ride after its dark.
It was peak winters and quite chilly even in the afternoon. My calculation was slightly wrong and I underestimated how cold it could get riding on the highway. I was in only a t-shirt and a rider’s jacket on top of it. I did have another warm jacket in my luggage. But it was so bulky that I could either wear that or my rider’s jacket.
I preferred the rider’s jacket over the warm one; since it has some inbuilt protection layers. I was wearing gloves but they were also ineffective in stopping the chilly wind from hitting my fingers. I rode non-stop till Chandigarh (barring hourly water breaks) and decided to have my lunch at a place called Namaste Chandigarh.
It is right on the Ambala – Chandigarh highway, some 10 km before the city, and hosts a variety of outlets like Haldiram’s, Subway, Chaayos, and Nick Bakers. I had a plate of Chole Bhature from Haldiram’s in my lunch. If you are wondering why would anyone have Chole Bhature on a ride, then let me tell you; I am wondering too as I am writing this blog.
While having lunch at Namaste Chandigarh, I was exploring some places to stay near Yashwantnagar but could not find any options. My wife helped me from home and suggested a good guest house in Summer Hill, Shimla. I immediately called the owner and booked it for the day. So, here shifts the plan to stay in Shimla and not Yashwantnagar.
Himalayan Expressway
As soon as I started riding again, I realized how cold it would be up there in the hills. So, I bought an inner warmer from Zirakpur for some Rs 250 and decided to put it on right there. It actually worked wonders and I was not feeling cold anymore. Faith in inner warmers restored!
Even though most of the Kalka-Shimla highway is under construction and not really in a good shape, the stretch near Parwanu is really good. It is the section of the Himalayan Expressway which is now complete. Soon, we could see this expressway constructed till Shimla. But I am not too hopeful as I am seeing this construction on this highway forever now!
The traffic was less and I enjoyed the ride to Shimla to the fullest. There were a couple of traffic jams on the way till Solan, but then, jams are for cars!
Shimla as seen from Kalka-Shimla highway (NH-5)
I reached Summer Hill, which is on the outskirts of Shimla at around 5:00 PM in the evening. It was cold and I could also spot a little snow in the corners. Looks like it snowed a week ago but melted now.
Narrow-gauge tracks near Summer Hill
Summer Hill, Shimla
I checked into my hotel which was right beside the Summer Hill railway station. Being a train enthusiast, and having some pleasant memories from childhood of the Shimla toy train, I loved this location. The hotel owner offered me a warm wooden room which also had a big window with a sunset view. It was really a good deal for Rs 1000 per night. But I guess that was the off-season price.
Sunset from my room
Stay for the night:
- City Inn Hotel,
- Summer Hill, Shimla
- Contact: +91 94184 87752
Day 2: Summer Hill (Shimla) – Kufri – Kharapathar – Tiuni
The original plan was to cross into Uttarakhand through Tiuni and reach Chakrata by evening. I left at around 8:00 AM from Summer hill towards Shimla and then towards Theog. It was really cold and it seemed that the chilly wind was piercing through my fingers. I stopped and wore my gloves but no effect.
Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Chakrata
It was so chilly that it felt like my fingers were burning in cold. I was afraid that continuing like this would lead to frostbite. So I stopped quite often to rub my hands together and rode really slow in the morning.
I was looking for breakfast options but everything was deserted in Shimla. I crossed the Auckland tunnel and was now again on the NH-5. As soon as I crossed the tunnel, I could increasingly see the snow on the pavement.
Kufri-Fagu Road was full of snow and black ice. With stock tires, I could not go further on this road and continued my journey towards Theog.
Kufri and Theog
I reached Theog around 9:45 AM and left the NH-5 for the road going towards Rohru. By now I was very hungrily and finally found a breakfast joint called Mount View Restaurant open on this road. I ordered Aalu Paratha, a butter sandwich, and hot coffee for breakfast. Nice food and all of this for Rs 140/-.
Also Read: Delhi to Deoria Tal – A Memorable Trip
I was starting to enjoy the ride now as there was very little traffic on this road and the temperature was also rising. It was still cold but the winds were not bothering my fingers anymore. Soon, the road was running parallel to a small river called the Giri river that forms this valley.
Somewhere near Kotkhai
The road started to climb up after Kotkhai for Kharapathar and it again started to get colder as I was gaining altitude. The owner of the restaurant where I had my breakfast said that there are good chances of finding some snow at Kharapathar. Kharapathar was indeed full of fresh powdered snow.
Kharapathar
Both Kotkhai and Kharapathar justify their names. The distance between the two places is less than 20 km but the altitude gain is almost 900 meters.
From Kharapathar
I spent some time at Kharapathar enjoying the fresh snow and panoramic view from there
In my opinion, Kharapathar has everything that it takes for a Himalayan village to become a hill station. Its altitude is similar to Narkanda and it is covered in snow for most of the winter months. It offers a panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges and is easily accessible from both Shimla and Rohru sides.
The road again started to descend from Kharapathar onwards, however, is fully tarred and in quite a good shape.
The road again starts running along a small rivulet that joins the Pabbar river at Hatkoti. Pabbar river originates from Chandranahan lake and a beautiful trek can lead you there.
Also Read: Tungnath Chandrashila Trek – A COMPLETE Travel Guide
From Hatkoti, the road bifurcates into the one leading towards Rohru and another towards Tiuni. My plan was to go to Chakrata and now I was riding on the road that runs along the Pabbar river towards Tiuni.
Pabbar river
Tiuni
The signboard welcoming to Uttarakhand. I reached the Himachal-Uttarakhand border near Tiuni at around 1:30 PM. It was lunchtime but I decided to skip it as I had a pretty heavy and late breakfast near Theog.
The valley opens up
Even though I was officially in Uttarakhand now, the culture and lifestyle here and in the entire Jaunsar-Bawar region are closer to the Himachali culture (of Rohru area) than the Garhwali culture of Uttarakhand.
Finally, I was in Tiuni. Like Harthkoti, Tiuni is also located on a trijunction. One road leads to Hatkoti, another to Chakrata, and the third one to Mori via Hanol. Though I was supposed to take the road leading to Chakrata, I decided to visit the Mahasu Devta temple in Hanol.
Also Read: Delhi to Lansdowne – A Weekend Drive
I had two options from here. Go to Hanol, come back to Tiuni, and ride to Chakrata. Second, go to Hanol, continue towards Mori, and then towards Purola and Naugaon. The second route is way longer and isolated than the first one. But it was only 2:15 PM and I still had some daylight with me.
My itinerary for the bike trip to Himachal changed again and I continued towards Hanol. The plan was to decide later on which route to take after visiting the temple.
Hanol
Tiuni is a small town on the confluence of the Pabbar and Tons rivers. I was now moving forward on the road leading to Hanol that runs parallel to the Tons river. This road connects Tiuni with Mori village on Purola – Sankri route. The road condition on this route was better than I expected. In fact, there was nothing to complain about.
The scenery is entirely different in the Tons valley with a lot of open space along the river, and sparsely populated villages.
Kedarkantha peak was visible from Tons valley. I remember climbing this peak with my wife in the winter of 2015. It is an easy peak to climb and is a hot favorite among trekkers these days.
I reached Hanol at 2:40 PM. Hanol is famous for Mahasu Devta Temple on the river bank. It is a beautiful temple with wooden architecture.
It is explicitly written outside the temple that people of all religions, castes, and gender are welcome to visit the temple. Mahasu Devta ki Jai!
Also Read: Chopta – A COMPLETE Travel Guide & Itinerary
The road goes to Hanol village and further to Mori and Purola. Looking at the good road condition and this signboard saying 60 km of Purola, I could not resist traveling further on it. So the decision was taken. Instead of going back to Tiuni and then to Chakrata, I decided to ride ahead on this road and explore the Tons valley.
The road to Mori descends down to the woods along the river. With non-existent traffic, this was a pretty beautiful stretch all the way to Mori.
Purola
I was riding really slow on this road to soak up the view and natural environment. That was any way the idea to plan this bike trip to Himachal. I reached Mori at 4:20 PM. Now it was time to look for a shelter for the day. I decided to ride to Purola and find a hotel there to stay in.
After crossing Mori, I was on the Purola-Sankri road. Although this was my first time on the Tiuni-Mori road, this was my 5th visit to this road. Sankri area and Govind Pashu National Park hosts many beautiful treks. I have also done quite a few treks in this area including Ruinsara Gad, Kedarkantha peak, Rupin Pass, and Harkidun Valley. And I am definitely in for more in the future!
Also Read: Gaumukh Trek from Gangotri – A Complete Travel Guide
The road from Mori to Purola climbs up to a place called Jarmola Dhar before it descends down to Purola. It was 4:50 PM and I was really tired by this point. Whenever we travel to Sankri, we usually stop here for tea. This time also, I stopped at Jarmola Dhar for some tea and pakora.
The road descends for Purola after Jarmola Dhar and the valley opens up again.
Naugaon
I reached Purola at 5:45 PM and started looking for a hotel to stay. But just then, a thought flashed into my mind. After such a long ride today, it will be really difficult to ride from Purola to Delhi the next day. So, I decided to skip Purola and ride till around 7:00 PM and stay wherever I reach by then.
I was pretty familiar with this route and understood that if I continue to ride now, I could reach Naugaon before dark which was less than 20 km from Purola. My entire body was aching but I continued to ride to make things easier for the next day. I reached Naugaon before 7:00 PM and started looking for a hotel to stay for the night.
Naugaon is a tri-junction on this route. One road leads to Purola and Sankri (I was coming from this one), another going up to Janki Chatti, and then turning into a trek to Yamunotri, and the third one going towards Mussourie and Dehradun.
Also Read: How to Plan a Trip to Mussoorie
Since the Yatra season was off in the winters, I could easily find a good hotel for Rs 1000. Suddenly, I was not tired anymore and went for a little walk across the town. It was offseason, so I could not find a place to eat and ordered dinner from the hotel where I was staying.
Stay for the night:
- Hotel Oak Cedar,
- Barkot Road, Naugaon
Day 3: Naugaon – Mussourie – Dehradun – Delhi
It was the last day of my bike trip to Himachal and a long ride to Delhi from Naugaon. I started my ride from Naugaon at around 8:00 in the morning and planned to have my breakfast on the way. It was the same problem of chilly wind freezing my fingers in the morning and all I could do was ride slow.
After riding for an hour or so, I could finally find a dhaba open for breakfast. Thankfully, it also had a small bonfire where a few people were warming themselves. I immediately joined them and ordered some Aalu paratha and tea for breakfast. That was the only option anyway. With my hands feeling better, I was in no hurry to ride and waited for some sunshine before I continued.
Also Read: Gangotri – A Complete Travel Guide and Itinerary
I soon crossed from Uttarkashi district to Tehri district. The first town in Tehri district on this road was Nainbagh. I stopped there for a while to look at the narrow road leading to Pantwari village. This is the village from where the Nag Tibba trek starts. I did this trek in monsoon 2011 from Pantwari and descended at Thathyur.
The ride was now along the Yamuna river. I had two options from here to reach Delhi. One goes through Vikasnagar and Herbertpur which was a bit shorter and the other one from Mussourie and Dehradun. I decided to take the Mussoorie road.
Kempty falls
Kempty falls complex. It was morning time in the off-season. Otherwise, this place is usually full of tourists.
Mussoorie – Dehradun – Delhi
After Kempty falls, I could again spot some snow in the corners. When approaching Mussourie, there was a thin layer of snow on the road and also some black ice to deal with. I saw a couple of other bikers there trying hard to ride on that patch. It was slippery indeed!
The mall road at Mussourie was pretty crowded. I decided to rest there for a while and started from Mussourie at around 12:30 PM towards Dehradun. I bought a toy for my daughter in Dehradun and continued my journey to Delhi.
Also Read: Harsil – A COMPLETE Travel Guide and Itinerary
The road from Dehradun to Muzzaffarnagar is new and a delight to ride on. But Muzzaffarnagar onwards is the same old highway with unruly traffic and frequent potholes. It was still fine till Meerut after which the real trouble starts.
Bad roads and massive traffic jams at Modi Nagar and Murad Nagar. It got even worse when I entered Ghaziabad. I somehow missed the new Meerut Expressway and spent at least two hours stuck in another jam and struggling to find the correct way towards Delhi. I reached home at 7:40 PM bringing an end to my short bike trip to Himachal.
Bike Trip to Himachal – Conclusion
Below is a brief Itinerary of my bike trip to Himachal with the altitude in meters.
- Day 1: Delhi (225 m) – Summer Hill, Shimla (2123 m). Night stay at Summer Hill
- Day 2: Summer Hill (2123 m) – Kufri (2557 m) – Kharapathar (2665 m) – Tiuni (933 m) – Hanol (1058 m) – Mori (1211 m) – Purola (1524 m) – Naugaon (1142 m)
- Day 3: Naugaon (1142 m) – Mussourie (2005 m) – Dehradun (447 m) – Delhi (225 m)
A total of 974.3 km clocked on this ride in 3 days. The fuel consumption of 29 km/L is not bad since a lot of this ride was in hills Average trip speed turned out to be 42 km/h.
No startup issues at all. Dominar is a petty comfortable bike but I still feel the need for a handle raiser especially after riding it for 8-9 hours. The handle of Dominar UG is a bit raised as compared to the old versions. But it is still not upright.
Also, stock tires are fine for highways but will not give you confidence in snow and black ice. One can upgrade to adventure tires if a lot of riding is in the hills.
I hope the travelogue, pictures, and information above on a bike trip to Himachal were of help. If you have any questions or need any other details, please feel free to ask in the comments section below, or at our Community Forum, and I will be glad to answer.
