Dr Manish Agarwal, Udaipur Cycling Club
The Sachpass Cycling Expedition was undoubtedly one of the most challenging cycling tours I have ever been a part of. It spanned across 7 days, covered a distance of 450 km, and involved a staggering elevation gain of around 15000 meters. We began our journey in Manali and rode through several picturesque locations such as Palchan, Marhi, Rohtang Pass, Koksar, Sissu, Tandi, Udaipur, Purthi, Killard, Sach Pass, Bairagarh, Chamba, Khajjiar, and finally Dalhousie. Our cycling route was curated by the legendary ‘Google-Bavji’ Dr Sharad Iyengar, who made this tour unimaginable yet exciting.
I must emphasize that this cycling tour was a unique experience as there isn’t any similar itinerary offered by any adventure agencies. This tour was tailor-made exclusively for us, which speaks volumes about the trust the agency had in us. The agency was confident that cyclists from Udaipur are well-accustomed to climbs and trails, which were in abundance during the expedition.
Although it is impossible to put our monumental experience into words, let me briefly recount each day of the tour.
Day 0: (1850m)
We started our acclimatization day at Manali. We picked up our cycles from Bikat. We were given #Scott aspect mountain bikes, perfectly suited for Himalayas. All the bikes were in perfect condition. We rode some 17-18 km in Manali, to see the town and visited Hidimba temple and old Manali, just to get used to the bikes and altitude.
Day 1: (1850 m to 3200 m)
On day 1, we had to climb continuously for 40 km from Manali to Marhi, with an elevation gain of 1350 meters. In Udaipur, we had been climbing Ubeshwar, Rayta, and Keli, but the maximum climbing distance there is 4 km. Here on day 1, we had to climb continuously for 40 km, that too at a high altitude. It was a tough 40 km ride that took us almost 7 hours to climb, and our average speed was less than 10 kmph. It was considered an “easy” day of the trip though. It was also my first night in a camp. We had to sleep in the tents and we were given a bed roll. Staying in tents and using eco-friendly temporary toilets was a totally new experience of life… Something which was beyond the luxury we have become habitual of.
Day 2: (3200 m to 3973 m to 2600 m)
On day 2, we climbed for 16 km and reached the Rohtang pass peak, with an elevation gain of 773 meters. There was no snow in this season, and thankfully very less traffic. It was a beautiful ride, and the weather too was bright and sunny which gave us some beautiful pictures. And then there was a 25 km downhill on the other side. Let me tell u, I have been suffering from a downhill-phobia for the past 5 years, after I had a fall while cycling downhill at Rayta in 2017. So, this 25 km was going to be a test for me…. And the phobia was gone by the time I reached Koksar. It was a new ‘me’…. Now cycling very confidently on descents as well. We visited the Northern end of Atal tunnel and then we reached Sissu by evening and stayed in beautiful Swiss tents by the side of Chandra river. Expedition till now, was an easy and fun experience.
Day 3: Easy Day but an Important One (2600 m to 2900 m)
We started our journey from Udaipur of Himachal and reached a small town also named Udaipur. We met with the CHC in-charge doctor and Tehsildar of the town, who welcomed us warmly. We stayed in tents by the side of River Chandrabhaga. In the night, it rained which made us worried as the next day was supposed to be a tough one.
Day 4: One of the Toughest Rides of Our Lives (2900 m to 2600 m)
We were asked by the Bikat team to split our ride into two days of 40 km each, but we decided to complete it in a single day. It turned out to be one of the toughest rides of our lives, covering 80 km off-road from Udaipur to Killard village. The initial 60 km was a continuous long trail along the Chandrabhaga river, which needed a lot of concentration and a very fit upper body to negotiate. It started raining in the afternoon, and the surface had become slippery. Riding on this terrain with a slight mistake could have proved fatal. There was a minor injury episode that made the situation a little scary for all of us. The last 22 km was an uphill ride through multiple hairpins towards Killard village, which was quite challenging. Riding off-road climb in the evening hours was a difficult task as we were all extremely tired and exhausted. We reached there in the dark in a small hotel that didn’t have any electricity or hot water facility. But by now, we had become habitual of living in torchlight.
Day 5: Sach Pass – The Toughest Day of the Expedition (2600 m 4500 m 2900 m)
We left Killard on a bright sunny day to conquer the Sach pass, which is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous motorable roads in the world. Sach pass has a steep 10 km initial downhill, and then the epic climb starts. The pass has a total of 35 km steep uphill from Killard side and 25 km downhill towards Bairagarh. There is almost no civilization on this route, and the vegetation is scarce. The path has loose rocks, and the danger of a landslide always looms. This pass is quite popular among motorbikers, but very few people have thought of doing it on bicycles.
Dr. Sharad thought of doing so, and five of us followed him. It had rained heavily on Sach pass the previous day, and there was also some snowfall. So the soil between the stones was washed away, and there were too many loose gravels on the path, which made life more difficult for us. We slowly started climbing on the pass, and after some time, I got separated from the other members. Almost everyone got alone, and we all were riding 2-3 hairpins apart. Riding alone made things worse for us. High altitude, less oxygen, steep gradient, tired body, and changing weather conditions, all together made it difficult for us. We were able to manage a speed of 2-3 kmph only, and 3 km looked like 30 km!!
Day 6: (2900 m to 750 m)
We were in for a pleasant surprise as we got metalled roads after two days of rough terrain covering a distance of 140 km. The best part was that out of the 93 km ride for the day, 85 km was total downhill, which made it an easy day for all of us. We reached the beautiful town of Chamba in the evening and finally found a hotel with mobile internet, electricity, and warm water after almost 5 days of camping. We were back into civilization, and we could see ourselves in the mirror, which was a refreshing change.
The last 5 days had taught us the importance of every small thing in life that we take for granted. This day gave us an opportunity to reflect on that and appreciate the little things in life.
Day 7: (750 m 2400 m 2100 m)
It was the final day of our cycling expedition, and we knew it was going to be another challenging day. The route involved a 43 km climb under the hot blazing sun, and the steep gradient made things worse. We slowly climbed from Chamba to the beautiful Khajjiar and then to our final destination, Dalhousie.
The team took a last group picture at Gandhi Chowk of Dalhousie, and the Bikat team celebrated the finish with a delicious cake. We had finally completed the Sachpass Cycling Expedition, and it was a tremendous experience that left us wiser, better, and darker (we all got a lot of tan).
I would like to thank all my fellow participants, the Bikat team, and Udaipur Cycling Club for all the support throughout the expedition. Special thanks to my life partner, Dr. Manasi, for encouraging me to go for the trip. She has always been a great support, and I couldn’t have done it without her. I would also like to thank my family members for their love and support.
Bikat Adventures made this trip a memorable experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to challenge themselves and experience the beauty of the mountains on a bicycle.
