How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali

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There are many reasons to rent a bike in Manali like riding to Ladakh or making a bike trip to Spiti Valley or just a day trip to Rohtang Pass. You can get a sense of adventure and a damn great feeling to ride a bike to Rohtang Pass. It is further a feeling which is out of the world to ride a bike to Leh from Manali via Manali – Leh Highway.

Video – How to Hire or Rent a Bike or Motorcycle in Manali?

In the past, I have noticed that for almost all the adventure lovers and bikers, it has always been a topmost question – How and where to hire or rent a bike in Manali?

Should I carry my own bike or hire a motorcycle in Manali?

Well, though I am not an ardent biker still I have few points worth mentioning on this topic based on my get together with such bikers and members of the DoW community who rent bikes from Manali.

It is worth highlighting that if your own bike is in decent condition then it is always the best bet to ship your own bike and make the journey on it. The rented bikes come no way close in terms of reliability, stability, fuel efficiency and overall mechanical conditions with your own bike.

Planning to rent a bike or motorcycle in Manali or Leh?
Planning to rent a bike or motorcycle in Manali or Leh?

The cost factor may not vary much when compared, but the RISK of taking hired/rented bikes is far higher than what it can save you in cost terms. Depending upon your plan for Ladakh trip, you can ship your bike to any of these places viz. Mandi, Chandigarh, Delhi or Srinagar.

Similarly, in case you are making a trip to Spiti Valley, you can ship your own bike to any of these places and ride either from Kinnaur Valley or from Manali side.

Bike Rentals in Manali
Bike Rentals in Manali (Thanks to Ranjeet for the picture)

Where to Hire/Rent a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali?

First and foremost thing, there are several tour/travel operators/mechanical workshops/mechanics in Manali who offer services for renting or hiring a bike or motorcycle in the Manali region.

Make sure that you test the bike thoroughly, understand the terms and conditions, and always try to make sure that you rent them after seeing the bike rather over the phone. There has been a mixed response of travelers after booking bikes over the phone with few ugly instances had been reported as well.

Hence, one should reach Manali and then look among the many bike rentals shops in Manali before making the call. In case you are one of those people who do not like to take a risk at all in peak Ladakh or Spiti season, then you may opt to book online or over the phone with some reliable bike rental shops in Manali.

Cost to Hire/Rent a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali?

Generally, the cost of hiring a bike/motorcycle range about Rs 1000 – Rs 1800 per day per bike. Of course, the exact rental price depends upon the modal, make (bullet, Enfield, pulsar, etc) and condition of the bike you choose.

As suggested by one of my friends and leading real travel writer and blogger Tarun Goel

The classic ones are nothing less than Rs 1500. The UCE and Twinspark models are also well above 1500. The old models are available for less but then if you do mileage analysis paying more rent is advisable because that serves two purposes, a) headache is not too much as fewer chances of breakdowns b) You don’t have to worry about the oil and mileage because mileage difference with UCE is well above 10kmpl.

As for security deposit, be ready to shell out anything ranging from Rs 10K – 15K (for non-local hire) or maybe more, and it depends upon the bike rental shop in Manali in question and the bike you select. The security deposit is much less if you plan to hire the bike locally, i.e. getting a bike rent from Manali to Rohtang Pass.

You will need to deposit one of the original identity proof of yours like passport, pan card, etc along with the money in many cases.

Please note that bikes rented in Manali are not allowed for sightseeing in Ladakh. You will need to rent a bike in Ladakh again for local sightseeing to places like Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, and Tso Moriri. Some of the Manali bike rent shops have a set up between Leh bike rental shops in which case Manali Bike rental shops will charge you 50% of the per day rates for the number of days their bike is parked in Leh. However, please confirm the terms & condition in writing before you finalize a deal to rent a motorcycle in Manali.

That bike ride to Basgo plains in Ladakh
That bike ride to Basgo plains in Ladakh

Important Things to know for hiring a Bike/Motorcycle in Manali

Let me share with you some very important tips on renting a bike in Manali and things to consider before finalizing the deal with the bike rental shop in Manali.

1. Check the rental bike condition in Manali

First and foremost, the conditions of the bikes on rent in Manali are not that good after being battered in the hostile conditions for several years. So, if you have your bike, then do prefer shipping it on any day as compared to hiring a bike from Manali. Although things are changing again, you need to pay more on the front to rent bikes with good conditions in Manali.

If you have your own bike and are confused on how to carry it over train, then please refer the article: How to Carry your Bike in Train to Ladakh or Himalayas?

2. Make sure you have a valid driving license

You should have a valid driving license to hire a motorcycle in Manali. Some amount of experience of riding in the hills will be an added advantage as always. It is always better to avoid challenging roads like Manali to Kaza or Leh to Manali unless you have some experience of hills.

3. Better rent a bike in person & avoid bookings

Avoid booking your bikes over the phone or the Internet and always prefer hunting the right bike once you reach Manali. You must test a few bike rental shops in Manali and see what everyone has to offer. You never know, you may get an out of the box solution right away. Booking it over the phone or the Internet does not leave you with many options, or you do not have much control over what they will offer you.

Wasting time searching for the right bike rental in Manali is much better than wasting time stranded in the middle of Manali Leh Highway with no help around.

Make sure you are finalising the rates with the right person and handing over the security deposit to the right guy in rental shop.

4. Avoid renting an old motorcycle

Some dealers provide old bikes, and you should know how to avoid selecting such bikes, to minimize the chances of being stuck in the middle of nowhere. Beware of such dealers. So, quite important that you have some mechanical understanding of the basic parts of the bike so that you can detect any fault or tentative age of the bike after inspecting the parts.

5. Go for a test ride locally, Manali to Rohtang

Whenever you rent a bike in Manali, then spare a day for testing the bike locally (maybe a run to Rohtang Pass) and getting any necessary fixes done right there in Manali itself or replace the bike with some better version. This day testing will minimize the chances of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. The breakdown can result in several risks and dangers.

For example, consider a breakdown at a chilly location of Taglang La where even the oxygen content is low, you are suffering from AMS, help is hard to find and in all, you are left with an option to tow the bike in truck/pickup whenever one arrives and agrees. Ehhh!! Not so good feeling. Hence, it is crucial to test the rented bike thoroughly and select the perfect one for you.

Deepak tal lake near Patseo
Deepak Tal lake near Patseo

6. Know basics of bike mechanicals

It always helps to have some mechanical knowledge for doing basic fixes/repair of the bike. You never know when you need such skills on these rented/hired bikes on Manali to Kaza road or Manali Leh Highway.

7. Carry spare parts & check for the basic toolkit

Do not forget to carry extra spare parts (at least basic ones for sure) even if you are going on your own bike, forget about hired bikes. Always make sure that the bike rental shop in Manali provides you with the basic toolkit, at least a single rider helmet, spare tube, and other common spare parts like chain links, spark plugs, or whatever they can offer.

Try to get as much as you can. Rest you can buy yourself. It will further minimize the chances of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere. You can check a complete list of things to carry on a bike trip to Ladakh.

8. Arrange a backup vehicle and mechanic, if possible

If you are OK with the budget then carry a backup mechanic with you, if possible. Of course, you need to carry the basic spare parts as well. Some people also take an entire extra backup vehicle (car) to carry luggage, spare fuel, spare parts, and mechanic.

It is a safeguarded approach, but carrying extra mechanic and a backup vehicle will add to the cost factor to a great extent. If you have a decent group size, like 4-6 people, it will be a cost worth spending to ride with peace of mind to Ladakh or Spiti. Hence, you need to judiciously decide whether it fits in the budget or not.

9. Beware of mileage and carry spare fuel

Most of these hired/rented bikes offer a poor mileage, and hence it is always better to play safe and carry a sufficient amount of spare fuel after analyzing the fuel efficiency of the rented bike on the test run. Never count on what a bike rental shop in Manali says to you.

10. Verify all rental bike documents

Make sure that the RC, Insurance and PUC (Pollution Under Control) documents related to the rented/hired motorcycle in Manali are provided, they are up to date and are completely valid. After all, you do not want to land in some dismal situation on your lifetime trip.

Bike Carrying Spare Fuel on Manali Leh Highway
Bike Carrying Spare Fuel on Manali Leh Highway

11. Discuss and beware of terms & conditions

Make sure that you have in writing what you need to do in case you crash a bike or damages some or other parts of it. Generally, they will transport the bike to the nearest garage, and the cost incurred for the repairs done needs to be paid by the one who rented the bike. Also, check out the other intricacies (terms and conditions) as well like who will bear the cost of transportation or what happens in case the bike goes non-repairable state, etc.

12. Ask for luggage support or Ladakh carrier

Many of the bike rental shops in Manali do provide Royale Enfield’s luggage carrier that does have luggage support (Ladakh Carrier) as well as space to carry jerry cans. You may not find these things on other bike models though.

You should ensure that the bike rental shop in Manali has bolted it properly and it is well equipped and will not fall off in the middle of the road.

13. Inspect and call out any scratches or dents

Make sure you inspect the bike from all corners and call out any scratches, cracks, or dents on the rental bike to the shop guy and have them in writing so that you can avoid issues when returning the bike at the end. Otherwise, some bike rental shops in Manali may attempt to squeeze money from security deposits at the end of the trip.

14. Confirm terms in case of breakdown

You must confirm the terms and conditions from the bike rental guy about the pickup and replacement of the bike in case of a breakdown. This confirmation is essential else you may end up in a mess when the bike breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

Most bike rental shops in Manali will provide you the pick up in case of a breakdown but still better to confirm upfront.

15. Enjoy the bike ride instead of reckless riding

It is always helpful to ride safely and with caution. You will find lots of lonely stretches on roads to Ladakh or Spiti Valley, but better keep yourself in check. Riding on high speed will waste your precious fuel in the rental bike, may lead you in some out of control situation due to sudden bump and puts unnecessary pressure on an already worn-off engine of Manali rental bikes.

You do not want to spoil your bike trip just for speeding and riding recklessly.

You can also advance book your bike rentals in Leh and Manali online by checking out for some SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATES available to all the readers/followers of the DoW website through our Destination Specialist / Sponsor – Offbeat Escapes. In order to avail the discounts, you can use the online booking form at the link: Advance book your bike rentals in Leh online

Taking a rental bike on Manali Leh Highway?
Taking a rental bike on Manali Leh Highway?

Technical / Mechanical Tips to Rent Motorcycle in Manali

Given below are some of the technical or mechanical tips to rent a bike in Manali. These tips will help you get more confidence when renting a bike from Manali for a Ladakh trip or Spiti Valley trip from Manali.

1. Check/replace engine oil

Make sure you check and replace the engine oil of your rental bike in front of yourself, or you do it yourself before starting the long trip up in the Himalayas. You should go for low-temperature engine oils. Sometimes bikes will have less engine oil, ask for a proper replacement.

2. Check the spark plugs and carry few spare

You must check the spark plugs because most rental motorcycles will face spark plug issues due to high altitude and rarified oxygen. Hence, replace one at the start and carry a couple of spark plugs in spare on your trip too.

3. Check for worn-out tires

Inspect the tires of the rental bike and make sure they are not torn out. Good tread on the tires will help you save puncture hassles in the middle of nowhere.

4. Look for oil leakages

Inspect the bike you are renting for any signs of oil leakages around fenders, usually the case of broken oil seals in the front forks.

5. Inspect Air Filter & Carburettor

Ask the bike rental shop to show you the air filter and the carburetor. In case of any signs of dirtiness or burns, it is better to ask them for a replacement to have a troublefree ride to Ladakh or Spiti.

6. Replace the rental bike based on your local test ride

Take the rental bike for a test local ride and get it replaced in case you notice any of the following issues:

  • Roll in 2nd gear and notice any occurrence of false neutrals to detect troublesome gear tooth.
  • Any un-natural sound from the engine means trouble
  • White smoke coming from the bike
  • Check battery by blowing the horn and starting the bike again and again
  • A noisy bike ride around chainset and sprockets means trouble as well.
  • Ride on a steep climb and notice if the rental bike is ascending smoothly or not. It helps to identify clutch plate issues if the bike is not riding smoothly on ascend. Ask for a convincing reason and decide.
Stays options for your Manali to Leh Bike Trip
Stays options for your Manali to Leh Bike Trip

FAQs – Manali Bike Rentals

  1. What is the best bike to rent from Manali for a Ladakh trip?

    The best bike for a Leh Ladakh trip is the one with which you are comfortable in controlling and riding. If you cannot control a bike or you are not comfortable with the riding position, then that is not the best bike for Ladakh trip. Bike rental shops in Manali offer a variety of bikes on rent ranging from Himalayan to Royal Enfields to Avenger to Pulsars. You should hire a motorcycle that suits your riding style, comfort, and control.

  2. Can I find Scooty or an Activa on rent in Manali?

    You will be able to find various models of Scootys like Active, Jupiter, etc.. available for rental in Manali. So, yes, you can find a Scooty on rent in Manali, which is mostly used for local short rides around Manali.

  3. Which are the best bike rentals in Manali?

    There are many bike rental shops available in Manali. Some are reliable, but some do have old bikes, which can cause trouble on your trip. Like I explained in the article, the best option is always to reach Manali and inspect the rental bike before finalizing the deal.

  4. What is a good place in Manali to rent bikes for Leh?

    Both Old Manali, Manali, and Vashisht are full of bike rental shops where you can hire a motorcycle on rent for a Leh Ladakh trip. You must keep the tips explained in this article before you rent a bike in Manali or Leh.

  5. Can I rent a bike in Manali and leave it in Leh?

    Yes, oneway bike rental for Leh Ladakh is also available in Manali. However, please keep in mind that it will bury a big hole in your pockets. Unless you are a hardcore biker who cannot live without a bike ride or someone with deep pockets and OK to shell out 10-12 K just for a pickup, you can opt for this option. So consider the options of Manali to Leh one way bike rental only when the budget is not a concern.

  6. Can I rent a bike from Manali to Rohtang Pass for one day?

    Yes, you can easily find a bike rental in Manali for a one day trip to Rohtang Pass. You will need to arrange the Rohtang Pass permit.

  7. Which is the cheapest bike rental in Manali?

    As there are so many options of Manali Ladakh bike rentals available in Manali, you can, of course, get some cheap bikes on rent in the absence of any bike union, unlike Ladakh. However, do not make a bike rental deal, which looks cheap unless you inspect the bike as you may get an old bike with not so maintained condition.

Bike ride on the shores of Pangong Tso
Bike ride on the shores of Pangong Tso

Conclusion

In the end, again, if you have your bike, then do prefer it over the hired or rented bike from Manali. But, if you still plan to hire/rent a bike from Manali, then do carry a test run for a day and get the required fixes done right in Manali itself or replace the bike if it is too troublesome.

If budget is not a concern then opt to carry a backup vehicle or a mechanic along with required spare parts with you.

Do understand all the terms and conditions thoroughly from the renter before handing over the security deposit and documents. Do go through all the other points mentioned in this article, to better understand and prepare yourself on bike rentals in Manali.

Have a travel question?? You can follow me on Instagram and subscribe to my YouTube channel to ask your travel questions in a direct message on Instagram or comment on my YouTube videos.

I will be looking forward to your responses and questions as comments below. Have you rented a bike from Manali? If yes, then kindly share your own experiences with other fellow travelers here. The tips for you will help ensure them a safe and hassle-free journey.

If you know your friends or family are planning a trip to Ladakh, do share this article with them to help them make a memorable Ladakh trip.

Are you looking for the CUSTOMIZED TOURS?? Get in touch with our our handpicked & trusted Destination Specialists from the Himalayas who offer SPECIAL DISCOUNTED RATES to all the readers/followers of the Devil On Wheels website.


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Helping travelers, backpackers & tourists in planning memorable trips to the Himalayas - Smartly, Safely, Responsibly and Economically. I am in love with Spreading Smiles in the Himalayas through DoW Causes. You can read more about me in detail by checking out About Me section from the main menu.

520 Comments

  1. Comments section gets closed in 90 days. To ask your travel questions, you can follow my YouTube Channel for a faster reply or for a much slower reply follow me on Instagram. :)

  2. Hello!

    I and my friends are planning to go for the Manali-Leh bike trip at the end of October month. Can you suggest, if we will face any difficulty if so, what kind of? We hope that mostly we will face cold weather. Also, can you suggest what we should keep in our mind before reaching Manali?

    Thanks in advance
    Arun

  3. Jeet Agrawal on

    Hi,

    I am planning to rent bike from Manali to Ladakh, need few suggestions: (July 7th-2018 @ Manali for 9-10 days)

    1) How should I book a bike, should I reach there and book ? What if I didnt get any bike?

    2) DO I need to take another bike at Leh for Numbra, Pangong ?

    Please suggest, I am very confused.

    • Hi Jeet,

      Outside Ladakh rented bike are not allowed for sightseeing in Ladakh, so you will have to rent another bike after reaching LEh and pay twice for the bikes

      • Jeet Agrawal on

        Thanks for responding.
        Twice for the bike means ? Are u referring to Bike from Manali and Leh bike?

        Also, when should I book bike?

        • Yes Jeet, you have to pay for Manali bike and then when you hire in Leh, Manali bike will be parked but you will have to pay. So, you will be paying twice for the bikes. You can book the bike few weeks in advance.

  4. Hi dheeraj ji,

    We are 2 or 3 friends. We wish to enjoy the beauty of ladakh on rented bikes. I want to know the approximate costing of the below points:
    1. Bike cost including fuel from Srinagar to leh to Manali, with breakup will be helpful.
    2. Bike cost including fuel from leh to Manali only if I hire at leh.
    3. SUV charges from Srinagar to leh.

  5. Hi dheeraj, I’m traveling to ladakh via leh manali highway from September 18 to september 25 with a pillion rider. few queries that I want to ask

    1. What is preferable prebooking of bikes or spot booking?
    2. Which is the better choice RE classic 350 Or RE 350 Thunderbird?( with pillion rider)
    3. If bike is brokedown who will be responsible for charges owner or me ?
    4.Is it safe to ride during mid September to 25 September?
    5. What are the emergency services or help that I can get in road?

    • Hi Vinay,

      1. Late September, on the spot booking shall work.
      2. Well, you need to see the bike with which you are comfortable riding.
      3. Minor scratches, they don’t bother but for major damage, you will have to pay.
      4. September is a good time for Ladakh trip
      5. Barely any emergency help available, all will depend on the fellow traffic of tourists or locals or sometimes army

  6. Rangarajan on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    You have mentioned that no to book bikes online but I also saw the offbeat escapes which you recommend. I have already booked my bike through offbeat escapes. How are they? I get my bikes in a good condition?
    Also will i be able to buy spare parts / tool kit of the bike in LEh? Can i buy it from offbeat escapes?

    • Hi Ranga,

      In Leh you will still be more or less OK and there have been many instances where people have not got the bike on reaching in Leh. Manali, on the other hand, has good supply while Leh is a market which is new and there are not many players. So, demand is more and supply is less. Also, Leh has fairly new bikes in comparison to bikes available in Manali market and hence, the risk gets a bit lower.

      It is a choice in Leh between getting no bike at all or taking a chance with online booking. Also, I have not heard anything bad about them from anyone for a year or so since they started providing rentals. Check the bike on reaching there and ask for a replacement in case of not liking it.

  7. Hi DOW Team,

    I have a decent experience of driving bikes in city areas and have been to some hilly areas around bangalore with pillion rider as well. The roads were quite curvy but always well paved.

    I am planning to rent a bike in Leh and do Leh-KhardungLa-Nubra Valley with a pillion rider(average weight). Though I have never driven a bike before in Himalyan regions, I am quite comfortable riding a RE in plain regions and never had any issues managing some rough patches of road outside city in the last couple of years. I have gone through the informative posts on this website about how to prepare/rent/ride for a bike tour also. But in the end what would you suggest –
    1. Go for my first bike ride with a pillion OR
    2. Take a cab?

    • Keshav, best will be to take a bike for a ride in around Leh – Sham Valley and then if you feel comfortable in the region, go for the trip with care and caution. Major issue is applying the front brakes in loose gravel that tends to skid the bike.

  8. Hey.. i want to rent a bike to travel manali to Kaza… plss tell where i can book or get a rental bike from manali to kaza

  9. Hi We have planned for Manali to Leh trip on 24th June. We are planning to rent bikes from manali. We enquired some persons anf they said now there is no any such issues going on, it has been resolved and bikes are allowed in leh. So can we have a safe ride to Leh via manali.

  10. Devang Darji on

    Hey Dheeraj,
    I’m going to delhi on 18th June, thats here……
    1) Well what if we rent bikes from Delhi, go to Manali – Leh. In leh for 2-3 days we will rent another bikes for travelling in Leh.

    Main thing I’m concerned about is would there be any problem in sarchu, will they allow us if we provide further bike booking details and all.

    2) Or another route will be from delhi to srinagar to leh, but I fear some trouble about terrorist attacks. 🙁
    So if you could help me out with my situation, as you are more experienced.

    Well looking forward to your comments.
    Have a good day.

    Thank You.

    • Hi Devang,

      With all the issues going on between Leh bike rental and Manali bike rental, I will not advice taking up any rental bike outside Leh to Ladakh. on a safer side. Best is to reach Leh by other means of transport, enjoy the experience of bike ride within Ladakh and then come back the same route.

      It is far better IMHO do under take this approach rather than worrying about beaten up by some freaks on the roads and spoiling your trip 🙁

  11. Nirmit Kansal on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I am planning to rent a bike from Chandigarh for leh Ladakh via srinagar then coming back to chandigarh via Manali. There is some news going on that the manali bike association will not allow rented commercial bikes from outside states.
    Can you please help me and confirm if I can take the rented bike from chandigarh and complete the trip as I have planned? Please let me know if the rented bike from chandigarh will create any issue in the travel path.
    Awaiting your reply.

    thanks,

    • Yes Nirmit, no Ladakh bike can cross Sarchu post and allowed in HP and no HP bike is allowed in Ladakh to enter. There is too much tensions going on and I will not recommend taking the rented bike to Ladakh unless things settle down.

  12. Hey Dhiraj,

    I am planning to travel LEH in month of August.
    Which would be best and the most affordable ,means of transport.
    Our journey will start from Mumbai and need to reach LEH.
    Also , we are too much concerned about the time that would be required for journey and ..Is it advisable to hire RE bike from Manali???

    • Hey Rahul,

      With which mode of transport are you comfortable with? August is monsoon time and you will have to go through hassles of rains in lower hills. Have you ride bikes before in tough roads of Himalayas?

  13. Hey Dheeraj,

    Awesome site you have here.

    Me and my friends are planning to do a Ladakh trip on June 21 to July 3rd. We havent been able to book any bikes so far. Is it fine to pop in and get bikes from Fort Road. We wanted to be part of a package cos we will have a guide and mechanic and a support vehicle with us, in case we have any issues. Do you suggest we do like that or do independently? without any of the backup? Supposing we get newer 2016-17 bikes at any of these places.

    • Well, Rahul, Leh does not have many shops available and bike inventory is not much to withstand the tourist rush of the season now. It is best to book bikes in Leh at least in advance and rely on luck rather than getting there with no bikes. You do not need any group to make it happen, the mechanic and backup vehicle will be there which you can get for yourself too from the bike rental shop.

      • Rahul Unnikrishnan on

        Thanks for the reply Dheeraj. Are you aware of any dependable rental ppl. Not been able to get across to Gurmet. Any other options?

  14. Hi Deeraj,

    thanks for all your comments. its helpful for me to get an idea for this trip. I am planning to visit Leh during Aug 12-19th. Am planning to reach Srinagar by Taxi (12th & 13th) & by bike (14th-19th) to Various visiting spots. Is it practical to travel all areas by RE Bikes from 14th – 19th to various spots? or We need Taxi ?

  15. Hi,

    I wanted to know if there are any self drive car rental agencies in Leh? We wanted to rent a car in Leh to drive to Nubra, Pangong and Tso Morriri? Is there any such facility?

  16. hi, i want to rent a bike from Srinagar so any one have any bike rental team contact number?

      • Dheeraj,

        I am a solo traveller taking Amarnath Yatra from baltal/Sonmarg on June 30 ’17. I wanna rent bike. I don’t want to travel back to Srinagar to rent bike and again travel back to sonmarg then to kargil-leh. My query is can I rent a bike in Kargil please share any reliable contacts to rent a bike in Kargil ?

        • An addition: I will be travelling from Katra to baltal by bus and reach baltal on 29th afternoon as I have helicopter booked on 30th June morning. If I rent the bike from Srinagar I would end up parking the bike for 1.5- 2 days in baltal with loss. I want to avoid this and thinking of renting the bike from Kargil. Please do suggest me an economical way to take the bike on ride from Srinagar/Kargil to Leh one way drop off.

        • Yeah I understand. But I am planning to take kargil-batalik-dah hanu- leh route by bike with one way drop off at leh by getting both batalik and dha hanu permits from kargil itself. Again rent another bike from leh for nubra and till manali further.

          (hoping to get permits as the situation is critical now)

  17. I am planning to visit leh, nearby 10th of july, and want to take bike in leh, should I go for online booking or take it on the same day and what will be the price?

  18. Arjun Dhawan on

    Hi Dheeraj, i am planning to go Leh from manali from 15 august to 20 august, Is it a good time or rainfall will be there ?

    Thanks in Advance. you help a lot

    Regards,
    Arjun Dhawan

    • It is monsoon time in general up there in North and at some parts of Manali – Leh Highway (like before Baralacha La) and Srinagar – Leh Highway (like before Kargil) you might need to face monsoon hassles but once you get closer to Ladakh, then Ladakh being rain shadow region is least affected by monsoon rains, though rains does reach Ladakh now but to minimum and mostly it might remains overcast conditions. There is no thumb rule of certainty about weather conditions but above is generally common pictures seen over last few years except ugly 2010 …

      Please refer the link in our community: FAQ | Is Monsoon season good time to travel to Ladakh? for more details.

    • Sumit Kumar on

      Please let me know how to rent a bike in leh for 4 day stay in leh.?

  19. Singri Goutham on

    Thanks for the valuable information its really helpful,
    Just a quick question
    1.Is there any rentals that rent bikes at Manali and we can return at Srinagar or Delhi and Sringar?
    2.We planning to visit leh and Spiti Valley in 9days,Is this advisable??

    • Are you planning Spiti or Ladakh?

      Bikes rented outside Leh are not allowed for sightseeing inside Ladakh except Tso Moriri and Tso Kar lakes which can be done while going to Manali from Leh. Private bikes are completely allowed. You can use the outside rented bike to reach Leh but then for going to Pangong Tso, nubra Valley, etc.. you need to hire rented bikes from Leh only.

      To know more about this rule and present situation, please refer the link: Bikes Rented Outside Leh Banned in Ladakh

      This year as per reports, rule is going to be stricter. Manali rental guys have formalized a deal that for the days Manali bike is parked in Leh and Leh bike is rented, they will charge 50% of the rent of the bike. So, confirm with Manali rental guys first about this signoff.

      The one way bike rental is quite costly and leave a big dent in pocket for you, sometimes like 12K for just the pickup from Manali. Be sure if you are ready to make that investment or not or if at all it is worth the money spent. My suggestion is unless you are hard core biker and cannot live up the passion of biking, it is not wise to spend that much money just for the pickup of bike.

  20. Arjun Dhawan on

    HI DHEERAJ,
    Thanks for all the valuable information provided in this article, extremely helpful.

    Regards,
    Arjun Dhawan

  21. Dhananjay on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Hope you are keeping well.
    I have tried prebooking the bike using this link “Advance book your bike rentals in Leh online”.
    I have submitted the request and shared my number as well.
    No reply till now. Any luck on this please?

  22. Hi Dheeraj,

    My wife and me are planing to travel from leh to srinagar by bike around 23rd of July 2017.
    Is there one way bike rental option available in leh?

    How many stops we should take between leh and srinagar ?
    Is it safe to travel by bike as we are only two people?

    Regards
    Peeyush

    • Hello Peeyush,

      Bikes rented outside Leh are not allowed for sightseeing inside Ladakh except Tso Moriri and Tso Kar lakes which can be done while going to Manali from Leh. Private bikes are completely allowed. You can use the outside rented bike to reach Leh but then for going to Pangong Tso, nubra Valley, etc.. you need to hire rented bikes from Leh only.

      The one way bike rental is quite costly and leave a big dent in pocket for you, sometimes like 12K for just the pickup from Manali. Be sure if you are ready to make that investment or not or if at all it is worth the money spent. My suggestion is unless you are hard core biker and cannot live up the passion of biking, it is not wise to spend that much money just for the pickup of bike.

      Leh to Srinagar needs an overnight stop at Kargil to split the journey in 8 hrs ride each day.

      • hi can u provide me wit some contact number to hire bike in manali or 2-3 days and lemme know which are the best places in manali to go for

        • Bharat, there are plenty of bike rental shops in Manali. Go for after inspecting the bike. You can makea ride to Solang – Rohtang, ride to Naggar – Kasol

  23. Raghavendra on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Its being very good about your article.
    I’m planing alone trip to Manali-Leh-Manali in the month of August could you please let me know if is there any group of people traveling in august, Is there any problem if we take our own bike from bangalore to manali. If any problem can please let me know can i get a good bike in the range of 1300-1500. What about the cost of overall trip.

    Is there any problem means AMS problem.

    Thank you in advance.

    Regards,
    Raghavendra
    9164937073

    • It is monsoon time in general up there in North and at some parts of Manali – Leh Highway (like before Baralacha La) and Srinagar – Leh Highway (like before Kargil) you might need to face monsoon hassles but once you get closer to Ladakh, then Ladakh being rain shadow region is least affected by monsoon rains, though rains does reach Ladakh now but to minimum and mostly it might remains overcast conditions. There is no thumb rule of certainty about weather conditions but above is generally common pictures seen over last few years except ugly 2010 …

      Please refer the link in our community: FAQ | Is Monsoon season good time to travel to Ladakh? for more details.

      Will you hire bike in Manali or Ladakh?

  24. Dr Hemant Datye on

    Can you share a website where common interest people can join and share a Innova or other vehicle and share all expenses from Delhi onward to Ladakh back to Delhi.

    I am my wife plan to visit ladakh on a 12 day tour with birding and wilderness as main interest along with visiting all the great places of Ladakh.

    • Hi Dr. Hemant,

      An options will be that you post your travel calendar entry on DoW Travel Partner Calendar from the menu as well and traverse the calendar for other entries in next two months. You can use main menu to submit the event.

  25. Hi Dheeraj ,

    I and my friends are planning for a road trip( bike ) in September this year. 2 weeks is the planned time. we are coming in from Bangalore . so basically we want to go to manali -, leh ladakh, golden temple in Amritsar , wagah border.
    yes I know the places are ou of the way but if you could just help me out in planning . Just give a brief idea of how to go along .

    Thank you

    • Hello Titus,

      You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Leh – Ladakh followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 13-14 days: Most Common Itinerary for Leh – Ladakh.

      You can easily fit the Amrtisar either after reaching Manali from Ladakh or while going from Delhi to Jammu for a day or two in between. Rest can work out as mentioned in the article.

      You can check the nice, preferred list of accommodation options in entire Leh – Ladakh (Leh, Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri) including moderate (cheap budget hotels as well) in the series of articles starting on the link here

      • Hi Dheeraj

        So it’s just 10days in total is what we have… So if you could guide me on how to go on with trip..
        And also if we rent bikes from Delhi / chandigarh, can we go through the whole trip? I have read one of your posts which says outside vehicles are nt allowed in Ladak.

        Kindly help
        Thank yoy

        • It will take 4 days to reach Leh from Srinagar side starting from Delhi with stop overs at Jammu, Srinagar, Kargil and 3 days to come back from Leh from Manali side to Delhi with stopovers at Sarchu, Manali. This makes it 7 days. 1 Day is required in Leh for acclimatization. You have about 10 days. 1 Day can be used as Day trip to Pangong Tso and other day can be used as day trip to Nubra Valley or just Khardung La pass.

          Opt to go via Manali – Leh Highway and I will suggest that you refer the thread for more details on the route and night halts though it is of 9 days: Manali – Leh – Ladakh – Manali | Itinerary for 9 Days. You can fit in plan I suggested in above para in this plan

          Bikes rented outside Leh are not allowed for sightseeing inside Ladakh except Tso Moriri and Tso Kar lakes which can be done while going to Manali from Leh. Private bikes are completely allowed. You can use the outside rented bike to reach Leh but then for going to Pangong Tso, nubra Valley, etc.. you need to hire rented bikes from Leh only.

          To know more about this rule and present situation, please refer the link: Bikes Rented Outside Leh Banned in Ladakh

        • Hi Dheeraj

          Apologies for bothering you a lot.. I just want this trip to be a memorable one..

          So I can fit a visit to Golden Temple on the way to jammu?
          Also from would you suggest to get rented bikes… Delhi or chandigarh? Keeping in mind the cost and quality…

          Thank you

        • No worries, I am here to help only 🙂

          You have to spend a day at least for Golden Temple. In just 10 days it will be very difficult to include it as you can clearly see you are not doing much in Ladakh anyways. Outside rented bikes are not allowed for sightseeing in Ladakh. Do you want to rent outside rental bikes?

  26. How good is it to take a newly purchased bullet 350/500 cc on leh trip

    Thanks in Advance

    • You got me wrong sir,
      What i mean is not cost wise but performance wise.
      I have been told by few of my friends that vehicle needs to be quite old, by old they mean i should have used if for a while may be say 5k to 10k kilometers…

      And one of my friend was also pointing about some MPFI engine v/s carburetor engine, he was mentioning that MPFI engines tends to fail when exposed to water on river crossing (is it really true) I don’t think so though…

      I am planing “Desert Storm” or “Battel Field Green” 500 CC with Single Seat

      Please advise…

      Thanks in advance
      Rohit

      • Well Rohit, I am not exactly a pro technical person in terms of biking performances but logically any vehicle must have clocked decent amount of mileage, about 2-3K KMs at least just to uncover any potential manufacturing issues which did not get attention in the inspections.

        • Thanks for reply, will consult some one who is technically stronger in this point.
          Well have you seen or come across people who take new bullets to leh trips, have they faced any issues…

        • Not really Rohit, I have known people who have taken new bullets, not exactly brand new but even less than 1000 KMs on clock. Never heard of any issues from them.

  27. What will be the cost for Manali to Leh and back to Manali on rented bike. and how many minimum days will require for the Manali-Leh-Manali tour.

    • Manali – Leh – Manali tour requires around 9 days if you do at least couple of sightseeing places in Ladakh. Per day cost of bike starts around 1000-1300 depending upon model, make and condition of the bike. Also, Manali bikes will not be allowed in Ladakh for sightseeing so for 5 days double the rent of the bike as you will be hiring bikes in Ladakh as well which is usually 100-150 bukcs more than cost of Manali bikes. This cost plus fuel for about 1800 KM

      • Thanks Deepak …Can u plz suggest some alternate ways to avoid taking bike on rent two times…and also plz suggest day wise tour plan..actually we will travel from Nagpur – Delhi – Manali ..

        • There is no way Rahul. You have to hire two bikes because they check the bikes mostly at barriers to Khardung La, Pangong Tso. If you just want to roam around Leh without going to sightseeing places in Ladakh, it is OK in that case.

  28. Sameer Jain on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Last month myself alongwith my family have been to Ladakh for a week. Before proceeding, I have extensively read DoW for information and places to visit. I was very much impressed by the accurateness of information shared by you herein which is of uttermost help when you are travelling with your parents.

    Furthermore based on the recommendations of drivers, I had availed the services from Chamba Rinchen and the guy is really fantastic with full of courtesies.

    Thank you for sharing the information.

    Planning next trip to Kinnaur & Spiti valley next year. Looking for more info on DoW.

    Cheers!!!!

    • Sameer, that is fantastic to know. Feels wonderful when fellow travellers make some memorable trips and DoW played its good part in spreading smiles in this way in Himalayas 🙂

      You can go through the entire Spiti Valley category from the menu, you will find everything you need to make a trip to Kinnaur Valley or Spiti Valley or both 🙂

  29. Devendra patel on

    Which type of process I’ll have to do to higher a bike for a day.

    • Parvez, what do you mean by listing? We have a registered legal entity in India by this name registered under Company of Registrar of India. Please use some other name else if reported we will not be hesitant to send a legal notice of using our brand name.

  30. Kiran jange on

    What is the cost riding from Chandigarh to Leh Kargil and back to chandirgh on my own bullet.

  31. We are coming in Ladakh begin of September and I think we find a reliable company which rent new Royal enfield. Not the cheapest one but seems ok…. a lot of good feedbacks on tripadvisor…. I’ll give a feedback when we comes back … 🙂

  32. Dear,

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT END WITH SUCCESSFUL TRIP TO LADAKH LAST YEAR,

    this year we are planning to visit again and its Spiti valley this time,
    can you suggest night stay places, best travel path, not to miss places.

    Regards and thanks in advance.

    • You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.

      PS: If possible, do pay a visit to our DoW Spiti Library in Kaza. Who knows you short walk there may help it remain active for the kids up there for much longer time 🙂 :)…

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