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| Rajasthan Palace Classic Tour | Ladakh High Roads | Kerala Mountains and Beaches | Maharashtra Temples & Tigers |
Over the past 12 years we have run the most exciting motorcycle touring programme in Asia, including the first ever tours to Bhutan, Here at H-C Travel, we have been running tours in India on Royal Enfield motorcycles since 1996, and are the longest established UK tour operator to India. Since then we have added Bhutan, Tibet, Mongolia, Thailand and the Philippines to our programme. Our Ladakh High Roads Adventure attracts riders to the challenge of riding the highest motorable pass in the world, Khardung-La, at over 18,000 ft.
For the curious Westerner there is no more distant, exotic and worthy region to explore and confirm the beautiful diversity of our planet! And explore you will. The adventurous spirit is there in every tour we offer - no short cuts, no cheap options - and we take pride in our reputation for quality and organization, matters that are not always easy to ensure in the Subcontinent. And we only take a maximum of 8 motorcycles, ensuring you get the level of service you should expect.
You may only get to ride any of these destinations once in your life, so ride with H-C Travel on the edge of adventure – not disaster!
There are no hidden costs, these tours are as complete as they can be, from the moment you are met at the airport to the moment you leave. Because we only run small groups, you are always assured of our personal attention throughout the tour. You also benefit from the enjoyment of being in a small group of like-minded people, swapping stories and experiences, and with such a small group and our extensive local contacts we have access to accommodations, restaurants, monuments, roads and parks that larger groups simply miss.
All of our tours to India are flight-inclusive, to make planning your Indian adventure that much easier.
We hope the information here will convey some of the spirit of our tours. There really is nothing we can say or show that does justice to any of them, please believe what we say and have the holiday of a lifetime! And if you have any questions, we will be happy to discuss our tours with you.
For 2009 we have made some minor changes to our itineraries as new or renovated accommodation have become available. And of course we can also arrange custom tours for groups of four or more riders, in addition to our published dates.
Why tour India?
- Expect the unexpected
- Whatever your preconceptions, India will surprise you
- Our Royal Enfield motorcycles really are in their element on Indian roads
- Fabulous historic cities
- Breathtaking scenery and nature
- To be spoilt rotten for two weeks
Why tour India with H-C Travel?
- The most experienced Himalayan and Keralan motorcycle guides in the business
- Small groups to enhance your experiences, 2-8 motorcycles
- Trained mechanic and a/c support/luggage vehicle
- Quality accommodation, typically 4* except in the Himalayas
- Flight inclusive holidays from the UK’s only ATOL licensed motorcycle tour company
- The only UK tour operator (and one of probably only three tour operators in the World) to take you to the highest motorable pass in the World, Khardung-La, at 5605 m.
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Indian tour schedule 2009
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Tour
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Dates
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Bhutan
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07 Oct - 21 Oct 2008
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Maharashtra
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08 Nov - 22 Nov 2008
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Kerala
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17 Jan – 01 Feb 2009
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Rajasthan
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31 Jan - 13 Feb 2009
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Kerala
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14 Feb – 01 Mar 2009
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Kerala
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14 Mar – 29 Mar 2009
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Kerala
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28 Mar – 12 Apr 2009
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Bhutan
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23 Apr - 07 May 2009
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Ladakh
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15 Jun - 02 Jul 2009
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Ladakh
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01 Jul - 18 Jul 2009
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Bhutan
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06 Oct - 20 Oct 2009
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Maharashtra
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07 Nov - 21 Nov 2009
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Kerala
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16 Jan – 31 Jan 2010
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Rajasthan
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30 Jan - 12 Feb 2010
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Kerala
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13 Feb – 28 Feb 2010
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Kerala
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13 Mar – 28 Mar 2010
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Kerala
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27 Mar – 11 Apr 2010
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Bhutan
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17 Apr - 01 May 2010
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Ladakh
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14 Jun - 01 Jul 2010
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Ladakh
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30 Jun - 17 Jul 2010
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Bhutan
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05 Oct - 19 Oct 2010
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Maharashtra
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06 Nov - 20 Nov 2010
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Your guides
Patrick Moffat
Patrick is an American who has lived in India, Bhutan and Mongolia for the past 20 years or so. A native of Colorado, he is a real ‘mountain’ man, and just loves the great outdoors, and the mountain lifestyle in all its variations. He has been guiding motorcycle tours in Asia for some 15 years now, and his experience is a most valuable asset. He is undoubtedly the most experience Himalayan motorcycle tour guide in the World, and guides our northern India tours. Patrick recently married Crystal, who is Mongolian. His enthusiasm, energy and organizational skills are limitless and he and our dedicated local crew will really bring out the best in India – and the best in you.
Patrick’s team
Without his support team, the logistics of running our tour programme in Northern India and the Himalayas would be well-nigh impossible.
In Delhi, Rajesh takes care of meeting you at the airport, wining and dining you, and getting you on tour and back to the airport on time. He is also able to take care of any local ‘difficulties’ while patrick is on the road.
On the road Patrick is supported by Alam, who often leads tours in Patrick’s absence. He has been working for Patrick since he was 16, way back in 1996. Then he was the tour mechanic, but he has been guiding some of our tours since 2005, and has been on over 100 tours in the India and the Himalayas as rider, mechanic or guide. Alam is no mean rider either. He participated in the Himalayan Raid Rally in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and came second in his class in 2005. And when not working to make your tour the best possible riding experience, Alam runs a motorcycle repair business and custom bike building shop in Dehredun that is famous throughout India.
Our chief mechanic is Biru, who has worked on our tours since 2000, and our support/luggage vehicle driver is Bopinder, who joined in 2002. They are usually supported by two assistant mechanics.
Daniel Benster
Daniel is our guide in Kerala in the far south. Born and raised in Yorkshire, he spends as much time as he can in Kerala. Until recently he lived in an idyllic beach bungalow in a fishing village, with sunsets over the Indian Ocean every night. Engaged to Anamika, he has incredible local knowledge, and like Patrick, the requisite laid back but firm attitude necessary to make your holiday run smoothly. Daniel has been running tours in Kerala since 1999.
Daniel’s team
 As with our northern Indian tour, we travel with a mechanic and a support vehicle driver.
Ranesh, our chief mechanic runs a very respected repair shop in Cochin, and has introduced his son into both the repair and tour business. A real wiz with the spanners, there’s nothing you can teach him about Enfield Bullets.
Niyaz, our support vehicle driver, is the man who makes everything tick. He’s always on hand to offer a cold drink, sort out permits, red tape, and any other local ‘difficulties’ with a smile and the right words. And he somehow manages to get our support vehicle through gaps that you’d think only a motorcycle could get through.
Please read this!
Motorcycling in India is surely one of the best ways to experience the country’s rich cultures, people, and unequalled scenery. At the same time, motorcycling here has its dangers, especially on narrow mountain roads with unpredictable traffic and quick-changing weather conditions.
While our most of our Indian tours are well-suited to any relatively experienced rider, High Roads Adventure should be undertaken by fit, experienced riders with an open mind for changing road conditions and different rules of the road. On this tour itineraries and accommodation may be changed due to local conditions. It is not suitable for novices, we expect you to have a minimum 5000 miles riding experience.
And because of our organization and our small groups, we have an accident record that is the envy of even European tour operators – since we started in 1996, we have never had a two-vehicle accident and not one of our customers has been hospitalized.
Age restrictions 18-65, but please check with us if you are over 65, we can be flexible.
Flights
Our prices include scheduled economy flights from London to Delhi or Cochin, with airport / hotel transfers, as well as any domestic flights in India. Flight inclusive prices are subject to availability, and may increase subject to airline conditions and fuel surcharges, so please book early!
We can also offer flights from UK regional airports, please contact us for further details. And if you prefer to fly with a different airline, we can arrange that too.
If you are a non-UK customer, or wish to make your own flight arrangements, please deduct £500 from the tour price.
Visa requirements
Visas are required for travel to India (if you are not a UK citizen, please check with your travel agent). You will be sent further details once you have paid for your tour in full (usually visas can only be issued less than three months before the required dates). Visa costs are about £35-40, with processing fees if you wish to use a visa processing agency, of about £35-40.
Websites
For UK government information and advice www.fco.gov.uk
For visas http://vfsglobal.co.uk
For visa services www.rossconsular.com
Indian Tourist Board www.tourisminindia.com/
For more information on our Kerala tours www.keralabiketours.com
Photo and video album (coming soon)
Articles
Ladakh High Roads, Bike, Nov 1998 Please click here
Ladakh High Roads Adventure, 2007 http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/article.php?page_id=107
A Bullet in the Ghats, Kerala Mountains and Beaches Adventure, 2006 Please click here
| Rajasthan Palace Classic Tour | Ladakh High Roads | Kerala Mountains and Beaches | Maharashtra Temples & Tigers |
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