Epic Motorcycle Odyssey in Himalayas

By Our Correspondent

There are a number of bike and car rallies in the Himalayas every year. But this one is different and with a message on preserving the environment which the highest mountain ranges in the world need most.

Seventy-five Royal Enfield motorcycles zoomed out from New Delhi on the 19th edition of Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey embarking on an 18- day adventure ride. The dare devils will traverse about 3050 km to reach Umling La, the highest motorable pass in the world at an elevation of  5,798  meters via some of the most breath- taking terrains in northern India. a mega rally  is  just not a sport. It is conducted with the theme of reducing the impact on the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas and also raising awareness about environment-friendly tourism.

This edition of the Himalayan Odyssey will continue to root for the adoption of Responsible Travel  practices  by its riding community, in a bid to #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter, Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Enfield said. With meteoric rise in tourists’ foot falls, most parts of the Himalayas from top to bottom have become one of the biggest garbage dumps in the world.

The flagging off was done at the national capital in the traditional Ladakhi Buddhist ceremony. This year, participants for Himalayan Odyssey congregated from across the world like the Netherlands, Singapore as well other parts of the country.

The entire contingent followed the Jammu-Srinagar route and made a stop at the Kargil War memorial, Dras, and paid homage to the martyrs. From Kargil, the team moved towards Leh and  then  rode  to  Umling La. From the top of the  world, the riding contingent left to traverse towards the picturesque landscape of Pangong Tso and Nubra Valley traversing  the rugged Sarchu route, and reached final  point  Chandigarh  via Manali. Riding through Ladakh challenged the riders in terms of weather and terrain, while also experiencing an adventure of a lifetime.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony Guleria said, “The Himalayas have always been our spiritual home, and Himalayan Odyssey is a tribute to our undying spirit of exploration and motorcycle adventure.  Since  its  inception in  1997.  Himalayan  Odyssey has become a journey of self- discovery and human endurance that inspires and enables riders to fulfil their dream of riding to the Himalayas. Each  year,  we see participants in huge numbers joining us on the Himalayan Odyssey ride where we not only help them explore the beautiful Ladakh region, but also become more environmentally conscious and responsible on the journey. This year too, we will continue our efforts to preserve and sustain the delicate Himalayan environment through our ‘Responsible Travel’ initiative and inculcate the adoption of sustainable travel practices within the riding community.”

Traversing through some of the roughest terrains and highest mountain passes in the world, the Himalayan Odyssey  contingent will continue to promote the concept of a responsible motorcycle journey through various efforts. In 2019, Royal Enfield took it upon itself to reduce the plastic waste footprint. Royal Enfield ensures that the participants of Himalayan Odyssey do not take single-use plastic water bottles.

The company ensured that they carry water filtration units during the ride so that the participants can fill their reusable water bottles and hydration bags when required. In addition, the company also placed filtration units at the Royal Enfield service center in Keylong and Leh as well as at camps in Nubra, Debring, and Sarchu, so that the people visiting these camps can access clean drinking water without having to purchase plastic water bottles.

In Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey 2019, the company initiated the #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter campaign which aimed at a zero ‘single-use-plastic-ride’ by discouraging participants from using bottled water, and facilitating purified water by employing dispensers along the way.

Source: Himalayan News Chronicle