The Most Exotic Challenge

Join us to support the British Asian Trust on this spectacular ride; the Most Exotic Challenge – Cycle the Indian Himalayan Foothills. On this four-day, 260km cycling challenge, you will cycle in the shadows of the majestic Himalayas, immerse yourself in culture and see spectacular sights.

On day one of the challenge, you’ll witness the border closing ceremony at the Wagah border with Pakistan, and visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar. You will then cycle through forests, bamboo groves, across rivers and streams and past tea plantations, visiting Buddhist temples and monasteries. You will witness a lifestyle unchanged for many centuries as you pass unspoilt villages and towns.

You will cycle through the ‘breadbasket of India’, a beautiful and green land of farms abundant with wheat, rice and mustard crops. The ride will progress towards the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. You will have the opportunity to explore the temples and monasteries of Dharamshala, often called ‘Little Lhasa in India’. The temples are instantly recognisable with a giant prayer wheel in the centre and strings of multi-coloured Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the wind.  You will also visit the Dalai Lama’s monastery, where we hope to secure an audience with His Holiness.

You’ll ride past the amazing Baijnath temple, one of the most important Shiva temples in India, dating back to 804AD and well known for its amazing stone carvings, as well as  the incredible Sherabling Monastery, with its three-storey high gold-plated, jewel encrusted Buddha statue.

Evenings will be spent in comfortable hotels including the magnificent Taragargh Palace, built as a summer resort by the Royal family of Jammu and Kashmir.