Winter Ride to Spiti Valley - Day 8

Today was going to be the last day of our ride. Ghiyagi was cold but temperatures were on the positive side of zero so we were relieved. We decided to have breakfast at the small town of Aut in Mandi district because all of us were supposed to head in different directions from here - Sumit to Kullu, Gopal to Manali and Abishek and I to Chandigarh. 

Managed to make friends for life on this ride! Saying goodbye to Sumit and Gopal here

River Beas

The roads after Ghiyagi are in decent shape and apart from being narrow, they are a pleasure to ride on. The closest major town is Banjar and as you proceed further, from a small town named Shoja, two rivers Sainj and Tirthan finally merge with the river Beas. Beas kind of gives you an assurance that you are on the right path! Continue further and you will get on to the Manali-Delhi highway. From here, it is a routine ride to Chandigarh via Mandi, Bilaspur and Kiratpur Sahib.

Honestly, this is one ride that I find absolutely boring; nevertheless, a ride mandatory to reach our destination. Abishek and I managed to reach Chandigarh by 4.30 pm, returned our motorcycles and checked in to our hotel to get some much-deserved rest. We had to kill about a day and a half in Chandigarh before taking a flight back to our respective hometowns. 

Looking back, our ride was successful in every possible way- no motorcycle breakdown, no tire punctures, no motorcycle falls, excellent weather, white mountains and the list can go on and on. Yes, we were fortunate at some places, especially Langza where we stretched our luck to quite an extent, but luck is something that you need irrespective of where you are riding. Having someone accompany you on rides to such terrains is indeed a blessing and I was fortunate to have someone passionate about travel and motorcycles with me all throughout.  

Lazying around malls in Chandigarh

If you wish to ride to the mountains, especially Kinnaur and Spiti, you must go with no expectations. This will enable you to return with memories to last you a lifetime. Unforgettable moments and experiences are bound to have a lasting impact on everyone who goes to these places, that's my guarantee! 

Bidding goodbye to the beautiful city at Chandigarh airport

I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading about our journey to the magical and mesmerizing White Spiti and Kinnaur.

Until the next big ride, that's all folks!

Route: Ghiyagi/Jibhi - Banjar - Aut - Pandoh - Mandi - Sundernagar - Bilaspur - Kiratpur Sahib - Chandigarh