Ladakh Winter Gran Fondo!

Ladakh Winter Gran Fondo

Snow Far, Snow Good!

Get ready for an experience of a lifetime on your bicycle. Get ready to pedal your bike in the sky high altitude of Ladakh, in the pristine and frozen climes of February!

Event Date: 8th to 14th February 2023
Organisers: Cycling Monks & Metta Café

This one of its kind ride, will test your skill, endurance, fitness and mettle. While you create memories to cherish.

Winter in Ladakh…

Winter in Ladakh is magical. The snow-covered peaks, frozen lakes, minimal vegetation, all add up to an enchanting sight and enthralling experience.

The sub-zero temperatures coupled with the high altitude, make life a challenge for the locals in their day to day living. As such, the local culture consists of working hard in the summer in preparation for winter, then enjoying all of winter in various religious and cultural festivities.

For those visiting Ladakh in winter, the challenges are accentuated. Just adjusting to the weather is difficult. Now, imagine pedalling your bicycle in this challenging terrain. The satisfaction of overcoming this gives you a high. The kind of high, you can only at those high mountain passes!

Once you ride in Ladakh in winter, you will not just want to do it again and again. But you will also want to bring your friends and family to share this experience with them.

And that is exactly why CyclingMonks and Metta Cafe are hosting this ride. Because we have experienced it and we want to share this beautiful experience with you.

Why You Should Ride in Ladakh in Winter!

1. Challenge Yourself like never before!
2. Experience a white winter, something most Indians never get to experience.
3. Experience the warm hospitality of Ladakh in cold winter
4. Experience Ladakhi Festivals in winter.
5. Flights are dirt cheap in winter. Flights from Delhi to Leh can be as little as 3000 for a roundtrip, compared to 35000 in summer!
6. Enjoy experimenting with your photography. Your captures will be mindboggling
7. Put your mind, body and cycling equipment to the very limit.
8. See a different side of Leh in winter, the market is a fun place to walk through and enjoy window shopping.

Event Summary:

You will be riding a Gran Fondo at 3500+ metres in sub-zero temperatures. You can choose to do the Gran Fondo in metric or imperial system, i.e., choose the 100 km or 100 mile ride!

The ride will have marshal backup, food and general support.

Event Itinerary:

8th February: Land in Leh and in-house acclimatisation. On the first day, it is recommended to just relax and acclimatise and undertake no strenuous activity.
9th February: Bike Set Up and Town Walk Acclimatisation. After a good night’s sleep under your belt, you will have the mental and physical energy to assemble your bicycle. We will then go for an easy and comfortable walk through Leh town, exploring the local market.
10th February: Experience Ladakh Ice Skating. In winter you can enjoy Ice Skating in Ladakh, we will go to an ice skating rink nearby, where you can try your hand at it or enjoy watching the local kids having a blast!
11th February: Short Acclimatisation Ride for village visit and traditional Ladakhi lunch. This will be a short ride, allowing you to check your bike and legs. We will ride to a nearby Ladakhi village, where we will have a traditional lunch.
12th February: Short Acclimatisation Ride for Monastery Visit and winter living. Another short and sweet ride to a monastery, to see how the monks live there in the winter. Lunch will be packed and served near the monastery.
13th February: Gran Fondo Event Day. 100 km or 100 mile ride. D DAY. The reason why we are all here. You ride your Gran Fondo of choice, starting in the morning. The ride will end before dark, so that you will be back in the hotel, before the biting cold of the dark hits.
14th February: Buffer Day for Gran Fondo. In the mountains, the best laid plans are disrupted by the weather. As such, this is a backup day for the Gran Fondo, in case 13th becomes impossible due to inclement weather.
15th February: Check Out and Morning Departures to the airport and beyond.

Event Ticket Inclusions:

Airport Pickup & Drop to Hotel
Boarding: From 8th February Check In to 15th February Check Out
Food: All meals included from check in to check out, including on event day
Activities: Pre-organised activities mentioned in the itinerary above.

Options:

• Those residing in Leh can only participate in the Gran Fondo on the event day.
• For outstation riders, bikes can be arranged on rent. Please get in touch in advance for this.

Ticket Price:
To be announced shortly

Necessary Information for Participants:

• The average daylight in the month of February in Leh is 10-11 hours. The temperature is sub-zero throughout. With mercury dipping  to  -15 to -20 degree Celsius at times.
• The road will not have snow or ice on the surface throughout the designated route. Extremely small portions of the route might have some snow on it, which will be absolutely and easily negotiable. The sides of the roads though, might have beautiful layers of snow to captivate your senses.
• All cyclists interested in being a part of this EPIC Gran Fondo, need to consider two major points:

1. Extreme Altitude: 3500 meters plus
2. Extreme Low Temperatures: Sub Zero degree Celsius

• One needs to report at least 5 days before the ride. Acclimatisation is ESSENTIAL.
• Cycles of any kind are welcome. The bicycles need to be human powered (no electric bicycles).
• The ride will be self-supported in nature.
• Non-mechanical support shall be provided at the aid stations which will be 20-30 km apart.
• It is highly recommended to have experience in distance cycling. Aiming for this to be your first century ride can be over zealous.
• It would be great if one has prior cycling experience at high altitude (3000 meters and above).

Categories:
Gran Fondo Extreme Pragma: 100 miles
Gran Fondo Rumani: 100 km

Pragma:
Distance: 100 miles
Cut off time: 10 hours

Rumani:
Distance: 100 km
Cut off time: 7 hours