In 2012 I wanted to ride a Royal Enfield motorcycle across the Indian plains and into the Himalayan Mountains. As time went by, the idea started to materialise. I decided to ride 4800 km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, the northernmost to the southernmost point of India on a 500 cc Royal Enfield Motorcycle. I planned to dedicate my ride to the last 400 Asiatic Lions of the Gir Forest in Gujarat, India.
I had visited the forest in May 2011 and was struck by the charisma and the magnificence of these majestic animals that had been brought to the brink of extinction due to reckless hunting and poaching over the last century.

I reached Delhi from Belgium in February 2012 and bought a Royal Enfield Classic 500.

Soon after I picked up the motorcycle, the final preparation commenced from running-in the engine, planning the final route, maps and GPS coordinates, weather predictions, customising the motorcycle to fit the luggage, putting together tools, spares, repair manuals.


At Delhi, all loaded for a 50 km trial run


Preparations and stuff to take along


Trip and route map


Somewhere on the way

I left Delhi on 3rd March and returned on the 14th March 2012 and had clocked over 2500 km in the trip.
I decided not to continue further down to Kanyakumari, as the motorcycle developed a fault in the exhaust system plus I had a bad fall near Patni top ahead of Jammu and hurt my hand.

Along the way from Jammu to Srinagar near the Jawahar Tunnel cutting through the Pir Panjal Range of the Himalayan Mountains


Near one of the few avalanche zones along the road


What happens to a pair of Black boots on these mountain roads, a mixture of all colours of dust and slush from melting snow. Something similar was the state of my face, my luggage and offcourse the motorbike.

On the way to Sonamarg from Srinagar


Ran out of tarmac, only snow ahead


The end of the road, the northern-most point of India accessible on a motorcycle at time of my visit. The road continues to Drass, Zoji La Pass and Leh.

It was snowing as I drove, tremendously reducing my visibility to only a few metres, was freezing cold with a wind chill of around -20 Degrees on the motorcycle such that even 2 pairs of socks under my leather boots, 2 fleece jumpers and an insulated jacket weren’t sufficient. I was one of the few people and the only person on a motorcycle at the time.