The 18th Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey has been flagged off from India Gate, Delhi. 70 riders will cover over 2,700 km in 18 days on their Himalayans and reach Umling La, the highest motorable pass in the world.
Returning after a hiatus of three years, this year, the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey will see riders follow two different routes. While both groups will be flagged off from Delhi together, one group will ride to Ladakh via the picturesque Manali route and the other will traverse the rugged Sangla-Kaza route, before finally converging at Leh. Riding through Ladakh and Spiti will challenge the rider in terms of weather and terrain, while also experiencing an adventure of a lifetime.
Flagged off from the India Gate - New Delhi in the traditional Ladakhi ceremony, the riding contingent was blessed by Buddhist Lamas who chanted prayers to bless the riders at the flag-off ceremony. This year, participants for Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey congregated from across Singapore, Saudia Arabia, the USA, as well as from cities like Mumbai, Pune, Madurai, Delhi, Bangalore, Anantapur and Vijayawada, among others, to be a part of this epic ride.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony Mohit Dhar Jayal, Chief Brand Officer, Royal Enfield, said, “The Himalayas are Royal Enfield’s spiritual home, and the Himalayan Odyssey is an ode to the undying spirit of exploration and motorcycling adventure since its inception in 1997. This edition marks a significant chapter in our endeavors to explore more as we travel to Umling La, the new highest motorable pass in the world. In 2019, we took a step towards reducing the plastic footprint with our #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter initiative and this year we continue our journey towards preserving and sustaining the delicate environment of the Himalayas with our ‘Responsible Travel’ initiative. We hope our efforts will help nurture an environmentally aware and conscientious community of riders and these 70 riders will become an inspiration for responsible motorcycle journeys, for other riders as well.”
June marks the start of the riding season in the Himalayas with thousands of riders traversing the Ladakh and Spiti region of the Himalayas. Royal Enfield has set up a comprehensive service network in the region that caters to the riders who require service support at 17,982 feet. Under this program called the ‘Leh Rider’s Support’ the company has nearly 66 service touch points across 6 routes with 175 skilled service technicians to ensure that the riders have a hassle-free riding experience throughout the riding season.
