ROARING ENGINES, DARING RIDERS, AND THE MAJESTIC HIMALAYAS
19th edition of the Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey kicks off from Delhi
– 18 Days | 75 motorcyclists | 3,050 Kms adventure
– Ride to Umling La, the world’s highest motorable pass at 19,024 ft
New Delhi, July 16, 2023: Amid the thunderous roaring of over 75 Royal Enfield motorcycles, the 19th edition of Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey was flagged off from Delhi today. Embarking on an 18-day adventure ride, 75 riders will traverse approximately 3050 km to reach Umling La, the highest motorable pass in the world, via some of the most breath-taking terrains in northern India.
Flagged off 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 Himalayan Odyssey congregated from across the world like Netherlands, Singapore as well as from cities like Madurai, Kasargod, Srivilliputhur among others, to be a part of this epic ride. The entire contingent was flagged off from Delhi, and follow the Jammu-Srinagar route and make a stop at the Kargil War memorial, Dras, to pay homage to our martyrs. From Kargil, the team will move towards Leh and then ride to Umling La. From the top of the world, the riding contingent will traverse towards the picturesque landscape of Pangong Tso and Nubra Valley traversing the rugged Sarchu route, to reach Manali and end the ride at Chandigarh. Riding through Ladakh will challenge the rider in terms of weather and terrain, while also experiencing an adventure of a lifetime. With a view to reducing the impact on the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas and also raising awareness about environment-friendly tourism, this edition of the Himalayan Odyssey will continue to root for the adoption of Responsible Travel practices by its riding community, in a bid to #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Enfield said, “The Himalayas have always been our spiritual home, and Himalayan Odyssey is a tribute to our undying spirit of exploration and motorcycle adventure. Since its inception in 1997, when 15 bravehearts embarked on the first Himalayan Odyssey to today when we have 75 adventurists embarking on this, journey, Himalayan Odyssey has become a journey of self-discovery and human endurance that inspires and enables riders to fulfill their dream of riding to the Himalayas. Each year, we see participants in huge numbers joining us on the Himalayan Odyssey ride where we not only help them explore the beautiful Ladakh region, but also become more environmentally conscious and responsible on the journey. This year too, we will continue our efforts to preserve and sustain the delicate Himalayan environment through our ‘Responsible Travel’ initiative and inculcate the adoption of sustainable travel practices within the riding community.”
Traversing through some of the roughest terrains and highest mountain passes in the world, the Himalayan Odyssey contingent will continue to promote the concept of a responsible motorcycle journey through various efforts. In 2019, Royal Enfield took it upon themselves to reduce the plastic waste footprint generated due to Himalayan Odyssey by ensuring that the participants do not buy single-use plastic water bottles. This was made possible by carrying water filtration units during the ride so that the participants can fill their reusable water bottles and hydration bags when required. In addition to that, the team also placed filtration units at the Royal Enfield service center in Keylong and Leh as well as at camps in Nubra, Debring, and Sarchu, so that the people visiting these camps can access clean drinking water without having to purchase water bottles. This exercise on Himalayan Odyssey 2019 gave birth to the concept of ‘Leave Every Place Better’ which is now an overarching theme for all the rides and events at Royal Enfield.
Ride Route:
| Nos | Date | Start | Destination | Kms |
| 1 | 14/07 | New Delhi | – | |
| 2 | 15/07 | New Delhi | – | |
| 3 | 16/07 | New Delhi | Chandigarh | 270 |
| 4 | 17/07 | Chandigarh | Jammu | 260 |
| 5 | 18/07 | Jammu | Srinagar | 310 |
| 6 | 19/07 | Srinagar | Kargil | 202 |
| 7 | 20/07 | Kargil | Leh | 210 |
| 8 | 21/07 | Leh | – | |
| 9 | 22/07 | Leh | Hanle | 260 |
| 10 | 23/07 | Hanle | Umling La – Hanle | 200 |
| 11 | 24/07 | Hanle | Pangong Tso | 188 |
| 12 | 25/07 | Pangong Tso | Nubra | 220 |
| 13 | 26/07 | Nubra | Leh | 160 |
| 14 | 27/07 | Leh | – | |
| 15 | 28/07 | Leh | Sarchu | 250 |
| 16 | 29/07 | Sarchu | Manali | 180 |
| 17 | 30/07 | Manali | Chandigarh | 300 |
| 18 | 31/07 | Chandigarh | Check-out | |
For more information on this ride, log in to- Himalayan Odyssey
Hashtags: #HO2023 | #HimalayanOdyssey | #RoyalEnfield
About Himalayan Odyssey:
Started in 1997, the Himalayan Odyssey has come to represent the ultimate motorcycling experience in the Himalayas. It’s a journey of self discovery and human endurance that inspires and enables riders to fulfill their dream of riding to the Himalayas. The Himalayan Odyssey is a life changing experience, and over 18 days, the riders face challenges together that will strengthen the sense of camaraderie amongst them and in the end leave every rider with memories which will remain deeply etched in the mind forever.
In Royal Enfield Himalayan Odyssey 2019, Royal Enfield initiated the #LeaveEveryPlaceBetter campaign which aimed at a zero ‘single-use-plastic-ride’ by discouraging participants from using bottled water, and facilitating purified water by employing dispensers along the way.
To cut down the use of single use plastic bottles, Royal Enfield set up community water purifiers along this route. Six purifiers were installed across strategic locations in the popular Manali Leh route- Keylong Service Centre, Sarchu Camps, Leh Service Centre, Nubra swiss Camps, Pangong Camps and Swiss camps in Debring, while three additional water purifiers were used throughout the journey for Himalayan Odyssey participants. Pure and filtered water was made available to riders traversing this route, thereby negating the need to purchase single-use plastic water bottles.
About Royal Enfield:
The oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production, Royal Enfield has created beautifully crafted motorcycles since 1901. From its British roots, a manufacturing plant was established in Madras in 1955, a foothold from which Royal Enfield spearheaded the growth of India’s mid-sized two-wheeler segment. Royal Enfields are engaging, uncomplicated, accessible, and fun to ride; a vehicle for exploration and self-expression. It’s an approach the brand calls Pure Motorcycling.
Royal Enfield’s premium line-up includes the stylish Hunter 350, the timeless Classic 350, the Meteor 350 cruiser, and the 650 parallel twin motorcycles – New Super Meteor 650, Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. The adventure motorcycles – Himalayan adventure tourer and the Scram 411 ADV Crossover, and the iconic Bullet 350. Riders and a passionate community are fostered with a rich profusion of events at a local, regional and international level. Most notable are Rider Mania, an annual gathering of thousands of Royal Enfield enthusiasts in Goa, and the Himalayan Odyssey, a yearly pilgrimage over some of the toughest terrain and highest mountain passes.
A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield operates through more than 2050 stores across all major cities and towns in India and through nearly 1150+ touchpoints in more than 60 countries around the globe. Royal Enfield also has two world-class technical centres, in Bruntingthorpe, UK, and in Chennai, India. The company’s two state-of-the-art production facilities are located at Oragadam and Vallam Vadagal, near Chennai. Across the world, Royal Enfield has five modern CKD assembly facilities in Nepal, Brazil, Thailand, Argentina and Colombia. With more than 35% CAGR for the last 5 years, Royal Enfield is the leader in the global mid-size motorcycle market.
For more information about Royal Enfield please visit: https://www.royalenfield.com
For further information please contact corpcomm@royalenfield.com