Travel information India for motorcycle tours

What to sort out before leaving for India: visa, driving licence, bringing your own motorcycle, and when the Himalayan passes are open.

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The essentials on India at a glance

Updated: August 2026

Visa: E-visa (tourist), applied for online in advance; 30-day visa from around USD 25 (often USD 10 Apr-Jun), 1-year visa around USD 40, plus approx. 2.5% bank fee; processing usually 3-5 working days
Passport: At least 6 months from entry, 2 completely blank pages
Best season: Himalayas (Ladakh/Spiti): June to September. South/Kerala and Rajasthan: October to March
Currency: Indian Rupee (INR), cash only outside the cities
Time zone: IST, UTC+5:30, no daylight saving time
Traffic: Left-hand traffic
Helmet & gear: Helmets compulsory for rider and pillion, enforcement varies by state
Main route: National highways mostly paved, BRO mountain tracks partly gravel, landslide risk after rain
Fuel: Unleaded, 89-91 octane typical (from 2026 minimum 95 RON with E20 nationwide); in Ladakh, fuel stations up to 320 km apart
Intl. driving permit: International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention (not Vienna 1968), valid only together with your national licence

Entry

Visa and entry to India

What you actually need to enter India, and what the e-visa really costs.

e-Tourist visa, 30 days

Stay: 30 days from entry, single entry
Cost: USD 10 (Apr-Jun) / USD 25 (Jul-Mar) + approx. 2.5% bank fee
Where to apply: Online: indianvisaonline.gov.in
Validity: Usable for 120 days from issue

e-Tourist visa, 1 year

Stay: Max. 90 days per stay, multiple entry
Cost: approx. USD 40 + bank fee
Where to apply: Online: indianvisaonline.gov.in
Validity: 365 days from issue

Protected Area Permit (Ladakh)

Stay: 7 to 15 days, for the Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, restricted zone around Khardung La
Cost: approx. USD 10-15 (environmental fee, Red Cross fee, daily fee)
Where to apply: Through a registered travel agency in Leh; not available online for foreigners
Validity: Must be obtained before each leg into the restricted zone

Visa types for India with length of stay, cost and where to apply
Visa type	Stay	Cost	Where to apply	Validity
e-Tourist visa, 30 days	30 days from entry, single entry	USD 10 (Apr-Jun) / USD 25 (Jul-Mar) + approx. 2.5% bank fee	Online: indianvisaonline.gov.in	Usable for 120 days from issue
e-Tourist visa, 1 year	Max. 90 days per stay, multiple entry	approx. USD 40 + bank fee	Online: indianvisaonline.gov.in	365 days from issue
Protected Area Permit (Ladakh)	7 to 15 days, for the Nubra Valley, Pangong Tso, Tso Moriri, restricted zone around Khardung La	approx. USD 10-15 (environmental fee, Red Cross fee, daily fee)	Through a registered travel agency in Leh; not available online for foreigners	Must be obtained before each leg into the restricted zone

Your own bike

Bringing your own motorcycle or renting locally

Why a carnet exists for India, but almost nobody actually imports their own motorcycle, and what happens instead.

Checklist for the border

Apply for the Carnet de Passages through your home automobile club at least 6-8 weeks before departure
Book sea freight (RoRo or container) to Mumbai or Chennai — no overland route is possible
Take out Indian third-party motor insurance locally; the European Green Card is not valid
Carry the vehicle registration document, carnet, passport and international driving permit on every ride
Carry a notarised power of attorney if the motorcycle is not registered to the rider
Plan re-export within the carnet's 6-month period, or arrange an extension in good time

A carnet allows the import, but no border actually leads in: there is no overland route for a foreign-registered motorcycle into India. Anyone who really wants to import one ships it by RoRo or container to Mumbai or Chennai, with six to eight weeks of lead time.

Documents

Driving licence and permit

Which convention India's international driving permit falls under, and what the traffic police actually want to see at a checkpoint.

National driving licence with a motorcycle category (geared, not automatic-only)
International Driving Permit (IDP) under the 1949 Geneva Convention, valid for one year
Passport and valid visa within reach on every ride
Minimum age at most rental operators is 21, the legal minimum is 18

Season

Best time for a motorcycle trip

When the Himalayan passes are open and when the monsoon governs the south, because the two follow opposite calendars.

Best season: Himalayas Jun-Sep, South/Raj. Oct-Mar

Rideability by month and region
Region	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Himalayas (Ladakh, Zanskar, Spiti)	Jan: Not rideable	Feb: Not rideable	Mar: Not rideable	Apr: Not rideable	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Best riding window	Jul: Best riding window	Aug: Best riding window	Sep: Best riding window	Oct: Rideable, with limits	Nov: Not rideable	Dec: Not rideable
Rajasthan / North India (plains)	Jan: Best riding window	Feb: Best riding window	Mar: Best riding window	Apr: Rideable, with limits	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Rideable, with limits	Jul: Rideable, with limits	Aug: Rideable, with limits	Sep: Rideable, with limits	Oct: Best riding window	Nov: Best riding window	Dec: Best riding window
South (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa)	Jan: Best riding window	Feb: Best riding window	Mar: Best riding window	Apr: Rideable, with limits	May: Rideable, with limits	Jun: Rideable, with limits	Jul: Rideable, with limits	Aug: Rideable, with limits	Sep: Rideable, with limits	Oct: Best riding window	Nov: Best riding window	Dec: Best riding window

Best riding window
Rideable, with limits
Not rideable

The Manali-Leh Highway and Khardung La are usually snow-free only from late May to mid-November; Kerala and Rajasthan, by contrast, are driest from October to March.

Matching departures in India The best window is Himalayas Jun-Sep, South/Raj. Oct-Mar. See the tours that start within it. Tours in India

Roads & tracks

Roads and passes in the Indian Himalayas

What the Manali-Leh Highway and Khardung La really mean in daily distance, fuel-stop spacing and condition after rain, not the kilometres on the map.

Manali-Leh Highway (NH3)

428 km

Condition: Mostly paved, but long gravel and loose-rock stretches especially between Pang and Tanglang La; regular BRO roadworks
After rain: Mudslides and landslides possible on the steep slopes near Gramphu and Darcha; the road can be closed for days
Daily distance: 150 to 200 km — altitude and pass sections rule out motorway pace
Fuel: Only in Tandi/Keylong, then not again until about 320 km later in Karu near Leh; in between, only unofficial canister fuel at tent dhabas
Passes & altitude: Baralacha La 4890 m, Nakee La 4740 m, Lachulung La 5065 m, Tanglang La 5328 m
Permits: None for through traffic alone; an Inner Line/Protected Area Permit is only needed for side trips to Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri

Khardung La (from Leh)

39 km

Condition: Road surface largely paved in recent years, but narrow with tight bends above 5000 m
After rain: Fog and snow showers possible even in summer; visibility can drop to a few metres within minutes
Daily distance: As a day trip from Leh; no overnight accommodation at the pass
Fuel: Last fuel station is in Leh; no supply at the pass
Passes & altitude: Khardung La 5359 m (official BRO measurement; signs on site often incorrectly show 5602 m)
Permits: Inner Line/Protected Area Permit required for foreigners as soon as the route continues into the restricted Nubra Valley zone

Sections with length, surface, condition and daily distance
Section	km	Surface	Condition	After rain	Daily distance	Fuel	Passes & altitude	Permits
Manali-Leh Highway (NH3)	428	–	Mostly paved, but long gravel and loose-rock stretches especially between Pang and Tanglang La; regular BRO roadworks	Mudslides and landslides possible on the steep slopes near Gramphu and Darcha; the road can be closed for days	150 to 200 km — altitude and pass sections rule out motorway pace	Only in Tandi/Keylong, then not again until about 320 km later in Karu near Leh; in between, only unofficial canister fuel at tent dhabas	Baralacha La 4890 m, Nakee La 4740 m, Lachulung La 5065 m, Tanglang La 5328 m	None for through traffic alone; an Inner Line/Protected Area Permit is only needed for side trips to Pangong Tso or Tso Moriri
Khardung La (from Leh)	39	–	Road surface largely paved in recent years, but narrow with tight bends above 5000 m	Fog and snow showers possible even in summer; visibility can drop to a few metres within minutes	As a day trip from Leh; no overnight accommodation at the pass	Last fuel station is in Leh; no supply at the pass	Khardung La 5359 m (official BRO measurement; signs on site often incorrectly show 5602 m)	Inner Line/Protected Area Permit required for foreigners as soon as the route continues into the restricted Nubra Valley zone

Fuel

Fuel and range in India

What fuel is actually sold at the pumps, how far the tanks stretch in Ladakh, and when the canister dhaba is all that's left.

Cities and national highways (Rajasthan, Kerala)

Octane: 89-91 RON, from 2026 min. 95 RON (E20)
Availability: Dense network; card payment rare outside big cities

Manali-Leh Highway (Tandi to Karu)

Octane: 89-91 RON at official pumps
Availability: 320 km with no fuel station; only canister dhabas in between

Leh and the Nubra Valley

Octane: 89-91 RON
Availability: Last guaranteed fuel station before Khardung La/Nubra is in Leh

Fuel grades, prices and the longest legs between stations
Region	Octane	Availability
Cities and national highways (Rajasthan, Kerala)	89-91 RON, from 2026 min. 95 RON (E20)	Dense network; card payment rare outside big cities
Manali-Leh Highway (Tandi to Karu)	89-91 RON at official pumps	320 km with no fuel station; only canister dhabas in between
Leh and the Nubra Valley	89-91 RON	Last guaranteed fuel station before Khardung La/Nubra is in Leh

Safety

Safety and emergency numbers

Which number in India actually helps if something happens on the highway or at a pass.

Emergency numbers

Unified emergency number (police/fire/ambulance) 112
Police (older number, still active) 100
Ambulance (older number) 108
National highway emergency assistance (breakdown, accident) 1033
Tourist helpline 1363

Health

Health and altitude risk

What actually matters at Khardung La, and what a standard travel insurance policy quietly excludes for motorcycles over 125cc.

Travel insurance with an explicit add-on for motorcycling over 125cc and altitudes above 3000 m
Plan 48 hours of acclimatisation in Leh before the first ride above 5000 m
Check hepatitis A and typhoid vaccination with a travel medicine specialist; ask a tropical medicine institute if in doubt
Diamox (acetazolamide) only after consulting a doctor, as prevention against altitude sickness
Travel medical kit with anti-diarrhoea medication, since there is no nearby pharmacy away from the cities

Most travel insurance policies exclude motorcycling over 125cc and riding above 3000 m altitude by default, and both apply to every Ladakh route. Without a written add-on covering both, nobody is insured at Khardung La.

Money

Money and payment in India

Where cards work and where, past the last ATM, only cash counts.

Delhi/Mumbai airports

Option: Currency exchange counters and ATMs, usually a worse rate

Banks in cities

Option: Best exchange rate; passport required to exchange money

Leh, the last major stop before the highway

Option: Several ATMs, then none until Keylong/Manali

Dhabas and fuel stations in the mountains

Option: Cash only, no card payment

Typical prices and means of payment
Place	Option
Delhi/Mumbai airports	Currency exchange counters and ATMs, usually a worse rate
Banks in cities	Best exchange rate; passport required to exchange money
Leh, the last major stop before the highway	Several ATMs, then none until Keylong/Manali
Dhabas and fuel stations in the mountains	Cash only, no card payment

Packing list

Packing list additions for India

Only what this trip adds to your usual touring kit, not the basics.

An extra layer for cold at the passes: night-time temperatures at Khardung La and on the Manali-Leh Highway can drop below 0°C even in summer
A dust mask or buff against the fine gravel dust on the unpaved pass sections
Diamox or another altitude sickness medication, agreed with a doctor beforehand
A spare fuel canister for the 320 km fuel gap between Keylong and Leh
A printed e-visa confirmation and copies of your passport, since there's often no signal to show them online
A reserve of Indian cash in small notes for dhabas and fuel stations without card payment
High water-column rain gear for Kerala — ordinary rain suits are often not enough in the monsoon

Motorcycle tours through India

From the trans-Himalayan trail through Ladakh and Zanskar to the backwaters of Kerala: the tours that match these facts.

All tours in India

Written by

Pravin Rohra

Product manager for the Asian market

German, English
Last checked: 29.08.2026

Pravin builds our trips for the Asian market, from the first route idea to the partners on the ground.

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Onward travel from India

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