Himalayan Motorcycle Journey – Day 4
Surviving the Shinkula Glacier Pass – A Ride Through Ice & Instinct
📍 Route: Keylong → Shinkula Pass → Zanskar Valley (Purne)
🗓️ Date: 8 june 2025
🧊 A Day That Felt Like War – Against Nature & My Own Fear
This wasn’t just another ride. Day 4 was about facing raw danger head-on, and riding through the most unforgiving terrain of the entire Himalayan journey — the infamous Shinkula Pass, a glacier-clad monster that tests not just your machine, but your mind.
We knew this day would be hard.
We didn’t know how hard.
🏞️ The Ascent Begins – Keylong to Shinkula
The early morning was deceptively calm. The road from Keylong toward Zanskar Sumdo was quiet, scenic, and surrounded by untouched landscapes — like nature whispering, “Enjoy it while you can.”
After about 40 km, the trail disappeared into slush, melted glacier streams, and sharp rocky climbs. Patches of snow appeared on both sides. The temperature dropped, our bike tires struggled for grip, and that’s when we realized — we had entered glacier territory.
❄️ Glacier on Road – The Shinkula Nightmare
There was no proper road, only ice sheets mixed with slush, gravel, and freezing water. My Pulsar skidded constantly. My friend’s Bullet nearly slipped into a frozen ditch. At one point, we had to drag the bikes across a stretch of ice, barefoot, with numb toes and soaking wet socks.
🧠 My brain screamed: “This is madness. Why are we doing this?”
❤️ My heart whispered: “Because this is the dream.”
Shinkula Pass stood there — silent, white, cold, and cruel.
A frozen battlefield at 16,580 ft, with no network, no help, no mercy.
🧍♂️ Moments of Doubt – And a Moment of Silence
Midway, we stopped.
Not to rest — but because our bikes wouldn’t move.
The snow was too deep, and oxygen too low.
We stood there, panting like animals, in complete silence.
Only the crunch of snow beneath boots, and the sound of wind slicing through ears.
I remember looking up and thinking — "If this mountain wants, it can swallow us whole."
📷 One Picture – A Thousand Emotions
We somehow managed to pose for a photo at the Shinkula top board, but it wasn’t just a tourist stop.
It was a survivor’s moment.
We looked broken, muddy, wet, sunburnt… and alive.
📸 That photo is my proof — that fear and courage can ride together.
🛤️ Descent Into Zanskar – Welcome to a Forgotten World
As we descended, the landscape shifted from snow to surreal. We entered the Zanskar Valley, where the roads were almost absent, but beauty was everywhere.
Huge brown cliffs.
Sky-colored rivers.
Tiny villages with kids running barefoot, waving at bikers.
We reached Purne, a tiny hamlet with only a few houses — but to us, it felt like a luxury resort after what we had just crossed.
🧳 Lessons from Shinkula
- Never underestimate glaciers. Ever.
- Don’t trust weather after Keylong — carry layers, gloves, waterproof gear.
- Ride in pairs. Help can’t reach here.
- Most importantly — respect the mountains. You are just a guest.
📸 Must-Click Photo Spots
- Shinkula top (with the board if it’s visible)
- Glacier stream crossing
- Frozen patches of road
- First view of Zanskar Valley
- Riders dragging bikes across snow
💬 Let’s Hear From You
Have you faced a moment in the mountains where you questioned everything?
Would you ever ride across a glacier?
Drop your comments — your story might inspire the next wanderer.
⏭️ Coming Up Next:
Day 5 – Purne to Phugtal Monastery: Riding to the Hidden Temple in the Caves