THE HIMALAYAS
A group of women from around the world hop aboard a fleet of Royal Enfield motorcycles, and embark on a safari for the soul along the highest drivable road.
A women- only tour takes a soul safari.
When I received an invitation to ride up the Himalayas on a world-first, uniquely designed tour just for the girls, it threw my day into a frenzy. Could I? Should I? Well, with an offer like that, you simply have to say yes! And that’s how it happened. Here I was, about to head out on an amazing adventure in a faraway land, aboard a motorcycle.
The safari was the brainchild of New Zealand-born Denise Ferris, who has more than 15 years of experience working with her husband Mike in their Australian tour company, World On Wheels. She decided it was time to mix things up a little – and so, Safaris for the Soul was born. This tailormade business for women combines motorcycling, yoga and meditation – making it a real spiritual adventure.
I knew the ride itself was going to be incredible. A group of women of differing ages and demographics, and with varying riding abilities, would all come together from around the globe for this marvellous challenge. Each day, we’d tackle a variety of conditions and terrains – and the accomplishment we’d feel was sure to last a lifetime.
The tourist information for travellers warns that if you haven’t been to India before, you’re going to be in for a shock as soon as you leave the comfort of the plane. The smells, the noises and the heat hit you instantly. The honking of horns and the crammed roads packed with weaving cars, bikes and tuk-tuks strike fear into anyone entering the melee.
And here we were, a group of women from all around the world, about to merge into this chaos on motorcycles. Over the next 12 days, we would attempt to ride to the top of the Himalayas on the highest drivable road in the world.
Climbing on the Royal Enfield bike for the first time, nothing can prepare you for the experience. You just have to do it – and forget every road rule you know. Indicators? Not really needed. Just toot. Want to pass
on the inside? No problem – just toot some more. Want to pass on a blind corner? Go ahead – but definitely toot.
Our group was a mix of female riders, pillions (passengers), and a couple of women who wanted to join in the experience but travel in the support vehicle. All options are available – so don’t be put off if you can’t or don’t ride a motorcycle. If you don’t fancy tackling a journey like this on your own, this is an opportunity to hang out with like-minded women from around the world aged from 25 to 75. We had a lot of fun. Women who were once strangers became empowering and supportive friends.
As a women-only tour, there were some optional extras especially for us girls. Our safari included daily yoga and meditation to help us take care of body, mind and soul. There was also the opportunity to experience a personal soul- coaching session. Coupled with the time we spent in nature, the tour was an enriching and enlightening experience. Clockwise from above: This simple tent, located in the desert land of Sarchu at an altitude of 4400m, offered rest for the night; Once strangers, now friends – the women all celebrated reaching the summit together; Tibetan prayer flags are often found strung along mountain ridges and buildings high in the Himalayas; This young girl was one of the many happy faces the riders saw in New Delhi; Local ladies from the small village of Jispa.
“Our joy had been more about the journey and much less about the destination.”
Many of us were feeling a lot more confident after the first day of riding. Once the terror wore off, and the knuckles released a bit, we were able to slip into the groove. Heading up into the hills, destined for Shimla, the traffic was not quite so busy as it was in Chandigarh. Yet expecting the unexpected was essential – especially with all the cows, donkeys and goats sharing the road with us!
After 12 days of riding over bumpy, rough, twisty – yet always spectacular – terrain, the day had finally arrived when we’d venture to the top. It was the moment we’d all been waiting for.
I offered up my back seat to pillion another lady, Rhonda, who wanted to experience that final climb on the Royal Enfield. We were both determined to make it up on the bike, no matter what the road threw at us.
Much of the road resembled a dirt track. Yet despite the lack of oxygen making the Enfield (and its riders) cough and splutter, we negotiated the pass successfully and eventually arrived at our destination. And to add to our elation, everyone else made it safely to the top as well!
The scenery was just as breathtaking as it had been for the whole journey. And it was at this point we became aware that our joy had been really more about the journey and much less about the destination.
Our group of determined woman had ascended the highest road in the world and achieved everything (and more) we’d set out to do. The feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming.
Our soul safari concluded with giving a little bit back to the region that had already given us so much. We spent our final day visiting the Making Educated Choices Project
– an initiative supporting the education of girls in Ladakh.
The opportunity to contribute was so meaningful, and the hospitality of the local women and girls was truly heart-warming.
Our group wasn’t full of women declaring ‘Girl Power’. Rather, it just featured a mix of women who wanted to challenge themselves and explore something different. If I can do it, you can, too. Don’t let life pass you by.