The second day of the mountain bike adventure takes you from Lamayuru Moonland to Skurbuchan. The first 5 kilometers are entirely downhill, passing through Moonland and several hairpins turns. The rest of the trip is flat, following the Indus Valley Road along the banks of the river. We had lunch in Domkhar and went to the 4000-year-old ancient Rock Art refuge. We kept cycling after lunch all the way to Skurbuchan, our next campground. From Lamayuru to Skurbuchan, the distance is 43 kilometers.
Why is Lamayuru called Moonland?
On the previous day, we reached Lamayuru from Leh YHAI campsite. Because of its soil and setting, Lamayuru is a popular tourist destination noted for its monasteries and landscape. Visit the Lamayuru monastery. We set our tent near National Highway One (NH1), just outside the hamlet. On the steep slopes in this location, there is a unique type of mud. Because of this unique type of dirt, the mountainside sparkles on full moon days, earning the name Moonland.
Mountain biking route from Lamayuru Moonland to Skurbuchan
The ride downhill from Lamayuru
For the following five to eight kilometres, the ride from Lamayuru is entirely downhill. The road is riddled with hairpin turns. Because it is the national route One, NH1, which connects Kargil and Leh, expect little traffic. You just require control over the brakes; there’s no need to peddle; simply relax in the saddle and enjoy the journey and scenery.
There is a creek to the right and a Buddhist temple on the opposite side of the stream once you’ve gone all the way down. Continue on the level road until you reach Khalsi’s war memorial. Take a sharp left to enter the Indus Valley Road after seeing this monument. The rest of the day’s ride is along the banks of the Indus River on the Indus Valley Road.
The region was formerly heavily shelled by our neighbouring country, which was eventually reclaimed by our forces. The scenery along the Indus Valley Highway is breathtaking. There are a few residences along the path, but no stores, cafes, or other amenities. As a result, make sure you drink enough water. The river water is difficult to obtain and is contaminated with silt, making it unfit for drinking. The river water also looks to be dangerous due to the current or the velocity of the water. We came to a halt at Domkar village, where we refilled our water bottles and ate our lunch beside to a creek.
A visit to the historic Domkar Stone Art Sanctuary
Post lunch we continued for a while after which we visited a historic place known by the name Domkar Stone Art Sanctuary. We continued cycling after viewing this site, taking a mostly level route to our campground in Skurbuchan’s settlement. Apricot farm is just next to the campground. At sunset, the vista of gold-colored mountain peaks is not to be missed.
Reaching Skurbucham campsite
We kept riding for a little more, stopping next to the stream for a break while waiting for the rest of the teammates to join us. We kept on till we arrived at a little village surrounded by high mountains and our tent in the center of an apricot field. We spent the evening touring the area and taking in the beauty of the night sky. On the next day, we went further from Skurbuchan to Sakar.
To get a sense of the location, watch the video above. Hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Buy me a coffee to support my work or you can go to my store to buy some of my images. Also, do not forget to join my FriendZone by signing up for my newsletter and SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel.