The Mountains Beckon

Twenty-one cars and 1,341 kilometres through some of the most treacherous roads in the world. The adventure of a lifetime

- Anosh Khumbatta

UTILITY VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS Mahindra have constantly worked towards promoting the fledgling off-road culture in India. Off-road enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and explore their vehicles’ capabilities at several events held across the country throughout the year under the brand Mahindra Adventure.

This September, we were lucky enough to be part of their third annual expedition into one of the desolate folds within the mountains, the arid Spiti Valley. Conducted from the 2nd to the 9th, the Mahindra Adventure Himalayan Spiti Escape pulled together adventurous folk from around the country, handed them the keys to a fleet of Scorpio SUVs, and let them loose on some of the most treacherous terrain on the planet. Keeping everybody safe, on-track and together was rally ace Hari Singh, a veteran of driving in these parts, and his team of expert drivers. Also on board was a service team carrying spares and equipment in dedicated service vehicles, and also a doctor, just in case. From Mahindra we had Manish Sarser, head of the Off-roading Academy at Igatpuri, keeping an eye on the proceedings.

Day One: Chandigarh to Narkanda

Our journey started at The Lalit, Chandigarh, and we immediately headed north towards Shimla, the crowded capital of Himachal Pradesh. Lunch was a delectable spread laid out at the Wildflower Hall, once the colonial home of some of our erstwhile British rulers, now an opulent hotel just outside Shimla. The day was spent getting to know our vehicles as we continued on to our night halt at Tethys Ski Resort, Narkanda, where we were able to unwind by a bonfire before dinner. (Distance covered: 181 km)

Day Two: Narkanda to Sangla