Padum to Lamayuru by Motorcycle: Day 5 Over Singge La and Sirsir La

Day 5 of our 11-Day Himalayan Motorcycle Tour: Zanskar and Ladakh is the longest and hardest day of the Zanskar section, and one of the most rewarding of the whole tour. We leave Padum before sunrise, race a road-works checkpoint, ride a river valley between two walls of mountain, cross two passes close to 5,000 m and roll into Lamayuru, one of the oldest monastery villages in Ladakh, with the evening light on the hills.

This post follows that day as our September 2026 group rode it on 16 September: the route, the timings, the heights, the temperatures and what the riding is really like.

Day 5 at a glance

• Route: Padum, Zangla, Singge La, Photoksar, Sirsir La, Wanla, Lamayuru

• Distance: about 210 km

• Start: Padum, about 3,670 m, wheels rolling at 6:30 am

• High points: Singge La, about 5,050 m (16,590 ft), and Sirsir La, about 4,800 m

• Finish: Lamayuru, about 3,510 m, arrival 4:40 pm

• Road: mostly tarmac, with about 10 to 20% off-road sections

• Bike: Royal Enfield Himalayan 450

• Night: Lamayuru

An early start in Padum

After the ride over Shinku La on Day 4, the group spent the night in Padum, the main town of Zanskar. It was about 4°C when the bikes were lined up in the morning, clear and still, with the first light only just reaching the peaks.

Most mornings on this tour start after breakfast at a relaxed pace. This one does not. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is rebuilding the road out of Zanskar, and traffic through the works is only allowed before a fixed time. If we did not cross the first checkpoint before 7 am, we would not get through that day at all.

So the plan was simple: leave at 6:30. At 7:00 the whole group was through the checkpoint.

A valley between two mountains

Past the checkpoint, the road runs through a long, beautiful valley between two walls of mountain, with the river flowing right beside the road. The rock changes colour every few kilometres, and in places the road is cut straight into the cliff.

This is a stretch to ride slowly and enjoy. There is almost no traffic, and the road captain keeps the group together through the narrow sections and the work zones.

An early lunch

Breakfast had been early and quick, so we decided to stop for lunch at around 11 am, before the big climbs of the afternoon. On a day like this, a proper meal and a hot drink before the passes make a real difference.

Singge La: turns and big mountains

After lunch the road starts to climb towards the first high pass, Singge La. This is the most beautiful part of the day: bend after bend, with huge mountains on every side and the valley dropping away behind you.

Singge La sits at about 5,050 m, and the board at the top reads 16,590 ft. It is not the highest pass of the tour, but the climb to it is one of the toughest. It was around 3°C at the top on our ride, with cloud coming and going over the peaks.

Photoksar and Sirsir La

From Singge La the road drops towards Photoksar, one of the most remote villages in this part of Ladakh, before climbing again to the second pass of the day, Sirsir La, at about 4,800 m. It was about 2°C there in the afternoon. Two passes close to 5,000 m in one day is a lot, and everyone feels it, but it is also the part of the day riders talk about at dinner.

Arriving in Lamayuru

Beyond Sirsir La, the road drops through Wanla towards the main Srinagar to Leh highway. We had planned to reach Lamayuru between 4 and 5 pm and rolled in at 4:40, just as the evening light was turning the hills gold.

Lamayuru, at about 3,510 m, is built around one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Ladakh. Its name is often translated as "eternal", and the monastery grew around caves where monks once meditated. It was about 14°C when we arrived.

The hills around the village are famous in their own right. Wind and water have carved the soft, pale earth into ridges and hollows that many people call the "moonland" of Ladakh, and in the late afternoon light they glow from yellow to deep orange. After a whole day of grey rock and high passes, it feels like riding into a different planet.

Rest at Lamayuru

After a day like this, the evening is for rest. Bikes are checked, bags come off the support vehicle, and the group settles in for a hot dinner and an early night. The sky over the monastery after sunset is worth staying up for, if only for a few minutes.

What the riding is like

Day 5 is long and demanding: about 210 km, an early start and two passes close to 5,000 m. Most of the road is now tarmac, but around 10 to 20% of the day is off-road, mainly around road works and on parts of the passes. That mix is what makes it so enjoyable: enough smooth road to settle into the ride, and enough loose surface to keep it interesting.

You do not need to be an expert off-road rider, but you should be comfortable standing on the pegs and riding steadily on gravel. The road captain sets the pace for the conditions, and the support vehicle and mechanic travel with the group all day. On a long day like this, regular short stops for water, photos and a stretch matter as much as the riding itself, and the group always regroups before and after each pass.

Temperatures on Day 5 (16 September 2026)

• Padum, 6:30 am: about 4°C

• Singge La, midday: about 3°C

• Sirsir La, afternoon: about 2°C

• Lamayuru, 4:40 pm: about 14°C

These figures come from historical weather data for each place on the day we rode. Expect a wide range in one day: cold at the start and on the passes, mild in the valleys.

What to wear and carry on Day 5

• Warm layers for the 6:30 start and the passes, and a windproof outer layer

• Winter gloves, plus a thinner pair for the valleys

• A neck warmer or buff

• Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm

• Water and snacks. Food stops are few between Padum and Wanla.

If this is your first ride at altitude, read our guide to what to know before a Himalayan motorcycle tour.

Where Day 5 fits in the 11 days

• Day 1: Delhi to Manali

• Day 2: Manali preparation day (read the Day 2 post)

• Day 3: Manali to Jispa (read the Day 3 post)

• Day 4: Jispa to Padum over Shinku La (read the Day 4 post)

• Day 5: Padum to Lamayuru, this post

• Day 6: Lamayuru to Leh

• Day 7: Leh to Nubra Valley over Khardung La

• Day 8: Nubra Valley to Pangong Lake

• Day 9: Pangong Lake to Hanle over Umling La

• Day 10: Hanle to Leh

• Day 11: Departure from Leh

Questions riders ask about Day 5

Why do we leave so early?

Because of road works on the way out of Zanskar. The BRO only lets traffic through the work zone before a set time in the morning. Leaving at 6:30 gets the group through the checkpoint at 7:00.

How high are Singge La and Sirsir La?

Singge La is about 5,050 m (16,590 ft) and Sirsir La about 4,800 m. Both are among the highest points of the Zanskar section.

Is the road paved?

Mostly. Around 10 to 20% of the day is off-road, mainly through road works and on parts of the passes.

How long is the ride?

About 210 km. With the early start, lunch and stops on the passes, we reached Lamayuru at 4:40 pm.

Is there fuel and phone signal?

Very little between Padum and the main highway near Lamayuru, which is why the support vehicle carries fuel and the mechanic rides with the group.

Ride Zanskar in 2027

Our 2027 departures for the 11-Day Himalayan Motorcycle Tour run from June to September, each with ten riders at most, a road captain, a mechanic and a support vehicle. If a 6:30 start for two 5,000 m passes sounds like your kind of day, pick a date on the calendar or write to us.

Next in this series: Day 6, Lamayuru to Leh.