India on a bicycle? That sounds like something a madman would want to do, right?. Afterall, there’s all the notorious traffic, the heat and the dust, and above all, the animals — cows, buffaloes, stray dogs, monkeys, camels, and even elephants, all wanting to share the road with you.
But there’s a lot more to India than these stereotypes. And for those adventurous enough to scratch the surface of this great and wonderful country, the experience is richly rewarding.
Of course, it’s always better to do a guided trip in India, rather than going it all alone. They’d know the best routes including the quiet rural backroads with little to know traffic, the best hotels, and the best sights to see along the way. There are quite a few companies that offer guided cycling tours in India, and you shouldn’t have any difficulty in zeroing in on a good one.
That said, here’s a list of the best places to go cycling in India. Keep in mind that India is a pretty big country, and if you have anything between 7-14 days at your disposal, you will only be able to cover any one of these regions.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan is a desert state in north-western India that is famous for its castles and palaces dating back to the era of the Maharajas. Quite a few of these now restored medieval palaces have been used as the setting for lavish Hollywood weddings and as movie sets. However, there’s a lot more to Rajasthan than just deserts and palaces.
The southern part of Rajasthan is in fact an oasis of gently rolling hills, forests, and lakes. The city of Udaipur, also known as the Venice of India due to its numerous interconnected lakes is located in this region. IT also has some pretty amazing hotels with great views of the lakes and the Aravalli hills.
All this makes this region a great starting point for any cycling adventure. From Udaipur, you should head northwards towards Jodhpur, avoiding the highways and sticking only to the quiet country roads. Not only are they relatively free of traffic, they also allow you to experience authentic Indian village life at close quarters.
Jodhpur is some 250 kms northwest of Udaipur, and is situated on the edge of the Thar desert. You can easily add a couple of days between Udaipur and Jodhpur by staying at quaint but pretty towns such as Ranakpur, Narlai, and Jojawar. There’s also a great leopard sanctuary near Jawai that offers tented accommodation.
Jodhpur is famous for its massive fort dating back to the 14th century that sits atop a hill and overlooks the old city of Jodhpur, with its blue mud houses. One night is enough here.
From Jodhpur, you should head north to Jaipur, which is the capital of Rajasthan. Known as the pink city, Jaipur again has a pretty impressive fort, and is one of the best places for shopping in India. You’ll get great deals on clothes, shawls,bags, marble items, handicrafts and a lot of other interesting stuff.
From Jaipur, you can head northeast towards the Sariska tiger sanctuary. The terrain is again hilly and forested here and makes for very interesting biking. It’s best to end your biking at Sariska, and then drive by car towards Agra, which is where the famous Taj Mahal is located. From Agra, you can either drive to Delhi, or take a train.
Kerala
Kerala is located in the southern end of India, having a long coastline along the Arabian Sea. As a result, it offers a very different cycling experience from northern India. Kerala is most famous for its backwaters, a network of interconnected lakes, lagoons, canals, and rivers that run parallel to the Arabian Sea, much like the bayous of America. Along with these, Kerala is also famous for it tea estates.
The places you want to cover when biking in Kerala are Kochi (Cochin), Alleppey, Munnar, Thekkady, and Kumarakom.
It’s best to start biking from Kochi, which has an international airport, and is a bustling port city known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea. From Kochi you can head towards Alleppey, which is famous for its houseboats floating on the backwaters.
From here, get ready for some serious climbing as you bike towards the hill station of Munnar known for its charming tea estates. It is located at some 1532 m above the sea level.
From Munnar, you can ride down towards Thekkady, which is home to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary where you can get a chance to spot tigers, along with plentiful herds of wild elephants.
Make sure to sample the local cuisine wherever you go, as south Indian food is very different from north Indian cuisine, and is equally delicious.
And if you manage to make it as far south as Kerala, it would be a good idea to try a Sri Lanka cycling tour, with Sri Lanka being located a small boat ride from India’s southern tip near Kerala. Sri Lanka offers a very different cycling experience than India.
Goa
Goa is a world famous destination known for its golden sands, beautiful beaches and yoga teacher training in Goa. Also located in southern India, Goa again offers a very different cycling experience. The highlight in Goa are, of course, the beaches, and you want to make sure that you get enough of them,as they’re among the best in the world.
However, Goa also has some very beautiful Portuguese architecture, as it was a Portuguese colony for nearly 500 years. There are also some ancient Hindu temples, beautiful waterfalls,and forests of coconut and cashew trees.
On the topic of cashews, India is the second largest producer of cashews in the world, and Goa is where most of India’s cashews come from. So make sure to try some local fresh cashews. The Goans also make a wine out of cashew nuts, known as feni which is worth a try.
Himalayas
The Himalayas are the highest mountain range on earth, and run across India’s northern border with China.
There are plenty of cycling options in the Himalayas for cyclists of all levels. If you’re an experienced biker who loves difficult challenges, Ladakh would be a great place to head to. Most of Ladakh is a high altitude plateau located over 3,000 m above the sea level, which gives it a unique topography reminiscent of the Central Asian highlands, of which it is actually an extension.
For those looking for easier options, Uttarakhand is worth checking out as it allows cycling at relatively lower altitudes. The famous Jim Corbett National Park is located in this region and is one of the best places in the world for tiger spotting.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re looking to bike in the high mountains or along sandy beaches, India offers something for everyone. To top it off, the food is delicious everywhere you go in India. Another great thing about biking in India is that it is close proximity to several other emerging cycling destinations such as Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Nepal which can be conveniently combined with your India travel itinerary.
And if you’re interested in exploring more about India beyond just the best cycling routes, make sure to check out this post about India’s hidden picnic gems.
Happy biking!
