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In Pictures: Riding to Ladakh, What It Was Like 20 Years Ago

If you think riding a motorcycle to Ladakh is an adventure now, wait till you see how it was done in the 90s.

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If you think riding a motorcycle to Ladakh is an adventure now, wait till you see how it was done in the ’90s.

Satya Rao Komanna, an adventurer, recently shared rare pictures of his journey to Ladakh in 1994, which he covered with a 2-stroke Yamaha RD 350.

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Every year, from June through September, thousands of bikers attempt a pilgrimage of sorts to Leh and Khardung La – the highest motorable pass in the world at 18,380 feet.

Nowadays, daring folks are riding their cycles up there.

Before it became a trend, however, riding to Ladakh was a rare feat.

There was no infrastructure in place, towns which are bustling with commercial activities now were nothing more than a ghost version of their present self.

Roads practically did not exist in many places, even though on a map it would say you are on a national highway. Militancy was at its peak.

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