I came to know about Adventures Overland almost two years ago. I was leisurely surfing YouTube for road trips one day when I chanced upon their ‘Road to London’ video. There was this instant connect I felt with it, possibly because it was exactly the kind of experience I was hunting for. It nudged me to dig some more, and I was excited to discover that Adventures Overland also offers the Lahaul & Spiti drive. I had never been on that trail before even though Spiti had been on my bucket list for a really long time.

However, I had to keep my excitement boxed up for over two years with the pandemic playing spoil sport. I had little choice but to wait patiently—not only to visit Spiti but also to go on a solo drive and try the ‘Adventures Overland’ experience!

Well, to say the least, the wait was certainly worth it. I have indulged in several self-drive holidays before, trips to Himachal and Uttarakhand, but nothing off the beaten path. The Lahaul & Spiti drive, hands down, is one of my best travel experiences so far.

Driving through Narkanda, Sangla, Tabo, and Kaza

We started in Delhi and ended the trip in Manali—driving through Narkanda, Sangla, Tabo, and Kaza over eight days. The landscape changed dramatically… from lush pine trees to barren mountains dotting the clear blue sky. My eyes feasted on shades of brown, green and blue that I never knew existed. From olive green bushes to lime green trees… from beige valleys to auburn hills… sometimes the colour of sky was emerald, sometimes of jade. A pure magical melange. It was overwhelming.

Impeccable Planning

To be part of the convoy was special. My biggest surprise was the kind of camaraderie that developed between the fellow travelers. Adventure Overland’s attention to detail while planning the entire trip was impeccable. Every hour of the trip was planned to the T.

Not a surprise that I cannot wait for my next road trip, sometime next summer. In the interim there are plans for a beach vacation, a trip with my daughter to the Universal Studios in Singapore, sky diving in Dubai or Spain… and as many workcations as possible.

As told to Adventures Overland by Mayur Garg