Route library · Weekend · Mountains
Delhi to Khirsu
Khirsu is a small village above Pauri that almost no rider bothers to reach — which is the whole point. On a clear morning it gives you an unbroken wall of Himalaya, a hundred kilometres wide: Nanda Devi, Trishul, Chaukhamba. Oak forest, one small temple, a handful of homestays, and silence.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 740–780 km
- Riding time
- 9–10 hours each way — a long day, best split
- Nights
- Two: it is too far to enjoy in one night
- Start point
- Delhi (via Haridwar and Rishikesh)
- Highest point
- About 1,800 m at Khirsu
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Long hours on winding landslide-prone hill roads rather than technical riding.
- Surface
- Rishikesh–Srinagar (old NH-58) is decent but slip-prone; Srinagar–Pauri–Khirsu is a narrow hill road
- Best season
- March to June and September to November. Clear winter days give the sharpest views but the road can ice; avoid the monsoon.
The ride
Delhi → Haridwar → Rishikesh, then the Char Dham road along the Ganga through Devprayag — where the Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet to become the Ganga — to Srinagar (Garhwal). From Srinagar a quieter road climbs to Pauri, and a final short run through oak forest reaches Khirsu.
There is nothing to "do" at Khirsu, and that is the appeal. Watch the range come out at first light, walk in the oak and rhododendron forest, visit the small Ghandiyal Devta temple. Pauri town, 20 minutes away, has its own viewpoint at Kandoliya.
Day by day
Delhi to Rishikesh (or Devprayag)
Get the plains behind you — Delhi → Haridwar → Rishikesh, about 5 hours. Strong groups push on to Devprayag to shorten day two.
To Khirsu via Srinagar and Pauri
Follow the Ganga to Srinagar, fuel up, then climb to Pauri and on to Khirsu. Arrive with daylight and time to settle in before sunset.
Sunrise at Khirsu, then start home
Be up for first light and the panorama. Ride down through Pauri and Srinagar and stop for the night at Rishikesh, breaking the run home.
Rishikesh to Delhi
The last highway leg. Leave early to beat the Haridwar–Delhi traffic and heat.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is easy to Rishikesh. There are pumps at Srinagar (Garhwal) and at Pauri.
- Fill up at Srinagar before the climb to Pauri and Khirsu — pumps beyond are small and can be out of stock.
- Khirsu has a GMVN rest house and a few homestays — limited, so book ahead. Meals are simple and home-cooked. Carry cash.
Road & conditions
The Rishikesh–Devprayag–Srinagar road carries all the Char Dham traffic and is regularly hit by landslides and roadwork, especially in and after the monsoon — expect delays and single-lane stretches. Srinagar–Pauri–Khirsu is much quieter, a normal winding hill road with the odd broken patch. Ride the pilgrimage stretch defensively; the buses do not give way.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Fine on a well-maintained 150–200cc commuter.
- Fuel gap
- One long stretch without a pump — fill up before it and top off where you can.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 3–5 litres of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- The nearest well-equipped hospital is the valley/district town, one to two hours off; signal is patchy above the bazaar; carry the group lead's number and an emergency card.
Best time to ride
September to November is the best window — the monsoon has cleared the haze and the range is at its sharpest. March to June is green and pleasant. Clear December–February mornings give incredible views but the shaded bends near Khirsu can be icy at dawn. Do not ride this in July–August.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: a warm layer for the cold mornings, a camera or a phone with room on it, cash for the homestays, and patience for the pilgrimage-road traffic.
Ride this with a group
We run Khirsu as a two-night group ride, split sensibly so the long days are safe, with a school drop and a forest clean-up built into the trip.