Route library · Outstation · Mountains
Delhi to Mana Village
Mana calls itself the last village before the border, a few kilometres past Badrinath at about 3,200 m, where the Saraswati river plunges into a gorge under the Bhim Pul stone bridge and the road finally runs out at a checkpoint. It is a genuinely high, genuinely remote ride, best treated as an extension of a Badrinath trip rather than a destination on its own.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 1,070–1,140 km
- Riding time
- 13–14 hours to Joshimath, then a further 3–4 hours on to Badrinath and Mana
- Nights
- Three to four days, with the gorge road broken into two riding days each way
- Start point
- Delhi (via Rishikesh, Rudraprayag and Joshimath)
- Highest point
- About 3,219 m at Mana village
- Difficulty
- Expedition-grade. Very long distance, high altitude, thin traffic beyond Badrinath and cold even in season.
- Surface
- Sealed to Badrinath, in variable condition; the short stretch on to Mana is narrow but paved
- Best season
- Late May to June, and September to early October — the road is only open outside winter and the worst of the monsoon.
The ride
This is the Joshimath route extended: Delhi → Rishikesh → Rudraprayag → Joshimath, then on through Vishnuprayag to Badrinath temple town and the short final stretch to Mana. Altitude and distance both add up fast on this last leg — plan it as its own day, not a quick add-on.
At Mana, walk to the Bhim Pul, a huge stone slab over the point where the Saraswati river disappears into a gorge, and on to Vasudhara Falls if you have the legs for a few hours of walking. The village itself is small, seasonal, and largely shuts down outside the Badrinath yatra season.
Day by day
Delhi to Rudraprayag
Delhi → Rishikesh → Devprayag → Rudraprayag (7–8 hours). Settle at the confluence.
Rudraprayag to Joshimath
Rudraprayag → Karnaprayag → Chamoli → Joshimath (5–6 hours). Rest here; the altitude climb starts tomorrow.
Joshimath to Mana
Joshimath → Vishnuprayag → Badrinath → Mana (3–4 hours). Walk to Bhim Pul and, if time and legs allow, toward Vasudhara Falls.
Mana to Delhi
Retrace the whole route over two long days, splitting again at Joshimath or Rudraprayag.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is reliable to Joshimath — every town on the way up has a pump.
- Fill up fully at Joshimath — Badrinath's pump is not always reliable, and there is nothing at all beyond it toward Mana.
- Badrinath and Mana have basic seasonal guesthouses only; book ahead or carry a tent as backup in peak yatra weeks.
Road & conditions
Sealed the whole way but variable in condition, especially between Joshimath and Badrinath where landslide repairs are common. Beyond Badrinath the road to Mana is narrow, single-lane in places, but paved. Expect heavy pilgrim traffic and convoy-style movement around the Badrinath temple gates in peak season, and genuinely cold, thin air once you're past Joshimath.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Better on a torquey 250cc+ — the gradients and altitude reward it.
- Fuel gap
- One stretch without fuel beyond Joshimath — fill up fully before it.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 3–5 litres of spare fuel for the Badrinath–Mana leg.
- Emergency & logistics
- The nearest well-equipped hospital is a full day back down the valley; mobile signal is unreliable beyond Joshimath; carry the group lead's number, a printed emergency card and warm layers regardless of forecast.
Best time to ride
Late May through June, before the deepest monsoon season, and September into early October are the only realistic windows — the road effectively closes in winter and the monsoon brings serious landslide risk on the gorge sections below Joshimath. Even in season, expect near-freezing nights at Mana.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: proper cold-weather layers even in June, a headtorch, and a buffer day for gorge-road closures. This is a genuine high-altitude expedition day, not a casual extension.
Ride this with a group
We run Mana as a four-day expedition extension of the Joshimath/Badrinath trip — two long gorge-road days each way, with the high final stretch treated as its own day.