Lone rider’s challenging trip from Hyderabad to Ladakh

Hyderabad: While it’s everyone’s dream to travel to the picturesque locations in Leh-Ladakh, 30-year-old Dileep Kumar made it happen on his Honda Activa.

The Tirupati-born rider has been living in Hyderabad for almost eight years now and has been travelling around the country since then. Dileep believes in budget-friendly travelling and he got the idea to travel on his scooter during the lockdown period.

He did an entire South India trip on his scooter, covering close to 5,000 km. On September 8, he set off to Ladakh from Hyderabad and had a pleasant trip but not without some challenges.

“I began doing small trips on my scooter, and somehow I started travelling to several places throughout the country. I first went from Hyderabad to Chennai in March 2020. Later, I went to Karnataka, Goa, and other places in October the same year,” shares Dileep.

“For my Leh-Ladakh trip last month, I mostly stayed in camps and cooked my own food (chicken, rotis) with the help of my pocket stove. I carried all the essentials including air cushion seats, snacks, first-aid kit, tools, etc.,” added Dileep, who pursued an MBA in Human Resources (HR) from the Osmania University (OU).

He covered many places in Ladakh like Sonamarg, Kargil, Khardung La, Taglang La, Zoji La, among others. Dileep who recently returned to Hyderabad recalls all the challenges he faced on his trip. “I had to ride in heavy rains and unfortunately met with a small accident in Nagpur. I fell into a pothole, had to ring up my friend there and stay at his farmhouse for a night. I had to leave my scooter on the highway and get it repaired the next day. Lots of cops stop and question me too,” shares Dileep, who has made many friends along the way.

Dileep spent Rs 18,000 on fuel for an entire month’s trip to Ladakh, and he is planning to hitchhike or ride on his scooter again to Northeast India very soon. When questioned about affording travel, he said, “I take up many part-time jobs when I am not travelling. I have even worked at the Salar Jung Museum.” “Although my parents advise me to work full-time and get married, I cannot give up on travelling,” he concludes.

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