In this new series called High in the Himalayas, Andi Wittmann and Guido Tschugg venture out into the Himalayas in search of finding some new riding spots. In this episode Andi and Guido arrive in the Himalayas and take their first ride out on Indian soil.

End of June, meeting point: Munich Airport. Photographer Carlos Blanchard, Filmer Martin Hanisch, two wheel rockets Andi Wittmann and Guido Tschugg and me.

The following 60 hours were fast, exciting, and pretty much push us to our limits. Flight to New Delhi. Meet and greet with Vinay Menon, maybe the only at least half professional Mountain Biker and Vineet Sharma, founder of the first MTB magazine in India and our guide for the trip.

Driving from New Delhi to Solang via a short stop in Chandigarh to meet the entire bike scene – all four of them. 24 uncomfortable hours bring us to the winter sports centre of India and after 3 hours of sleep we assemble our bikes and shuttle up the mountain on one of India’s two cable cars.

The gondola is pretty new, French fabricated. But around the cable car station nothing reminds me of a modern French ski resort. A tandem paraglider shoots over the crowd, picking up the next victim as soon as they’ve wrapped up the antique equipment. Blown up balloons with people inside rush down the mountains – full throttle into the crowds of Indian tourists.

Up on top we enjoy the view on some six thousand meter high mountains, being on about 3000 meters ourselves. This is just the beginning of an amazing freeride trip, High in the Indian Himalayas.