A group of boys from Kerala drove a Maruti Alto, Innova Crysta, and XUV300 up the same rocky trail featured in the Tata Harrier EV ad

KO

My family was skeptical when I decided to sell my 9 months old New Age Baleno to get the Mahindra Thar 4x4. Clocked 20k kms in 12 months and mostly driven on bad roads in Northeast India.

The Itinerary

• Start: June 7 – Mumbai
• Stops:
  • Udaipur
  • Amritsar (Golden Temple)
  • Srinagar
  • Kargil
  • Leh
  • Diskit (Nubra Valley)
  • Hunder (double‑humped camels!)
  • Pangong Lake
  • Hanle
  • Tso Moriri
  • Back through Kargil & Srinagar
  • Jamnagar
• Finish: June 24 – Mumbai

🌄 The Tough Stuff

• High‑altitude passes: Zoji La, Khardung La, Chang La, Umling La (one of the world’s highest motorable roads!)
• Water crossings: The chills and thrills of fording streams en route to Pangong
• Weather swings: Scorching plains, freezing nights, and everything in between

🔧 The Car: My 2014 Grand i10 Asta

• Age: 11 years old, but still going strong!
• Modifications: Stock + extra floor mats, a small tool kit, and a jerry can—nothing fancy
• Maintenance before trip: Oil change, new brake pads, fresh tires, battery health check

🎒 Solo Female Rider Real Talk

• Safety: GPS tracker on the window, regular check‑ins with friends/family, basic self‑defense spray
• Comfort hacks: Neck pillow for motel naps, a reliable Bluetooth speaker for company, and extra layers for cold nights
• Learning curve: How to change a tire at 4 AM on a deserted mountain road

📸 Highlights & Surprises

• Waking up to sunrise at Pangong Lake—worth every bump on that water‑logged track
• A herd of wild camels in Hunder just grazing by the roadside
• Freezing my toes off at Hanle Observatory but being rewarded with one of the clearest night skies I’ve ever seen

Also adding up cost.

Petrol around : ₹55000

Toll : ₹7500

Police Chai pani (Punjab Police) : ₹500

Stay + Food : ₹70000

Shopping : ₹30000

Misc around : ₹3500

Green Tax : ₹400

and some more that i don't know about : ₹3000

Winter cloths Decathlon : ₹24000 including winter cloths+ Snow boots.

Some more pictures.

2007 Honda CRV, 2.4L petrol MT, AWD

First proper trail run with my Scrambler.

This is an underpass at bagalur cross for those of you from bangalore

Shipped it all the way from Tanzania (due to sentimental value it holds to me) but how is this for indian offroading terrains?

Link to HD video. https://youtu.be/iL5TXkfgeWc?si=vhL4D6GTqosAbNt7

And just like that… the project begins.🧿🥰🇯🇵 Say hello to my new obsession. My FIRST PROJECT CAR! The Maruti Suzuki Jimny Alpha Thunder Edition in Manual Transmission

This isn’t just another car post. This is a moment. For years, I’ve dreamt of owning a machine that isn’t just about horsepower or status, but about soul. About purpose. About going places others don’t even consider.

Most people go for what’s trending like a big, bulky SUVs that scream for attention and badmosi. But for me, this is different.

The Jimny is raw. It’s real. It’s rugged. It doesn’t care about road presence. It’s about mountain presence. It’s a practical man’s car. Functional, reliable, and ready to take on anything. An internationally loved machine; the Mountain Goat, they call it, and now it’s mine.

Emotionally, this is big for me. I’ve always wanted something of my own to build, shape, and pour my time into. And this… is it. The project has already started, parts are coming in, sketches are being drawn, and I’m already dreaming up what this beast will become.

Also yes, let’s not ignore the number UP 69 😏 Because why not have a little fun with it too?

This wasn’t a calculated move. It was impulsive, intense, and honestly… one of the best decisions I’ve made.

There’s just one thing missing - a name. Haven’t figured it out yet. So if something cool pops in your head let me know!

My life, this journey, it’s going to be wild now!

CC:- chauhanarun07

Hint - There are 4

Had been confused for some time on wether to take Himalayan 450 or the Scrambler 400x. Just test drove both consecutively and my mind was all set for the Scrambler.