How Dangerous Is Motorcycle Touring In Himalayas Of Ladakh?

AMS

As altitude increases, the air pressure decreases and so does the oxygen concentration in the air. As a result, the lungs are able to absorb less oxygen, which leads to a shortage of oxygen in the blood.

Symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness include headache, uneasiness, dizziness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and asphyxiation. Hands and feet may also swell severely. These symptoms appear within one to six hours once the rider reaches an altitude greater than 10,000 feet.

According to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), tourists usually start visiting high altitude areas on the day they land in Leh. They are under the misconception that they are fit and nothing will happen to them. In doing so, they ignore all the possibilities of altitude sickness, which can worsen into HAPE (High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema) or HACE (High-Altitude Cerebral Edema) leading eventually to death.

In recent years, motorcycle tours around Ladakh have become a popular international sport. A growing number of organized motorbike tours and expeditions to the Himalayas have emerged as a viable opportunity for a diverse segment of adventure enthusiasts from the west. However, these promising tour packages might entail certain risks that are overlooked by travelers.

Therefore, a large part of the responsibility lies with the tour operator, who should advise and inform his participants in advance and ideally also exclude them from participation if the risk is too high for the person concerned.

“Mountains are unforgiving”. Anybody who sets out for the mountains should probably keep this old saying in mind. Even if the sky is as clear as it has ever been, the sun is shining brighter than ever, and the desire to ride to the top is as great as it has ever been – caution should always be exercised. This is how experienced motorcyclists and touring specialists (like us) do it.

Read More: Mountain Sickness While Touring In Himalayas

Risk Of Cardiac Arrest

It is well established that oxygen supply at such altitudes is limited. The alveolar oxygen partial pressure (PAO2) is: 99.7 mmHg at sea level, whereas at 10,000 feet, it decreases to 67 mmHg and thus requires major adjustments.

This process, known as Acclimatization, is usually experienced by an increase in respiratory rate as well as heart rate.

Furthermore, Hyperventilation associated with altitude causes Hypocarbia and Respiratory Alkalosis (Source: Cleveland Clinic) that can lead to what is known as uncontrolled breathing experienced particularly at night.

As a result, pulmonary arteries become more constricted, which may progress to pulmonary hypertension with the risk of developing pulmonary edema or even heart failure.

To ensure a safe Ladakh trip, the traveler needs to plan his itinerary carefully, balancing the riding hours as well as the altitude travelled in a day. At the same time, it is important to consult a doctor and the necessary examinations must be carried out to rule out any undetected medical conditions.

In the case of coronary heart disease, for instance, condition in which the coronary arteries are blocked and the heart is supplied with less oxygen, doctors recommend not exceeding specific altitudes. With mild coronary disease, this is 14,000 feet of altitude, and with moderate coronary disease, up to 8,000 feet of altitude.

However, if someone suffers from severe coronary heart disease, experts recommend not traveling in the mountains at all.