Nobody wants to become ill or injured while on tour, but accidents and health problems can sometimes occur.
You should ensure that you have a Travel Insurance Policy suitable for your personal needs and the nature of the tour. Please check that your policy includes adequate cover for medical treatment, hospitalisation and repatriation if required.
Many of our tours travel through remote regions where mobile phone coverage may be unavailable, helicopter evacuation services may not exist and ambulances may not be accessible. In the event of an emergency, the Tour Leader will coordinate the best possible evacuation or medical assistance available locally, depending on the location and circumstances.
As part of the booking process, we ask all Riders to provide an emergency contact. Should anything serious happen during the tour, we will contact this person as soon as possible and keep them informed of your condition.
If you feel unwell on a riding day, and a support vehicle is available, you may travel in the vehicle until you are fit to ride again. In such cases, the mechanic may ride your motorcycle for you.
Most medicines are widely available throughout Asia, although local brands and formulations may differ from those you are used to. If you rely on regular medication, please bring an ample supply with you for the duration of the tour.
Your preferred brands of toiletries may not always be available locally. Drinking water is provided in sealed 1-litre bottles and we recommend drinking bottled water at all times.
Please also be aware that although your insurance policy may include helicopter rescue cover, arranging a rescue in remote mountain regions can still take considerable time. In some cases, it may be necessary to send someone back along the route simply to locate a working telephone signal in order to request assistance. Helicopter availability and weather conditions can also affect response times. For these reasons, the use of proper helmets and protective riding gear is essential at all times.
If you are joining a tour to Lo Manthang or Lhasa, please ensure you read our notes regarding Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS).