Bahrain bikers go on an expedition in Kashmir - the ‘Paradise on Earth

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

They were jonesing to do something different. Something that would excite and entice them.

And they chose Kashmir. The name made several eyebrows twist. But they stood resolute.

The group of 20 bikers, including two women, from Bahrain, Oman and Germany decided.

“We are riding to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. And after getting on their bikes, Mehdi Hassan, the Captain of Bahrain Biker Group, said. “We don’t regret it at all.”

'Our group has done so many trips. When we were thinking about doing something different, it came to our mind to do Kashmir.

Whenever we say Kashmir, we say why and the media portrays it as dangerous but we wanted to explore it ourselves and honestly.”

“The whole group loved it. We loved the landscape, the great food and the good people.

You can't imagine how people helped us. We were given free food and snacks from locals in villages.”

The bikers started the journey from Ladakh exploring the roads of Leh, Kargil and later Sonamarg in the Kashmir region.

They went to South Kashmir's Pahalgam hill station as well.

The rally was flagged off in Srinagar by Secretary of Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez. 

Paradise on Earth

ience, the bikers called Kashmir valley the Paradise on earth and described the valley as one of the best challenging terrains for bikers.

“Now our friends also want to explore the valley themselves,” Hassam said. "Our friends from Oman are interested and they will be visiting Kashmir soon as well. 

Bahrain Bikers

Bahrain Bikers, he said, was started in 2012 and now has almost 130 members. On this trip, he said, “we have only 18 of us travelling because everyone couldn't make it.

It is a bikers’ group and we do a lot of social work as well.’’  "We have come from Bahrain to India.

To Leh and Kashmir, I cannot even say anything about Kashmir, It's in our hearts, we have loved Kashmir since our childhood. We never came before but always heard about it.

It is for real a paradise on earth. We went to the mountains and saw 4 seasons in a single day. We recommend and request people from across the world to come to Kashmir.

They are lovely people and have amazing food. Kashmir is the best and Kashmir is heaven," Abdul Jasim, Biker, in Bahrain said 

Safe and extremely challenging

tmost joy over the great hospitality and welcome they received from people in Srinagar.

The female bikers said they found the place safe and extremely challenging regarding the terrain.

Priya Shankar, an Indian Biker settled in Bahrain, said: "I have been riding with these bikers for a very long time and it's been amazing.

“When they said they are going to Kashmir, I said I am signing up as well. “It's been fantastic.

“I am a part of the group of Biker brothers and it's been quite safe they take care of us very well.

“Dr Aziz has put together this whole event.

He had a crew behind us.

We were safe and biker brothers are extremely protective of the lady bikers so we didnot have a problem."

Positive sign for Kashmir

Secretary Tourism Sarmad Hafeez from San - garmal termed the biking expedition of Bahrain Bikers as a positive sign for Kashmir Tourism. 

He said the expedition would open gates for many other such activities as Kashmir has much to offer in adventure tourism.

He also expressed his gratitude to Bahrain Bikers and KCCI for organizing the biking expedition.

Hafeez also expressed gratitude to Bahrain Bikers and KCCI for organizing the biking expedition and said the MoU signed between KCCI and Bahrain Small & Medium Enterprises Society (BSMES) in September this year is showing its fruitful results.