Pioneers Leg 14 – Jaisalmer to Tijara

Who are the Pioneers?

All the riders who have participated in any of the very first eleven legs of our UK to Sydney adventure are in an exclusive club called the ‘Ride25 Pioneers’. Each year the Pioneers will be invited to complete the next leg for the very first time and raise money for 1moreChild. Pioneers help to define the journey and adventure to Sydney.

2024 was Leg 11 from Tbilisi to Baku. Due to political uncertainty in the Middle East we will wait to complete Legs 12 and 13 through Iran. So 2025 is Leg 14 (of 25 legs) from the UK to Sydney. To get a flavour of the previous legs visit the Pioneer Photos and Pioneer Videos.

Map of the journey so far (best viewed on desktop):

Snapshot of Leg 14

A magical mystery tour of Rajasthan.
Start in the 12th Century Golden Fort City of Jaisalmer, close to the border with Pakistan.
Cycle through the Thar Desert before enjoying quiet lanes in rural India.
Embrace the culture.
Special sunset and dinner in the sand dunes by an oasis hosted by the Khimsar Royal Family.
Enjoy a Bhang Lassi on the lake in the sacred Hindu Pilgrimage town of Pushkar – if you’re brave enough!
Large peloton riding into the frenetic capital of Rajasthan, The Pink City of Jaipur.
A plethora of historic monuments including Golden Fort in Jaisalmer, Amber Fort, The Hawa Mahal Place, and Jal Mahal Water Palace in Jaipur,
Go through the middle of Sariska Tiger Reserve and National Park.
Lots of wildlife – camels, monkeys, tigers, leopards, buffalo, antelope, wild cows, elephants, sheep, goats, dogs, and most of all alot of cows.
Amazing range of hotels from ancient Hill Forts, Resort Hotels and a Desert Camp – all with pools.
Ride25 Food truck preparing fresh, vegatarian lunches every day from pop-up restaurants.
Finish at an 19th Century Hill Fort with Ride25’s finest DJs after a celebration dinner.

See full route for Leg 14 below (best viewed on desktop):

Start:

Jaisalmer – 06.30 Tuesday 25^th November 2025

Finish:

Tijara Fort Palace – 17.00 Saturday 29th November 2025.

Days Cycling:

Distance:

815 KM

Total climbing:

2,438m ascent

Road Surface:

98% tarmac (@ 10^th November 2024!). Broken surface through many villages.

Max capacity:

100

Itinerary

We will be cycling for 5 days from Tuesday 25^th November to Saturday 29^th November 2025. You will need to arrive in Jaisalmer by Monday 24^th November and leave Delhi on or after 30^th November 2025.

We changed the route and finish from Agra (Taj Mahal) for lots of reasons but principally to avoid traffic and make it easier to get back to Delhi. Delhi airport is circa 2 hours drive from the finish.

Logistics

How to get to Jaisalmer?

As usual you will need to buy your own flights.

Firstly you need to get to Delhi. There are a large number of direct flights to Delhi from across the UK so there are plenty of options and flight prices are very reasonable. Flights will be released in early December.

The most efficient way to get to Jaisalmer is to fly from Delhi. There is one plane a day with large Indian airline Indigo that leaves Delhi at 12.30 for a 14.20 arrival in Jaisalmer. The plane is large with 180 seats so plenty of space for us all and they do take bike boxes. The internal flights have not be launched yet for November 2025 so we suggest holding off booking your flights to Delhi in case they change the flight schedule.

It is possible to fly into Delhi early on the morning of Monday 24th and then checkin for the flight to Jaisalmer with your bike box (assuming they keep their existing timetable). Alternatively to acclimatise and enjoy Delhi we encourage you to arrive in Delhi on the Sunday 23^rd or earlier – we will then transport your bike from Delhi to Jaisalmer. See optional hotel below.

Alternative ways to get to Jaisalmer

Fly to Jaisalmer a day or two earlier with your bike box – there’s plenty to do there.
Fly to Jodhpur with Indigo – it is a 4 hour drive to Jaisalmer.
Train / car from Delhi to Jaisalmer is an 18 hour train ride or 15+ hour drive. It is possible to fly to Jaisalmer from Mumbai as well if that suits you better.
If transfers fail, you could get a driver to take you to Jaisalmer – maybe 16 hours but quite inexpensive!

Optional Delhi Hotel & Bike Drop

For those that want to see Delhi we have agreed a special rate of £260 per room (twin / single) at Delhi’s finest hotel – The Imperial. It is a Delhi Institution, a beautiful calm, oasis in large gardens, great pool and spa in the centre of New Delhi. There is a craft brewery with live music 5 minutes walk away in case you need any persuasion! There are cheaper high quality hotels nearby eg The Lalit.

We will collect bikes in bike boxes by lorry from The Imperial Hotel at 23.00 on the 23rd for delivery to Jaisalmer on the afternoon of the 24th.

If you want a room at The Imperial please add it during the registration process. Uber works well in Delhi and is very cheap (<£10 from the airport) but you’ll probably need one large taxi per bike box.

Pre-Start – Jaisalmer

We are staying in a gorgeous hotel on the outskirts of the City with a lovely pool and spa etc. A great place to relax. We recommend wandering around the 12th Century Fort and there is a great bar to watch the sunset in town. Dinner included at the hotel.

Day 1 – Jaisalmer to MANVAR Resort & Dessert Camp – 166KM, 334m total ascent.

We begin by cycling around the edge of the city past the UNESCO World Heritage Site Golden Fort and soon out into the Thar desert on well maintained roads with limited traffic. The first 10 miles are busier as we leave the city but they are wide roads with a hard shoulder. We then join quiet roads for the rest of the day as we cycle through one of the largest wind farms in the world – Jaisalmer Wind Park. Look out for camel pelotons and enjoy the desert landscapes. We arrive at the the Manvar Resort and Desert camp for dinner around a camp fire.

Day 1 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

Day 2 – MANVAR Resort & Desert Camp to Khimsar Heritage Fort – 137KM, 235m total ascent.

A second day cycling through the desert but with more varied landscape as we start to see more agriculture – particularly cotton and peanuts. Quiet roads and decent road surfaces all day. We finish early at a beautiful 15th Century Heritage Fort. We are then driven to a sand dune to watch the sunset, have drinks and dinner at an oasis in the dunes. Potential for Ride25 tennis tournament.

Day 2 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

Day 3 – Khimsar Heritage Fort to Pushkar – 155KM, 516m total ascent.

The landscape continues to change as we continue on quiet rural roads for morning before cycling through two busier towns in the middle. We start to see The Aravalli Hills – one of the oldest geological features on earth. We will hear more from resident geologist Jamie! The hills give us a little shelter from the heat. We cycle right to the sacred holy site of Pushkar Lake and watch the goings on from a cafe on the lake before cycling the last 3KM to the hotel.

Day 3 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

Day 4 – Pushkar to Jaipur – 158KM, 573m total ascent.

We cycle along a various lakes and salt mines with a longer stretch of failed roads but beautiful scenery and wildlife all around. We regroup for the final 15KM into Jaipur and will attempt to cycle in together. Hotel is an oasis of calm in the middle of the chaos!

Day 4 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

Day 5 – Jaipur to Tiajara Fort Palace – 197KM,802m total ascent.

We leave Jaipur early to avoid the traffic and are rewarded with a plethora of historic sites – The Pink City, The City Place, Jal Mahal floating Palace and Amber Fort. Look out for elephants on their commute to Amber Fort. We then cycle through Jamwa Rambarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Sariska Tiger Reserve. What a day spent on quiet, well surfaced roads. We pass through the historic town of Alwar and on to the finish at Tijara Fort Palace.

Day 5 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

How do I get back to Delhi from the Finish?

We will request flight details in advance of the trip and either provide a contact in Delhi to coordinate a transfer or possibly arrange a bus back to Delhi early on the 30th November.

Which hotels are we staying in?

The hotels this year are the best yet. We are all staying in the same place every night except night 1 when we are spread across 3 sites operated by the same company.

The package includes the following:

Pre-Start – Jaisalmer – Taj Gorbandh Palace – exclusive use of this 5* heritage hotel built in the style of a traditional Rajasthani Palace in the outskirts of Jaisalmer with pool & spa. Dinner at the hotel. Taj Gorbandh Palace.

Night 1 – MANVAR Resort & Desert Camp – exclusive use of this Resort Hotel and luxurious camps from the same company. The hotel part has a swimming pool and A/C. Camps are luxurious. Cycling stops at the hotel. Everyone transferred by Jeep to the Camp. Dinner for all around the camp fire. MANVAR Resort & Desert Camp.

Night 2 – Khimsar Fort & Dunes – exclusive use of this 15th Century fort owned by The Royal Family of Khimsar. Impressive car collection, tennis court, pool, and spa. Sunset drinks and dinner at an oasis in the sand dunes 6km from the Fort. Khimsar Fort & Dunes.

Night 3 – Ananta Resort & Spa 4* Hotel near the sacred Hindi city of Pushkar. Pushkar is an alcohol free city – luckily our hotel is just outside the city limits so has a good bar, pool and spa. Ananta Resort & Spa. Dinner at the hotel.

Night 4 – Raj Putana Hotel, Jaipur – 5* Modern oasis in the very heart of frenetic Jaipur. Dinner & bar by the pool. Some of the famous sites are a short Tuk Tuk ride away but we will cycle past many of them on the last day. Raj Putana Jaipur.

Night 5 –Tijara Fort Palace, Alwar – Stunning expansive 19th Century Fort converted into a residence. End of tour party in the Palace with various Ride25’s finest DJs performing. If you are a budding DJ put your hand up? Tijara Fort palace.

Cycling in India – The Truth.

Road Surfaces – on the whole the roads are maintained better than UK roads. Lots of new tarmac without pot holes on A / B road equivalent. We spend lots of time on quiet rural lanes that have narrow (single track) tarmac that is more variable in places. The road surface as you go through villages is often very poor but only for short sections of a few hundred meters at a time. There is one long section on day 4 of circa 8km where the road surface is very poor as we go alongside a lake. As in previous legs using either road bikes or gravel bikes will be fine but you will want sturdy wheels and thick tyres. The monsoon in June / July traditionally causes lots of issues to the roads but they are very proactive at repairing them post monsoon.

Climbing – there are no hills across the whole ride of any significance.

Traffic – cycling into a major city is pretty chaotic! We have avoided cities across the whole route other than leaving Jaisalmer on Day 1 and cycling in and out of Jaipur on Day 4/5. Day 1 is not very busy and we will leave before the traffic builds up. In Jaipur we stay on one road and will regroup to cycle in together with marshals on motor bikes and / or the Police. Leaving Jaipur is OK as we will leave before the traffic / people build up. The remainder of the trip is quiet and we only pass few a handful of small towns. Cycling into Agra would not have been safe which is why we have changed the end of the ride to a Fort in the countryside. The speed of traffic on the roads is significantly slower than in the UK. The speed limit on any road for larger vehicles / lorries / buses etc is 37 mph.

The Highway Code – you will no doubt recognise constant infringements of the UK Highway Code! Traffic lights are generally ignored, traffic may be on the wrong side of the road and will be very intent at continuing despite what others on the road want to do. You have to ride assuming no-one will stop at a junction.

Wildlife – for most of the time the bigger hazards will be the wildlife – camels, monkeys, buffalo, antelope, wild cows, elephants, sheep, goats, dogs, and most of all cows.

Pollution – the pollution in Delhi at this time of year is horrendous with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of approaching 400 – versus a recommended safe level of 100. London is circa 20-40. It is exasperated by farmers burning stubble at this time of year over large areas. Fortunately other than in Jaipur we will avoid this.

Temperature – the temperature drops quite radically during October and November but we have chosen not to go any later so that we still have relatively long days. We will be able to cycle from 6.30am to 5.30pm. Cycling at dusk or in the dark is unsafe so we will pick anyone up that won’t make it in time. Late November is the optimum time to cycle when the days are still long and the weather should be very pleasant. This year the weather as been above long term average but we expect 24-29°C as a high with lows of 12-15°C at night / early morning. We will encourage people to leave at 6.30 so even if the temperature gets closer to 30°C you can complete much of the cycling by the time the temperature gets to the day high at say 14.30. Using electrolytes effectively will be important.

Rain – almost zero chance of any rain.

Food Hygiene – we have consciously chosen the highest quality hotels with high levels of food hygiene to reduce the risk of food poisoning for breakfast and dinner. We will control the lunch provision with our team of chefs cooking daily fresh food from a Ride25 food truck with a marquee for shade and seating. Sensible personal decisions on only eating hot freshly prepared food will reduce your risk.

Personal Hygiene – we will encourage widespread use of hand sanitiser particularly as there will be limited opportunities to wash your hands throughout the day. In addition we will encourage everyone to use a product like this to toughen up tummies for the journey. Endurance sport does put short term pressure on your body – particularly if you push it hard.

Dual Carriageway / tunnels – none.

How does the trip compare to previous legs?

Click for data on previous legs.

In total by the end of Leg 14 the journey we have cycled so far is just under 5,000 miles.

Visas

Nearer the time you will need to get a Visa for India in advance online from here. You can buy a multi-entry one that last for 5 years for 80USD. The process is labourious and you will need the following:

Passport copy in PDF format <300kb file size
Passport sized photo or yourself < 1mb
List all countries visited in 10 years (just not more than 20!).
India Reference – Use the hotel name in Jaisalmer – Taj Gorbandh Palace, Dhanana Rd, Ram Kund, Jaisalmer, Kishan Ghat, Rajasthan 345001. +91 2992 253 801.

Ride25 will request a copy of your Visa in advance as we need to provide to the hotels in advance.

Navigation / Prohibition of GPS Devices

We have gone back to publishing the routes on Strava as there are no elevation issues on this route and Strava has improved it’s functionality with the ability to add stops and download routes for use without a phone signal. See routes above in the daily itinerary.

Carrying GPS devices on planes including Garmin, Wahoo etc is actually prohibited in India so there is a likely threat that your devices may be confiscated on arriving (10% risk) or leaving or on the internal flight (50% chance). Carrying them in your hand luggage but leaving them in your bag for the scan is perceived to be the least likely way to have it confiscated.

It is therefore important that you have an alternative way to navigate in the event that you lose your device. Watches with GPS including Garmin seem to go unnoticed.

After the first day we are mostly on quiet village roads with lots of turns and potential for getting lost so we recommend being able to use your phone to navigate – have a mount for your handle bars and a mobile power bank.

What do I wear?

Normal cycling attire is fine for both sexes across the whole route. Any clothes that will help you keep cool.

Health & Safety and General wellbeing

As in previous legs:

Cycling on the roads in India in the dark even with lights is totally unsafe. We will start early every day for the coolest part of the day so we expect everyone to finish by 5pm but we will pick up any cyclists at the afternoon water stop if there is a risk they would still be cycling in the dark.
As in previous legs we will demand insurance details before you cycle – this is important so that we can contact your insurer in the event that you are unconscious and your next of kin is uncontactable or doesn’t know your insurance details.
Mel, Margot, Dan, Adam, Eleni, Clare and Sarah (Medic) will be supporting the tour as usual but we will also have a large contigent from our new Indian Partner, Welcome Travels India who will also provide all the vehicles, drivers and food truck.

Do I need to train?

YES. 815km in the heat over 5 days is a big challenge. Training for flat terrain will pay the best dividends this year. Use it as a target for improving your flexibility and strength.

What is the cost?

Cost: £1,700 per person with a single supplement of £700. As in all previous Pioneer trips this is a not for profit – ie the cost is a sum of the direct costs of running the trip only. The hotel quality is high so the cost reflects this.

This includes:

6 x nights high quality accommodation in Jaisalmer, Manvaar, Khimsar, Pushkar, Jaipur and Alwar.
6 x breakfast
5 x lunch
6 x dinner
4 x manned support vehicles & 3 lorries for bikes / luggage. 2 x bike mechanics, medic & local tour guides
Transportation of bags each day to the finish
Transportation of bike boxes from Delhi to Jaisalmer and to the finish.
Water, fruit and supplies at all the stops.
3 x personalised cycling shirts – ensure you enter the correct shirt size when you register. We will aim to wash the shirts after day 2 to reduce wastage.
1 x Cap

50% Deposit due on booking, balancing payment due in June 2025. No deposit refunds – any deposits forfeited and donated to 1moreChild if there is a surplus.

Please pay by Bank transfer only – you will receive an invoice with bank details when you register.

What’s not included?

Flights to and from Delhi / Jaisalmer
Transfers to and from the airports
All alcohol & mini-bars – please pay for all your bar drinks as you go and settle your mini-bar
Medical Insurance – details of your policy required before travel. See Yellow Jersey as an example of cycling specific insurance.

Optional extras:

Single room.
Night at The Imperial, Delhi on 23rd November

How to book a place?

Initial Payment: £850 payable to confirm place in a twin room OR £1,200 in a single room. This will be donated to 1moreChild in the event that you pull out. Alternatively make the full payment of £1,700 (twin) or £2,400 (single) now to avoid further admin.

What else can I do before or after the Leg?

There are many other things to see and do in Delhi / Rajasthan while you are there. Either closer to the start in Jaisalmer you can visit Jodhpur or Udaipur or the Taj Mahal (130 miles / 4 hours from the finish). Ramesh from our Indian Partner, Welcome Travels India will provide bespoke options for you if you email him. rkw@welcometravels.com. Ramesh has been a great help organising Leg 14.

What happens after Leg 14?

We will go back to the finish Fort in Alwar and continue or journey across India towards Patna in the east – likely to be 1,000km in late November or even early December 2026.

What are we raising money for?

As in previous years all participants shall pay all their own costs and all money raised shall go straight to 1moreChild.

What is 1moreChild?

1moreChild was set-up by Harry & Hen Ferdinando in 2008 to help enable street children in Jinja, Uganda to go to school and prosper. Ride25 raises money for 1moreChild for the following key reasons:

A small amount of money goes along way – as little as £15 per month can transform a child’s life. 100% of all money donated to 1moreChild goes to tackle the problem. There are no western overheads, admin costs or wastage. In addition Harry & Hen pay all their own costs. The money raised from the cycle will make an enormous difference to 1moreChild and enable them to take many more children out of the slum.

1moreChild provide school fees, 3 meals a day, school uniforms, school supplies, shoes, clothes, medical care, tutoring, mentoring, a football club and various other activities.

Visit 1moreChild.org for more info.

What impact has the money raised by the Pioneers had?

The Pioneers cycle trip is the most significant fundraising initiative for the charity with circa 70% of their overall funding coming from this trip. We have raised nearly £1.75 million for the charity across legs 1 to 11.

As a result of our trips 1moreChild has taken nearly 200 children off the streets and given them everything they need to go to school. Many of the children have now gone on to do great things including studying at University and representing Uganda at cycling!

What about Ride25 Pioneer Virgins?

You can invite your friends if there are places left once the Pioneers and Founders have had a chance to sign-up. If there are places and you invite friends they will be expected to fundraise / sponsor / donate!

What are the opportunities for sponsorship?

We have put together a number of packages but are also open to offers from anyone for anything.

Cyclists pay for the costs of the shirts, banners etc so all the money given in sponsorship goes directly to 1moreChild. The more you sponsor the largest exposure your logo will get.

A number of places on the ride have been saved for Sponsors even if they are not Pioneers.

What about individual sponsorship?

Please do create your own personal sponsorship page using Givestar or use the Group page to raise money by sending it to all your contacts. Alternatively you can donate direct to 1moreChild or make a donation from overseas through the 1mC website.

Auction

After the hugely successful auction at the end of Leg 11 run by Hayden Foster we will run a similar event at the finish party.

If you have any possible lots please mention them when you register.

What else do / don’t I need to do beforehand?

Bike Service – make sure you book a Bike Service before you travel – you may need to book this a few weeks in advance but will seriously reduce the chance of issues on the ride.
Bike Fit – if you haven’t it’s worth getting your bike fitted properly by a professional – it will help prevent injury.
Esim – if you roaming doesn’t cover India. The whole route has phone signal and 4G 90% of the time.
Visas – For India you need to apply for a VISA in advance – see above.
Buy & Pack an Apple Airtag / Android Tracker for your Bike Box – very useful if there are issues with bike boxes.
Buy a bell / horn for your bike – most Indian drivers use their horn extensively. A horn will help you compete.

What else do I need to bring?

High Quality rear bike light for safety
Hydration Tablets – such as Precision Fuel & Hydration – critical for multi day long distances particularly if it’s hot.
Imodium & dioralite– better safe than sorry!
2 x large water bottles for hydration drinks and water – very important on this leg – there are frequently large distances where it is impossible to refill.
Hard wearing tyres / strong wheels – the roads are poor in places
Helmet
Large saddle bag with – 2 x spare inner tubes, puncture repair kit and tyre leavers
Cycle pump or gas canisters
Sun cream – vital and will help you keep cool.
Phone mount in case you lose your GPS at the airport
Portable battery charger for mobile in case your phone becomes your primary navigation.