OUR STORY
Discover Himalayas is the brainchild of Vinod Kaistha- rider, trekker, adventurer,. Born and brought up in Naggar in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh’, he has trekked, hiked, and camped across the Western Himalayas, knowing and loving them as intimately as only a son of the soil can. Life put him on the path to riding at a very young age when an Englishman on an Enfield with a sidecar had reached his sleepy village which didn't even have tarmac roads in the late 1970s ! Eager to master riding and explore even more, he purchased his first bike, a Yezdi, at the age of 16 and quickly got the knack of riding.
Meanwhile, as tourism picked up in Himachal Pradesh, Vinod and his family started the first hotel in Naggar. He spent his days managing the hotel, organising numerous treks and adventure activities, and conducting wellness retreats and culture trips for their guests. Naggar has always been the hub for many travellers and adventurers; So, it is not surprising that Naggar became the second home for Peter from Germany, who pioneered the first motorbike tours in the Himalayas. In fact, their shared love of the mountains and riding made them into close friends and brothers.
In this ride, he would soon be joined by someone very special. In 1999, during one of his treks, he met Nadia, a Belgian lady who was travelling across India. They fell in love and got married. In the initial days of their marriage, they travelled across the Indian subcontinent on their Bullet. The young couple divided their time between Belgium and India and life blessed them with two children.
In 2011, seeing the growing demand for organised and professionally run bike tours, the family shifted back to India and Vinod started his own company, Discover Himalayas. Discover Himalayas aims to not just be a bike tour company; Instead, It is a shared space for lovers of bike riding and mountains. Having worked extensively with European clients and possessing an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the Himalayas, Vinod and his team are passionate about showcasing India’s hidden gems to bike riders and travellers with the highest standards in professionalism, safety, and comfort.
Even today, Vinod is still as hungry and adventurous as he was earlier. His aim is to keep riding, explore new routes, and guide his guests on a mesmerising journey to everlasting memories.
OUR EXPERIENCED TEAM
VINOD KAISTHA
ROAD CAPTAIN
" In 1994, I started to explore Ladakh, Spiti, Rajasthan and other parts of India by motorcycle myself and once rode from Himachal to Goa. Riding and tour management are my great passions. I also specialize in trekking and camping in the Himalayas and have organized cultural tours all over India, establishing good relationships to my local contacts and guests from all over the world."
UWE BALSER
DIRECTOR OF SALES & PROMOTION - EUROPE
Uwe is not just an experienced rider who has toured with Vinod but is also a close family friend. Uwe and his Kolkata-born wife, Sunita along with their children spend a lot of time all over India, especially Benaulim, Goa where they have their second home (which also happens to be Vinod and Nadia’s second home). Today, Uwe and Vinod’s friendship has grown further into a working relationship.
Uwe is currently Discover Himalayas’ Director of Sales and Promotion, Europe region. Previously, he had worked as the Managing Director of Condor Airlines. Apart from Discover Himalayas, Uwe assists Sunita manage a training academy, "Haus Guldenbach" (www.hausguldenbach.de). With their shared love of Indian culture, travelling and a multicultural family, Uwe and Vinod have often toured together to explore India.
NADIA KAISTHA
COMPANY MANAGER
"I started my career as a JR Account Manager for an international publicity agency in Brussels for 5 years and continued working as a consultant in an employment agency the following 10 years. I first came to India in 1992, fell in love with the country and have been travelling for 6 months a year to explore this vast subcontinent. It’s in the Indian Himalayas where I feel most at home, so meeting my husband there in 1999 and marrying him in 2000 was only a natural thing to do. Dividing our time between India and Belgium has taught us a great deal about making someone feel at home in a new surrounding and we love sharing our experiences with other people. I also love to join Vinod on some of our tours as a pillion rider, meeting our guests and enjoying the adventure with them while ensuring our rides run smoothly."
SAHIL KAISTHA
TOUR MANAGER / ROAD CAPTAIN
POONAM
HEAD OFFICE MANAGER
Energetic and perpetually smiling, Poonam takes care not only of the welcoming of our guests but also of the general management of Ragini Cottages. She has been with us for over 5 years and is extremely conscientious about taking care of every detail.
RAMESH AND ASLAM
MOTORCYCLE BUILD & MAINTENANCE TEAM
Ramesh, with 15 years of experience, is our head mechanic and garage manager. Aslam is an expert in customizing bikes. Together they are responsible for the perfect state and the great look of our bikes.
VICKY
BACKUP DRIVER & SUPPORT CREW
Vicky, our on road assistant and back-up jeep driver, takes care of daily needs while on tour and will faithfully tail the riders with our back up jeep.
PAPPU USTAD
BIKE TRANSPORTATION
Pappu Ustad makes sure our bikes are safely dropped off at the starting point of the tour. He is our all time loyal transport captain.