KALIMPONG, JULY 1

A Mountain Cycling Expedition in Super High Altitude Area of Sikkim by a unit of the Striking Lion Division was flagged off from Khangjakma, overlooking Teesta Khangtse Glacier, on the Tibetan Plateau at approx 19200 feet on 30 June 2014.

The expedition aims to be the highest cycling expedition ever and the route selected for the expedition is one of the toughest mountain cycling expedition attempted not only in India but in the entire world.

The expedition consisting of one Offr, one JCO and eight OR is aimed to test the limits of human endurance and team spirit in extreme terrain and weather conditions by scaling some of the highest and most treacherous mountain passes on the Indo-China border along the Great Himalayan Ranges.

The Expedition will visit nine important mountain passes on and across the Great Himalayan range, eight of which are non motorable.  All these passes are in Super High Altitude Area and experiences sub zero weather conditions in most part of the year.  The expedition will move through the towns of Lachen and Lachung of North Sikkim before crossing Chungthang, Mangan and Gangtok.  The expedition will follow the alignment of River Teesta from its origin covering a total of 684 kms before finally culminating at Sukna by 19 July 2014.