Camping on the road

Stop early rather than late. Light goes fast behind a ridge and temperatures drop with it, so start looking for a spot with daylight to spare. You want flat ground, shelter from wind, and water within reach — but not on a riverbank that floods or a dry channel that doesn't stay dry.

Most ground in HP belongs to someone — a village, a family, a grazing community. Ask before you pitch on or near it. A short, polite request is almost always met well, and often turns into tea, directions, or a flat bit of orchard to sleep on. Camping by permission is both the courteous and the safer choice.

Set up fast and leave no trace. Practise your tent once at home so you can pitch it in the cold and the dark. Pack out everything, including organic scraps; bury waste properly and well away from water; and never light an open fire — mountain vegetation scars easily and recovers slowly, so cook on a stove. On supported routes the camp logistics are handled, but the same ethics apply the moment you step off the bike.