12,500 feet! Man drives e-rickshaw to Spiti Valley, documents epic Himalayan trip

A man from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, has turned an unlikely vehicle into his ride for a Himalayan adventure. Sumit Kumar Prajapati travelled from Manali towards Himachal Pradesh’s Spiti Valley in his battery-powered three-wheeler and documented the journey in 27 videos on Instagram.

Sumit began sharing updates from August 15, showing his preparations, the challenges of the mountainous route and reactions from people he met along the way. According to information shared on his Instagram account, he first travelled to Manali with friends, while his e-rickshaw was transported there on a truck. He then began the journey towards Spiti on August 19.

From a conversation to an unusual road trip

The trip reportedly began after Sumit’s friends planned to travel to Spiti by car. Since he did not own one, the question of how he would make the journey became a challenge of its own. Instead of dropping the plan, Sumit chose his e-rickshaw.

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The vehicle had to deal with steep and rocky mountain roads, while charging the battery became an important part of the journey. Sumit said he charged the e-rickshaw at different stopover locations and also carried a generator for emergencies.

Initially travelling alone, Sumit later began picking up passengers after a viewer suggested that he use the vehicle as it was intended.

E-rickshaw at 12,500 feet

As the journey progressed, the unusual vehicle became a spectacle for fellow travellers. At one point, Sumit was seen driving on a rocky road at an altitude of around 12,500 feet. People stopped to record the e-rickshaw and questioned its ability to navigate the challenging terrain.

One person was heard asking, “What kind of e-rickshaw is this, that it's off-roading?”

On August 26, Sumit reached Kunzum, according to his social media updates. While claims circulated online describing the journey as a record-setting feat, Moneycontrol noted that the claim that he was the first person to reach Kunzum in an e-rickshaw has not been independently verified.

Reflecting on the trip in a September 1 video, Sumit said, “Everyone dreams of going away from the city and spending a few days in peace in a mountain village. I had a similar dream. But I didn't have a car.”

He added, “My e-rickshaw overcame every challenge and brought me here. I'm going even further.”