Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9: A team of six cycling enthusiasts, including two IPS officers, will embark on a journey to Bhutan tomorrow.

The 12-day journey will cover 1,252km, including a 170-km mountain ride from Phuntsholing to Thimpu.

The team includes IPS officers Sanjeeb Panda and Lalit Das, senior IAS officer Manoj Ahuja and businessmen Ajay Nanda, Manoj Prusty and Akshay Mohapatra.

Their mission is to enhance the friendship with Bhutan through the common thread of Buddhism and promote cycling in Odisha.

Sanjeeb Panda, inspector general of the Odisha State Armed Police, said: "Both Bhubaneswar and Bhutan have strong Buddhist connections. We, therefore, chose it as our preferred destination. We expect the trip to be extremely adventurous and also hope to see beautiful places." Their journey will begin from the Buddhist peace pagoda Dhauli at 7am.

"Moreover, we want to make people understand that cycling is not only an economic option for people who can't afford expensive vehicles. It is an eco-friendly mode of transport," Panda said.#The cyclists will pedal through Cuttack, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jaleswar and various places of Bengal, including Midnapore, Burdwan, Behrampore, Malda, Kishanganj and Jalpaiguri and then enter Bhutan through Phuntsholing. They will also cover Gedu and Chapcha before reaching the capital of the country, Thimpu.

All the cyclists are a part of the Bhubaneswar Cycling and Adventure Club that conducts trips on a regular basis to promote it as an eco-friendly mode of transport among the masses.

Last year, the group had cycled around 500km from Manali to Leh. "That tour was challenging as we had to cover five passes and, of course, the altitude is also high," said the 1994 batch IPS officer.

When asked about his fitness regimen, Panda said: "We regularly practise mountain climbing. We spend three days a week cycling while another three days are spent on running," said the 47-year-old officer.

The members had conducted a lot of research before planning the trip. "We are in touch with active cycling groups across the country and many of them have been on long distance trips. We took tips from them and also spoke to government officials in Bhutan to know about the climatic conditions there," said Ajay Nanda from the team.

Nanda quit his corporate job and set up a store - 22 Bikes - that sells hi-end bicycles at Saheed Nagar here in May. The team would also carry insulated water bottles, as the temperature is likely to dip in Bhutan during the time of the trip. "We have packed a lot of woollen clothes and ordered for advanced cycling instruments to make the journey comfortable," said Nanda.