- 505km / 316 miles
- An A to B linear journey
- Remote singletrack & jeep trails
- Ride through the planet’s deepest valley
- A genuine biking adventure
- 15 days / 14 nights
- 12 days of mountain biking
- XC from the Himalayas to the city
- Rather Be Trip Leader & Nepali bike guide
Sat 19 Dec 2020 – Sat 02 Jan 2021
Sat 03 April 2021 – Sat 17 April 2021
Sat 18 Dec 2021 – Sat 01 Jan 2022
Arrive Kathmandu airport and transfer to hotel. Due to different arrival times we meet up as a complete group for the first time in the evening and have a meal together in our hotel.
Overnight in Kathmandu in a 3 star hotel. Meal/s included: D
Today we take in a morning’s sightseeing tour of Kathmandu visiting a couple of the city’s historic and / or religious sights. The afternoon is free for a bit of shopping, or chilling out. Our bikes are collected by our local crew and, over the next two days, they are transferred overland to Jomsom to meet our arrival.
Overnight in Kathmandu in a 3 star hotel. Meal/s included: B
We leave the city behind us today and head Westwards with a morning flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Lakeside Pokhara is a lovely place to explore, chill out and, now we’re in sight of the Himalayas, get a feel for the scale of the adventure that lies ahead.
Overnight in Pokhara in a 3 star hotel. Meal/s included: B
Early morning flight from Pokhara to Jomsom (2,767m). Flying deep into the jaw dropping Himalayas we arrive in the town of Jomson, in Lower Mustang, where the cultural influences of the large local Tibetan population are apparent. We check into our lodge accommodation, build up our bikes and pedal out on a short acclimatisation ride.
Overnight in Jomsom in a lodge. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Ride from Jomson to Kagbeni (2,807m) and then to Marrpha (2,670m). Riding on jeep tracks we head right up to the Upper Mustang border before climbing a little more (to 2,900m) and then descending a cracking section of singletrack to Ekle Bhatti. Then its downhill to Marpha, which is famous for apple production – mmm, local cider and apple pie.
30km / 19 miles – 100% Off Road. Overnight in Marpha in a lodge. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Ride from Marpha (2,670m) to the refreshing Hot Springs at Tatopani (1,190m). Down, down, down 1,480m of descent – that’s more than a Ben Nevis* – on blissful jeep tracks & trails through the World’s deepest valley The Kali Gandaki Gorge.
* Universal Scottish unit of measurement = 1,344m
32km / 20 miles – 100% Off Road. Overnight in Tatopani in a lodge. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Today we ride from Tatopani (1,190m) to Pokhara (1,400m). It’s a long ride today and we start with a downhill ride to Beni, where we join the tarred road. Continuing along to Baglung the riding is easy and very pleasant as we pass into a lusher zone.
After lunch the challenges begin. Passing the confluence of the Kali Gandaki & the Modi Khola rivers we tackle some long climbs on tarmac amidst stunning scenery. The riding today concludes with a peach of an off trail down to Phewa Tal & Pokhara …. and in 2020 our Christmas Dinner.
100km / 62 miles – approx. 30% Off Road. Overnight in Pokhara in a 3 star hotel. Meal/s included: B, L & D
The lakeside town of Pokhara is a very chilled place to be, so today we have the option of making today either a Ride or a Rest Day – or a bit of both. The top of the hill at nearby Sarangkot is a fantastic viewpoint and the trails back down into town are excellent. Today’s also a chance to remedy any bike mechanicals, get some laundry done or get a massage.
25-40kms / 15-25 miles – approx. 50% Off Road. Overnight in Pokhara in a 3 star hotel. Meal/s included: B & L
Ride from Pokhara to Kalasti. Today starts with a big climb on tarmac and is followed by a big descent off road before we spin along the backroads to Begnas Tal. Then it’s onto jeep roads & tracks and some fine old school xc riding with a backdrop of Himalayan peaks, rural Nepalese life and ending at wonderful riverside camp.
78km / 49 miles – approx. 65% Off Road. Overnight camp by Begnas Tal. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Ride from Kalasti to Palungtar. Another classic day of Nepalese riding – a maze of jeep trails through a landscape of rice paddies and fascinating villages & towns.
30km / 19 miles – 65% Off Road. Overnight camp by Palungtar. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Ride from Palungtar to Gorkha. Starting the day with some climbing we then enjoy some excellent off road trails in the morning followed by a tarred road climb up to Gorkha after lunch. The busy roadhead town of Gorkha is a hive of activity and the hub that is the town’s bus station is well worth a wander through. If time allows we’ll visit the historic Durbar (Fort) perched high above the town.
50km / 31 miles – 60% off road. Overnight in Gorkha in a hotel. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Ride from Gorkha to near Kali Sundhara Bazar. Today is a journey deep into Nepal’s Inner Terrai region and we reckon this is one of the best days of pure XC riding you will find anywhere – it’s not super technical but we tackle challenging terrain, monster descents, ride along ridge lines and through villages that seldom see Western visitors.
70km / 38 miles – 100% Off Road. Overnight riverside camp. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Ride from near Kali Sundhara Bazar to Nuwakot . Today is a cracker of a day – tough, but what goes up does, eventually, come back down again. A flat start allows us to warm up before we tackle our first climb of the day – all 1,200 vertical metres of it. Some descending follows but the overall trend is upwards culminating in “The Stairway To Heaven” an 800 vertical metre rocky climb up to Samari. The descent that follows may not be singletrack but it’s a blinder with many rocky challenges to overcome or play on.
75km / 47 miles – 85% Off Road. Overnight camp near Nuwakot. Meal/s included: B, L & D
Ride from Nuwakot to Kathmandu. It’s our last day’s riding and it’s a full on day. We rack up some 1,300 vertical metres of ascent in 34km’s of sinuous tarmac, taking us to the top of the Kathmandu valley rim at Kakani. A final downhill blast brings us back to Kathmandu and completes our epic Trans-Nepal journey. After getting settled in at our hotel we pack up our bikes for our return journey tomorrow. The rest of the day is free for sightseeing or last minute shopping before a celebratory group meal in town.
50km / 31 miles – 100% On Road. Overnight in Kathmandu in a 3 star hotel. Meal/s included: B & L
Free time in Kathmandu until it’s time for your transfer to Kathmandu Airport from our hotel.
Meal/s included: B
- 15 nights accommodation* as detailed in the trip overview.
- All meals as detailed in the trip overview.
- Meal Key: B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D – Dinner.
- Kathmandu Airport transfers to / from group hotel on arrival & departure days only.
- Kathmandu to Jomson and Pokhara to Jomsom internal flights.
- Airport transfers in Pokhara.
- Overland Bike Transfers from Kathmandu to Jomsom.
- Applicable Permit and Conservation fees.
- All baggage transfers in our baggage vehicle (Pokhara to Kathmandu section).
- The services of a Nepali Biking Guide.
- The services of a Rather Be Cycling Trip Leader – ON ALL GROUP SIZES
- The services of a baggage vehicle driver / assistant / crew (Pokhara to Kathmandu section).
- Access to commonly required tools and mechanical advice & assistance.**
- A half day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu.
*We use a 3 star hotel when staying in Kathmandu (3 nights). When cycling we use a mix of full service camping and lodge accommodation. All accommodation is allocated and priced on a twin occupancy basis. Please contact us for Single Occupancy Rates.
**Please note that whilst we are prepared for the most likely mechanical issues we cannot carry spare parts / tools to deal with all eventualities. Please ensure your bike is fit for purpose before your trip – we are happy to advise you.
Many parts of rural Nepal are in a period of rapid development and there is a very active road building programme currently underway. What was a blinding singletrack can become a jeep track the next time we pass the same way and jeep tracks can become tarred roads. We work closely with our agents and biking contacts in Nepal, who are constantly seeking out new off road routes. We reserve the right to alter our itineraries in-country to take in more new off road sections wherever possible should the traditional routes become upgraded.
What’s Not Included
- International and / or Domestic Flight/s to and from the start (joining) point and end (departure) points of the trip.
- Any excess baggage charges relating to outbound and / or return flights.
- Visa/s as required.
- Travel Insurance – compulsory.
- All drinks e.g. bottled water, coffees, teas, alcohol, etc.
- Spare / replacement bicycle parts & accessories e.g. tyres, tubes, wheels, etc.
- Other expenses e.g. souvenirs, additional food, etc.
- Tips – at your discretion but encouraged for the local guide and crew.
- Certain meals on certain days – please refer to trip overview.
- Your spending money.
- A modern, good quality mountain bike – hard tail with front suspension or full suspension – is ideal for this trip. We suggest 2.1 mixed terrain off road tyres at minimum.
- Your bike should be fully serviced, and thoroughly tested, before your holiday.