Travel Activities Details

Himalayas: Off the Beaten Path

Enjoy an amazing cycling tour which gives you experience of beautiful and historic cities such as Pokhara, Kathmandu and Gorkha. That’s right, a cycling tour that will leave you breathless from the excitement and world’s best views and scenic places. There is no more exciting way to explore Nepal and this ride is designed for the casual cyclist with a reasonably good level of fitness and confidence in handling a bike.

The trip will show you an exciting cross section of Nepal as you cycle past rustic villages, ancient cities and temples off the beaten track, enjoy amazing downhill’s and get incredible views of the Everest and Annapurna and other ranges. Enjoy exclusive accommodation and watch dawn come up over the Annapurna’s before we experience life in the middle hills where the Nepalese are living as they have done for many centuries.

We ride an exciting route to the royal city of Gorkha before transferring to our end destination, exploring the historic towns and temples of the Kathmandu valley. Vehicle support, quality hotels and all meals are included to make your adventure as comfortable as possible. Trails are very manageable and require the basic skills of biking on jeep and walking trails where no great technical skills are required. This is an “all-included” adventure - from the inspired accommodation and delicious food, right through to cycling guides, vehicle support and well maintained bikes that are guaranteed.

All you have to do is pedal and enjoy! This amazing adventure is designed to leave everyone at the end of the day with the ability to bike further and still be smiling!

Highlights:

• Kathmandu a Historical City
• Views of the giants, Mount Annapurna, Manaslu, and Dhaulagiri
• Mountain View of the Annapurna Ranges
• Fewa Lake
• Beautiful village of Kalikasthan
• Daraundi River
• Historic city of Gorkha, the ancient kingdom and old capital of the ex-Shah dynasty, who ruled until recently for 237 years in Nepal
• Bhaktapur City
• Changu Narayan, with the ancient temple complex, which includes the oldest Hindu temple in the valley dating from the sixth century

OUTLINE ITINERARY:

Day 01 Arrive in Kathmandu

Day 02 Kathmandu fly to Pokhara & day bike trip to Sarangkot (28 miles/45 km)

Day 03 Bike from Pokhara to Kalikasthan to Begnas Lake (26 miles/42 km)

Day 04 Bike to Sisaghat via Rambazar - Bhorletar (22 miles/35km)

Day 05 Bike to Palungtar via Kunchha - Paudi - Tarpughat (34 miles/55km)

Day 06 Bike to Gorkha via Laxmi Bazaar (23 miles/37km)

Day 07 Bike to Kathmandu valley (26 miles/42km)

Day 08 Full day of guided sightseeing

Day 09 Full day of guided sightseeing 

Day 10: Depart Kathmandu

DETAIL ITINERARY:

Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu

Our Airport Representative will welcome you at the airport and transfer to your hotel on a private tourist vehicle. Evening meeting at hotel with guide about tour program and welcome dinner is served.

Accommodation:   Hotel Manaslu or Same Standard -   Meal:   Welcome Dinner

Day 2: Kathmandu fly to Pokhara & day bike trip to Sarangkot (28 miles/45 km)

From Kathmandu, we will fly to Pokhara with an early morning flight (about 30 minutes). On arrival we will be transferred by boat to our Country house “The Retreat”, nestled. On the other side of Phewa Lake. This beautifully built residence made of hand cut stone on a hill top with 180 degree views of the Annapurna Himalayas and the whole lake and set amongst a landscaped garden will make for a delightful stay.

We’ll first catch up on a little breakfast and make a return crossing of the lake and start riding to Bindhbasani Temple. It’s all on the road, as we depart Pokhara Township before we start a 6 miles (10 km) uphill ride to Sarangkot hill station. Mountain views are exceptional from here as we gaze directly upon the Annapurna Ranges, but seem to be within arm's reach of the most popular "Fishtail" (Machhapuchhre) Himal. After lunch we ride downhill to Thulakhet, then on to Pame, where we will be transferred to our resort for the rest of the day. Today’s ride is a warm-up ride leading into our next 5 days heading back towards Kathmandu and the town of Arughat.

Accommodation:   Temple Tree or Same Standard -   Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Pokhara - Kalikasthan - Begnas Lake (26 miles/42 km)

Breakfast on the front lawn overlooking the lake then we boat it to Lakeside to start our riding on a flat paved road till Bijayapur Khola, a journey of 7 miles (12km). After crossing the bridge we peddle left from the Army camp and ride alongside the river to Lapsidada and onwards to the beautiful village named Kalikasthan (this name comes from goddess Kali temple). The total uphill ride is 6 miles (9 km) till Kalikasthan. Again we will have fantastic views of Annapurna, Manaslu and Daulagiri peaks from here.

We take a lunch break here and cool off after the uphill from Bijayapur Khola. A touch of the local flavors will be on offer as we lunch at the local store before we bike it about 6km downhill to Talchok. The terrain flattens out and then leaves a small uphill into our small island resort situated in between Begnas and Rupa Lake.

Accommodation:   Guest House/Tea House -     Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Begnas - Rambazar - Bhorletar - Sisaghat (22 miles/35km)

Today’s ride is mostly downhill over the 22 miles (35kms) that takes us further east and after just 4km of flat and a small climb we reach Urchale Bhanjyang (Bhanjyang meaning small pass). Now, we have 7 mile (12km) downhill to Karputar and then we cross the Modi River and reach Bhorletar. It’s a small town with just a few shops to service the local settlements. We will take a break here and grab a snack from these local shops, giving a few insights to local culture and their way of life.

After lunch, again it’s an easy ride that is mostly down to Sisaghat where we will stay in the local guesthouse. A basic overnight stay void of the normal western luxuries. Along the way, each and every place we visit on this route offers variations on food, culture and traditions. The road we travel was an old walking route from Kathmandu to Pokhara via Gorkha, before there was any road network connected.

Accommodation:   Guest House/Tea House -     Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Sisaghat - Kunchha - Paudi - Tarpughat - Palungtar (34 miles/55km)

Today, is a longer day on the trails with the first 16 miles (25km) mostly uphill till Kunchha. With it comes a beautiful ride via Soti Pasal and many small shops where we will make our lunch stop and have a good chance to mingle with the locals where they are few and very friendly. After Kunchha, and having completed our uphill prior to lunch we now have earn’t a rewarding downhill except for the half mile (1km) uphill after crossing the mighty Marshyangdi River. We pass through the town of Paudi and then ride alongside of Marshyangdi River via Tarphutar and onto Tarpughat. Our final destination for the day is a short ride beyond at Palungtar where we’ll found our guest house. We might get to view some local celebrations and festivities if you’re here in the festive season of October/November.

Accommodation:   Guest House/Tea House -     Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Palungtar - Laxmi Bazaar - Gorkha (23 miles/37km)

Leaving Palungtar after a leisurely breakfast, we ride 3 miles (5km) beyond, uphill to LuitelGaon and then to Satdobato (Satdobato: meaning seven trails meeting points), so it’s fairly obvious that many village trails meet at this point. We will enjoy fresh brewed Nepali tea and oranges (orange farming in this area is quite popular, every house having at least over 20 trees) whilst taking a break then leave the main trail and use a shortcut route to Chhepetar, which may require a short carry of our trusty bikes for just 5 minutes once we have crossed the bridge at the Daraudi River. Daraudi will be our lunch spot, with some well stocked local goods. Once recharged then we’ll tackle the mostly uphill but gradual climb to the historic City of Gorkha via Laxmi Bazar.

Beautiful terraced farm land where whole hillsides bloom yellow from the flowering mustard plants during the months October to February make for a memorable sight. Gorkha is the ancient kingdom and old capital of the ex-Shah dynasty, who ruled until recently for 237 years in Nepal. Gorkha Dubar is on top of the hill just beyond the main town and we’ll visit in here in the evening.

Accommodation:   Guest House/Tea House -     Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Gorkha - Kathmandu Valley (26 miles/42km)

From the ridge top at Gorkha beautiful sunshine and spectacular views of Manaslu and Annapurna are the feature from your breakfast table. With Kathmandu our destination today we’ll make a warm up ride of 1km uphill then cruise into Phinam village on a flat dirt jeep trail before finding Taple to complete a lovely morning’s ride. It will be the beautiful villages on the way to Khanchok where we will have lunch; one of the last on trial lunches of our 7-day long tour.

Another short climb to welcome after lunch as you bike into Ghyapesal. A big downhill awaits us just out of town and all the way into Arughat. Arughat was an important place in the ancient time for local trade. After a tea break, we pack our bikes on our bus and drive into the Kathmandu Valley over the next 4 hours. Tonight, we stay near Thamel, and you have enough time to chill out in the many good restaurants and bars around town.

Accommodation: Hotel Manaslu or Same Standard -    Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Full day of guided sightseeing

After breakfast, we set out to explore the palaces, temples and monasteries of Kathmandu valley. We begin from Pashupatinath Temple-one of the holiest Hindu Temples in entire South Asia. The temple is situated on the bank of sacred Bagmati River, which is a tributary of the sacred Ganges. Admission to the temple is reserved for Hindus only, yet we can have close up view of the temple from the other side of the river. The temple and the surroundings are vibrant with rites and rituals performed by Hindu devotees. We will also have the opportunity to watch the Hindu cremation services in the bank of the river.

The next stop would be the giant Boudhanath Stupa-Asia’s one of the largest Buddhist shrines. The stupa with 100m (328 ft) diameter and 40 m (130 ft) height can be spotted from many viewpoints in Kathmandu. There are a number of Buddhist monasteries around and the area is dominantly Tibetan in character and reminds very much of the Barkhor area of Lhasa. After a lunch break in Boudhanath, we head to Bhaktapur-one of the three medieval principalities of Kathmandu valley and best the preserved one. Bhaktapur, with its Durbar Square and beautiful temples, intricate wood carving in the balconies and windows and fabulous stone sculptures and clean, brick paved streets give the impression of being an open air museum.

After having lunch in Boudhanath we will continue to drive to the next destination site Kathmandu Durbar Square, which use to be the ancient palace of the kings of Nepal. Here you can visit the temple of Living Goddess, Kasthamandap, the Taleju Temple, built by King Mahendra Malla in 1549 A.D.; KalBhairav, the God of destruction; Nautale Durbar; Nasal Chowk; GaddiBaithak; the statue of King Pratap Malla and the Jagannath. You will then walk back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Manaslu or Same Standard -    Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Full day of guided sightseeing 

Today, after breakfast at hotel, we start driving to Patan, the drive is approximately about 1 hrs. Bhaktapur is also known as “the city of Devotees”. It is located at a distance of 14 km east of the capital. The ancient city covers an area of four squares miles, which still retains the medieval charms and treats its visitors with many wonders of historical, cultural and artistic achievements. The historic city was the capital of Kathmandu Valley between the 14th and 16th centuries. Many of the town’s great architectures dates from the end of the 17th century during the rule of King Bhupatindra Malla before the valley were divided into three smaller kingdoms (Bhaktapur, Patan and Kathmandu).

After Lunch in Bhaktapur, we start driving to Patan, the drive is approximately about 1 hrs. Patan is also known as Lalitpur, the second-largest town in the valley. The city is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist monuments with bronze gateways, guardian deities and wonderful carvings. Noted for its craftsmanship on metal, wood and stone, it is known as the city of fine art and beauty. Our tour consists of a visit to the Durbar Square representing the heart of the city. This square is full of ancient palaces, temples and shrines noted for their exquisite carving. The main attraction of the Patan Durbar Square is the courtyards of the ancient Royal Palace. The Krishna Mandir Temple is supposed to be the specimen of Shikhara style architecture in Nepal. It holds a commanding position in the palace complex of Patan city. After spending a good amount of time in Bhaktapur & Patan we will return to the hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Manaslu or Same Standard -    Meal:   Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Depart Kathmandu

You are free to depart this morning.

Meal:   Breakfast

NOTE:

All distances are approximate and the actual route taken on the day may vary according to the leader’s discretion taking into account local conditions and the abilities of your group.

Financial Terms:

02-04 Pax         Twin Share    05-09 Pax         Twin Share                10-14 Pax        Twin Share
$ 2798.00           per person      $ 2706.00           per person                  $ 2604.00          per person

Single Supplementary Charges
US$ 475.00 per person

Trip Cost Inclusions:

Accommodations:

• 04 Night's accommodation in Kathmandu on Twin Share at Hotel Manaslu or Same Standard
• 01 Night's accommodation in Pokhara on Twin Share at Temple Tree or Same Standard
• 04 Night's accommodation during the cycling on Twin Share in Family Run Tea House/Guest Houses

Domestic Flight Fare:

• Kathmandu to Pokhara by Flight

Transfer:

• All airport transfer in Kathmandu & Pokhara by private vehicle
• Logistic Transfer Fees during the trip in Nepal

Others Inclusions:

• 1 Cycle, Helmet, Cycling gear
• 1 Cycling guide for the trip
• Including salary, accommodation, food, insurance & logistic transfer
• All government service charges & Tax

Meal:

• 09 Breakfast, 
• 08 Lunch and 
• 09 Dinner - Excluding drinks

Trip Cost Exclusions:    

• International air fare
• Nepal entry visa fees
• Any personal expenses – (laundry, phone, internet, shopping, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters)
• Excess baggage charges       
• Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu & Pokhara in case of early arrival, late departure and early return from the mountain (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary         
• Tipping to Staffs        
• Any extra drinks (including water, tea, coffee, liquor) or expense during trip       
• Travel and rescue Insurance
• Photography or Movie fees on the trip   

If you wish to extend your trip to Nepal please contact us and we can help you to organize this.

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Thank you for your kind the co-operation and supports.

Namaste!!