Kathmandu To Pokhara Cycling

Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to the hotel. In the evening, there will be a trip briefing on the trip

After an early breakfast in Kathmandu we set off on the bikes and cycle on small roads from Pashupatinath to Bhaktapur. This city is the home of traditional art and architecture, historical monuments and craft works, magnificent windows, pottery and weaving industries. We will have time to explore the temples and squares. After lunch we are back on the bikes and in the afternoon we cycle on small tracks up and down through fields and small settlements to Godawari. (B, D)
Distance cycled: 33km (some off road in the afternoon)
Ascent: 425m

We start the day with on the bikes and cycle to Bungamat (16km), a 16th century traditional Newari village south of Kathmandu. We have a look round the town and then head off alongside the Chobar Gorge until we hit the paved road that climbs all the way to Dakshinkali. This temple is one of the most famous temples in Kathmandu and is dedicated to Kali, the goddess of power. Guest House (B, L, D)
Distance cycled: 29km
Ascent: 700m

A tough day today. We start off with a short 11km drive to Humane Bhanjyang and then it’s on the bike for a wonderful ride on some exciting trails that lead up and across the valley rim to Kulekhani Dam. In between the trails we ride through pine forests and couple of small villages before reaching Markhu and the Tribhuvan highway. The final 15km of the day is a challenge as we have an introduction to Himalayan hill climbing as the road winds its way to Daman. We will arrive late afternoon and hopefully in time for the spectacular sunset over the Himalaya. Guest House (B, L, D)
Distance cycled: 53km
Ascent: 1500m
Descent: 1040m

It’s worth getting up early this morning for the superb sunrise views from the hotel. After breakfast we have a short walk to visit a monastery. We return to the hotel for lunch and then we saddle up for the exciting ride down to Hetauda. The road sweeps us down towards the plains of Northern India offering 2000m of downhill over 52 km. We need to be a little cautious and careful as the roads have very sharp turns and lots of bends. As far as the views are concerned, we start off through rhododendron and pine forests and as we descend further we pass terraced farmland. We continue riding towards Hetauda along the Mahendra highway. Hetauda is not a pretty town and the area is well known for its factories. Simple Guest House (B, L, D)
Distance cycled: 52km
Ascent: 240m
Decent: 2030m

We start off with a 30km drive along a main road to Lothar bridge (it is possible to cycle but the road is quite busy). We then cycle off-road towards Sauraha. With the forests on our right and the Rapti River on to the left we follow a narrow jeep track into Sauraha. The terai offers a completely different though equally fascinating side to Nepal – consisting of an almost flat plain wedged between the Himalayas and the Indian plains. Riding on ancient bullock-cart tracks, we pass through neat mud-walled villages, vivid green paddy fields and mixed sub-tropical forests criss-crossed by numerous rivers. It’s a short ride to our lodge in Chitwan and we will arrive by lunchtime. In the afternoon we have a bird watching walk. Guest House (B, L, D)
Distance cycled: 25km (plus 30km)
Ascent: 54m

Waking up at the hotel is a fantastic experience and today we enjoy a full range of jungle activities in the Chitwan National Park. Included is an elephant safari in search of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and the elusive Royal Bengal tiger, a dugout canoe ride, village walk and jungle walk. There are fifty species of mammals and more than four hundred species of birds in the park. Guest House (B, L, D)

After breakfast, Its back on the bikes again as we ride through Beezhazari Tal. We cycle through this wonderful sal forest and past beautiful lakes. We then join the Mahendra highway and cycle to Narayanghat, a large busy town in the terai. We continue on for a while and then after lunch we load our bikes in the vehicle and drive 192km to Lumbini, home to the Sacred Garden where the Buddha was born in 623BC. In the garden are a number of temples and sites, the Ashoka pillar carries an inscription identifying the spot as Buddha’s birthplace. Hotel (B, L, D)
Distance cycled: 30km off road, 30km road
Ascent: 191m

This morning there is time to visit the gardens at Lumbini before we begin our ride to Butwal. We start with a wonderful ride through typical Indian villages, with haystacks and buffalo ponds in-between the wide spread fields. Eventually we meet the Mahendra highway, which can be quite busy. We continue riding to Butwal, one of the Terai’s most important towns. Guest House (B,L)
Distance cycled: 62km
Ascent: 232m

We leave Butwal and start to climb up through a wonderful valley towards Tansen. The 40km today are mostly uphill although the gradient is not too steep most of the way. The last part of the climb the road gets steeper and it’s quite a challenging pull into Tansen. Once the seat of a powerful kingdom, the hill town of Tansen (Palpa) now seems little more than a bazaar town stranded in the hills. The Mul Dhoka (main gate) is tall enough for elephants and their riders to pass through, and reputedly the biggest of its kind in Nepal. We will have time in the afternoon to explore the narrow streets. The main attraction of Tansen is its magnificent panoramic views of the Himalaya. It’s worth going back to the hotel and watching the sun set from the rooftop. Guest House (B, L)
Distance cycled: 40km
Ascent: Approx 1100m

Today starts with a very steep descent through narrow, winding streets of the old Tansen village, before meeting the Siddhartha highway. It’s then an easy ride on a paved road all the way down to Ramdi, where we can stop for tea. Then it’s up and down through Galyang and on to Waling. We load our bikes here and drive towards Pokhara. 15km before Pokhara we can get back on the bikes for the final ride into Pokhara. Ahead spectacular views of the Annapurnas greet us and it’s a wonderful way to arrive in the lakeside resort of Pokhara. Guest House (B, L)
(There is the option today to cycle all the way to Pokhara – an extra 40km. You will have to be fit and leave early but it’s a great challenge).
Distance cycled: 80km
Ascent: 784m
Descent: 1840m

Pokhara is set in a wide valley directly beneath the Annapurna range. If Kathmandu and its valley are the architectural treasure of Nepal, then Pokhara is nature’s equivalent. Set at only 1,000 mts amongst semi-tropical plants and with a delightfully warm climate, it is actually much closer to the main Himalayan peaks than Kathmandu. Machhapuchhare dominates the skyline especially in the clear morning air. Pokhara is a great place to relax and today you are free to enjoy the atmosphere – there is a wide choice of shops, restaurants and cafés along the lakeside to explore. There is the option today to visit the Japanese Peace Pagoda set above the lake. You go by boat to the opposite side of the lake and then it’s a climb up through the forest to the pagoda which has great views of the Annapurnas and the lake. You can have lunch at the nearby Raniban Resort and return to Pokhara in the afternoon. Another option for the keen cyclist is to cycle from Pokhara to Naudanda on the road and then off road to Sarankot, a view point above Pokhara and then back on the road to Pokhara – this is a challenging ride and would take all day and is about 50km cycling with 980m ascent and 1000m descent. Guest House (B)

Today we take the 30minute stunning flight to Kathmandu. There are great views from the left hand side of the plane. On arrival in Kathmandu we return to our guest house and the rest of the day is free to explore the shops and sights of this fascinating city. You can visit Durbar Square, location of the former Royal Palace with its intricate woodcarving and four fine towers, Pashupatinath Nepal’s most important Hindu temple; and Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist Stupa in Nepal. Guest House (B)

After breakfast depart transfer to airport.