Biking Around Kathmandu Valley

You begin with a classic 50 kilometers, mountain bike trail, at first on roads through Patan to Lubhu, climbing up the deteriorating track to the quiet Newari village of Sisneri. So near to Kathmandu, but away from the beaten tourist track, it is a photographer's paradise, with the contrast of richly colored villages against a backdrop of snow capped mountains. After a steep 500 meter climb, it is wild trail downhill to Panauti, home of the oldest temple in Nepal, the Indreshwar Hahadev. Reunited with your support vehicle, which could not follow you for the whole route, you camp beside the river at this idyllic settlement.

You have a choice of the road climb up to Dhulikhel, or a more adventurous track, which goes more steeply up through terraced fields to the Buddhist pilgrimage temple of Namo Buddha and then down to Dhulikhel. This involves a ride of about 35 kilometers. Your camp at Dhulikhel offers fantastic sunset views of the great chain of the Himalaya.

It is downhill on a little-used tarmac road towards the mediaeval town of Bhaktapur, where you will spend time exploring a wealth of his historic temples and courtyards. The afternoon is a steady series of switch-backs up onto the main ridge, where you find another spectacular campsite at the hill-station of Nagarkot.

Himalayan mountain biking does not get much better than today's ride. Early morning usually creates a sea of cloud in the valley beneath you, and you can look beyond this to a mountain panorama which stretches from Makalu to the Annapurnas. The riding terrain is also superb as you slowly make your way along an old jeep track, traversing the ridges of Kattike, Manichup and Chipu Dara. You must be very careful not to take a wrong turning on this part of the route, as the false descent will only mean a long carry back up to the ridge! After about 40 kilometers, you camp at Chisopani, just to the north of the main ridge. This is your last night camping, and you have magnificent views of the Annapurnas. Support vehicles cannot follow you along this part of the route and porters will carry your essentials to the campsite.

Fit and well-acclimatized after the exercise of the last few days, you take the opportunity on your final day of biking to climb the valley's second highest mountain Shivapuri 2732m, before plunging back to Kathmandu on one of the best downhill rides in the area, via the reclining Vishnu Temple at Budhanalikantha.

Fly out from Kathmandu or stay longer for other activities.