Mountain Biking
Nepal's diverse terrain is a mountain biker's dream adventure come true. Mountain biking offers an environmentally sound way of exploring this magnificent country, its landscape and living heritage. Because this is a Spartan, laborious mode of travel, it is also considered the way to travel by the 'purists'.
There are plenty of dirt roads and trails in Nepal to meet every mountain biker's wildest fantasy. Mountain biking is also recommended if you wish to explore the urban centers such as Pokhara and Kathmandu, plus the outskirts. Imagine, if you will, a ride through lush green rice fields, through hamlets, up and down the hillside, along the river bank, around temples, past the street roaming cattle, along the highway, you name it. Through snow, monsoon downpour, wonderful light effects, or fierce head winds, depending on place and season. The adventurous souls may plan extended trips to such exotic locales as Tibet, Namche Bazaar, and western Nepal. You could even do the entire length of Nepal across the plains. What you can or cannot do on mountain bike is limited only by your imagination.
It was in the mid 1980s that Biking activity really took off in Kathmandu in the mid 1980s. Enthusiasts flew with their bikes from East Asia to Tibet to do a 2-week journey from there over the passes (17,000-ft) to Nepal. This landmark event put Nepal squarely in mountain biker's map. Thus Kathmandu today is considered a Mecca for mountain bicyclists, drawing hundreds of enthusiasts from all corners of the world every year.
Bike Routes
Some of the regular routes that cover the valley are those which weave in and out of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan.
Day 1: Kathmandu (24 km/ 3-4 hours): Start from Kathmandu, the Durbar Square, and wind your way up to holy Swambhu, also known as the monkey temple. Then ride up and over ring road, to say, kakani, and re-enter Kathmandu from the Northwest corner through terraced farmland and hamlets abandoned by time.
Day 2: Bhaktapur (30 km/ 4-5 hours): Begin at Thimi, the restored capital of Bhaktapur, and head up the tortuous road to Changu Narayan Temple and return via farming villages. Then head down to Pashupati along the bank of the Bagmati River, and finish up at a Buddhist shrine, the Bodh-nath stupa.
Day 3: Patan (51 km/8-9 hours): Start in Patan, winding your way through the maze of alleys with ornately-carved windows, taking in historical sites such as the Golden Temple, Krishna Temple, and Patan Durbar Square. Then head southeast past Ring Road to Panauti along a difficult off-road trail. Then return to Kathmandu via a paved road or the same trail. Alternatively, you could head off to Dakshinkali or Godavari.
Other outlying places popular with the enthusiasts are Nagarjuna, Nage Gompa, Tokha, Ichangu Narayan, Gomcha, Bungmati, Kakani, Dhulikhel and Nagarkot.
Further mountain bike trips are those extending from:
Dhulikhel to Kodari (82 km), near the Tibetan border
Naubise to Royal Chitwan Park along the Rajpath through such scenic places as the Palung Valley, Daman, and the not-so-scenic industrial town of Hetauda in the plains
Hetauda to Muglang by way of Narayanghat
Lakeside Pokhara up and along the ridge to Sarangkot Point, and continuing on to Naudanda from where you could take in the breathtaking close-up view of the Himalayas and the Pokhara Valley
Naudanda to Pokhara through Lumle, Beni and Birethanti, or Naudaanda to Pokhara (32 km) either via Sarangkot trail described in 2. or the highway track, which starts with a tortuous 6 km descent into Modi Khola valley.
Mountain Bike Race in Nepal
Nepal hosts Asia's most popular mountain bike race series annually around November. It is an adventure race over 3 days and cyclists are entertained each night by host villages. If you are an avid mountain bike racer, this event is so much fun--not to be missed!! If you are interested in being a spectator or supporter this event is really a good time too!
River Rafting
Nepal's reputation is growing quickly as one of the best places in the world to go Rafting and kayaking. Nepal has some many rivers to offer at all levels starting from adventurous mountain streams to high level rapids.
The Kali - Gandaki River Rafting Tour
The most accessible river from the trekking base of Pokhara. This river rises in Mustang, the bit of Nepal that sticks out into Tibet to the North. Before it reaches the entry point, it passes between the mighty Dhaulagiri in the west and the Annapurna massif in the east. This gorge is more than 4 miles deep. Then a great adventure of rafting.
Day 1: Drive from Pokhara to put-in point, lunch and onto river, 2-3 hours of class 4 to camp just below Modi Khola.
Day 2: Day of class 3 / 4 to just above Seti Beni village.
Day 3: Seti Beni rapid & village, class 3 & 4, depart at confluence of Andhi Khola (dam) and bus to Pokhara arriving late afternoon.
Trisuli River Rafting Tour
Rafting tour The Trisuli is very popular for several reasons. It is close to Kathmandu and after only a 3 hour bus ride, you can be on the river. There is a major road running alongside which provides easy access to transport and villages along the way. It is a shorter and has lower level rapids than the other rivers.
Day 1: Entry point near Kathmandu at Charaundi or below Baireni, on river and run river past 'Teen Devi'.
Day 2: Run river past 'Upset' to Mugling, take-out Mugling, drive to Pokhara or Kathmandu.
Safari at the Chitwan National Park
The unique birds which number over 450 species including cormorants, egrets, stork, geese, jungle fowl, king fishers and endangered species such as Bengal tiger florician, Lesser florocian, Brahmin, duck, pintails, Indian pitta and parakeets. This makes the park a true bird watcher's paradise. We treat our mutual relationship with nature respectfully. When you can keep a fair and mutual relationship with nature, what more could you ask for?
The five hour drive on the Kathmandu - Narayanghat Highway follows the Trisuli River offering you a continually changing landscape from the mountains of Himalayas to the plains of Terai through colorful Tharu Villages.
By Air: A half hour flight will bring you From Kathmandu to Bharatpur where you will be met by our naturalist and will be taken to the park by Jeep.
By Raft: One of the most exciting ways to travel to the Park is to raft down the Trisuli River. For two or more days you can float down the river experiencing its numerous rapids and seeing a variety of village life, flora and funa along its banks.
Please call for further information on these activities.
Summer
