Cycling in Nepal

The Kathmandu Valley is the place to start. Getting out of the city is the hard part: traffic and dust are bad, so many riders take a taxi or tour van to the edge and ride from there. Once you are past the Ring Road, dirt roads climb through terraced fields and Newar villages to the rim.

The classic ride heads east through Bhaktapur and climbs to Nagarkot at about 2,100 m for sunrise views of the Himalaya, then follows ridge tracks south to Dhulikhel and the Buddhist monastery at Namobuddha, with a descent to the old town of Panauti. It is two days at a comfortable pace, with guesthouses at each stop. Shorter loops head to Kirtipur and the Chobhar gorge, up to the Kakani ridge north-west of the city, or around the edge of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park.

Pokhara is more relaxed, and the riding starts at the door. An easy loop goes round the south side of Phewa Lake, and a tougher one climbs to the World Peace Pagoda or up the long hill to Sarangkot for the view of Machapuchare and the Annapurnas. East of town, quiet roads link Begnas Lake and Rupa Lake through rice terraces. Lakeside has several bike shops that rent, repair and run guided day rides into the foothills.

The road up the Kali Gandaki valley from Beni to Jomsom, Kagbeni and Muktinath has turned an old trekking route into one of the best mountain-bike trips in the Himalaya. It is rough, dusty and windy in the afternoon, and Muktinath sits at about 3,800 m, so you climb gradually and watch for altitude sickness. Many riders fly or bus to Jomsom and ride downhill to Pokhara over several days.

The southern plains are flat and hot, and ideal for short, easy rides. In Lumbini, bikes rent cheaply near the entrance and are the best way to cover the long monastic zone, with its dozens of temples built by Buddhist countries. In Sauraha, the lodge village outside Chitwan National Park, you can ride out to Tharu villages and the community forests, though not into the park itself. Ride early: from April to June midday temperatures approach 40°C (104°F).

Thamel in Kathmandu and Lakeside in Pokhara have the only good rental fleets. Expect about USD 15 to 25 a day for a hardtail mountain bike and USD 35 to 45 for a full-suspension bike, usually with helmet, lock and repair kit; cheap city bikes rent for a few hundred rupees. Check brakes and tyres carefully, and bring your own pedals, saddle and padded shorts if you ride a lot. For a multi-day trip, an agency adds a guide, a support jeep and accommodation, and it is the easiest way to handle permits.

Traffic drives on the left, and buses and trucks overtake on blind corners and expect you to get out of the way. Avoid the main highways such as the Kathmandu to Pokhara road, which is busy with trucks and prone to landslides in the monsoon; take a bus with the bike on the roof instead, usually for a small luggage fee. Wear a helmet, carry a dust mask for Kathmandu, and treat drinking water. Our getting around guide covers buses and roads, and the South Asia cycling guide covers rides in the neighbouring countries.