Kathmandu – Lhasa Biking Tours 18 Days

Ride to Nagrkot (2168 m) via Bhaktpur 38km. We endorse Chinese visas while you check out bikes and equipment. We then ride due east to the medieval town of Bhaktapur, an ancient city full of Newari culture. There are many temples and squares here that we will have time to explore. From here we head northeast on an excellent and quiet tarmac road to a beautiful hill top, Nagarkot, which is the best point to acclimatize before Tibet tour. Overnight: hotel in Nagarkot

Ride back to Kathmandu via Shanku and Boudhanath Stupa (1340 m., 34km) We descend on jeep tracks through the beautiful ancient village of Shanku . From here we are on a tarmac road towards Boudhanath Stupa, where we will have lunch and then ride back to Thamel, Kathmandu. We will either ride or drive through the busy road. Overnight :Guest House in Kathmandu.

ly from Kathmandu to GonKar (Lhasa Airport)and drive 2 hours (95km) to Lhasa, (3650m). After a hearty breakfast, drive to the airport for an hour flight to Gonkar. We will go on a short walk to Barkhor Square to stretch our legs and follow the crowds into the square, which gives us the sensation of slipping into a medieval carnival. This is one part of Lhasa that has resisted all invasions of the modern world and where ancient methods of trading are still practiced. Overnight: hotel.

Visit to the Drepung Monastery and Potala Palace. After breakfast we will start biking for Drepung Monastery, cycling right in front and passing the Potala. The monastery is situated 25km to the west of Lhasa, This ride is to help you further acclimatize and adjust to the climate and altitude. Drepung Monastery, the largest of the great Gelugpa monasteries, was home to around 1,000 monks during the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1951. Once we reach the entrance, we will have to leave our bikes at the car park and climb up the stairs to the monastery. We continue to avisit to the famous Potala Palace .This is the cardinal landmark and a structure that deserves a place as one of the wonders of Far Eastern architecture .It looks best from a distance. It takes about 2 hrs to see the Potala, so we would advise you to wear comfortable walking shoes. The remainder of the day will be free for you to explore Lhasa. Overnight: Hotel in Lhasa...

Ride to the Chusul, 100% paved road 61km 3600m. After cycling through the busy roads for about 45 minutes, we leave Lhasa behind. (Please remember to always ride on the right side as there will be vehicles plying this road.) We follow the Brahmaputra River all the way down. Overnight: Guest House

Ride to top of Khampa-La, cycle down to and around Yamdruk Lake to Nagatse. (99km ,4410m.) Biking over the Khampa-La Pass (4794 m), approx. 24km climb passing the old road between Gyantse and Lhasa the dazzling Yamdrok-tso (also known as Scorpion Lake) can be seen from the summit of the Kampa-La Pass. The lake lies several hundred meters below the road, and in clear weather the lake is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise. We will have lunch beside the beautiful Yamdrok Lake. After lunch we cycle down to the town of Nagartse town. Overnight: Guest House or Camp.

Cycle or drive up Karo-La and ride down to Gyantse, (105km,3990m) a panoramic view sweeping from the left hand side up to the front allows great views of the Himalayas and glaciers. Upon reaching the summit of Karo-La Pass we will be in awe at the sight of the glacier which is approximately 50 meters below the pass. We will bike over the Simi-la (4,330m), and then it's a pleasant gradual ride to Gyantse town. Visit the monasteries and stupas contained within this historical town. Overnight at hotel or camp.

Cycle down to Shigatse and visit Tashilhunpo Monastery, (94km 3860m). Leaving Gyantse, we also leave behind our 2 days of off- road aches and pains as we find ourselves on a newly paved road which is a long day’s ride that will take us across vast stretches of flat agriculture land to Shigatse, Tibet's second biggest town located in the traditional capital of Tsang. The Tsang kings exercised their power from the towering heights of Shigatse, turning this town into an important trading town as well as an administrative centre. Overnight: Guest House or Camp.

Drive and cycle up to Lhatse. (148 km, 4050m) today will be a long ride, with an occasional paved road but the rest dusty. After we leave Tso-La pass (4500m), we go down a long 9km descent and reach Lhatse, which is a small truck stop and a dusty place but with some shops with well stocked shelves and a few guesthouses.(Overnight: Guest House or Camp).

Rest day in Lhatse . After long drive, we will need to check the our bikes again and take a day’s rest. During the day we can wander around there for few hours. Overnight: Guest House or Camp

ide the highest pass today, Gyatso-La - 5220m. Ride or drive as much as you want (73km 4350m). In the morning after breakfast we cycle up a 25km climb toward the highest pass Gyatso-La (5220m). The ride to Gyatso-la is an interesting one as we will be in the middle of a gorge during the start with a river on the right hand side. Approximately 7km before reaching the summit, we suddenly come to an opening where we can once again see the great mountains but it will be very windy at this point until we cross the pass and descend down to Xegar (we advise you to have windproof attire ready - our support vehicle will be at a distance just in case) Overnight: Guest House or Camp

Ride up to Pang la for panoramic views of Everest, Cho-Oyu and the expanse of Tibet. Today we start our ride on a paved road up to the police check post. Here we will have to produce our passports to the authorities and, after the check post, we will turn off the Friendship Highway around 6km west of the Shegar checkpoint where our guide will sort out the permits for the Everest region. From here, the path will be the toughest of bumpy roads. The road is very winding both up hill and down, with sharp turns. On this particular road, we would like to advise everyone to stay on the edge of the road at a safe pace because of heavy vehicles also using this road. The road will take us to the Pang La pass (5200m), a rocky uphill climb. From here, a superb panoramic view of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu and Cho Oyu can be seen on a clear day. We will bike downhill towards the river where after crossing it we will face the windiest place of our tour. We will cycle to Tashi Zong village. Overnight: Tashi-Zong, Rongbuk Valley. 55km 4140m Guest House or Camp

Ride up to Rongbuk Monastery.. 63km 4920m today we will be on a bumpy road but the climb up to Rongbuk monastery from Rongbuk Valley, Tashi Zong village is gentle. Rongbuk Monastery is the main Buddhist centre in the valley and once coordinated the activities of around one dozen smaller religious institutions. We will visit the Everest Base camp by afternoon and return back the same way to Rongbuk. Overnight: Guest House

Ride to Tingri via Long Jong La pass 80km / 140km 4340m After an hour ride from Rongbuk we take a new route to Tingri via Long Jong La. Occasionally, the level of the river gets high which will make it difficult for us to cross it. If his should happen, we will ride and drive to Tingri via Tashi Dzong and Pang La. Overnight:Hotel or camp.

Start descending the longest descent in the world from Tibetan Plateau down,(154km 3750m). Today the biking takes us over the pass of Lalung-La, which offers spectacular views of Gaurishankar, Dorje Lhakpa, Shishapangma and Langtang. Please make sure that you check your brakes properly because we will be riding mostly downhill from here . In another 6 hours we will reach Nyalam which literarally means 'The Gateway to Hell' in Tibetan. This is because the road drops from Nylam like a stone off the Tibetan plateau into a mossy gorge of waterfalls and cascades which, during the monsoon, creates a sea of clouds that submerges the road and thus gives the effect of an eerie scene out of a horror movie. Just 10 km before reaching Nyalam, we will see Nyalam Pelgye Ling, a small temple that is associated with the Cave of Milarepa, the famous Buddhist mystic and composer of songs who lived during the late 11th to the early 12th century. Overnight: Guest House

We will keep on descending into Nepal today.

Trees appears and rivers grow. We cycle down to Dolalghat and then drive to a resort in Dhulikhel, 115km 1600m

On our last day in Tibet, we descend 2850m to Barabise on the longest downhill of our tour on a muddy, rocky and slippery road with a big drop on the right hand side into the river Bhote Kosi. We will be heading towards the border Zhangmu which also is known as Khasa in Nepali and Dram in Tibetan and will enter Nepal through the border - a place called Kodari. After approximately 2 to3 hours of biking, we will have lunch at Barabise( 870m) a small town with shops and basic hotels. From here we will be transferred to a Hotel in Dhulikhel in our support van before Kathmandu. Overnight: Resort

Ride to Kathmandu via Dhulikhel, Bhaktapur and Thimi (35 km 1340m)

After a 2.5 km ride from Dhulikhel, we leave the Arniko Highway behind and follow the dirt road up to Bhaktapur. We will continue the broken tarmac road to Thimi, a popular town for hand made paper masks. Thimi is the major supplier of vegetables to the capital, Kathmandu. Ride the last section of the Valley rim through busy traffic and transfer to the Guest House. Attend the farewell dinner. Overnight: Guest House

: - You need a mountain bike in a good working order with helmet (both available for hire in Kathmandu. We have big stock of bikes with front suspension (e.g. Trek Series Bikes with genuine parts). Group Size Min 2 persons, plus Nepali guide-medically trained and experienced, drivers & Tibetan guide also will be experienced.