Biking around Kathmandu Valley

Nepal has become one of the top destinations for mountain biking, with its varied landscape and wide variety of ecosystems to explore. Jeep tracks, trails, and paved roads take you through spectacular scenery, fascinating villages, and to ancient religious and cultural sites. Towering above it all are the mighty peaks of the Himalayas, snowcapped and majestic.

Our rides around Kathmandu Valley offer a rich variety of terrain, from terraced fields climbing steep hillsides, alongside rice paddies, through subtropical forest, and across wind-sculpted plateaus. The range of scenery will keep you fascinated as you climb, pause to take in spectacular vistas, then descend in a rush of adrenaline to the next valley.

Biking in Kathmandu and through small villages gives you a chance to take in the culture and heritage of this area. Friendly villagers live much as they have for many centuries. Many of the beautiful and fascinating temples scattered throughout the region are rarely visited by outsiders. A biking tour around the Kathmandu Valley gets you off the beaten path and lets you see more in less time than a trek on foot will allow.

We currently offer three biking tours:

Kathmandu Backroad Bicycle Trip (1 Day)
Heritage Bike Tour of Kathmandu Valley (2 Days)
Ultimate Mountain Bike Tour of Kathmandu Valley (5 Days)

Highlights
A one-day trip rich in culture and beautiful scenery as we explore the Kathmandu Valley and visit Machhendranath temple and the ancient Newari towns of Bungamati, Khokana, Champi and Chapagaon.

Season: All Year
Grade: Easy
Price: For more information and pricing please contact Andrew@itreknepal.com

After an early breakfast, we ride through the back streets of Kathmandu and out past green fields to Bungamati. This ancient town dates back to the 7th century and has a rich history of art and architecture. In Bungamati we visit the Machhendranath temple, a fine example of Newari architecture. From Bungamati we descend on a rough track and then enter the village of Khokana on a wide, cobbled street. We can’t miss the Shekali Mai temple in the middle of the street.

From Khokana we head back up the same track to Bungamati and then turn south, heading up a jeep track through rich forest to the small village of Champi. Champi affords a beautiful view of the southwest section of Kathmandu Valley. A rough section of downhill and uphill for 15 minutes brings us to the village of Chapagaon, where we stop south of town to visit the Vajra Varahi temple nestled in a sacred grove of trees. From Chapagaon we follow a jeep track that takes us up and down to Baragaon village, and then back to Kathmandu along the Godawari road.

Highlights:
This two-day ride offers a chance to see the sunrise on Mt Everest from the high ridge at Nagarkot. We’ll stop at the ancient towns of Bhaktapur, Nagarkot, and Sankhu and visit holy sites such as the Vajra Jogini temple and the massive Boudhanath Stupa.

Season: All Year
Grade:Easy
Price: For more information and pricing please contact Andrew@itreknepal.com

Day 1: Kathmandu-Nagarkot (28km/600m)
After an early morning breakfast in Kathmandu we ride east to Bhaktapur, an ancient city rich with Newari art and culture. We explore some of the many historical temples and palace squares, and then ride northeast on a quiet, smooth tarmac road.

Our route takes us up a gradual climb for 20km past steeply terraced farmland and houses that appear to cling precariously to the hillside. We arrive at Nagarkot, set on the valley rim. We climb to the summit and are rewarded with a panoramic view of the snow-topped peaks of the Himalayas, with the pyramid summit of Mt Everest in the distance. We stay overnight in a beautiful guesthouse on the ridge.

Day 2: Nagarkot-Kathmandu (34km with 200m altitude gain)
If it’s a clear morning, we’ll be able to enjoy the spectacular sunrise on Mt Everest from Nagarkot. We then start our day’s journey with an exhilarating descent on jeep tracks, passing many rustic villages. On a clear day, the Himalayas are in view on our right as we descend. At Sankhu we can admire the carved window frames of the Newari houses and visit the ancient temple of Vajra Jogini.

From Sankhu we follow a smooth tarmac road to the massive Boudhanath Stupa, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in this region. We stop for lunch and a visit to the stupa. Afterward, we ride back to Kathmandu or ride on to see the Budhanilkantha, a large 5th century statue of Lord Vishnu sleeping on the coils of the eleven-hooded snake king. From here, we ride past Thamel before returning to Kathmandu.