Lhasa to Kathmandu Mountain Bike Tour – 22 days
Ultimate Biking Tour from Tibet
Mountain Bike tour from Lhasa to Kathmandu is an ultimate biking expedition across the roof of the world. The adventure biking trip from Tibet capital Lhasa city is the world's longest and deepest bike descent, from the Tibetan Plateau into Nepal. It is a high level ride, traversing the road between Lhasa and Kathmandu including 4-day round trip, off-road, to Rongbuk Valley beneath the stunning north face of Mount Everest.
This Lhasa-Kathmandu biking adventure holidays is combine form of flying in to Lhasa, allowing 4 days for essential acclimatization in the mystical Tibetan capital and have plenty of time to explore its numerous attractions.
The journey overland back to Kathmandu, crosses 6 major passes while visiting the spectacular monastery towns of Gyantse, Xigastse and Xegar reaching the edge of the Tibetan Plateau at the Thang La (5200m.), and begining the longest descent in the world, an almost unbelievable 4600 meters into Nepal. With two more days of biking on the amazing ridge-top trails of the Kathmandu Valley.
- Itinerary
- Cost Info
- Trip Info
- Departure
Lhasa-Kathmandu Mountain Biking Adventure Itinerary
Day 01 Arrive Kathmandu. Transfer to Hotel Grand (4 star).
Day 02 A full day of guided sightseeing around the Kathmandu valley including vists to Durbar Square and the temples of Swayambhunath, Bouddhanth, Guheshwari and Pashupatinath.
In the evening we will all get together for a welcome dinner with an entertaining Nepalese culture show. All hosted by Makalu Adventure. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 03 Fly from Kathmandu to Lhasa
We take the 09:30 flight to Lhasa and soar across the highest mountains in the world. Arriving in the Tibetan capital (3,680m altitude) you will be given plenty of time to relax and adjust to the high altitude. In the afternoon you can unpack your bicycle and explore this legendary city. Overnight at one of Lhasa's top hotels.
Day 04 On this day we will enjoy a full day of sightseeing. We will visit Dshokhang Temple and the local market, but the highlight of the day will undoubtedly be the visit to Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dalai Lamas, which dominates the city. Overnight accommodation at Hotel.
Day 05 After breakfast we'll visit the monastery of Drepung. In the afternoon you willl be free either to explore the remaining attractions or prepare for the next day's biking. Overnight accommodation at Hotel.
Day 06 Start the Bike Tour!
Finally, your trans-Himalayan biking adventure begins. We leave Lhasa and cycle along the Tsangpo River to the foot of the Kamba Pass (3700 m). When you arrive you will find tents, latrines, shower tent and facilities ready. Overnight accommodation in tents [Total cycle: 85 km].
Day 07 Kamba Pass
Your first mountain pass. A strong uphill climb reaches a summit lavishly adorned with prayer flags (4794m). After descending we continue alongside Lake Yamdruk, at the far side of which we set camp (4490m). Overnight accommodation in tents. [Total cycle: 55 km]
Day 08 Karo Pass
Leaving the beautiful lake behind, we cycle through a ravine and up to the foot of the Karo Pass (4750m), where our tented village will be prepared for the night. Overnight accommodation in tents. [Total cycle: 54 km]
Day 09 Gyantse
A significant day on the tour, as we have to get up early to climb the high Karo Pass (5010m). By now you will be feeling in good physical condition. Around us we can see glaciers of 6000m and beautiful lakes. You are rewarded for your effort with a night in a top hotel in the city of Gyantse (3980m). Overnight accommodation at Hotel.
[Total cycle: 79 km]
Day 10 Shigatse
First we will take an hour to visit the Palkhor Monastery and the old part of Gyantse town. Although today involves a longer distance, the highway is paved and flat. In the afternoon we will arrive in Tibet's second largest city, Shigatse (3860m). Overnight accommodation at Hotel. [Total cycle: 94 km]
Day 11 Gyachung Monastery
We leave Shigatse and ride over two small passes and through several small Tibetan villages. We will cycle past the isolated Gyachung Monastery and camp. Overnight accommodation in tents at around 4100m. [Total cycle: 75 km]
Day 12 Lhatse
The route lead us through picturesque valleys. Then the long ramp begins which leads over the Yulong pass (4520m). After lunch we head towards Lhatse (3860m). Just before this town there is a hot springs. We will camp approx. 10 km after Lhatse. Accommodation in tents. [Total cycle: 95 km]
Day 13 Shegar
Today we have to contemplate the stunning canyon of the 5220m Lakpa Pass. On a clear day you will be rewarded for your effort with your first view of Mount Everest. After a 40 km ride through flat prairie towns you will arrive in the town of Pelbar, often refered to as Shegar. This town is a popular stopover for anyone heading to the Everest region. Overnight accommodation in a hotel. [Total cycle: 75 km]
Day 14 Pang Pass
It's now time to divert from the Lhasa-Kathmandu highway and head towards the world's highest peak. First you are faced with 20km of uphill switchbacks (42 hairpin bends in total!) before you reach the summit of the Pang Pass (5150m). Enjoy lunch as you gaze over Makalu (8463m), Shishapangma (8012m), Cho Oyu (8210m), Lhotse (8516m), Everest (8850m) and several other breathtaking peaks. Then a 20-kilometer downhill follows to the Rongbuk Valley (4200m), where we camp. Overnight accommodation in tents. [Total cycle: 67 km]
Day 15 Rongbuk Monastery
Now you should be at peak fitness and very excited about the approach of Everest Base Camp. A bumpy road winds up through the Rongbuk valley until the majestic Mount Everest appears before you. We will camp beside the monastery with the unforgettable sight of the 8850m peak in front of your eyes.. We will stay here for two days. Overnight accommodation in tents (5150m).
[Total cycle: 35 km]
Day 16 Everest Base Camp
A day to relax. However, you will definitely want to get as close as you can to Everest. You can walk, cycle or even take a donkey and cart ride to the base camp which is 8km from the campsite. Overnight accommodation in tents.
Day 17 Tingri
Leaving Rongbuk, we head back down the bumpy road then take a "short-cut" into the mountains. Another bumpy trail takes us over a canyon and down into Tingri (4340m). Overnight accommodation in tents. [Total cycle: 76 km]
Day 18 Lalung Pass
This day begins with a 40 to 50km flat ride before lunch. Then we tackle the gradual incline of the Lalung Pass (4990m). From here you will feel like you are as high as the peaks around you, including Shishapangma (8012m). Overnight accommodation in tents in the valley between two passes. [Total cycle: 75 km]
Day 19 The Ultimate Downhill
Now get ready for one last kick uphill. After breakfast you climb Thang Pass (5050m). Stop and pat yourselves on the back because from here on down to the Nepalese border it's all downhill. You will be treated to breathtaking views of the Himalayan chain as you freewheel down. From the town of Nyalam you will notice that the scenery is starting to turn green again. Spiral on down past countless waterfalls to the border town of Zhangmu (2300m). This will be our last day in Tibet. Overnight accommodation in a hotel. [Total cycle: 117 km]
Day 20 Back to Nepal
From Zhangmu we have to pass through customs and into Nepal. Once you are in the Nepali town of Kodari the downhill continues for the next 50 km. Suddenly it is tropical and humid and green again. After you reach the town of Dolalghat you must climb up to Dhulikhel (1600m). Accommodation in hotel/resort. [Total cycle: 97km]
Day 21 Bhaktapur and Kathmandu. Free day for shopping, etc.
What a wonderful way to end this trip – a big breakfast at sunrise and the spectacular panorama of the Himalayas. You will certainly enjoy the last few kilometers as we freewheel down to Bhaktapur. Here we will stop to see some of the town's famous temples, before we ride into busy Kathmandu again. [Total cycle: 35 km]. In the afternoon you can relax, shop or go sightseeing. We will all get together in the evening for a last dinner to celebrate the successful completion of this amazing adventure.
Day 22 Final Departure from Nepal.
Trip Cost : USD 1750.00 Per Person
Included Services:
- All ground transfers as per our given itinerary.
- Hotel in Kathmandu (including breakfast and all taxes).
- Guided sightseeing in Kathmandu (including all entrance fees).
- Welcome Dinner with live Nepalese culture show at one evening.
- Guided sightseeing in Lhasa with all entrance fees included.
- Hotels in Tibet (including breakfast and all taxes) as per our mentioned Itinerary.
- All Camping Equipment (such as Two-Man Tent, Dining Tent, Kitchen Tent, Shower tent, Toilet Tent, Tables, Chairs, Mattresses, etc.
- Support Truck to carry your luggage and a Land Cruiser for assistance. Available at all times (while in Tibet).
- Three times hot, fresh meals per day while camping, prepared by our very professional kitchen crew.
- Daily wages and insurance for staff and guides.
Excluded Services:
- Airport Tax.
- Airfare: Kathmandu-Lhasa.
- Tibet travel permit, Visa fee, All monastery entrance fees wherever applicable.
- Expenses of a personal nature; Lunch/dinner in the Hotel; Bar bills; Laundry bills; Telephone bills; Tips, etc.
- Personal Medical & Travel insurance.
- Rescue & Evacuation - If necessary.
- Nepal re-entry visa fee.
- Excess baggage charges.
The Highest; the Longest
What makes the Trans-Himalayan highway so special? Again, it\'s the highest road in the world, averaging an altitude of 4,500 metres above sea level as it traverses the Tibetan plateau. Secondly, the route boasts the world\'s longest continuous descent, which of course means that you\'ll face the world\'s longest uphill if you are heading in the opposite direction. Best of all to mountain bikers is the sense of isolation and awe-inspiring scenery. They must also face an onslaught of zigzagging mountain passes and endure a constant battle against breathlessness.
Conditions
Expect to cover 70 to 100 km per day. Be sure you have clothes for all conditions: remember that you are above the clouds and it can be very sunny and bright. It can also snow, rain, hail and become very, very cold at the drop of a hat. In fact, it\'s all character-building stuff and after one week you\'ll be more resilient to the harsh conditions.
What\'s the biking like?
Children carry baskets of yak dung home. The dung will be used as insulation on the walls of their house and, come winter, will be burnt as fuel. Yaks are everything out here: yak skin tents and canoes; yak milk, butter, curd and cheese; yak steak; yak wool sweaters; even yak urine as a medicinal remedy for exposed cuts.
After eight or nine days and 600 km of pedaling, you should find yourself around the town of Pelbar and the entrance to the Everest National Park. It\'s here that you will probably leave Highway 318 for a few days and head south to Everest Base Camp. By now you are carrying at least 50 per cent of the following ailments: knee ligament damage, saddle rash, backache, a very sore backside, cramps in your feet, a runny nose, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, headaches, nausea, dry eyes, a dusty cough, insomnia, lethargy, sunburn, frostbite, altitude sickness - not to mention any injuries you might have incurred from falling off your bike!
Fear not! For all these maladies combined cannot stop you now. Behold the Pang La, the mountain pass which rises before you! You grit your teeth, you meditate, you turn \'Eye of the Tiger\' up to 10 on your Walkman; you do whatever you have to do to get into the groove, to get that Lance Armstrong vibe and hunker down for the next four or five hours to tackle this monster.
The Mount Everest
Conquering the Pang La is God\'s fee for allowing you to witness one of the planet\'s most stupefying vistas. After no less than 42 switchbacks and a rise of 900m in altitude, with your weary thighs bursting at the seams, you finally reach the cairn at the top of the pass, adorned in colourful Buddhist prayer flags. Suddenly the curtain is pulled back to reveal the row of Himalayan peaks you have been chasing. The Mount Everest!
You are now feeling physically and mentally ragged. Those last four or five hairpin bends were accomplished on willpower alone. You might well find an emotional tear freezing on your weather-beaten cheek as you finally dismount and gaze in awe at the white bowling pins before you almost close enough to touch: Makalu (8463m); Lhotse (8516m); Jachonggangri (7985m); Cho Oyu (8210m); Shisapangma (8012m); and the one that Tibetans have for centuries been calling Chomolungma (\"Mother Goddess of the World\"), at 8850 meters above sea level - Mount Everest.
Book with confidence
Over 1258 bikers from 61 different countries have ogranized Lhasa to Kathmandu bike tour with us since 1998. Success rate is above 96%.
Tours are usually set for the Spring / Autumn (April to October).
These months ensure the best period for adventure biking. We welcome you to join one of our groups. Please don't despair even the above dates are not suitable for you. We can customize the program accordingly, or check the availability of other groups to make it possible for you.
For more details, please contact us. We will gladly answer all your questions upon request.
| Departure Dates 2021
April |
Departure Dates 2022 April |