Nepal On Bicycle

A Swotah representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and drives you to your hotel in the city. After checking in and freshening up, the group gathers for an itinerary briefing and a welcome dinner of traditional Nepali cuisine. No cycling today. Overnight in Kathmandu (1,400 m).

A private vehicle transfers the group 200 km west to Pokhara along the Prithvi Highway, following the Trishuli and then the Marsyangdi rivers for much of the six-to-seven-hour drive. In the afternoon you visit the World Peace Pagoda, a white stupa on a ridge above Phewa Lake with a wide view of the Annapurna range, then walk the Pokhara lakeside. Bikes are checked and ready for an early start tomorrow. Overnight in Pokhara (822 m).

The first cycling day is a warm-up loop east out of Pokhara: 35 km on a paved hill road that climbs to Naudanda at roughly 1,350 m, giving a clear view of the Annapurna massif and the near-perfect pyramid of Machhapuchhre (6,993 m). The descent back to Pokhara follows the same road and takes about an hour. The afternoon is free for the lakeside. Total distance approximately 35 km round-trip, with 530 m of climbing. Overnight in Pokhara (822 m).

The first full transit stage runs 80 km east along mixed roads, passing the wide Begnas Lake and climbing through terraced farmland to the hilltop Newari town of Bandipur (about 900 m). Bandipur's stone-paved main street is closed to vehicles, making it one of the few genuinely car-free towns in Nepal and a good lunch and rest stop. The approach climb in the final 6 km is the hardest gradient of the day. Overnight in Bandipur (900 m).

A 55 km stage descends from Bandipur to the valley floor and then rides east toward Gorkha, the historic hill town above the Marsyangdi. The terrain is rolling; total ascent is around 600 m. Gorkha is the birthplace of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the king who unified modern Nepal in 1768, and the 18th-century Gorkha Durbar palace-fort sits on a ridge above the bazaar. A short walk up to the fort after settling in is worthwhile for the sunset view toward Manaslu. Overnight in Gorkha (600 m).

150 km is a long day, and the group starts before 7:00 a.m. The road descends from the hills to the Terai and runs south and then east toward Devghat (about 300 m), a Hindu pilgrimage town at the confluence of the Trishuli and Kali Gandaki rivers. The Terai section is flat and fast on good tarmac but exposed and hot by midday; the support van carries extra water. Devghat's ghats and ashrams make for a quiet, contemplative evening after the longest ride of the trip. Overnight in Devghat (300 m).

The second 150 km stage heads east across the Terai to Sauraha, the gateway village for Chitwan National Park (200 m). The road is flat and well-surfaced throughout. Riding in the Terai's buffer-zone forest in the late afternoon, you may spot spotted deer or a rhino from the road. A Tharu cultural dance programme at the lodge provides a relaxed end to a hard day. Overnight in Sauraha (200 m).

A rest day from the saddle. A full day inside Chitwan National Park (152,000 hectares, UNESCO World Heritage Site) by jeep and dugout canoe. The jeep safari covers the grassland and sal forest in search of one-horned rhinoceros, Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear and deer. A dugout canoe along the Rapti River watches gharial crocodile, marsh mugger and kingfishers. An afternoon nature walk and Tharu village visit round out the day. Overnight in Sauraha (200 m).

70 km northeast on the East-West Highway and then up into the Churiya Hills to Hetauda (400 m), an industrial town at the foot of the Mahabharat Range. The day involves the first real climbing since Bandipur: the road gains roughly 400 m in the final 20 km. Hetauda is the last flat night before the big climb to Daman. Overnight in Hetauda (400 m).

The signature day of the tour and the highest point of the entire route. 65 km on the Tribhuvan Highway, Nepal's first mountain road, climbs from Hetauda (400 m) to Daman (2,322 m), a gain of roughly 1,900 m over about 55 km of consistent ascent before the village. The road is paved throughout and follows forested ridges with increasingly wide Himalayan views as altitude rises. Daman is a small hilltop village and viewpoint in Makwanpur district with what many regard as the most comprehensive Himalayan panorama in Nepal, spanning from Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) in the west to the Everest group (8,849 m) in the east on a clear day. Arrive in time for the afternoon view and an early night. Overnight in Daman (2,322 m).

An early dawn look at the Himalayan panorama from Daman before descending the northern flank of the Tribhuvan Highway toward the Kathmandu Valley. 60 km of almost continuous downhill and flat riding drops from 2,322 m to the valley floor, passing through Kirtipur, Pharping and the Chobhar Gorge to arrive at Patan (Lalitpur), the first of the valley's three heritage cities. Patan's Durbar Square, ringed by 17th-century palaces and temples, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The afternoon is free for exploring the square and the museum. Overnight in Patan (1,300 m).

A short 30 km stage crosses the valley floor and climbs to Dhulikhel (1,550 m) on the eastern rim, a hilltop town with open views east toward the Himalaya and a quieter pace than central Kathmandu. The route passes through local market roads rather than the main highway. Dhulikhel is the base for a short morning walk to the Namobuddha stupa (1,750 m) if time allows. Overnight in Dhulikhel (1,550 m).

20 km west into the valley arrives at Bhaktapur (1,400 m), the most completely preserved of the three Newari royal cities, with a medieval street plan, five linked Durbar Squares and the 55-window palace. The cycling day is short; most of the time is for walking the city. Bhaktapur's potteries and woodcarving workshops are active and open to visitors. Overnight in Bhaktapur (1,400 m).

The final cycling day, 20 km west on quiet back roads, passes the Changu Narayan temple (1,541 m), Nepal's oldest Vishnu temple and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before descending to Kathmandu. The group rides into Thamel together, finishing a journey of roughly 700 km end to end. A short celebration and farewell dinner at a Kathmandu restaurant marks the close of the cycling tour. Overnight in Kathmandu (1,400 m).

A guided morning around the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO heritage sites: the Pashupatinath temple complex on the Bagmati River, the hilltop stupa of Swayambhunath, and the great stupa of Boudhanath, the largest in Nepal at 36 m high. The afternoon is free for the Thamel bazaar, souvenir shopping and a last look at the city before the farewell formalities. Overnight in Kathmandu (1,400 m).

A second city day covers any remaining heritage sites, including Kathmandu's Durbar Square and the Kumari Chowk. The afternoon is free. Swotah presents Certificates of Appreciation, and the evening farewell dinner rounds out the tour. Overnight in Kathmandu (1,400 m).

A Swotah representative transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward flight. If you want to extend your time in Nepal, Swotah can arrange extra nights, a short trek or an extension to Nagarkot or Pokhara. Safe travels.