Kathmandu Cycling

Upon your arrival at the Tribhuwan International airport a representative from Naata Trek and Tours will be waiting for you at the airport displaying a playcard imprinted with your name. He/she will then transfer you to the designated hotel. In the evening we can enjoy a welcome dinner hosted by Naata Trek and Tours. During the dinner we can enjoy Nepalese cuisine which will introduce us to the country’s food culture.

We will have a pre-trip meeting after breakfast where you will be introduced to your Guide. During the meeting you can assure yourself with any queries regarding the trip.
We visit Boudhanath Stupa, one of the biggest Buddhist shrines in the world, where we observe Buddhist monks praying in the monasteries surrounding the stupa. After Boudhanath Stupa we visit Pashupatinath Temple, the most famous Hindu temple in the country, located on the banks of the holy Bagmati River. Here we see Hindu holy men (sadhus) meditating, pilgrims bathing and occasionally funeral pyres burning on the ghats. We will also visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square, which is a collection of pagoda and shikhara–style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The attraction of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the Lion gate, the Golden gate, the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows, art galleries, the Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla.

After the meeting we will pack our gears and start the ride to Kakani. We start off by zipping through the streets of Thamel and continue to ride on the rims of Nagarjun forest. We go through a series of uphill and downhill riding on jeep tracks until we reach Kakani. The view of the mountains once we get to the top is amazing. We will stay the night in Kakani.

We start off the day going downhill on single tracks. We are accompanied by the views of Ganesh and Langtang Himal through most of the ride. The track today is a biker’s paradise. We reach Budanilkantha after passing through Shivapuri (link) National Park. Budanilkantha Temple is a 5th century statue of Lord Vishnu laying on coils of snakes in the middle of a small pond. We stay the night in Budanilkantha.

We have an early morning breakfast and set out for the long day ahead. We join the trail that enters into Shivapuri National park and head towards Mulkharka. We follow a jeep track that takes us to the heart of the national park. The trail is also used for Helambu trekking. Once we reach there we are greeted by good mountain views. We stay the night in Chisapani.

We head towards Nagarkot in the morning riding down the jeep trail and passing through jungles. We can see mountains on the backdrop as we peddle on the undulating tracks. Descending down onto a smooth path we start climbing towards Nagarkot. Nagarkot is well known hillstation with splendid views of the Himalayas and sunset in the background.

We take time to explore the numerous biking trails around Nagarkot, or just take some rest and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere at Nagarkot. You may also wish to visit Changu Narayan, a culturally rich temple not far from here. The temple complex includes one of the oldest Hindu temples in the Kathmandu valley and has intricate statues and stone tablets depicting ancient Hindu folklore. From here you can also enjoy good views of the valley and surrounding hills.

Today we ride pass the narrow roads towards Dhulikhel. Passing through different jungle and riding downhill, along beautiful small villages head off to Nala from where the road leads you to the historical town of Dhulikhel.

From Dhulikhel, we ride on the route to Balthali. Along the way we also make a visit to the sacred Buddhist monastery Namobuddha. We then continue biking to the traditional village of Balthali with ancient architecture of the houses and innumerable temples welcome us. This definitely allows for a great spot for sightseeing. The greenery and the farms make our ride very pleasant. The village of Balthali is tucked away behind the forest of Panauti and is considered as a naturally and culturally rich destination. The cozy hotel you’ll be at sports a bird’s eye view of green terrace field, massive surrounding hills and faint streaks of the Himalayas to the north.

We descend on the mixed jeep tracks and paved road to Panauti, another ancient village, then ride down to Bhaktapur. Listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a collection of pagoda and shikhara style temples grouped around a fifty-five window palace of brick and wood. The main attractions include the Lion gate, the Golden gate, the Palace of fifty-five windows, art galleries, and the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla. You get to experience the culture of Nepal at its finest in Bhaktapur and also the legendary “Jujudhau,” locally made yogurt. After sightseeing here, we head to the neighboring Suryabinayak village.

Leaving Bhaktapur behind we head towards northwest on jeep tracks and single tracks, passing paddy fields along the gorgeous and serene forest of Phulchowki on our way to Godavari. The Godavari Botanical Garden hosts a wide range of exotic and indigenous plants in its famous gardens. It has been of prime importance for scientific research and observation and is popular among both the locals and tourists because of its pleasing landscape surrounded by evergreen natural forest. You can feel a sense of tranquility and refreshment in Godvari, which also has innumerable hiking spots, including Phulchowki hill – the highest point in the Kathmandu valley.

We spend time exploring some exciting trails near Godavari then onto excellent off-road trails close to Kathmandu, a pleasant conclusion to our thrilling biking session! On the way, we will pay a visit to the Patan Durbar Square, which is an enchanting combination of palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. The former royal palace complex is the center of Patan’s religious and social life and houses a museum containing an array of bronze statues and religious objects. One remarkable monument here is a 17th-century temple dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna, built entirely of stone. We return to the hustle and bustle of Thamel on tarmac roads and celebrate our completion of this rewarding trip. After we get to Kathmandu, Naata Trek and Tours will organize a THANK YOU farewell dinner program in the evening.

The wonderful journey comes to an end as a representative from Naata Trek and Tours transfer you to the Tribhuvan International Airport.