LHASA To KATHMANDU CYCLE TOUR 
18 Nights 19 Days
PRE & POST NEPAL TOUR
5 Nights 6 Days
 

Kathmandu Arrival
Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to the hotel. Short briefing on the  arrangement of the tour in the evening.
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Kathmandu- Nagarkot via Bhaktapur
While we process for Chinese visas you check out bikes and equipments then we ride due east to the medieval town of Bhaktapur, an ancient city full of Newari culture. From here we head North East to a beautiful hill top Nagarkot. Nagarkot is the best destination to acclimatize before our Tibet tour.(50% off road) 38km, 2168m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Nagarkot - Kathmandu
We descent on Jeep tracks through the beautiful ancient village of Shanku. From here we are on tarmac road towards Boudhanath Stupa, where we will have lunch and then ride back to Kathmandu either we ride or drive through a busy road (50% off road) 34 km, 1340m.
Overnight in the hotel – BB basis

Kathmandu- Lhasa
After a hearty breakfast, drive to the airport for an hour flight to Gonkar. It's an approximately 2 hours drive to hotel in Lhasa, and we will go on a short walk to Barkhor Street to stretch our legs and following 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 any invasion of the modern world where ancient way of trading is still practiced. 
Overnight in the hotel – BB basis

Lhasa (Acclimatization day)
We will visit few places such as Sera Monastery which is one of Lhasa’s great monasteries that survived the Cultural Revolution better than most. We can get up close and personal to a ‘Debate’ where the monks will try and outwit their colleagues with questions on religion.
Overnight in the hotel – BB basis

Lhasa (Acclimatization day)
After a good breakfast we will start biking for Drepung Monastery cycling right in front and passing the Potala Palace. The monastery is situated 25km to the west of Lhasa, this is to further acclimatize and adjust to the climate and altitude. Drepung Monastery the largest of the monasteries out of the great Gelugpa monasteries was home to around 10,000 monks during the Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1951.  Once we reach the entrance to the monastery where we will have to leave our bikes at the car park and climb up the stairs to the monastery.  Visit the famous Potala Palace. This is the cardinal landmark and a structure that deserves a place as one of the wonders of eastern architecture and it looks best from a distance. It takes about 3hrs sight seeing the Potala so we would advise on wearing comfortable attire and comfortable walking shoes.
Overnight in the hotel – BB basis

Lhasa - Chusul
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 on this road.  We follow the Brahmaputra River all the way down. (100% paved road) 61km 3600m
Overnight in the hotel – BB basis

Chusul - Nagatse.
Biking over the Khamba-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 Kambha-la pass. The lake lies several hundred meters below the road, and in clear weather the lake is seen as a fabulous shade of deep turquoise. We will have lunch beside the beautiful Yamdrok Lake. After lunch we cycle down to Nagartse town. (100% paved road ) 99km 4410m
Overnight at hotel –BB basis

Nagaste - Gyantse
With a panoramic view sweeping from the left hand side up to the front thus having great views of the Himalayas & glaciers upon reaching the summit of karo-la pass one can awe at the sight of the glacier which is approximately 50 meters below the pass. 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. (100% paved road in 2007) 105km 3990m Overnight at hotel –BB basis

GyantseGyantse - Shigatse (Drive and Cycle)
Leaving Gyantse, we also leave behind our 2 days of off road aches and pain as we find ourselves on a newly paved road which is a long day ride that will take us across vast stretches of flat agriculture land to Shigatse, Tibet's 2nd biggest town in the traditional capital of Tsang. The Tsang kings exercised their power from the towering heights of Shigatse turning this town in to an important trading town as well as an administrative centre. (100% paved road ) 94km 3860m
Overnight at hotel –BB basis

Shigatse - Lhatse (Drive and Cycle)
Today will be a long day ride, with an occasional paved road making the rest of the road a dusty one. After we leave Tso-La pass (4500m), we go down a long 9km descent & reach Lhatse, which is a small truck stop and is a dusty place but has some shops with well stocked shelves and few guesthouses. (50% paved road) 148km 4050m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Lhatse - Xegar (drive or Cycle) 
In the morning after breakfast we cycle up to a 25km climbing 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 of this particular ride accompanied by 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 (we advise for you to have wind proof attire ready as our support vehicle will be at a distance just in case) until we cross the pass and descent down to Xegar. (70% off road) 73km 4350m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Xegar - Tashi-Zong, Rongbuk valley
Today we start our ride on a paved road up to the police check post. Here we would have to produce our passport 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 hill 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 vehicle also using this road, which takes us to the Pang La pass (5200m), a rocky uphill. 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. (98% off road) 55km   4140m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Rongbuk Valley - Everest Base Camp - Rongbuk Valley  
Today we will be on a bumpy road but a gentle climb up to Rongbuk monastery from Rongbuk Valley, Tashi Zong village. Rongbuk Monastery is the main Buddhist centre in the valley and once coordinated the activities of around one dozen smaller religious institutions. We visit Everest Base camp by afternoon and return back the same way to Rongbuk. The road up to the Base Camp is a rocky one. There is also a pony ride available for 60 – 80 Yuan for visitors because the government has recently banned all motor vehicles from going up to the Everest Base Camp and because of this we will not have our suppport vehicle with us. (100% dirt and bumpy)  63km   4920m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Rongbuk - Tingri
After an hour ride from Rongbuk we take new route to Tingri via Long Jong La (100% off road). Occasionally, the level of river gets high which will make us difficult to cross the river, in such case we will ride and drive to Tingri via Tashi Dzong and Pang La ( construction going on). 80km / 140km 4340m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Tingri - Nyalam
Today the biking takes us over the pass of Lalung-la, which offers spectacular view 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 which another 6 hours is biking that bring us to Nyalam which literary 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 giving the effect of an eerie scene out of a horror movie. Before reaching Nyalam just 10km off there is a place with the closest cultural sight which is 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 11^th to the early 12^th century.  (95% off road) 154km   3750m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Nyalam - Dhulikhel
Our last day in Tibet, we descent (2850m to Barabise) on the longest downhill of our tour on muddy, rocky and slippery road with a big drop on the right hand side into the  river Bhote Kosi. Heading towards the border Zhangmu which also is known as Khasa in Nepali and Dram in Tibetan and entering Nepal through the border a place called Kodari. Approx. 3-4 hours of biking, we will have lunch at Barabise 870m a small town with shops and basic hotels. From here after lunch we will be transferred to a Hotel in Dhulikhel in our support van before Kathmandu. (95% off road) 115km 1600m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

Dhulikhel - Kathmandu
After 2.5 km ride from Dhulikhel, we leave the Arniko Highway behind. Follow the dirt road up to Bhaktapur. Continue the broken tarmac road to Thimi a popular town for hand made paper mask. Thimi is the major supplier of vegetables in the capital, Kathmandu city. Ride the last section of Valley rim through busy traffic and transfer to the Guest House. Attend the farewell dinner. (50% off road) 35km 1340m
Overnight at Hotel – BB plan

NOTE: There has been road construction work going on in between Nagatze – Gyantse, Shigatse – Lhatse, Lhatse – Xegar, Xegar – Tingri. Due to construction, we might have to use the alternative routes and there might be more road constructions besides the above mentioned places. Due to construction and because of other natural calamity, we might have to use alternative route or bring changes in the itinerary.

Group size: Minimum 4 people, plus Nepali guide-medically trained and experienced, drivers Tibetan guide and extra Nepali Mountain Bike guide if numbers dictate.

Trip Grade: C. Strenuous; Suitable for fit & confident riders. Fitness is more important than ethnical ability for trips of this level, and some specific training or preparation is recommended, e.g. running, cycling, swimming or aerobics two to three times a week (preferably cycling!)

TIBET TOUR OPTIONS

NEPAL

INDIA

BHUTAN