Kathmandu Valley Mountain Bike Day Ride
- Duration
- 1 day
- Max altitude
- 2,100 m
- Difficulty
-
Moderate
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Spring (Mar–May) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $95.00
Overview
The Kathmandu valley has a ring of hills around it laced with old walking trails, forest track and village roads, and almost none of it sees a tourist. A vehicle carries you and the bikes up to the rim so the day is mostly downhill, and a guide who actually knows the lines takes you through it.
There are two versions. The Shivapuri route runs through national park forest at the northern rim and is the more technical. The Nagarkot to Sankhu descent on the eastern side is longer, faster and less technical. Your guide will match the route to what you ride at home.
Trip highlights
- Singletrack and forest track on the valley rim, well away from traffic
- Mostly descending, with the climbing done by vehicle
- Newar and Tamang villages that see very few visitors
- Front suspension hardtail or full suspension, your choice
- A support vehicle following, so you can stop riding whenever you want
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Vehicle to the rim, ride back down to the valley 2,100 m 7 to 8 hours, about 4 riding hrs Lunch
Pick up at 8am with the bikes on the vehicle.
Bike fit and briefing
Saddle height, brake feel, a short flat section to check everything works before the day starts properly. Tell your guide honestly what you ride, because the route choice depends on it and there is no prize for overstating it.
The Shivapuri route
Drive up to the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park gate at about 2,100 m. From there, forest singletrack through pine and rhododendron, with roots, some rock and a few steep pitches. It comes out at Budhanilkantha, about 25 km with roughly 1,200 m of descent. This is the more technical of the two and assumes you can handle loose ground and switchbacks.
The Nagarkot route
Drive to Nagarkot at 2,195 m on the eastern rim. Dirt road and doubletrack down through Sankhu, past the Vajrayogini temple, about 35 km and mostly fast and open. Less technical, more distance, and a better choice if you have not ridden off road much.
Lunch
At a village teahouse on the route, included.
The support vehicle stays behind the group all day, which means if your legs go or a wheel does, the day does not end badly. Back at your hotel by late afternoon.
What's included
Included
- Included: Front suspension or full suspension mountain bike, sized to you
- Included: Helmet, gloves, and a basic repair kit and pump
- Included: Licensed English speaking mountain bike guide
- Included: Support vehicle following the group all day, carrying water and spares
- Included: Vehicle transfer up to the start point and back from the finish
- Included: Lunch at a village teahouse
- Included: Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park entry fee if that route is chosen
- Included: All government taxes and administrative charges
Not included
- Not included: Breakfast and dinner
- Not included: Any beverages
- Not included: Cycling shoes, shorts and eyewear, which you bring if you want your own
- Not included: Tips for your guide and driver
- Not included: Travel insurance. Check that your policy covers off road cycling
- Not included: Anything not listed under what is included
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
You should be comfortable on a bike and reasonably fit. You do not need to be a skilled off road rider for the Nagarkot route, but the Shivapuri route does assume you can ride loose singletrack without walking most of it.
Tell us your height and roughly what you ride at home when you book, so the bike is set up before you arrive rather than in the car park.
We do not run this ride during the monsoon, June to August. The trails turn to mud, the leeches come out and the descents stop being fun.
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 trekker | $115.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 trekkers | $95.00 | $20.00 |
| 4 to 6 trekkers | $89.00 | $26.00 |
| 7 or more | $84.00 | $31.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
- Winter (Dec–Feb)Cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of the year at lower altitude. High passes and very high routes are best avoided.
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