Kathmandu valley charity bike ride in Nepal
| country: | Nepal |
| trip type: | Guided, challenging cycling holidays |
| departures: | 2010: 21 Nov |
| price: | From £425 (11 days) deposit + £2850 fundraised (55% to charity) inc UK flights
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| more info: | Self funders from £425 deposit + £1383 (inc £100 to charity). Other payment options available |
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introduction to Kathmandu valley charity bike ride in Nepal
Cycle in the Kathmandu valley and raise money for your favourite charity at the same time as taking part in an amazing adventure! Highlights include:
This outstanding cycle ride, through Nepal’s well-known Kathmandu Valley is the best way to see as much of rural Nepal as possible. Arriving into Kathmandu, you will cover approximately 515kms over the following 2 week challenge. Biking around the valley offers a great way to escape the city and connect with the local people and landscape. You will make contact with centuries-old Buddhist culture, fresh mountain air, nature trails and of course the greatest range of snow-capped peaks in the world including Mt. Everest.
Leaving Nepal’s capital you head for Nagarjuna Forest, home to many ancient yogic caves before heading on to Shivapuri National Park. Here you can enjoy the serenity of Nagi Gompa Monastery, home to over 100 practicing Buddhist nuns. Further on in your journey your cultural adventure continues at Namo Buddha – the site of Buddha’s self-sacrifice.
Each day you can peddle at your own pace along some of the hidden trails to the rarely visited rural villages where you will see the warm smiles of locals living traditional and simple life. Having completed the challenge, you will have the chance to explore the city of Kathmandu and its many temples and bazaars
what this trip includes
International flights to and from Kathmandu, Nepal, all internal transfers in Nepal, entry into National Parks, all meals (inc. drinking water) unless otherwise stated in the itinerary, all accommodation (whether in tents, hotels, or other), group first aid supplies, an English speaking Guide and full local support team, relevant back-up facilities, a t-shirt, carbon offset of your long haul flight, US$20 to the local community project, and discount from Nomad Travellers Stores for personal equipment. We also make a contribution through Climate Care to offset the equivalent CO2 emissions of your international flight. Please note: This trip can also be booked without flights. Some of the dates are exclusive for specific charities, please contact us for details.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart from London - Kathmandu, Nepal. You will be flying from London to Kathmandu. Our representative will be at the airport to assist you with the check-in and any last minute questions. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Kathmandu. After landing at Kathmandu you will be met at the airport by our local agent who will transfer you to your hotel. You will then have the chance to rest and freshen up. Dinner and overnight at a local hotel in Kathmandu. |
| Day 3: | Kathmandu to Kakani via Nagarjuna – 65kms. After breakfast you will start your ride to Nagarjuna Forest, 16kms from Kathmandu. The ride is off-road and uphill all the way (2,165m). The view from the top is your first fantastic, panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley and the Langtang Mountain range to the north. Dinner & overnight at campsite in Kakani. |
| Day 4: | Kakani to Sundarijal via Nagi Gompa Monastery - 40kms. Today, you will be entering Shivapuri National Park, the closest national park to Kathmandu. The ride will be inside the national park. You will start with an uphill ride for about half an hour and then take an undulating route to Budhanilkantha, where you will stop for lunch. After lunch you will ride uphill 7kms to Nagi Gompa nunnery and retreat centre, which is also part of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. The view from the monastery is stunning. Finally you will descend to your campsite at Sundarijal. |
| Day 5: | Sundarijal to Chisopani – 30kms. Today will be a tough ride, since the road condition between Sundarijal to Chisopani is not very good. Stopping for lunch on your way in picturesque rural areas, much of the ride is through unspoiled forests of oak, rhododendron and beech. On arrival at Chisopani you will enjoy fantastic vies of Langtang Himal. The Langtang valley is aptly called ‘the valley of glaciers'. Here, mountains rise soaring towards the sky. The valley offers pine forests, mountain streams, rugged rocks and snow-capped peaks, grassy downs and meadows strewn with daisies and wild primulas. Chisopani is a beautiful place for your overnight camp. |
| Day 6: | Chisopani to Nagarkot – 30kms. Today is a fun ride off-road, one of the best days of this challenge. The tiny settlement of Nagarkot clings to a hilltop 36kms east of Kathmandu at an altitude of 2,099m - second highest peak in the Kathmandu Valley. It is one of the best vantage points to view the peaks - from the Annapurna’s to Everest, the peaks seem no more than a day's walk away. Nagarkot is the place where Manjushree Bodhisatto once stood and watched the lake in the Kathmandu Valley. Nagarkot is at the eastern periphery of the Kathmandu Valley. Overnight camp at Nagarkot. |
| Day 7: | Nagarkot to Dhulikhel via Namo Buddha – 60kms. After breakfast you will ride for around 3kms on a paved road to the top of Nagarkot Tower spending some time viewing the mountain range and nearby villages. You will then start to descend to Nala. From Nala, you will continue for 4kms along the main road to Banepa and from there another 7kms to Panuati, located at the confluence of the Punyamati and Roshi Khola Rivers. From Panauti, you will ride off-road to Namo Buddha, meaning ‘hail to the Buddha’. After visiting Namo Buddha you will ride for another 12kms to reach Dhulikhel, a small town set on a hill top, enveloped in copper soiled terraces with magnificent views of the central Himalayan peaks. Overnight camp at Dhulikhel. |
| Day 8: | Dhulikhel to ‘Last Resort’ on Tibet Border – 70kms. From Dhulikhel you will cycle downhill, off-road to Panchkhal for 16kms. You then continue your ride for 48kms mostly on paved road to ‘Last Resort’ on the Tibet Highway passing through traditional villages. The Last Resort sits in a beautiful spot on a ridge above the Bhote Kosi River and has a herbal steam room and plunge pool. It is a popular adventure camp where you can do different adventure activities including rafting and canoeing (other activities are available but will not be covered by your insurance). Dinner and overnight at camp site in Last Resort. |
| Day 9: | ‘Last Resort’ on Tibet Border to Panauti – 80kms. From Last Resort you will cycle along the main highway and small local trails all the way to Panauti. Panauti was once an important staging post on the Tibet trade route. The banks of the river are now crowded with temples, shrines and cremation ghats. Across the river lies the recently restored Brahmayani temple. The Indreshwar Mahadev temple is a 15th century Newari structure with exquisite woodcarvings especially on the roof struts. Dinner & overnight at camp site in Panauti. |
| Day 10: | Panauti to Godavari – 55kms. From Panauti, you will ride uphill to Lakuri Bhanjyang, around 17kms away. The views from Lakuri Bhanjyang are very scenic with views of the Kathmandu Valley. You will then descend downhill to Sisnery. From Sisnery, it is around another 6-8kms of undulating path to Godavari. Godavari is famous for its beautiful botanical garden which if you arrive in time you can visit. With its rushing streams and shady meadows; it is a popular picnic spot. It also has a notable collection of orchids, cacti and ferns. Dinner and overnight at camp site in Godavari. |
| Day 11: | Godavari to Dakshinkali - 55kms. From Godavari you will ride along paddy track to Dakshinkali. Located in a dark valley at the confluence of two streams, the shrine of Dakshinkali is the most spectacular of all Kali temples. Animal sacrifices are offered to this deity signifying fertility and the procreative powers of the female. There is a six-armed image of Kali as she tramples upon a male figure in the temple. Non Hindus are not allowed into the compound where Kali's image resides, but can take photos from the outside. Dinner & overnight at camp site in Dakshinkali. |
| Day 12: | Dakshinkali to Kathmandu - 30kms. From Dakshinkali you will continue along the main highway all the way to Kathmandu via Chovar Gorge. Carved out of a hillside, Chovar Gorge is the only outlet for all the water of the valley. Legend has it that Manjushree; an ancient saint cut the mountain with his magical sword, to drain out the water from the Kathmandu Valley which was then just a lake. There is a small but picturesque temple of Adinath on the top of the hill with a magnificent view of the snow capped peaks. Just beyond the gorge is a temple of lord Ganesh. The main image in the shrine is a massive rock, naturally carved through time. Dinner & overnight at a local hotel in Kathmandu. |
| Day 13: | Kathmandu. Depart Nepal. Today you are free to relax and enjoy Kathmandu or you can take part in one of the following activities; sightseeing tour, mountain flight to Everest. In the evening, transfer to the international Airport for your return flight home to London, UK. |
| Day 14: | Arrive UK. Arrive London, UK |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment
As a company we have also drastically reduced the carbon footprint of our UK operations, and are making a huge effort to do so in their destination countries too. We are also investing to offset the emissions from the international flights required to take part in our challenges. We also provide travellers with a responsible tourism policy detailing ways in which you can be an ethical traveller. From packing conscientiously to advice on local customs & environmental awareness overseas to maintaining contact with your new international friends upon your return – our policy is a comprehensive document providing all the info you need to trek, climb of cycle responsibly. Community Our responsible commitment extends to helping the local communities we visit. We employ local guides, porters and other essential support staff, and use locally owned accommodation. We donate USD$500 per trek to various projects including The International Porters Protection Group (IPPG) in the Nepalese Himalayas. The International Porters Protection Group is a non-profit organisation run completely by volunteers from around the world (35 representatives in 18 countries). They are active in the Himalayas, Nepal, South America and Africa. Their aim is to raise awareness of the problems endured by trekking porters and to educate and change the practices where necessary. IPPG’s mission is to improve health and safety for the trekking porter at work in the mountains and reduce the incidence of avoidable illness, injury and death. The work of the IPPG has far reaching implications for the livelihood of tens of thousands of people in developing countries who carry the loads that help trekkers to enjoy their holiday in the mountains. IPPG actively encourages people to go trekking and employ porters but to do so in an ethical and sustainable manner. By participating you have helped us in making a vital contribution to The International Porters Protection Group work. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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