Trip Overview
Lhasa to Kathmandu Mountain Biking is one of most adventurous rides a mountain biker can do. It is a real classic and to make your trip even more adventurous, even longer and even more challenging. We have decided to in-corporate a four day round trip away from the main Lhasa - Kathmandu road, to visit Rongbuk Monastery and the North base camp area of Mt. Everest
Throughout the mountain biking, your state of the art bicycles will be a source of great interest. As they will not have seen anything more sophisticated than their basic Chinese-made boneshakers. There are great opportunities to share laughs with the local people!
There are six major passes to be negotiated on the main Lhasa to Kathmandu route as it runs westwards, parallel to the Great Himalaya Chain, which forms the border with the territories of Bhutan, Sikkim and Nepal. Throughout, the road traverses a high and dry plateau-land, which is punctuated by the spectacular monastery towns of Gyantse, Shigatse and Shegar, as well as several smaller settlements and nomadic Drogpa encampments
On the detour away from the main route towards the Rongbuk Monastery, the road climbs through almost fifty hairpin bends to reach the Pang La, which affords splendid views of the Himalaya, and of Mt. Everest itself. Everest Base Camp is a 'not to be missed' inclusion to this ride. Standing before the exposed and shear North Face of Chomolungma [Mt. Everest] at Everest Base Camp (5500m/18044ft) is a memorable experience that few ever forget. We will spend a night at Rongbuk before riding 60 km back out to the main Kathmandu route. Back on the main road, we reach the edge of the Tibetan Plateau as we cross the 5200 metre high Thang La, and begin a mind-blowing descent of 4600 metres, [15000 ft.] via the border town of Zhangmu, to the valley of the Sun Kosi River in. A final, easy day's cycling brings us back to civilization in the form of Kathmandu.
All along the way we have the support of our Sherpa staff, our 4WD landcruisers and our support truck. This tour guarantees to be a high point [in more ways than one] in any mountain biker's life. Our guide knows this route better than anyone, 17 times he has cycled Lhasa to Kathmandu and he is truly the most experienced guide you will ever have for this journey.
"A 24 days Mountain Biking Adventure the world's highest mountain bike journey "