An adventure cycling trip over the Tibetan Plateaus, from Lhasa to Kathmandu, is guaranteed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that will leave you in amazement. During our Tibet cycling tour, we will mountain bike through five major passes that are above 5000 meters in elevation and cover a total distance of 1080 kilometers over the spine of the Himalayas. Our tour begins and ends in two of the most unique towns in Asia. This Tibet cycling vacation offers some wonderful opportunities for a physical challenge, including some difficult mountain bike rides, paired with magnificent scenery as you cycle across "the Roof of the World."
Our cycle tour will finish with the world's longest downhill ride from a high point of just over 5000 meters at Thang La, cycling down to below 700 meters in Nepal - roughly 4400 meters in just over 160 kilometers of magnificent fall. Our starting point will be at a height of just over 5000 meters.
The Lhasa to Kathmandu bike tour is a favorite among tourists and is also considered to be the best option for riders in Tibet. You will need to spend at least two days in Lhasa in order to adjust to the high altitude there. During this time, you will have the opportunity to explore the Potala palace, the Jokhang temple, the Drepung monastery, the Sera monastery, and a number of other well-known monasteries and palaces. The next step is to get your horse ready and ride to Shigatse via Yamdrok Lake and historic Gyantse. After touring the Tashilhunpo monastery, which is the home of the Panchen Lama, you will ride southward along the Friendship Highway until you reach Mt. Everest, which is the highest peak in the world. You will arrive at Everest through Lhatse and Tingri. You are able to view the gorgeous night sky and sunset above Mt. Everest. After that, proceed to bike towards the south, and on the way, you'll get a glimpse of Mt. Shisha Pangma, which is 8012 meters tall. At long last, you will reach Gyirong town and travel across the border bridge known as the Friendship bridge. The tour comes to a conclusion in Kathmandu.
In conclusion, this excursion will take you through a variety of natural and cultural landscapes, including historic monasteries, quaint villages, holy lakes, long-vanished cities, massive glaciers, a never-ending chain of snow-capped mountains, expansive prairies, impressive canyons, gushing streams, and verdant forests. There is little doubt that it will be a noteworthy cycling trip.
Cycling in Tibet requires a high level of endurance and stamina because you will be traveling along undulating plains and up and down steep mountains. However, the one thing you require above all others is favorable weather conditions. It is in your best interest to avoid the monsoon season(July-August) because it is most likely that you do not want to be cycling in the rain on a daily basis. Even while it may be true that it doesn't rain very much in Tibet during the monsoon season, it's still not a good idea to get wet while cycling because it's uncomfortable and could make you sick. Not to mention the slick road conditions, the potential for mudslides brought on by the rain, and the increased likelihood of being involved in an accident.
If you want to go riding in Tibet, you should go when the weather is clear and the sky is blue. It is best to go on vacation between the months of April and the middle of June, as well as between the months of September and October. The climate throughout these shoulder seasons is agreeable and tranquil, with clear blue skies, good views, and warm weather, although it can still get chilly at night. The weather is also clear and serene.
Stay away from the roads throughout the winter as well, as the snow and ice may be quite hazardous for bikers. Due to the accumulation of ice and snow in Tibet during the winter months, many of the country's cycling routes become inaccessible.
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When you arrive in Kathmandu, a representative of our company will be there to meet and greet you right away. Once you are in our care, we will immediately begin making preparations to ensure that all of your travel needs are satisfied. Due to the fact that there are no activities planned for the day, we will assist you with checking into the hotel that you have chosen. You have the option of either relaxing in each of your rooms or going for a stroll in the surrounding area.
After a short break, depending on how long your flight was and how much energy you have left, you might decide to go to Durbar Square. The heart of Kathmandu is where you'll find Durbar Square. Locals also refer to it as Hanuman Dhoka Palace Square; it was formerly used as a seat of Nepalese royal authority. The majority of the structures that are still standing here were constructed between the 15th and 18th centuries. The Taleju temple, the Jagannath temple, Kal Bhairav, Kumari Ghar, and Kasthamandap are only some of the notable monuments that can be seen here. Kasthamandap was constructed from the wood of a single tree.
Today's agenda includes trips to the cultural and religious attractions of Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple, Pashupatinath, which is one of the largest temples in Nepal, and Bouddhanath, which is a massive stupa.
The Temple of Pashupatinath: Pashupatinath Temple, which is considered to be one of the oldest Hindu temples, is devoted to Lord Shiva, who is also known as the "Lord of All Beings." Lord Shiva is the personification of the malevolent force that permeates the universe. The holy Bagmati river flows right through the middle of the Pashupatinath temple complex. The vast majority of Hindus residing in the Kathmandu Valley carry out the rituals of cremation for deceased individuals whose bodies are found along the riverbanks.
The Swayambhunath Stupa is widely regarded as one of the holiest Buddhist stupas in all of Nepal. It was built in the 5th century. It is believed that it came into being when, in ancient times, the Bodhisattva Manjushri excavated a canyon at Chhobhar with his flaming sword in order to drain the waters of the enormous lake that was Kathmandu. This allowed for the city of Kathmandu to be formed.
The four pairs of eyes of Lord Buddha are said to be positioned in the four cardinal directions atop the Bouddhanath Stupa, which is a Buddhist stupa in the Valley that was erected in the fifth century and is around 2,500 years old. This stupa maintains a watchful vigil over the behavior of its visitors at all times. Pilgrims traveling from Tibet who practice Buddhism can be seen turning prayer wheels as they make their way around the stupa.
In the evening, you can go to the Kathmandu Durbar Square after taking a stroll through Thamel during the day. Old temples such as the Taleju and Kastapmandap can be found in the Kathmandu Durbar Area. This square also has the palace that was used by the Malla monarchs.
Take the aircraft to Lhasa that leaves Kathmandu in the morning. We will come get you at your hotel and drive you to the International Departures. After you have completed all of the required procedures at the airport, you will be allowed to board your flight to Lhasa. The flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa takes a little more than an hour and travels through rough terrain that in the past would have taken trade caravans many months to cross. The panoramas are breathtaking, and on a good day, you may see as many as eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest, directly in front of you.
You will be picked up at the Lhasa airport and taken to your accommodation in Lhasa, where you can take it easy while acclimating to the high altitude.
After a night of relaxation, you will be ready to begin your Lhasa city tour today. You will start your exploration of Lhasa at the Potala Palace, which serves as both the spiritual center of the city and the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. During the 7th century, it was constructed by the 33rd great monarch of Tibet, whose name was Songtsen Gangpo. The most interesting sights at Potala Palace are the gilded burial stupas of previous Dalai Lamas and the meditation Cave of the 33rd great king. We will allot a significant amount of time to visit Potala Palace so that you can get the most out of your experience there, both in terms of the views and photographs you take as well as the insights you gain into Tibetan history and culture.
Immediately following lunch, you will travel to Jokhang Temple, which, like the Potala Palace, was established at the same time and by the same king. Many devotees can be seen prostrating themselves in front of the temple when viewed from the outside. The statue of Buddha Sakyamuni when he was 12 years old is considered to be the most valuable artifact in this temple.
Bakhor is widely known throughout Bhutan as a pedestrian retail street. There are a large number of unique stores and stalls that sell a variety of Tibetan goods, including as handicrafts, Thangka, and other items. In addition to shopping, tourists can also participate in the Kora with pilgrims and locals in order to have a deeper understanding of Tibetan religious tradition.
Following your morning meal, you will be traveling to Drepung Monastery, also known as the "Monastery of Rice Heaps" in Tibetan. You will arrive there in the early afternoon. It is a fantastic building complex that is white, and from a distance it appears to be rice heaps. The Drepung monastery is the greatest Tibetan Buddhist monastery, and throughout its history, it has been home to more than 10,000 monks.
The Sera Monastery, which is considered to be one of the "big three" Gelug monasteries in all of Tibet, will be the focus of your afternoon excursion. Discussion occurs among monks between the hours of three and five in the afternoon. At these monasteries, you'll also have the opportunity to view colorful rock paintings of Buddha as well as mandalas. In addition to that, the scenery is pretty pleasant here because there are wild roses all around. Because of this, some people also refer to it as "the court of wild rose."
In addition, the Norbulingka monastery is on our schedule for today. Norbulingka means Jeweled Park. Since the 1780s up until the 14th Dalai Lama's exile in 1959, it was the traditional summer residence of the Dalai Lamas in the years leading up to his departure.
In the evening, we have the option of going to the Lhasa river to snap some magnificent shots and to watch the sunset.
The first day of cycling is a pretty quick and straightforward one. The Friendship Highway will be your first stop as it traverses the plateau and will mark the beginning of your cycle trip to the summit of Everest. The road is in decent shape and is almost entirely level making for a wonderful cycling experience. We ride down all the way to Tsangpo River and follow it all the way to the base of the Kamba La Pass (3700 m).Along the route from Lhasa to Gyantse, this mountain pass is one of the greatest points in elevation. It begins in the Yarlung Valley and ascends to an altitude of 4,795 meters, where there is a parking area and a viewpoint that provide breathtaking views of the blue Yamdrok-tso to the south. Huge Mt. Nojin Kangtsang massif can be seen in the distance off in the distance (7191m).
After breakfast, we grab our bikes and get ready to go through our first mountain pass in Tibet After a strenuous ascent uphill on a tar road with a number of curves, we will arrive at a summit that is magnificently decorated with prayer flags. The summit lies at 4794m. After descending, we will continue to go along Lake Yamdrok Tso, where we will set up tent on the opposite side of the lake (4490m). One of the three most important holy lakes in Tibet is the Yamdrok-Tso Lake, which has a stunningly beautiful turquoise and green coloration One of the three largest sacred lakes in Tibet, Yamdrok Lake is a freshwater lake located in the Tibetan region of Yamdrok. It is more than 45 miles (nearly 72 kilometers). The lake is nourished by a myriad of tributaries, and it is encircled by many snow-capped mountains on all sides. We stay here for the night.
After waking up and grabbing breakfast, we get back on our bike to move to Karo La pass today. The lake is wonderful, but we have to leave it behind. We will cycle along the Friendship route, which will soon turn into a gravel roadway .Karo La is a high mountain pass in the northern Himalayas' Lhagoi-Kangri series, on the border of Tibet's Nagarze and Gyangzê counties. The pass is located on the China-Nepal Highway, also known as the Friendship Highway, and is 5,020 meters (approximately 16,500 feet) above sea level. We will be at the base of the pass today. Your tented village will be set up for the night once you have traversed a ravine and arrived at the base of the Karo La Pass at an elevation of 4,750 meters.
The day that we are now on is an important one on the journey. Get an early start so you can scale the steep Karo La Pass (5010m). Beautiful lakes and glaciers that reach up to an altitude of 6000 meters can be seen here .We will travel to Gyantse, Tibet's third largest city after Lhasa and Shigatse, by following the prayer flag atop pass. The Pala Manor may be situated not far from Gyantse. It is the main estate of the Para family, whose full name is Paji Lacan and who were previously a wealthy Tibetan aristocratic family. Furthermore, the Para Manor is the only one of the three old Tibetan noble families' manors that has been meticulously kept to this day.
The Gyantse Dzong and the Gyantse Kumbum should be your first stops. The Dzong is a fort that was built in the 14th century. The ancient castle, known as Gyel khartse, was attributed to Pelkhor-tsen, son of anti-Buddhist monarch Langdharma, who reigned between 838 and 841 CE. The current fortifications were allegedly built around 1268, following the Sakyapa sect's ascension to dominance.The Kumbum is a massive gold-domed stupa with multiple small chapels that houses a remarkable collection of Tibetan Buddhist artwork. Both structures are located in the same complex.
After that, get on the highway and travel in the direction of Shigatse. Even though today is a long day of cycling, the roadway is asphalt, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Arrive in the afternoon in Shigatse, which is the second largest city in all of Tibet (3860m) and home to many ancient monasteries and local legends.
In the early morning after breakfast, we will drive to the famous Tashilunpo Monastary. Tashi Lhunpo Monastery was established in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama. It is the traditional monastic seat of the Panchen Lama, and it is also a historically and culturally significant monastery. In Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet, is located Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, which was established in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama. It is the traditional monastic seat of the Panchen Lama, and it is also a historically and culturally significant monastery. In the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, the monastery served as the customary seat of succeeding Panchen Lamas who are the second highest ranking Tulku in the Gelug school.
After that, we will depart Shigatse and ride our horses across two tiny passes and several small Tibetan villages before arriving at our camping spot near the remote Gyachung Monastery.
After waking up in the remote Gyachung Monastary we begin our ride to Lhatse. We continue riding down the main highway. After some time riding, we reach the the longer path that takes you over the Tso-La pass (4520m), the trail takes you through some beautiful valleys.
After lunch, you should proceed in the direction of Lhatse, past the hot springs, and set up camp approximately 10 kilometers outside of the town. The hotsprings are woth a visit also with many hours of cycling on the tibetan plateau rendering us tired and sore.
Today as we leave Lhatse, we prepare to travel over the 5220-meter Gyatso-La pass while taking in the breathtaking scenery. On a day with bright skies, you will be rewarded with your very first view of Mount Everest. Mount Everest is known in Tibetan as Qomolangma meaning “Goddess Mother of the World”
You will arrive in the town of Pelbar, which is frequently referred to as Shegar, after traveling for forty kilometers across the flat prairie towns. The town lies in the middle of the Nepal-China Friendship highway. Visitors who are on their way to the Everest region frequently make a pit stop in Shegar. We have to travel through a canyon which, combined with the Gyatso La pass make for a tiring trip.
Rest your head in Shegar for the night.
Because the road quality is not as fantastic as it has been in recent days, today's ride is a little more challenging than usual. Shortly after leaving Shegar, you will exit the level highway and begin traveling in the direction of Everest, which is the tallest peak in the world.
After going through the customs checkpoint, you will have to traverse 20 kilometers of switchbacks leading upwards, with a total of 42 hairpin turns, in order to get to the top of the Pang Pass (5150m). As a reward, you will be able to take in some of the most breathtaking panoramas of Everest and the peaks in the surrounding area.
As you dine, take in views of several of the world's most spectacular mountains, including Everest (8850 meters), Makalu (8463 meters), Shishapangma (8012 meters), Cho Oyu (8210 meters), and Lhotse (8516 meters).
After that, there is a 20-kilometer descent leading to the Rongbuk Valley (4200 meters), which is where we set up camp.
You should be at your peak level of physical fitness and giddy with anticipation as you get closer to reaching your top destination, Everest Base Camp. A difficult path leads you through the Rongbuk valley as it climbs higher and higher until the spectacular Mount Everest comes into view. You can pitch your tent right next to the monastery and have the incredible sight of the highest mountain in the world right in front of you. Our time spent here will span two full days.
You have the option of spending the second day of your trip reading a book at the campground or getting even closer to Everest by walking, cycling, or taking a donkey and cart ride to Everest base camp, which is located 8 kilometers from the campsite. Everest base camp is a drea for many and for some it is the place where dreams begin. It is a spectacular visit, one that should not be missed.
Spend the night in the dormitory or one of the tents at Rongbuk Monastery.
This day begins with a 40 to 50km flat ride before lunch. Then we tackle the gradual incline of the Lalung Pass (5000m). From here you will feel like you are as high as the peaks around you, including Shishapangma (8012m). We will set up tents in the valley between two passes. Camping
After leaving Rongbuk, travel back down the rough road for a short distance and then take a detour into the highlands. We continue along the rocky path that descends towards Tingri and then crosses a canyon (4340m).
Rest your head in Tingri for the night.
Before lunch, there will be a flat ride that covers approximately 40 to 50 kilometers. After that, we make our way up the Lalung Pass, which has a gentle ascent (4990m). From this vantage point, you will feel as though you are on top of the surrounding mountains, including Shishapangma (8012m).
In the valley that lies between the two passes, you should pitch your tents.
The spectacular Thang Pass, which rises to an altitude of 5050 meters, will be our final challenge of the day. As you freewheel your way down the world's most magnificent nonstop downhill, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the Himalayan chain.
After passing through the village of Nyalam, you will see that the surrounding area gradually becomes more verdant. You may get to the border town of Gyirong by bicycling by innumerable waterfalls and pine trees that line the roadways. The waterfalls will almost seem to be falling on top of you (2300m). Our time in Tibet will come to an end tomorrow.
Spend the night in the city of Gyirong.
Following our departure from Gyirong, we will enter Nepal by going through customs.
When you reach the town of Kodari in Nepal, the route will continue to descend for the next fifty kilometers, but via roads that are exceedingly rocky and bumpy. As you cycle across rice farms, all of a sudden the climate transforms into a tropical one with high humidity and lush vegetation.
Once you have arrived at the town of Dolalghat, you will need to make your way up to the town of Dhulikhel (1600m).
Rest your head at Dhulikhel for the night.
On the final day of the trip, you will travel from Dhulikhel to Kathmandu. You will coast down into Bhaktapur, where you will have the opportunity to stop and visit some of the town's well-known temples Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a former royal palace complex in the Nepalese city of Bhaktapur. It was home to the Malla monarchs of Nepal from the 14th to the 15th centuries, as well as the kings of the Country of Bhaktapur from the 15th to the late 18th centuries, until the kingdom was conquered in 1769. It contains the famous Nyatapola temple and the 55-windowed palace along with the Taleju temple and numerous museums housing stone work, wood and metal works.
You might choose to shop, go sightseeing around Kathmandu at Ason and Thamel, or just rest during the day at your hotel/
Today is the day you will depart after completing your tour in Tibet. We hope you have enjoyed your time here. Three hours before your scheduled flight, our representatives will drive you to the airport. Stay safe and remember us for any other travel in the Himalayas. Tashi Delek!
Note: You may choose to stay longer in Nepal and explore around Pokhara and Chitwan also.
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