Kathmandu Valley RIM Biking: A cleaner escape from bustling city

The bike tour from Kathmandu to Kakani is blacktopped ride which is one of the enthralling and exciting expeditions.  It is situated 29 km north west of Kathmandu at an altitude of 2000 meter. Kakani is one of the popular tour hill station that offer spectacular views of  dazzling mountains specifically Annapurna (8091m), Manaslu (8165m), Ganesh Himal (7446m), Lantang lirung (7245m ) and many more other peaks. This place also offers bird’s eye view of Kathmandu valley from the height of 2,030 meters. While cycling you passes through beautiful rhododendrons, oak, pine forest on the mountain slopes. You can also see Thai Airways Memorial Park, large police training college, army posts crowd and the century-old villa used by the British Embassy. Another highlight of biking to Kakani is sunrise and sunset view on backdrop of sparkling peaks.

After early morning breakfast, we ride north of Kathmandu. Along the way we pass Nagi Gompa a famous a Buddhist nun’s monastery. After the monastery site we continue to ride along the dense forest to Tamang village of Mulkharka which is 10 kilometer east of Nagi Gompa.

Today we ride to Chisopani (which means cold water in Nepali). The ride along forested trail offers rhododendron blooming and incredible mountain backdrop. Chisapani is a diverse settlement of Brahmins, Gurungs, and Sherpas. You can observe local lifestyle of picturesque and tranquil village. You can also see magnificent dazzling vistas of Himalayan from the village.  We overnight at the lodge of Chisopani.

In the morning, we ride thrilling traffic free long off-road downhill to Jarsing Pauwa. We will have  lunch before heading snaking uphill trail to Nagarkot. Nagarkot is a scenic hill top village which is located at the height of 2170meter (7,119 ft) and popular spot for Mountain View where you can see spectacular view during sunset. After a long ride we overnight at Farm house.

After breakfast, we set off our biking journey where you will get opportunity to view beautiful sunrise over the Himalayas. We leave Nagarkot behind and ascend down hill top to Nala, the Newari Village. The ride offers some attention-grabbing villages of Brahmin and Chettri people and their everyday life on fields. After that we depart for Dhulikhel on a dirt track ascending and descending small hill before biking towards Namobuddha which is one of the famous and sacred Buddhist religious sites. According to myth, Buddha provided his flesh to the hungry mother tigress as offerings in this place. There are a couple monasteries and one very old stupa erected close by in which one can make offerings, pray, and light butter lamps. After visiting religious sites we follow the scenic view along blacktop and dirt roads then back to Dhulikhel. We spend a night at Dhulikhel. Enjoy sunrise in the morning

We continue our ride after breakfast with Himalayan breathtaking view on the north side. We headed to Balthali passing through Namo Buddha where we explore the local lifestyle, culture, ancient architectural buildings and numerous temples of traditional village.  The ride also offers incredible backdrop of Himalayas, green terraced fields and lush green atmosphere. After a pleasant ride, we follow the banks of the Ladku River to Balthali Village Resort where we stay overnight.

After breakfast we continue our ride passing primeval city of Panauti known as the best-preserved Newari towns and rarely explored by tourists. The main highlight of this city is Indreswor Mahadev Temple which is the oldest surviving temple in Nepal. We ascend west and follow small trails along the Roshi River. Beyond the town of Madhuban we enter into a narrow unspoiled valley climbing 300 meters on superb trail that takes you to the peak of ‘Lakuribhanjyang. It is an ideal spot for breathtaking panoramic backdrop of the mountain and bird’s eye view of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan from the elevation of 1975m. We overnight at lodge.

After breakfast we leave Lakhuri Bhanjyang behind and ride 6 kms of downhill that take us to Lamatar. Then we continue our ride all the way to Kathmandu. After you reach Kathmandu, you have leisure time to take rest and shopping.