Biking Nepal on a Budget

Nepal is a country that conjures images of massive mountain ranges, epic trekking, charming villages filled with friendly people and of course, mountain biking. The bike scene is quickly growing in popularity within the country and its portrayal in ‘Strength in Numbers’ and ‘Where the Trail Ends’ has put it on the map as a globally recognized mountain biking destination. These movies played a considerable part in my decision to spend a month travelling and mountain biking there.

I find it necessary to preface this article by saying that I am not a professional mountain biker. I have no sponsorships, no industry hookups and no social media following to speak of. I am as average a mountain biker as they come - a beer league biker if you will. I do, however, have a real passion for the sport and spend a significant percentage of my time and money on it. The decision to quit my job, put all my savings into a new trail bike and travel came surprisingly easily to me. Next thing I knew, I had my bags packed and I was on a flight to Kathmandu.

High season in Nepal is September - Novemeber and for good reason. The weather is the perfect medium between the hot wet summers and the cooler winters, and the mountain views are usually clearer at this time of year. I arrived in Kathmandu late November, a fair bit later than the average visitor. This worked to my benefit as a frugal traveller. Accommodation at this time is plentiful and cheap, sometimes even by as much as half of peak season rates. Food differs from place to place but is often varied and very affordable - a motivated and thrifty traveller can easily get by on $10-15USD a day.


There are more than enough travel guides and articles out there that can tell you all about the awe-inspiring sights, sounds and smells of Kathmandu. I will refrain, other than to tell you that it lives up to the hype, even when I consider myself ‘not a city person’. The city sits within the Kathmandu valley. The valley is home to some very good mountain biking. My first stop out of the city was a tiny village called Khahare, which consisted of a bus stop, my guesthouse and not much more. It's in the Kirtipur/Chobhar region just outside of Kathmandu city. My reason for the choice of remote lodgings was its proximity to a 5 star rated DH trail on Trailforks. The trail is called ‘Hattiban Downhill’ and was an introduction to Nepali MTB that set the bar very high for my Nepali mountain bike adventure.

The ride up was an interesting one, consisting of a steep climb in the hot Nepali sun, carrying my bike up 3km of stairs and a fun chance meeting with some local kids on a school trip. The ride down still puts a smile on my face when I think of it. To begin with, I wasn’t sure if I was on the right trail- it looked just like an average hiking trail and I was relying solely on my GPS on Trailforks. I made my way tentatively down this trail and then I saw it - a perfectly crafted gap jump that told me I was most certainly in the right place! What followed was a fun flow trail packed with gap jumps, berms and table tops. The type of trail that has you smiling from ear to ear and shouting out giddily to yourself the whole way down. I was even lucky enough to meet 2 of the trail builders, taking some photos and sessioning the main jump line together. A truly spectacular first ride, which exceeded all my expectations; even an annoying flat tire couldn’t dampen my spirits.


Next up I ventured to the north of the Kathmandu valley and rode in the Shivapuri National Park. I stayed in a local guesthouse in Budhanilkantha, an area that is as yet largely untouched by tourism - I suspect this will change sooner rather than later. The ride in Shivapuri was an epic one. The climb took me through an area with heavy military presence, which would have been intimidating but for the very friendly and inquisitive army personnel. Apparently a solo guide-less biker was not a common sight for them and they were more than happy to temporarily abandon their posts to come say hello and shake my hand. The descent was a pleasant surprise. Much of the climb was on fire roads and a bit of single track. Going down (towards the Kopan Monastery) was surprisingly technical, my first real taste of freeriding. Tons of options down a steep and rutted hillside that seemed to last forever.

Nagarkot was my next destination. I took a taxi there, which was the easiest way to travel with my bike and luggage. A 2/3 hour journey cost about $35USD - expensive for Nepal but cheap in comparison to the Western world. Nagarkot is a popular tourist destination, known for its hiking trails, sunsets and spectacular views of the Himalayas- including the mighty Mt Everest. It is also home to a network of bike trails- built and developed mostly for the Asian Enduro Series in the last few years. Unfortunately, my time here coincided with a sickness that kept me in bed for a few days. I still managed to get out and ride quite a bit though, again relying on Trailforks to show me the many singletrack trails in the area. It is well worth the early start and climb in the dark to watch the sunrise from theNagarkot watchtower and then rip down the Ranger Witch trail after an early morning cup of tea from the local vendors.

After a week of riding in Nagarkot, I ventured west to Nepal’s second biggest city and trekkers’ favourite, Pokhara. Pokhara is a cool place with great restaurants and lots to do and see. Whether it’s lounging by the waters of Phewa Lake, paragliding from the top of nearby Sarangkot or stocking up on provisions and gear for your next trek; here, there is something for everyone. It is most people’s start and end point for the famous Annapurna circuit trek and has a relaxed and albeit touristy feel to it. In Pokhara I did a little of everything, as well as making arrangements for my bike trek into the famous Mustang kingdom.


Most online tour operators charge around $1500-2500USD for the weeklong trek I was looking to do in Lower Mustang. However, by going directly to the local guides and it being the start of low season, along with a bit of old fashioned haggling, I got a bargain of $500USD for my trek. This price included food and accommodation for the week; my guide's wages and the necessary permits needed for riding in Mustang.

I was very impressed by my tour operator- The Bike Shop Nepal- and my guide Hikmat; who was a young local guy who lived and breathed mountain biking. A laid-back, knowledgeable and accommodating guide who made everything easier from start to finish.


On day 1 we took a small plane to Jomsom (the gateway to and capital of Mustang) and started our ride to Kagbeni and then onto Muktinah. Muktinah is an alpine village sitting at just under 4000m, home to a grand temple, which is a popular pilgrimage for many Hindus.



From Muktinah we climbed the Lubra Pass at a snail’s pace because I was feeling the effects of the altitude and also my dropper post decided it was the right time to stop working. From here we got our first taste of downhill after 2 and a half days of gruelling climbing. The steep, loose and technical descent did wonders for my altitude-induced headache and fatigue, By the time we stopped for some tea at around 2700m I was positively beaming. 7 hours in the saddle brought us all the way to Marpha, where I tried the famous Apple brandy and Apple crumble and had a well-earned long, hot shower.


The next day was our most varied of the trip. We had a fun day riding mostly downhill from Marpha via Tukuche. The ride included fun singletrack in the forest and by the river bed; bombing down dusty jeep tracks passing buses and trekkers at full tilt; and high speed urban riding through the many villages along the way.
The day’s drop in altitude brought us from alpine desert down the valley into more tropical climes. Our destination for the day, Tatopani, is home to natural hot springs- a popular stop for trekkers to rest and ease their aching bodies. I wasted no time in getting into the therapeutic waters and cracking open a few local beers.

From Tatopani we rode to Beni the next day after a sleep in. It took us about 3 hours of mostly dusty jeep track XC riding. In Beni, we opted to take the local bus back to Pokhara, which was an experience to say the least. This particular method of transportation may not be for everyone but it was the cheaper option for me and I actually had a blast -be warned though, don’t take this bus if you value your personal space. It was a long and cramped 4 hour journey but the people I met and watched along the way enriched the experience for me. A special highlight for me being the old Nepali lady who spoke no English whatsoever but insisted on sharing my headphones and listening to Kendrick Lamar with me! After a few days rest back in Pokhara, I bussied back to, and flew out of Kathmandu and onto my next adventure.



Special thanks:

To my charismatic guide Hikmat - I had a blast riding and exploring with you, I’m confident we’ll be back on bikes together in the near future.
To the incredibly friendly and accommodating people of Nepal who made this bike trip into a truly special and unforgettable experience for me.
To the team at TrailForks- you’ve put together a really great app, without which this trip would not have been possible.
To my family, in particularly my brother Baz, for the love and support along the way.

by Jackson McEvoy ( insta: jacksonbrian8 )