Kathmandu Cycling Tour
Explore the Hidden Gems of Kathmandu Valley
Explore the Hidden Gems of Kathmandu Valley on a Scenic Cycling Tour
The Kathmandu Cycling Tour is a one-day day tour starting and finishing in Kathmandu. We run it as a private trip on your own dates, or as a small group departure.
Seven UNESCO monument zones inside one valley. Newar architecture, living Hindu and Buddhist practice, and a festival calendar that runs all year. Newari khaja sets, momo, and a restaurant scene in Thamel and Jhamsikhel that outstrips the rest of the country.
This is a cultural trip, not a trek. Expect vehicle transfers, guided site visits and short walks of an hour or two, with the option to add a longer hike where the itinerary allows. Nothing beyond ordinary city travel. Winter air quality in the valley is the main comfort issue, and we plan the outdoor sections for the morning.
Best time to go. Year round. October to March gives the clearest air; the monsoon from June to August is green and quiet with afternoon rain.
Permits and getting there. UNESCO World Heritage site entry fees for Durbar Squares, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Swayambhunath, all included in your tour price. Everything is within an hour's drive. We use private air-conditioned vehicles with a licensed cultural guide.
Where you sleep. This is a day trip, so you keep your own hotel. We can book Kathmandu or Pokhara accommodation for you separately if you want it handled in one place.
Why book with us. Trekking Team is a family company in Gongabu, Kathmandu, running trips since 1991 under TAAN licence 1106. About ten thousand people have travelled with us and we hold more than 630 TripAdvisor reviews. Every departure runs with a government-licensed guide, permits arranged before you arrive, insured and equipped staff, and a fixed price. If the dates or the route do not suit you, write to us and we will rebuild the itinerary around what you want.
Trip Summary
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Best Season
Included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in a private vehicle
- Government-licensed guide for the day
- All entry fees and permits required for the activity
- Lunch and drinking water during the activity
- All safety equipment and instruction where the activity requires it
- All government taxes and service charges
Not Included
- Travel insurance, which we require you to hold
- Hotel accommodation and meals outside the activity
- Drinks, souvenirs and items of a personal nature
- Photographs and video of the activity, where sold on site
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Anything not listed under what is included
Get started on your journey
Detailed itinerary
Begin cycling from Kathmandu to Chobhar Gorge – Kirtipur, back to Kathmandu
A day on a bike through the southern half of the Kathmandu Valley, which is the half most visitors never see. You are on a hardtail mountain bike with a helmet and gloves supplied, riding with a guide who knows the back lanes, and the route deliberately avoids the ring road traffic wherever it can.
Out through Kirtipur. The morning climbs gently south-west to Kirtipur, a hill town of narrow brick lanes that was the last Newar settlement to fall to the Gorkhali conquest in 1767 and is still visibly proud of it. The Bagh Bhairab temple carries weapons captured in that siege on its walls. Almost no tourists come here and the town is entirely unperformed.
Down to Chobhar. From Kirtipur the route drops towards the Chobhar gorge, where in the founding legend of the valley Manjushri cut the hills open with his sword to drain the lake that filled Kathmandu. Geologically the valley really was a lake, which is why its soil is so good. The Adinath Lokeshwar temple above the gorge is studded with metal pots and pans left as offerings by newly married couples.
The riding. Roughly 25 to 35 km depending on the variant, on a mix of tarmac, broken road and dirt track, with two or three short climbs. It is a moderate day rather than an easy one, and the descents are the fun part. Anyone who rides occasionally at home will be fine; we can also arrange e-bikes if you would rather have the assistance.
Lunch is at a local place along the way, and the return leg comes back into the city through the southern suburbs and Patan, arriving mid to late afternoon.
Best time. October to April. The valley air is clearest from October to December, and the winter days are warm in the sun once the morning fog has burned off. We start early in April and May because of the heat, and we do not run it in heavy monsoon rain.
What is included. Bike, helmet, gloves, a repair kit and a support vehicle on request, a licensed guide, lunch and water. Bring sunglasses, sunblock, a light layer and a buff for the dust.
Longer rides. If you want more, the valley rim rides towards Nagarkot, Shivapuri and Nagarjun are all doable in a day, and multi-day rides down to Pokhara or around Upper Mustang are things we run regularly. Ask and we will build the route around your fitness.
Altitude: 1,350 m | Overnight: 3-5 Stars | Meals: Breakfast
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Getting ready
No special training is needed. Comfortable shoes for uneven cobbles and stone steps at the heritage sites, and a light layer for early mornings, will cover it.
Permits and paperwork
UNESCO World Heritage site entry fees for Durbar Squares, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Swayambhunath, all included in your tour price.
Nepal issues visas on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport: 15, 30 or 90 days, payable in cash in most major currencies or by card. Bring two passport photographs and make sure your passport has at least six months validity.
Money, tipping and costs on the ground
Nepali rupees are the only currency accepted on the trail. Draw cash in Kathmandu or Pokhara before you leave; ATMs have a per-transaction limit of around NPR 35,000 and charge a fee, and above the roadhead there are no machines and no card terminals.
Budget for drinks, souvenirs and any meals not listed in the itinerary.
Tipping is customary and genuinely matters to the crew, but it is not compulsory and never demanded. As a guide to the guide: around USD 8 to 12 per day for your trekking guide and USD 6 to 8 for each porter, pooled by the group and handed over at the end.
Staying in touch
Wi-Fi everywhere, 4G across the valley, and a tourist SIM at the airport.
Ncell and Nepal Telecom tourist SIM cards are sold at Kathmandu airport and take about ten minutes. Bring your passport.
Health and safety
No vaccinations are legally required for Nepal, but hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus are sensible and a rabies course is worth discussing if you are travelling for a long time. Check with a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you fly.
Drink bottled or treated water and be sensible about street food in the first few days.
Our guides carry a comprehensive first aid kit. We hold a 24-hour operations line in Kathmandu throughout your trip, and we run rescue coordination ourselves rather than handing it to a third party.
Booking and cancellation
A deposit confirms your dates and the balance is due before departure. If your plans change we will move your booking to another date rather than treat it as a cancellation wherever the ground operators allow it.
Written quotes are fixed. We do not add fuel or permit surcharges after you have booked, and if a government fee rises between your booking and your departure we absorb it.
Questions before you commit are welcome and never rushed. Write to us with what you actually want and we will tell you plainly whether this trip is the right one, including when the answer is that a different route would suit you better.
Ready to start your journey?
Start planning your dream trip today. Enquire now for more information or customize this trip to tailor it to your needs and make it truly unforgettable.