You Should Know

Cycle Grade and conditions....
The Lhasa to Kathmandu bike ride can fairly claim to be the highest mountain biking in the world and is an especially challenging tour, on account of the average altitude, and the length of the trip. The importance of the four days which we have scheduled to spend sightseeing around Lhasa can not be over emphasized, as proper acclimatisation is vital to anyone hoping to complete this route. We start from the Tibetan capital, and cross 6 high passes, before eventually descending from the Tibetan Plateau into Nepal. Fully 50% of the trip is spent on the Tibetan Plateau at heights above 4000 meters. The main road has been well built by the Chinese, with approximately one tenth of it metalled. The rest is on well worn dust tracks. There will be opportunities to get off-road, using the small herders’ paths which short-cut many of the switchback descents and climbs. Cycling on the main Lhasa to Kathmandu road will be fairly straightforward, apart from the altitude. Exploring various side valleys such as the route to Everest Base camp will involve cycling on much rougher dirt tracks. Daily distances cycled will range from 30 to 130 kilometres. This may not sound particularly great, especially to road-orientated cyclists, but the high altitude, difficult terrain, head winds and tough ascents will make cycling in this region a challenge for everyone.

This is a tough trip, which will require that group members are reasonably fit. Throughout the route, we will have the support of a back-up vehicle, and anyone who is not feeling up to cycling a particular stage has the option to get on the bus.

Flights to / from Kathmandu….
You will need to make your own arrangements for flights to / from your home country.

Temperatures and weather....
The bulk of the trip is crossing the arid Tibetan Plateau, which lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas and does not receive much annual precipitation. The weather on the Tibetan Plateau during the day will be sunny and surprisingly warm, whilst the nights will be clear and crisp. Temperatures will range from 20 degrees centigrade during the day to well below freezing at night. However, weather in mountainous areas is notoriously difficult to predict, and you should be aware that short-lived storms can occur at any time of the year.

Vehicle Support....
At all times we will have the security and back up of support vehicle(s). For the whole route across the Tibetan Plateau we will be completely self sufficient with land cruisers and an equipment truck. Should the need arise, we can also accommodate tired mountain bikers as well! As this is such a high altitude road there will definitely be times when the whole group plus cycles will be carried to the top of the next pass. We must stress that apart from the emergency tool kit that you would take on any day ride you will not be required to carry any luggage. This is not touring, laden down with panniers - it is pure mountain biking.

Chinese Support Services....
The bulk of this trip is run in Tibet, where we have to rely on the services of the local Chinese agencies. Please note that the standards of service provided by these Chinese agencies is very basic. For this reason, we take a Sherpa cook crew from Nepal, who are responsible for providing our food on those nights that we are camping.

The cycling day....
A typical day starts with an early morning brew served in your tent at about 7 a.m. (It does not get light in Tibet until around 7.15 a.m.) After a hot breakfast, during which camp will be struck and the bus and trucks loaded, we start cycling in the pleasant cool of the morning. Lunch is usually taken at about 11 a.m. and takes about an hour or so. We aim to pitch camp for the night by 4 or 5 p.m., ie. well before dusk. During the day you are free to cycle at your own pace, enjoying the scenery and stopping to take as many pictures as you wish.

Equipment....
We provide everything except your bike, a sleeping bag, camping mattress any your other items of personal equipment and clothing. A detailed list of our recommendations in these matters will be sent on confirmation of booking.

Your bike....
Your Bike MUST be at least an “entry level” Mountain Bike. For example, Kona Hahanna, Trek 4300, Scott Yecora, Schwinn Mesa GS - or similar. Front suspension is highly recommended. Many of the roads and tracks we follow are suitable for four wheel drive vehicles only, and in places not even these!

You are depending on your bike to transport you over eight hundred kilometers during your holiday, across demanding terrain. It should therefore be THOROUGHLY CHECKED to ensure that it is in good mechanical order before departure. If you are not mechanically minded, your local bicycle dealer should undertake this service. Points to particularly note are:

a) check wheel rims and if they are worn replace with new rims
b) check and adjust all wheel spokes.
c) check and grease ALL bearings.
d) check adjust/replace brakes and cables.
e) check gears and cables.
f) check and tighten all nuts and bolts (especially bottom bracket).
g) check chain, quick release clamps, tyres, inner tubes.

On a trip like this there will definitely need to be repairs and adjustments en-route, and we will take a full tool kit and a selection of spares, which will be sold to you at cost price as they are needed. On all our trips we also carry a spare bike which can be used in an emergency.

Accommodation....
During this trip the group will spend a total of 4 nights in Kathmandu, which is conveniently located in the centre of Kathamndu. We also have 4 nights hotel accommodation in Lhasa, giving the group plenty of time for acclimatisation. En route between Lhasa and Kathmandu, we will be staying either camping or staying in basic hotels and lodges. All accommodation is on a twin sharing basis.

Spending money requirements....
THIS IS A FULLY INCLUSIVE PACKAGE, which includes internal flights and transfers, any land transport involved in the itinerary, a guided sightseeing tour of Kathmandu, quality hotel accommodation in Kathmandu, all meals in all of the hotels which the group will use (including evening meals in some of the finest restaurants in Kathmandu on each of the evenings that we spend in the city). Once we set off biking, a full service, including food and all equipment (excluding personal equipment) is included in the trip price.

Approximately US$ 250 should be allowed for miscellaneous expenses. This can be carried in the form of cash or travellers cheques. Sterling and US Dollars are equally acceptable in Nepal. The exchange rate at the moment is approximately 120 rupees to the pound and 72rupees to the US dollar. You should allow 1700 rupees for Nepalese airport departure tax for the flight to Lhasa. You should also allow for Nepalese airport departure tax for your return flight at the end of the trip. You should also allow approximately 4000 rupees for porter and trek crew tips. If you are intending to buy expensive souvenirs, you should budget accordingly (credit cards can be useful in this respect). Also, if you expect to buy considerable quantities of soft drinks or beer, you should make an allowance for this.

Visa requirements....
A valid passport (with at least 6 months remaining validity), together with a Chinese Visa and a SINGLE RE-ENTRY Nepalese Visa are needed for this trip. We will also need a copy of your passport and 4 passport photographs sent to us atleast a month before the departure in order to process your Tibet Visa. You can apply for your Nepalese Visa in advance from the Nepalese Embassy or can even obtain upon arrival at Kathmandu airport. We will take care of Chinese Visa, which will be obtained after your arrival in Kathmandu.

Health considerations....
A comprehensive medical kit will accompany. We do recommend that each person carries a basic first-aid kit, however, and suggestions for its contents will also be sent to you at the time you book. The majority of our guides have completed a wilderness first aid course and all of them are experienced in dealing with a wide range of medical conditions.

Books....
Cycling to Xian and other Excursions. Michael Buckley
Tibet Handbook. Victor Chan
Trekking in Tibet - A Traveller’s Guide. Gary McCue.
The Tibet Guide. Stephen Batchelor.
Trespassers on the Roof of the World. Peter Hopkirk.
Tibet and its History. Hugh Richardson.
A Cultural History of Tibet. Snellgrove/Richardson.
Abode of Snow. Kenneth Mason.
Seven Years in Tibet. Heinrich Harrer.
People in High Places. Audrey Salkeld.
Trekking and Climbing in Nepal. Steve Razzetti. New Holland.
The Trekkers Handbook. Tom Gilchrist.