Nepal trekking, whitewater & MTB adventure

Arrival to Kathmandu

Day 1 in Kathmandu

You’ll be met at the airport for the transfer to your hotel in the heart of the Thamel district. That evening you'll meet your tour leader for a pre-departure briefing on what to expect in the coming adventure. Your tour leader will also happily point you towards one of the many excellent cafes and restaurants in the area for your evening meal.

Kathmandu - Pokhara

Day 2 in Pokhara

After breakfast you’ll transfer to the airport for the short flight to Pokhara and then onto your lakeside hotel. Relax and enjoy the subtropical climate, take a boat trip onto the lake, and otherwise enjoy the town. Get some sleep, the adventure begins tomorrow!

Jomsom - Kagbeni

Day 3 in Kagbeni

The excitement begins for real as you take a short but spectacular flight from Pokhara to Jomsom (altitude 2736m), where you’ll adjust to the altitude and prepare the bikes. Your main baggage will depart by jeep while you set out by bike through the broad Kali Gandaki Valley towards the Mustang village of Kagbeni. The riding is on a bumpy 4WD track that at times undulates above the valley floor, whilst at other times you'll be riding across the flat, but stony valley floor itself. Looking back, you should see the mighty Dhaulagiri, whist in front the ochre, brown, red, yellow multi-coloured, wind eroded dry landscapes of Upper Mustang for contrast.

After a slight descent you’ll reach the ancient village of Kagbeni. Enjoy the quaint village of notably Tibetan influence and relax after your first day on the trail!

Total ride time: 2-3 hours / 10-12km.

Sacred Muktinath

Day 4 in Upper Mustang

The bikes will be loaded onto the jeep and you'll ascend 1000m up a 4WD track that hugs the mountainsides towards Muktinath. For trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit, Muktinath has always been a welcome sight after the arduous crossing of the Thorung La. It is also a place of sacred pilgrimage for Hindus and Buddhists alike. At around 3900m the views up at Muktinath are spectacular and after exploring there’s the thrill of a blistering descent, freewheeling virtually all the way on the bikes back down to Kagbeni on a recently metalled road. Downhilling at speed (or slower if you prefer!) and with a wonderful almost 1000m of descent certainly gets the adrenaline pumping.

Kagbeni - Thasang

Day 5 in Thasang

Leaving Kagbeni you first cycle back to Jomsom, crossing through the Himalaya from the arid Tibetan plateau and into the rain shadow side of Nepal and the Indian subcontinent. Stopping for lunch in the village of Marpha, the influences are still Tibetan but this changes as you descend further. Today’s ride is an overall descent with moderate ups and downs, with a sting in the tail as you must climb 350m to your hill-top accommodation at Thasang. The effort is worth it, as your lodge is spectacularly located beneath Dhaulagiri and has tremendous views across the Kali Gandaki too.

Sacred Sekong Lake day hike

Day 6 in Thasang

Rise early to catch sunrise and the incredible view of Dhaulagiri with its immense icefall. You now have a day off the bikes to take a circuit walk on one of the most beautiful day hikes in the entire Himalaya. Leaving the lodge, you'll descend to the valley floor and cross a tributary river by means of a small suspension bridge and then pick up a trail that leads up through pine forests. Emerging above the tree line, after a couple of hours walking you reach the waters of sacred Sekong Lake. Right above you towers Dhaulagiri, and across the Kali Gandaki are the peaks of the Annapurna range and the seemingly omnipresent Nilgiris. Enjoy a picnic lunch at this most scenic of places and maybe come across a Yak herder and his Yaks too, which are sadly no longer a common sight in this part of Nepal. You then continue and descend to the small lake of Bhuttacjar, then back down to the valley floor, with a final ascent back up to Thasang.

Tatopani downhill & hot springs

Day 7 in Tatopani

Back on the bikes, today begins with a fast and furious descent down to the valley floor past small villages. Eventually after 4-5 hours riding you reach Tatopani in time to visit the hot springs before supper: after today’s bumpy descent your arms may need some soothing, and it’s a good way of getting the Kali Gandaki dust off too.

Tatopani - Galeshwor & Kali Gandaki rafting

Day 8 in Galeshwor

You pass through sub-tropical villages that are a far cry from the high and barren landscapes of Mustang just a few days ago. You’ll descend down undulating 4WD tracks to the small town of Galeshwor. This is where the biking ends and you’ll continue by jeep to begin your rafting expedition down the Kali Gandaki River.

After 3.5hrs of rafting you reach a sandy riverside shore to camp for the night surrounded by jungle clad hillsides.

Kali Gandaki rafting

Day 9 in Galeshwor

You'll raft for around 5-6hrs with plenty of gentle, non-whitewater paddling so you can keep a close eye out for the colourful birdlife that can be seen along the river, along with the occasional village and varied wildlife. Once again you camp wild on the shores of the Kali Gandaki River.

Rafting & transfer to Pokhara

Day 10 in Pokhara

Around 2-3hrs more rafting and you reach the road. The road traffic after all this time off the grid may come as a bit of a shock! You now journey to Pokhara by road, which should take around 5 hours and remind yourself what it’s like to sleep in a soft bed.

Pokhara - Kathmandu

Day 11 in Kathmandu

A short private transfer to Pokhara Airport for the 25min flight back to Kathmandu. A private transfer will take you from the airport back to the KGH Hotel, or to your onward connection.