Leaving behind the highways and fumes, and leading you to a side of the country that most tourists will never see, the rural tracks in Nepal seem to be made for mountain biking. While serious bikers bring their own wheels, there are also several companies in Kathmandu that hire out quality bikes and arrange tours. It is a scene that is fast emerging - while the completion of the road from Jomson along the Annapurna circuit has trekkers mourning, mountain bikers are rejoicing over this thrilling new route.
There are many ways to tailor your route, combining cultural sites with mountain views on a mix of single tracks and jeep trails. Dawn till Dusk and Himalayan Single Track are two Kathmandu-based companies that can offer good advice for off-road trails.
Any mountain-bike odyssey across Nepal will have a lot of uphill sections, so you will need to be a fairly experienced rider with good fitness levels.
