15 Day Itinerary

Day 1 Kathmandu 1400m

Welcome to Nepal! Your journey begins at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport where you will be met by a member of the Ride Nepal Team and driven to the hotel. You will have the rest of the day . Overnight for your leisure, meeting for dinner in the evening with the rest of the group and your guides for the tour. Hotel accommodation 3*

Day 2 Kathmandu 1400m

Today we will assist you with the necessary paperwork to obtain your Tibet Visa and necessary permits. The rest of the day is at your leisure. Overnight at Hotel Manaslu (or similar).

Day 3 Dhulikhel 1850m

30km We leave Kathmandu excited to start our journey to one of the difficult places to access on earth, the roof of the world. Our first stop is Dhulikhel, just a stone’s throw from Kathmandu, today’s ride will familiarise you with the Nepali roads and riding style. It will be a relaxed start to the morning, leaving mid-morning and arriving by lunchtime. The rest of the day can be spent relaxing and enjoying some views of the Himalayas from your hotel. 

Day 4 Ghati 1450m

124km Heading north we follow the Sun Koshi River on narrow mountain roads. Ghati is the last stop in Nepal on our approach to the borderlands between Nepal and China. There are many beautiful scenic spots along the way, it is a spectacular ride through the heart of the Himalayas.

Overnight in Ghati.

Day 5 Nyalam 3700m

66km Today we cross over from Nepal into the Tibetan Autonomous region of China. It will be a short ride to the border where we will go through the standard checking procedures of our visas, permits etc. And then a short but epic ride to Nyalam where we will stay overnight.

Day 6 Lhatse 4000m

292km Today we traverse a very small section of the vast and pristine Tibetan plateau. The high altitude desert is home to nomadic Tibetan Yak Herders, Traders, Buddhists and now some Han (Chinese). 

Overnight in Lhatse.

Day 7 Shigatse 3737m

154km We ride to Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet and the world’s third highest city. If road and weather conditions are normal we should arrive well in time to explore the city. Shigatse is home to a famous monastery, Tashilhunpo. Monks chant Buddhist prayers morning and evening, prayer flags flutter in the wind and bells ring out to the heavens. This monastery is special because it also houses the largest gold gilded bronze buddha statue in the world. 
Overnight in Shigatse. 

Day 8 Lhasa 3600m

271km This morning we ride to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Following the Brahmaputra river and the main highway we arrive mid-afternoon at the Hotel.

Day 9 Lhasa

Start today’s Lhasa exploration with an exciting visit to the iconic Potala Palace, regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. In addition, you will also visit Jokhang Temple which is considered to be the temple where the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism lies. The last site of the day will be the famous Sera Monastery where you will have the opportunity to observe monks debating in a courtyard as they have done for hundreds of years.

Day 10 Gyantse 4020m

268km We will leave the hotel after breakfast and ride to Gyantse. Along the way we will admire the sacred Yamdrok Lake located at an altitude of 4400m, covering over 360 square kilometers.  And to top it off we also pass by Karola glacier (5045m) 

Day 11 Shegar 4325m

313km We take the main highway from Gyantse, riding out of the historic town past it’s iconic Gyantse Dzong, a great starting point. The ride through the Tibetan highlands continues to inspire awe at it’s unique beauty.

Day 12 EBC – Old Tingri 5000m

108km + We start our early morning ascent passing through old Tibetan villages. We continue to the Gyawu-La pass (5198 m) from where you can see a large stretch of the Himalayas, including Mt. Makalu (8463m), Mt. Lyou chotse (8561 m), Mt. Everest (8844 m) and Mt. Cho Oyu (8201 m) towering over the barren landscape. From the pass we ride down 48 switchbacks and continue to Rongbuk Monastery (5000m), the highest monastery in the world, just 7km from Everest Base Camp. From here Mt. Everest is in full view, standing at 8848m. After spending some time gazing at the tallest mountain on earth we will make an informed decision whether to stay overnight at Rongbuk Monastery or to ride back to lower ground and stay over in Old Tingri at the Snow Leopard Hotel. This decision will be taken by the guides based on the weather conditions and health of the whole group.

Day 13 Nyalam

Today we return to Nyalam.

Day 14 Kathmandu 1400m

160km We cross the China-Nepal border and ride back to Kathmandu triumphant after completing the momentous Trans-Himalayan journey. Carrying memories of Tibetan hospitality and warmth, as well as the thrilling ride traversing the roof of the world and encountering the world’s tallest mountain. 

Day 15 Departure

You will be transferred back to Tribhuvan International Airport in time for your onward flight. Time to say farewell to the magical Himalayas, we hope to meet you again! Our trips are highly addictive, you have been warned