Mountain Bike Tour from Lhasa via Everest BC to Kathmandu

Home > Viaje en Bicicleta de Montaña por el Tíbet

25 Days Private Tour Lhasa – Chushur - Kampala - Baidi - Karola - Longma - Yamdrok – Gyantse – Shigatse – Jiding - Youlongla - Lhatse – Gyatsola - Shegar - Pang La - Rongbuk / Everest – Old Tingri - Mengbu - Borong - Paiku Tso - Kyirong - Kathmandu

No doubt, this mountain bike travel across the roof of the world should be a lifetime challenge, and it will be also a feast of culture and nature. It links two of the world's most exotic capital cities – Lhasa (3650 m), Tibet Autonomous Region, China and Kathmandu (1370 m), Nepal.

We will begin this odyssey after three nights in Lhasa, which will enable us to acclimate and discover the highlights of Lhasa. Crystal holy lakes, spectacular glaciers, high snow mountains, legendary monasteries and beautiful villages line our route as we bike southwestward along the China Nepal Friendship Highway to the towering Himalayan Range. Negotiating several passes over 5000 m, camping alongside nomads and their families, gazing at the peak of Everest (8844.43 m), crossing the great mountain world of Himalaya, we’ll gain enriching experience!

At last, an unforgettable descent will bring us from the rocky Tibetan Plateau down into the lush green land of Nepal.

Highlights

Itinerary

Itinerary
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DAY
1

Arrive in Lhasa

Welcome in Tibet – the roof of the world

Today arrive in Lhasa (3650 m), the capital of Tibet, transfer to hotel. Stay at the hotel for adapting to the high altitude. It is helpful to take things easy for the first few days, and try to drink some water.

Overnight at 3*Yak Hotel

Barkhor Street

DAY
2

Lhasa

Potala Palace – landmark of Lhasa, Jokhang and Barkhor Street

Today short biking in Lhasa for acclimatization. In the morning visit Potala that was originally constructed in 637 by Songtsen Gampo, the first king of the united Tibet, and later expanded and served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas as well as the religious-political nexus of traditional Tibet. The crowds of pilgrims, innumerable magnificent murals, Buddhist statues, scriptures and rare treasures altogether create a dense religious and art atmosphere that impresses every visitor. In the afternoon visit Jokhang Monastery, the center of the Tibetan Buddhism and the sacred land of Buddhist followers where thousands of pilgrims come for worship everyday. The temple, built in 647, is the earliest wood-and-masonry structure still existing in Tibet. Walk on the Barkhor street surrounding Jokhang, a big free market with its prolific stalls for selling local specialties.

Overnight at 3*Yak Hotel

Breakfast

Potala Palace

DAY
3

Lhasa

Panoramic view over Potala, Norbulingka, Debate in Sera

Biking and sightseeing in the city Lhasa and its suburb. In the morning visit Parla Lupu Cave Monastery, located on the slopes of Yaowang Mountain, was built in the 7th century. It is 22m high and from here you can have a wonderful panoramic view over Potala palace. Afterwards visit Norbulinka, the summer residence of the Dalai Lamas. In the afternoon visit Sera Monastery, which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. It is also one of the six master monasteries of the Gelugpa. As rose are planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 lamas live here. You have the opportunity to experience the famous monks' "Buddhism scriptures debates". Public religious debates are part of the education of monks.

15 km, 4 hours
Overnight at 3*Yak Hotel

Breakfast

Debate in Sera Monastery

DAY
4

Bike Lhasa (3650m) – Chushur (3590m)

Tibetan Buddhist College, Nyetang Stone Buddha

Bike through high and low valley to Chushur County. On the way pass by Tibet Buddhist College and the Buddha sculpture of Nyetang Monastery.

60 km, 6 hours
Height difference 120 meters
Overnight at Tianwaitian Hongyu Hotel

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Yarlung Tsangpo Valley

DAY
5

Bike Chushur (3590m) - Baidi (4460m)

Kampala Pass, Yamdrok Lake

Start from Chushur and turn left to Chushur Bridge. After passing through the bridge, start from Zero Milestone. After turning right and biking about 10 kilometers on gentle slope, you will bike uphill to Gamba Zebo Village and take a rest here. And then continue to bike uphill about 23 kilometers to reach Kampala Pass. With the elevation up to 1200 meters, the section of the road is very steep. You can overlook Yamdrok at observation platform that is the most classic place to take photo. Later bike down about 10 kilometers to lakeside. The landscape along the ups and downs road along the lake is very beautiful. In the evening arrive at Baidi.

70 km, 6 hours
Height difference 1400 meters
Camping

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Yamdrok Lake

DAY
6

Bike Baidi – Nagarze (4500m) - Karola (5110m) - Longma Village (4400m)

Karola Glacier

Bike from Baidi to Nagarze County along the lake. Bike about 18 kilometers to the foot of Karola and then bike uphill. The road is gradually steep and continue biking 13 kilometers to Karola Pass. On the way, you can watch Noijin Kangsang Peak, one of the four Tibetan sacred mountains. Pass through Karola Pass and visit Karola Glacier that is one of the three major continental glaciers in Tibet and is the east source of Nianchu River. In the evening arrive at Longma Village.

90 km, 7 hours
Height difference 1100 meters
Camping

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Karola Glacier

DAY
7

Bike Longma - Simila Pass (4345m) - Gyantse (4050m)

Manla Reservoir, Simila Pass, Pelkhor Monastery

Bike downhill on the ups and downs road from Longma Village to Manla Reservoir about 10 kilometers. And then bike uphill on a very steep slope about 4 kilometers to Simila Pass (4345 maters above sea level) where you can overlook the Manla Reservoir. After biking on 5-kilometer ups and downs road, you will bike downhill and on flat road about 20 kilometers to Gyantse County. The road is along Niandui River and boasts beautiful landscape and wide vision. Visit Pelkhor Monastery as well as the splendid Kumbum Stupa (100-Thousand-Buddha Pagoda) nearby, both of which were built in the 15th century and situated in the northwestern edge of Gyantse. This typical Tibetan Buddhist monastery is the only one large building complex in Tibet that old monastery and stupas are completely preserved and characterized as a monument. It is recorded that 14,000 kilograms of copper was used to make the 8-meter-high sitting statue of Sakyamuni Buddha housed in the grand hall of the temple. The 8-storey stupa is 42m high and 62m in diameters contains a total of 76 chapels with wonderful murals revered by art scholars around the world.

70 km, 5 hours
Height difference 1100 meters
Overnight at 3*Gyantse Hotel

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Manla Reservoir

DAY
8

Bike Gyantse - Bainang County - Shigatse

Pelkhor with Pagoda Kumbum

Today bike from Gyantse to Shigatse along Nianchu River on flat road.

94 km, 6 hours
Height difference 600 meters
Overnight at 3*Manasarovar Hotel

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Palkhor Monastery

DAY
9

Shigatse

Tashilunpo Monastery and local market

In the morning visit the Tashilunpo, "Mountain of Happiness". Tashilunpo is also one of the six major temples of the Gelug Sect. Shigatse is the seat of the Pantschen Lama. The monastery houses a giant statue of the Maitreya Buddha, the biggest gilded statue of Maitreya (Buddha of the future) in China. And then visit the local market and have a rest.

Overnight 3*Manasarovar Hotel

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Tashilunpo Monastery

DAY
10

Bike Shigatse - Jiding (3910m)

Biking

Today bike from Shigatse to Jiding and all the way is ups and downs with gentle slope.

55 km, 6 hours
Height difference 400 meters
Camping

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Biking

DAY
11

Bike Jiding - Younongla Pass

K5000 Milestone

Firstly, bike ups and downs with gentle slope and bike by the classic K5000 Milestone. Bike uphill about 5 kilometers from K5008 Milestone to K5013 Milestone, the Younongla Pass, and the road is a little steep.

61 km, 6 hours
Height difference 600 meters
Camping

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Monument on National Highway 318

DAY
12

Bike Younongla – Lhatse (4030m) - Gyatsola Pass (5260m)

Gyatsola Pass

Bike downhill on gentle slope about 35 kilometers from Younongla to Lhatse. After 4 kilometers from Lazi County, you can see the intersection of G318 National Highway and G219 National Highway. And then turn left into mountain with the Tingri direction. The elevation begins to rise and bike to Gyatsola Pass about 26 kilometers that is the highest pass on G318 National Highway.

62 km, 8 hours
Height difference 1200 meters
Camping

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Entrance of Qomolangma Nature Reserve

DAY
13

Bike Gyatsola – Baiba (4349m)

Everest appears

Continue downhill slowly. There is a view platform by the road where you can watch Everest if you are lucky. Riding downhill all the way and after biking through Jiacuo Township, you bike about 18 kilometers to Baiba.

81 km, 7 hours
Height difference 1200 meters
Overnight at simple Baiba Hotel

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Biking

DAY
14

Bike Baiba - Everest Entrance - Jawula Pass (5205m) - Tashi Dzong

Jawula Pass, Everest

Biking about 12 kilometers from Pang La, you can enter the mountain road leading to Everest Base Camp and turn left to be the ticket gate soon. Then bike uphill about 20 kilometers to Jawula Pass at 5205 meters above sea level and the slope is not steep but long. At the view platform of the mountain pass, you can take photo and watch enjoy the magnificent landscape: from left to right are Makalu, Lhotse, Everest, Nuptse and Cho Oyu. Then bike downhill about 29 kilometers to Tashi Dzong.

65 km, 7 hours
Height difference 1400 meters
Overnight at guesthouse

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Mountain Himalaya

DAY
15

Bike Tashi Dzong - Paksong - Chhoe Dzong - Rongbuk / Everest

Rongbuk Monastery, sunset on Everest

All the way is asphalt road. There is about 18-kilometer flat road from Tashi Dzong to Chhoe Dzong. Go uphill to Everest Bridge where the second check-in point is. Reach 97 kilometers away from Everest Millstone and reach Rongbuk Monastery. Rongbuk is the largest monastery in this region and was built at the beginning of the 20th century. You can also admire the spectacular sunset on Everest (Qomolangma) in good weather.

49 km, 7 hours
Overnight at simple Rongbuk Guesthouse

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Rongbuk Monstery and Mountain Everest

DAY
16

Bike Rongbuk - Longjiangla Pass - Gangga (Old Tingri, 4350m)

Everest Landscape

All the way is gravel road that is the most difficult section. Accompanied by Everest all the way and the scenery is pleasant.

74 km, 7 hours
Height difference 1000 meters
Overnight at simple Snow Leopard Guesthouse

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Qomolangma

DAY
17

Bike Gangga (Old Tingri) - Mengbu Village (4600m)

Cho Oyu, Everest

Starting from Gangga, you can watch Cho Oyu (8201 m) and Everest. All the way is basically flat road.

61 km, 7 hours
Height difference 800 meters
Camping

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Mountain Cho Oyu

DAY
18

Bike Menbu Village - Road Fork at Borong Village

Turn into Xixiabangma Highway from G318 National Highway

It is gentle slope after biking about 17 kilometers from Menbu Village. With elevation rising, the snow mountains at the both sides are very beautiful. You can see the millstone to Kyirong when you arrive at K5266 Milestone on G318 National Highway. Then turn right into Xixiabangma Highway and all the way is undulating road.

50 km, 7 hours
Camping

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Tibetan Gazelle

DAY
19

Bike Road Fork at Borong Village – Kongtanglamu Pass (5236m) - Kyirong County (4200m)

Paiku Tso and Xixiabangma Mountain

All the way is gentle rough road from Borong Village to Paiku Tso. Have a rest and enjoy Paiku Tso and Xixiabangma Mountain in the distance. Covering an area of 300 square kilometers, Paiku Tso is the largest lake in Shigatse. Locates between three mountains, it is rich in fish. There live various wild animals such as wild horses, wild donkeys and yellow ducks, etc. After passing Paiku Tso, it is an uphill and downhill every few kilometers. After complete passing Paiku Tso, you will bike uphill. Abut 15 kilometers, you will reach Kongtanglamu Pass. In the evening arrive in Kyirong County City.

90 km, 8 hours
Overnight at Raosai Hotel

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Paiku Tso Lake and Mountain Xixiabangma

DAY
20

Bike Kyirong County - Kyirong Town Port (2700 m)

Biking to border

Bike downhill along the Kyirong Tsangpo with elevation descending about 1500 meters, from plateau deserts to high mountain virgin forests to subtropical rain forests. You can experience four seasons a day. Today the tour is very relaxed and the landscape is very beautiful on the way.

70 km, 6 hours
Height difference 1500 meters
Overnight at Kyirong Town Guesthouse

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Kyirong Valley

DAY
21

Bike Kyirong (Rasuwagadi) - Sedang - Dhunche

Farewell to Tibet. Hello Nepal

Say goodbye to colleagues from Tibet and the colleagues from Nepal are waiting for you at the Nepalese border post. After finishing formalities for leaving China, continue cycling to Kathmandu, Nepal. The Tour will be totally downhill on the graveled road. On the way you spend few hours at natural hot water (Tatopani) / local area sightscreen in syabrubesi. The tour will continue to Dhunche with 10 km uphill and off road. Dhunche is head quarter of the Rasuwa drastic. The total journey will be 32 km.

32 km
Height difference 1900 meters
Overnight local lodge

Breakfast

Kyirong

DAY
22

Bike from Dhunche to Trishuli (579 m)

Power House, Durbar Square

You start the day with fixing all the bikes where it’s need to begin the tour. This day you have to peddle about 42 km, some of which are pitched and some of which are graveled only with steep up to sleepy downhill track. The attraction of the day will be power house (trishuli power house), Durbar square, and much more.

40 km
Overnight in local lodge

Breakfast

Kathmandu

DAY
23

Bike from Tirshuli to Kathmandu (1365 m)

Kathmandu

After Early morning breakfast, you will check all mountain bikes to begin the tour. The tour will take around six to seven hour and will be about 72 km to reach the Kathmandu via Bidur, Ranipawa.

72 km
Overnight at 3*Nirvana Garden

Breakfast

Nepal

DAY
24

Kathmandu

Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhnath Stupa and Bhaktapur City

After breakfast full day sightseeing tour of Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhnath Stupa and Bhaktapur City.

Overnight at 3*Nirvana Garden

Breakfast

Kathmandu

DAY
25

Leave Kathmandu

Farewell to Kathmandu

After breakfast have free time until the time of departure to the airport for the flight back home. The tour ends.

Breakfast

Ascetic in Kathmandu

Tailor-make this tour

This trip can also be tailor-made, please let us know your travel idea: travel date, duration, number of travelers, child (2 - 12 years old), baby (0 - 2 years old), other travel destinations, meals, accommodation category, boutique hotel, special interest ...

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Private travel, great experiences! Please contact us for your tailor-made travel offer.

With individual China Tibet travel, you can decide when, where and how you go on tour by yourself. What's more, you can choose the length of travel and whom you go with.

Information

Hotel, program and itinerary are subjected to change with prior notice.
We must point out that you counter a basic tourism infrastructure in this region. You stay overnight mostly at simple hotel/guesthouse omega replica and in tent. Long biking on bad roads, on high altitude and delays require good physical fitness, resilience and flexibility of the participants. Program and route changes due to unforeseen events are expressly reserved. If you desire the unknown and have an understanding of contingency, this is the right trip for you.

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