ANNAPURNA: NEPAL BIKEPACKING EXPEDITION
The next in our Expedition series sees us head to the Annapurna Region of Nepal, to ride our take on the famed Annapurna Circuit route – a bucket list ride for cyclists and big-mountain-lovers…
Tour Difficulty Rating
Location
Annapurna Region (Nepal)
# Nights
12/13
Distance
300KM
GROUP SIZE
8-16
Join
£2045 (€2355 / $2595)
Big Mountain Passes? Riding in the shadows of 8000m Peaks? Stunning Remote Teahouses? Dal Bhat? Join us in Nepal, on the next of our Pannier Expeditions – bucket-list bikepacking tours in the world’s wilds…
The Annapurna Circuit is considered one of the most challenging bike trips in the world – this expedition takes us to some of the most stunning cycling tracks in Nepal, starting at 700m above sea level, and reaching up to a lofty height of 5416 meters at Thorong-La pass. We will ride a combination of jeep tracks, trails and roads. Hardships aside, you will be rewarded with the fantastic Teahouse infrastructure in the mountains, and the opportunities to get up close and personal with life in these mountain villages.
Our expedition dates are designed to tie in with Tihar – “the festival of lights” – we’ll be in Kathmandu for Laxmi Puja on Friday 01 November 2024:
*CONFIRMED*
First Edition:
31 October – 12 November 2024
Meet:
Central Kathmandu
…for our Pannier Expeditions to ride, we need to reach the minimum group size, at least sixty days before the start date. Post booking, we’ll keep you informed as to numbers until we can confirm the expedition can go ahead. Please don’t book travel until then.
MEET
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to the hotel in Thamel District. This evening we will fill out the necessary paperwork for permits, have a rider briefing and tour overview.
Accommodation: Hotel
20-30KM
Altitude: 1340m
After an early morning breakfast in Kathmandu, we head into the Kathmandu valley to explore some local trails at a leisurely pace. Today is the ideal opportunity to ensure the bikes are working well…
Accommodation: Hotel
Food: Breakfast
Our day starts as early as 6:00 am to catch the bus to Besisahar. The drive takes approximately 6 hours. Upon arrival in Besisahar we will check in to a guest house, and this evening is free to explore the town or head out for a ride in the surrounding hills.
Accommodation: Hotel
Food: Breakfast, Dinner
40KM
Altitude: 1700m
…we follow the Manang – Dumre Jeep Track which hugs the Marsyangdi River upstream. The road becomes steep to bustling Chamche. Soon we see the welcome gate to Manang district, which means we have reached our stop
at the village of Taal…
Accommodation: Guest/Teahouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
25KM
Altitude: 2600m
Today’s ride is a tough one with the majority of it going uphill to our final destination of Chame. The main challenge of the day is the 35-degree ascent through the forest to Timang – it’s a push, and hard going, but after this it is an ace ride into our accommodation…
Accommodation: Guest/Teahouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
35KM
Altitude: 3540m
Today we ride through a steep valley, criss-crossing the river via narrow bridges on a trail to Pisang, where we pedal above 3000m for the first time. From Pisang, the route follows a wide valley that opens up ahead of us as we pass Humde (the highest commercial airport in the world). A cliff
face obscures Manang until were practically upon it and a final steep climb brings us to its prayer wheel lined streets and stunning scenery.
Accommodation: Guest/Teahouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
…a well-deserved rest day in Manang. To help with acclimatisation we will head out for a hike up to Gangapurna Lake, and its surrounding 8000m peaks.
Accommodation: Guest/Teahouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
35KM
Altitude: 3540m
We will feel first-hand the effect of riding at altitude as we pass Manang on a steady climb up to Ghusang at 3900m above sea level. It is then a short distance to Thorong Phedi, but will be slow going at this height.
Accommodation: Guest/Teahouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
25KM
Altitude: 2810m
Today we will be getting up at 4am to take on the Thorong-La Pass (the highest point on the tour). The first dawn 5KM ascent to reach the top of Thorong-La Pass is painfully slow and arduous – it could even be a push and carry for most – in the darkness. After a summit session, we descend down a steep slope to the holy site of Muktinath, and enjoy a super descent to Kagbeni.
Accommodation: Guest/Teahouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
90KM
Altitude: 1190m
Easy-ish riding today as we descend quickly down to the hot spring town of Tatopani. Here we can rest and recover in the hot spring waters, reflecting on the past few days riding…
Accommodation: Guest/Teahouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
25KM
Altitude: 820m
We start early to avoid the heat of the day and ride an undulating route towards the ace city of Pokhara. The road slowly becomes busier and dustier as we get out of the mountains, so we finish the day with a transfer to our accommodation in Pokhara. Evening in Pokhara. Lots of fantastic bars, and eateries there to explore…
Accommodation: Hotel
Food: Breakfast/Lunch
After waking up in Pokhara, we take the bus back to Kathmandu for our final evening social and dinner…
Accommodation: Hotel
Food: Breakfast
Travel to Kathmandu Airport, and head home…
>> Bikepacking Bags
>> Camp Kit (sleeping bag, sleeping mat, inflatable pillow, liner)
Pannier Expeditions will always mean partnering with the finest local guides. In Nepal, it’s Chhimi Urkyen Gurung and his team – one of the pioneers of mountain biking in Nepal. He established the first mountain biking company in 1997 and has over 20 years of experience. He is very active both professionally and socially where he was the president of Nepal Cycling Association from 1995 to 2018 and he is still the Founder and life time President of The Nepal Cycling Association.
>> 11 x days adventure cycling in Annapurna with Pannier & Local Guides
>> 3 x overnights in hotel accommodation – Kathmandu
>> 1 x overnight in hotel accommodation – Pokhara
>> 9 x overnights in guest/teahouses – Annapurna
>> Most meals whilst on tour
>> All listed transfers
>> Pannier.cc tourer pack
>> #coffeeoutside and #teaoutside throughout
>> Travel to/from Kathmandu
>> Visas and vaccinations – required
>> Travel insurance – required
>> Equipment / Sleep Kit Hire
>> Out-of-pocket expenses (alcoholic drinks etc.)
*Please see Trip FAQ/Field Notes for more info, and note about booking travel before a tour is guaranteed*
>> FLY
Nearest Airports: Kathmandu
Join Us
FAQ / Field Notes
Annapurna, Nepal Expedition
Joining instructions >>
This tour starts and ends in Kathmandu, Nepal. There is no set arrival time just yet, but we recommend all bikepackers aim to be there for the afternoon to meet the Pannier team and attend the briefing. A joining itinerary will be sent out to all tourers at least 6 weeks before the tour start date.
There are several flight carriers offering good routes to Kathmandu. Please factor in time at the start of the tour to allow plenty of time to meet the group, and bike/equipment to arrive. Once we know your flight times we can arrange airport transfers to the meet accommodation.
Some flight routes require an overnight stay between connecting flights. If you need to leave the airport you may need a short stay Visa in some countries.
Please do not book non refundable travel before an Expedition has been guaranteed to go ahead [see our general FAQs]
Food & Drink >>
Traditional Nepalese mountain food once on the bikes, and world cuisine in Kathmandu/Pokhara. Vegetarian available.
Accommodation >>
A mix of hotels and guest/teahouses, some of which will require us to have our own sleeping kit.
What to bring >>
(We’ll be in touch with more details post booking)
Adventure bike (see bike details)
Bikepacking bags
Sleeping bag
A basic personal bike tool kit – inc. patches, tyre lever and tubes / tubeless repair kit
Cycling kit, shoes, helmet, pedals
Off the bike clothes – warm layers for mornings and evenings + clothes for travel days
Warm and Waterproof clothing
Head torch
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Bike details >>
The ideal bike for this tour is a big-volume tyre gravel bike, or XC/hardtail mountain bike. The most important thing to consider is the range of gears on your bike. There are some long and tough ascents and having a low range of gears will help you keep riding…
The Pannier team and local guides will be carrying toolkits and spare parts. Pannier staff are proficient mechanics and will be on hand to help build, fix and dismantle bikes if needed. We will insist on a few spare parts specific for your bike, and recommend you bring some basic spares with you , as once out of Kathmandu there are no bike shops. We’ll be in touch about this post-booking.
Bike boxes and extra equipment can be left at the hotel in Kathmandu for the duration of the tour.
General information >>
Visas
Visas are available on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport and at some land borders. To obtain a visa upon arrival by air in Nepal you must fill in an application form on arrival and provide a passport photograph. A single-entry visa valid for 15, 30 or 90 days costs US$25, 40 or 100. At Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan Airport the fee is payable in any major currency. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months when you submit your application for a visa.
Vaccinations:
Changeable. Check Government recommendations. We’ll be in touch about this post-booking.
Passport:
You will need a passport that is valid for a minimum of six months beyond the start date of your tour.
Climate/Weather:
We’ll be in touch about this post-booking.
Money:
Nepalese Rupee / US Dollar
Local Time:
Nepal is GMT+5:45
Health and fitness:
Whilst the distances aren’t a challenge, the terrain and altitude can be at several points. This tour is physically demanding and requires a good level of fitness to complete. Please read through the itinerary and make sure you are capable of completing the outlined distances and elevation before signing up.
Please make us aware of any ongoing injuries or health issues before traveling with us. This information will be requested before departure as it is vital we know of anything before heading to remote areas.