Himalayas II: Riding In Nepal
- Thread starter FB666Y
- Start date
Thanks - the temperature was somewhat cold - I think it got to 16 or 17 Celsius in the evening. For someone from the tropics thats practically freezing.
Just myself and the significant other. The bike was fine - I had 2 punctures on the first day, but nothing else after that.
The roads - well ... the major highways were pretty ok. You do get sections where its just rocks, but outside of the major highways expect rocks, lots of them.
So named after Siddharta Gautama (better known as Buddha) who was born (at the end of the road at Lumbini) and lived hereabouts, it joins India in the south and goes up north to Pohkara. The scenery is dramatic as the road winds its way through mountains and cliffs. We had a detour in Tansen and managed a walk in the woods.
The Tribhuvan winds its serpentine way for 120km from Hetauda to Naubise where it joins the Prithvi Highway.
It is an amazing road that meanders along rice fields and wheat fields, through gorges and along precipitous mountains.
The road is one-laned, narrow and broken in many places, and a lot of the surface is rippled and bumpy. The going was slow, but the scenery was breathtaking.
It is an amazing road that meanders along rice fields and wheat fields, through gorges and along precipitous mountains.
The road is one-laned, narrow and broken in many places, and a lot of the surface is rippled and bumpy. The going was slow, but the scenery was breathtaking.
FB666Y, amazing pictures !!!! What about the PULSAR, how many cc's, where built ??? How did she perform, many breakdowns ?? How's servicing in Nepal for this one, where to rent ? I am asking because I also intend to return to this marvellous country after 10 years absence. Prices, Conditions ?? Can I still get useable riding gear in Kath ? Sorry i ask you questions but I have a deep admiration for this country and its people since 20 years..........and go back there in 2009 for some rough riding.
I like the one picture where the Ama Dablam is reddish at evening time, also the one of Anapurna & Dhaulaghiri range, marvellous !!!!
I'm sure you enjoyed the paragliding in Pokhara !!!! Cheers & keep them beautiful pictures comin'!!! Franz
I like the one picture where the Ama Dablam is reddish at evening time, also the one of Anapurna & Dhaulaghiri range, marvellous !!!!
I'm sure you enjoyed the paragliding in Pokhara !!!! Cheers & keep them beautiful pictures comin'!!! Franz
I had an idea you might be interested in Nepal, considering what a fan of Ladakh you are.
To answer your questions:
The Pulsar was great - didnt break down, had 2 punctures but luckily I managed to ride to the local puncture-wallah. She was the 150cc DTS-i for 500 Nepali rupees perday (that will be about 7 or 8 us dollars), had 7K on the meter, and I managed to add slightly under 900km on it. I rented her in Chattrapati junction in Thamel.
Most of the bikes are Indian built Pulsar and Hero Hondas. There's also quite a bit of Chinese made motorcycles humming about.
Plenty of shops in Thamel renting motorbikes - you can even find Bullets if you look hard enough.
As for servicing on the road, we never really had a problem, most towns usually have motorbike shops dealing with punctures, oil changes and the like, and the Pulsar is a pretty common enough bike not to pose any problems with the local mechanics.
As for gear there's literally hundreds of shops selling knocked-off North Face gear. Im sure all that will keep you warm and dry, but I didnt see any proper motorcycle gear.
Para-gliding was amazing. A bit steep though - US100 for half hour.
You are more familiar with the mountain ranges than I am. The views from Daman along the Tribhuvan were amazing.
FB666Y, many thanks for the information, Royal Enfield............hmmmm...........I think I forget about the Pulsar, had one of these legkicking beasts when in India 20 years ago, will go for just that one. When do you do the next epic trip to either Nepal or India ? Cheers, Franz
Well,
I heard it was possible - buts thats what the travel agent (hoping to make money off of me) was saying.
Personally it'll be quite a challenge - for starters you will need your passport, so you have to convince the rental shop to return their only collateral. Secondly you actually have to get into Tibet. Thirdly Lhasa is about 250km away from the border on very bad dirt roads. Add in high passes at 3 to 4km above sea level, you can factor in AMS. Once in Lhasa, provided you managed all the obstacles, you will the unenviable task of returning by the same roads!
My advice would be to put Tibet on the backburner for a coule of years - until the political situation improves and China loosens up a bit. In the meantime there's India with its endless possibilities. You can also have a look at China's north western regions (thats what I will be looking at anyways) - Taklaman Deserts, its borders with the Stans and the Silk route.
Well,
I heard it was possible - buts thats what the travel agent (hoping to make money off of me) was saying.
Personally it'll be quite a challenge - for starters you will need your passport, so you have to convince the rental shop to return their only collateral. Secondly you actually have to get into Tibet. Thirdly Lhasa is about 250km away from the border on very bad dirt roads. Add in high passes at 3 to 4km above sea level, you can factor in AMS. Once in Lhasa, provided you managed all the obstacles, you will the unenviable task of returning by the same roads!
My advice would be to put Tibet on the backburner for a coule of years - until the political situation improves and China loosens up a bit. In the meantime there's India with its endless possibilities. You can also have a look at China's north western regions (thats what I will be looking at anyways) - Taklaman Deserts, its borders with the Stans and the Silk route.
great info! any plans to do tibet anytime soon?
heard from a friend who just went to tibet, that the roads are damm fantastic there
I happen to use the Panasonic Lumix FZ5, a bit outdated at the moment, buts works brilliantly. A review of the camera can be had here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz5/page4.asp
FB666Y,
Great shots and report. Nice one.
Have you guys checked out the Himalayan Roadrunners. Rob's been doing tours up there for many years on Enfileds, including the worlds highest motorable pass at over 18,000 ft. Some real adventures there. Must be a great country to tour.
Great shots and report. Nice one.
Have you guys checked out the Himalayan Roadrunners. Rob's been doing tours up there for many years on Enfileds, including the worlds highest motorable pass at over 18,000 ft. Some real adventures there. Must be a great country to tour.