Today we have an early start and transfer out of town to the start of one of the most (in)famous trails in and around the Kathmandu valley, the Scar Route. The trails starts in Kakani, an excellent place to have the first real views of the Himalayan Range, on a clear day from here the mountains seem super close and huge. We climb for about half an hour from Kakani and enter the Shivapuri National Park.

The Shivapuri National Park lies in the transition zone between subtropical and temperate zone. The vegetation consists of a variety of natural forest types including pine, oak, and rhododendron, depending on altitude and aspect. Recorded wildlife in the park includes Himalayan black bear, leopard, jungle cat, deer, and rhesus monkey. It is also home to an amazing 177 species of birds, including 9 threatened species.

Once inside the park we really start the single trail, it climbs for the first 4km but then becomes a fast technical downhill on a skinny jungle trail for the next 4 km. We then join a small jeep trail contouring around the park boundary to Danda Gaun and another few km on a fast road down to Buddhanilkantha where we will have lunch.

In the afternoon we again shuttle up to the start of one of the best trails close to Kathmandu, the Helipad trail. The trail follows a great little ridgeline all the way into town. The ride is not super technical but will keep you interested all the way, we ride all the way to the big Stupa at Boudhanath before heading back our hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Manaslu
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The scar route © Chris Reichel

Today after another early breakfast, we’ll load our bikes and gear and transfer to the Nagarkot a village on the eastern side of the Kathmandu valley rim at around 2000m. Overlooking not only the Kathmandu valley but with great views of the might Himalayas to the north on clear days.

Nagarkot is home to the Asian Enduro series and we will have a great day riding these epic single trails. We will get as many shuttles in the day as possible and keep shredding all day.

Tonight we will stay up in Nargakot, so that you can experience the sunset and sunrise over the Himalayas but also so that we can have another downhill all the way into Kathmandu tomorrow.

Accommodation: Club Himalaya
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Impressed kids © Dan Barham

Nagarkot is a great place to get a stunning view of the Himalayan peaks, so get up early and have a look at the view before breakfast. After breakfast, we set out on a mixture of single trails and jeep trails down the hill to Changunaryan temple, perched on a ridgetop with views to the Himalayas if the weather is with you.

From here we continue riding through the valley towards Kathmandu, on a mix of single trails, jeep trails, and some tarmac roads. The single trails take us through some of the remaining farmland around Bhaktapur, where we see a lot of vegetables in the fields. This is the food bowl of Kathmandu and it is a joy to ride through. Once we get to the outskirts of Kathmandu we will load up the bikes and transfer them to your hotel in a vehicle.

Accommodation: Hotel Manaslu
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Downhill into the valley © Dan Barham

Today is the final ride but it will be a big one, we will head to the highest peak on the Kathmandu Valley Rim, Pulchowki, a whopping 2760m above sea level. We jeep all the way to the top, from where there is an amazing view of the Kathmandu valley and the mountains beyond.

Our first couple of kilometers down is a warm-up on the jeep trail back down the way we came up but before long we get onto a very small contouring single trail. This trail joins a larger one coming straight down from the peak and we now have a great downhill before reaching the more level ridgeline below. Here we have a mix of single trail and jeep trail for a few kilometres before we take a very exciting downhill single trail into the valley way below.

Once down in the valley again we have numerous options for single trails towards town and, once again, we will load up the bikes from the edge of town and transfer them to your hotel.

Accommodation: Hotel Manaslu
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Another thrill © Dan Barham

Prepare and pack your bikes this morning. Exchange ‘tall’ stories of awesome climbs and heart-stopping descents. If your flight is later in the day, there is time for some last-minute sightseeing and shopping before your flight back home. Just ask us for directions or any suggestions we can give for this day.

Accommodation: None
Meals included: Breakfast