Nepal ride – tips and recommendations

I’m sharing some tips that may be useful if you plan to cycle across Nepal.

1. It was the end of summer in Nepal in May 2022 when I completed this journey, and it was hot, especially in the Terai lowland region. There were pre-monsoon showers on a couple of evenings too. I’m told that the months of October and November are ideal for cycling or travelling in Nepal due to the pleasant weather.

2. Start as early as possible.

3. Contrary to what I was told, Nepali vehicle drivers, whether on large trucks or two-wheelers, are exceedingly courteous to cyclists. They will slow down until you move to the side of the road, and you will rarely hear them honking.

4. Like in India, in Nepal too, vehicles are driven on the left hand side of the road.

5. I found the state of the majority of the roads quite good and mostly rode on the highways. (I didn’t get off the beaten track though). There wasn’t much vehicular traffic either, except in Kathmandu.

6. From Siliguri through Bardibas and Butwal/Lumbini to Gorakhpur, the landscape is flat.

7. There are two major mountain climbs: one from Bardibas to Sindhuli (25 km) and the other from Waling to Tansen/Palpa (15 km).

8. There are many roadside tyre repair shops along the highway in case of a puncture.

9. Because everyone in Nepal rides MTBs, finding spares, particularly tyres for other types of cycles (roadies or hybrids), will be costly and difficult.

10. Bottled drinking water is sold practically everywhere along the roadway. There are also hand pumps and free public taps. In the higher region, you will find a lot of fresh water springs.

11. I used an Ncell phone sim card, which worked everywhere.

 

These are some of the amazing people I met along the route.

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