Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1: Kathmandu (24 km/3-4 hours): Start from the nerve center of old Kathmandu, and wind your way up to holy Swayambhu, otherwise known as the monkey temple. And then ride up and over the valley perimeter, reentering Thamel from the northwest corner through terraced farmland and hamlets forgotten by time.

Day 2: Bhaktapur (30 km/4-5 hours): Begin at Thimi or the restored capital of Bhaktapur, and head up the winding road to Changu Narayan Temple and return via farming villages. Then head down to Pashupati along the bank of the Bagmati river, arguably the most famous temple in Nepal, and finish up at Boudhanath stupa.

Day 3: Patan (51 km/8-9 hours): Start in Patan, winding your way through the labyrinth of lanes with painstakingly-carved windows, taking in historical sites such as the Golden Temple, Krishna Temple and Patan Durbar Square. Then head southeast over the Valley circumference to Panauti along a difficult off-road trail. Then return to Kathmandu via a paved road. A word of caution: this route is demanding and should only be undertaken by physically fit and experienced bikers.

Other outlying places popular with mountain bike enthusiasts are Nagarjun, Nage Gompa, Tokha, Ichangu Narayan, Gomcha, Bungamati, Kakani, Dhulikhel and Nagarkot.