Ongoing discussions · Nepal

Hey everyone,

I’m planning a motorcycle trip to Nepal (renting a Royal-Enfield in Kathmandu) next April for 4 to 6 weeks. I’m in my sixties, used to self-organized trips, well-prepared with some knowledge of the terrain. Usually, I do this with my buddy Marco, but this year he’s aiming for Réunion while I’m heading to Nepal.

I’ve got a bit of experience (always with a partner), having ridden in Nepal twice before (but this time it’s the West I’m targeting). Once in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (China, so), the Thar Desert in India, and twice in Ladakh—from Pakistan to China via Khardung-La, the world’s highest road (5,600m), with snow-covered passes in August—and last year, Sikkim. That’s my track record—no bragging, just to reassure my future travel partner.

I’m looking for someone because this kind of trip isn’t done solo. I’m sociable, very curious about others, and I travel for the encounters, the immersion in cultures I don’t know, and that feeling of freedom when riding through stunning landscapes, feeling tiny against the vastness around you. I’d like someone who’s traveled before, knows motorcycles, is resilient, curious about others, and respectful of differences. I don’t want to be the guide of this adventure (which I know will be exceptional).

If this person lives in the Paris area, that’ll make planning easier. We’ll need to meet at least a few times. I can also show photos from previous trips.

Total budget: max 4,000 € (Flights, bike, hotels, food, and living expenses!). Bike choice: 500 Bullet or 500 Classic—I’m not a fan of the 450 Himalayan. The first two are tanks with much better ground clearance. Timing: April, with a possible 15-day extension to Bangladesh, which I might do solo or with a partner.

PS. This is really a trip for two, and two bikes. With three or four, it’s a different setup. Alone or as a pair, you can be invited by families or sleep in monasteries and discreetly attend morning prayers—not so much with four. It’s a physically demanding trip, but it’s the journey of a lifetime.

Looking forward to hearing from you

Hi,

We’ll be in Nepal from November 1st to 12th, 2026. We paid for our flight tickets with a Visa Premier card. Is it worth getting additional insurance? And if so, which one would you recommend? Thanks, Guylaine

Hello,

I know there are plenty of discussions on VF about the Poon Hill trek, but most seem outdated and/or don’t provide info specific to February. That’s why I’m bringing this topic back up.

Here’s my plan: - Spending about two weeks in Nepal in the first half of February. - Maybe extending by a few days to a week if needed. - Heading to Pokhara—first time for my partner, second for me (I was there in September/October 1982!). - Doing a relatively easy 4- to 5-day trek. We’re not exactly spring chickens anymore (though we’re in pretty good shape for our age). - We don’t want to go above 3,000–3,500 meters, deal with difficult sections if there’s too much snow, or face daytime temperatures below 10°C. No problem if it drops to 0–5°C at night since we’ll be sheltered somewhere.

So, I’m wondering if the Mardi Himal trek might be too demanding for us, and if we’d be better off sticking with Poon Hill. What do the experts think?

This isn't an ad! Young Nepalis want to learn French cooking! Fancy helping out? You'll be hosted and fed :)) Thanks and maybe see you soon in Nepal.

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what the current road conditions are like around Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Australian Camp? Thanks! Guylaine

Hi everyone! Thanks for welcoming me to the forum :)

I’m preparing for a long trip heading to Nepal, with stops along the way depending on my mood, work needs, and the season. I cycle a lot, but this will be my first big touring adventure. I’d like to camp regularly to keep costs down, so I’ll be riding on all kinds of surfaces: smooth and rough roads, main highways and rocky paths to find my camping spots, flat terrain and the occasional steep slopes.

For my bike model, I’m prioritizing durability, versatility, and repairability. From that perspective, I prefer a steel frame and fork with rim brakes since I’m used to them. I’ve narrowed my choices down to four models:

- The VSF Fahrradmanufaktur T-700 LTD (1400 €): steel frame, aluminum fork, hydraulic rim brakes, 28" wheels, 40mm tires, 36 spokes (2 mm), lightweight rear rack (max 20 kg), no front rack included, smallest gear ratio of 0.72, weight of 13.9 kg.

- The VSF Fahrradmanufaktur TX-400 (2200 €): steel frame and fork, hydraulic rim brakes, 26" wheels, 50mm tires, 36 spokes (2.34 mm), front and rear racks included (40+18 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.71, weight of 15.9 kg.

- The Genesis Tour de Fer 30 (2150 €): steel frame and fork, mechanical disc brakes, 28" wheels, 36 spokes, 40mm tires, front and rear racks included (27+10 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.77, weight of 15.9 kg.

- The Rockrider ADTV 900 from Decathlon (1700 €): aluminum frame and fork, mechanical disc brakes, USB port, 28" wheels, 47mm tires, 28 spokes, front and rear racks included (40+20 kg), smallest gear ratio of 0.71, weight of 17.1 kg. This is the successor to the Riverside Touring 900, which was a hit.

I’ve got a few questions:

1/ Should I go for 26" or 28" wheels for my trip? 26" wheels seem better for rough terrain, but 28" wheels feel more comfortable on roads. I’ve also read that 26" tires/tubes are easier to find.

2/ Do you recommend a steel frame and fork over aluminum? I’m guessing a high-quality aluminum frame and fork would be better than a low-quality steel one, right?

3/ Regarding the smallest gear ratio, is 0.71 a good number for a loaded bike in the mountains?

4/ Finally, what do you think of these four models for my project? My heart leans toward the TX-400—it seems to combine the versatility and robustness I’m looking for. But the price difference with the T-700 LTD is making me think twice!

Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts!

We did the Langtang trek (hike) from September 10th to 17th, with the first and last days being the trip from Kathmandu and back—so 6 days of actual walking. It’s a fairly well-known trek but certainly not as famous or crowded as those in the Annapurna or Everest regions, which is why we chose it.

In theory, it’s mandatory to have a guide for this trek. In reality, it seems there are ways to bypass the regulations: we met at least two people hiking without a guide—a South Korean, a New Zealander, and possibly also a couple of English women and an American couple, though we’re not sure if they had a guide.

The agency we booked with had told us it was an affordable trek for relatively older people in good shape—which is our case (I’m 72 myself). I have to say upfront that we found it quite challenging, maybe because we didn’t have good weather—it was the end of the monsoon season. To be clear, no matter your fitness level, I’d say doing this trek in the middle of the monsoon season would be suicidal.

Day 1 – Journey from Kathmandu to Syapru Besi

On Monday, September 8th, there had been violent protests in Kathmandu against the government, which had, among other things, blocked access to social media and been accused of nepotism and corruption. There were 19 deaths. The situation was very tense on the day of our departure, Wednesday the 10th. The agency warned us that public transport was very unreliable. So, we decided to take a jeep, at an additional cost of $100 ($160 minus what was already budgeted for the bus).

We left a little before 7 a.m. and it took us a good hour just to reach the outskirts of Kathmandu. Along the way, we saw several houses and vehicles set on fire by protesters.

The road to Syapru Besi is only 120 km, but it’s frankly awful. It’s always narrow, winds through endless mountains, and the shoulders range from bad to confusing to nonexistent. Several sections are just dirt tracks. We didn’t regret opting for the jeep, as we could stop several times at our convenience—if only to let Y (my Thai partner) throw up everything she had. She’d taken her usual motion sickness medication, but the constant turns, accelerations, and braking eventually made her terribly carsick.

In Nuwakot, we stopped for breakfast at a nice little restaurant, Jimbu. It was around 8:30 a.m., and we’d barely covered 60 km. The restaurant has a lovely garden overlooking the Trishuli Ganga, the river flowing down from Syapru Besi. First photo: the river in the bottom right corner, mist and clouds over the mountain on the other side.

An hour later, my second photo: the hills along the Trishuli Ganga. You can see the different crops—lush green rice paddies in the lower right and corn, already yellowed and likely harvested, in the foreground on the left. And of course, the mist and clouds through which you can glimpse the mountain on the other side of the river.

Hi everyone!

I’m planning a short visit to Pokhara around mid-February 2027 (it’ll be my 4th time in Nepal 😊, over 40 years!). I’d like to book a room in advance rather than looking when I arrive. I’ve checked a bit on Bxxking.com and see lots of options. I’m used to scoping out the surroundings of places listed, just to avoid ending up in areas that are either unappealing or far from everything.

So, I see quite a few offers around the lake (Lakeside?), but every time I check what it looks like, the streets seem really uninviting. It’s kind of like a construction site with buildings everywhere… Nothing like Bhaktapur (for example) or even Thamel, where the streets seem way more pleasant.

Could anyone give me some advice?

Also, I don’t really get the impression that Pokhara is worth a visit of several days. The lake, sure, but once you’ve seen it—what else is there?

Hello,

I’m interested in the 10-day/8-night "Discover Nepal" tour offered by Capitales Tours, among others. For Day 4, it lists Kathmandu-Mugling-Pokhara as 200 km and 8/9 hours of travel. Is this duration due to the road conditions? I assume the stop in Mugling for lunch is included in the travel time.

For Pokhara-Chitwan, only the distance is mentioned: 160 km. Should I expect a long bus ride there as well?

The proposed flights would be with AIR-INDIA via DELHI. We had issues with AIR-INDIA before—they denied us boarding for Paris even though we arrived at the airport more than 3 hours early. There was no specific counter for PARIS; the counters were for all destinations, and we waited in line for over 2.5 hours only to be told "too late"... Thanks for your advice: Mum49 Is it still like this?

Hi, Does anyone know if the Banbasa border crossing is open on weekends? Thanks