Mountain biking is an amazing activity that every adventurous person loves. It has amazing health benefits and it burns one’s adrenaline. The Himalayas are one such destination that can offer adventurous spirits a lot of activities such as mountain climbing, rock climbing, trekking, paragliding, and the one, mountain biking. The beautiful mountain ranges offer some of the most adrenalin pumping trails that every mountain biker loves.
The sweet downhills and challenging uphills are the reason why adrenaline junkies love to visit the Himalayas. And for that reason, we are going to tell you about the best mountain biking trails on the Himalayas.
Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu lays deep in between Shivapuri, Nagarjuna, Chandragiri, Champa Devi, Jamacho, and the Pulchowki valley. It lies just on the periphery of the capital of Nepal, surrounded by traditional villages which are inhabited by the Newari people who are traditional farmers. The Kathmandu Valley is mostly regarded as the best mountain biking trail in this region, and it starts from the city itself. As the trail leaves the city and goes into the magnificent traditional villages, you will get an early sense of what’s to come.
As you go deeper downhill, you will approach sharp turns where you will have to maneuver along steep downhills in a zig-zag fashion. From here, you connect from one of the many biking trails that start from Kathmandu Valley. Some of the more famous trails are the Mudkhu-Tokha, Scar Road, Jamacho, Nagorkot-Bhaktapur, Patan-Lauri trail, and more. To get more information about Kathmandu Valley trail destinations, visit this website.
Annapurna Circuit
Regarded as one of the most extreme mountain biking destinations that Nepal and the Himalayas have to offer, Annapurna Circuit is even considered the most extreme in the world. This is because the trail mostly consists of biking along the dangerous mountains of the Himalayas. The trail starts nicely through lush greenery and old villages before it connects with barren deserts and harsh landscape. The snowy peaks of the Himalayans can be seen from all directions, as you start to approach them.
The first challenge is to ride past the extreme mountain pass of Thorung La and Tilicho Lake, a lake which is located on very high altitude. The real challenge, however, starts at Beisahar before making an anti-clockwise loop around Annapurna. You will ride past Marshyangdi Valley before crossing the pass Thorung La at an altitude of almost 5,500m! Once you make the top, you will start your descent down to Muktinath. The whole trail is considered dangerous not only for the steep mountain passes and harsh environment but for the high altitude as well.
Jomsom – Muktinath
And the last mountain biking trail is Jomsom – Muktinath. The journey starts at Jomsom, an ancient trading town located in Lower Mustang. The town is surrounded by red and brown hills, courtesy of the age of these hills. These hills are deprived of any trees, which almost seem surreal, making you feel as if you’re biking on Mar’s red surface.
As you make your way to Kali Gandaki river, you can get the chance to witness the amazing scenery that Dhaulagiri, Annapurna 1, Nilgiri, Tukuche, and other Himalayan giants have to offer. Then you make your way towards Muktinath and Marpha. From there you take a very steep ride towards Tatopani, which is a very old and small village known for its hot springs. The final stop of your journey is at Tatopani before making the descent to the “City of Lakes”, geographically more known as the city Pokhara.
