Mountain Biking Jazzmandu

Duration : 9 Days
Start & Finish : Kathmandu
Skill Level :
Fitness Level :
Support : luggage drops, guide, bike & mechanic
Group Size :
Best Time : October to November

Jazzmandu… the name resonates with all that is best of jazz music festivals and that most exotic of settings, Kathmandu!

This tour has been designed to showcase the awesome mountain biking trails of the Kathmandu Valley along with the many other elements of life here that make this such a fascinating and totally addictive place to spend time. We will show you the ancient and exotic, the fun and the funky, the sacred and the mundane elements of life in Kathmandu …we visit World Heritage sites on our bikes, we learn about the age old temples and traditions, the religion, the food and of course the music of this vibrant city and surrounding rural villages nestled inside the Kathmandu Valley.

With awesome adventure and exploration during the day complemented by the blissful sounds of live jazz music in the Valley’s best venues in the evenings, what more could you possibly wish for? Join in for this unforgettable adventure of a lifetime to immerse yourself in biking the trails, exploring the culture and of course…having way too much fun!

 

BRIEF ITINERARY

26th October: Arrive in Kathmandu
27th October: Kathmandu and Kirtipur - Temples, Temples, Temples!
28th October: Kathmandu to Shivapuri Village via Kakani
29th October: Shivapuri Village to Boudha and Jazzmandu headliner
30th October: All day Jazz… Mountains in the morning and then jazz till the late night
31st October: Ride to Nagarkot
1st November: Bhaktapur and onwards to Patan for some Jazz fusion
2nd November: Patan and the “All Star Jazz Finale”…
3rd November: Say goodbye to the Kathmandu Valley and the city of Jazz

 

DETAILED ITINERARY

26th October, Arrive in Kathmandu
We will have your flight details and will be at the airport to welcome you and take you to your hotel on Lazimpath in the heart of modern Kathmandu. The rest of the afternoon is free for just taking in the sights and sounds of this unique and bustling city, getting the feel for its fascinating ancient-modern fusion.

Tonight we’ll treat you to a traditional Newari dinner at one of the capital’s tastiest restaurants (Newars are the original inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley, who built three ancient kingdoms at Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, now all World Heritage Sites) and prepare you for the adventure ahead.

Meals: D
Sleeping: Hotel Manaslu

27th October, Kathmandu and Kirtipur - Temples, Temples, Temples!
There are many ways of seeing Kathmandu. Well, how's this for a great theme? Temples, Temples, Temples! It was once said that in Kathmandu, "There are more temples than houses and more gods than people." This is still relevant today; they're all out there, it's just that you haven't seen them all. We cycle at a leisurely pace, exploring the ancient cities of Kathmandu and Kirtipur by visiting their temples and gods – this day makes a great start to your holiday and a fun way to get to know your mountain bike guide.

Designed to capture the imagery of Kathmandu and Kirtipur since the 15th century till the present, this tour will leave you with the sense of being in living museum. The juxtaposition of old and new architectures, the fascinating ethnic & caste groups, the market places, the temples…we will visit it all on two wheels and in Nepal there is no better way!

We’ll experience Kathmandu Durbar Squares, then head to Kirtipur and climb up to Chowbar, from where we can overlook the whole valley, for lunch. From here we head back in towards the city, to see the Monkey Temple before we head back to the hotel. All day we stick to small lanes and back roads and avoid congested main roads and get to know these incredible cities in a way very few people have the chance to.

Meals: B, L, D
Sleeping: Hotel Manaslu

28th October, Kathmandu to Shivapuri Village via Kakani
Our first real riding and what a day! It has it all…great riding and stunning nature. We start the day by winding our way out of Kathmandu on small lanes, again seeing the Kathmandu that few visitors ever do. Leaving the city behind we ride through small villages and rice fields as we climb up to the valley rim. Here we join the small black-topped road that winds its way up to Kakani, a hill top village at about 2075m with stunning views to the Himalayan Range.

From Kakani we ride into the Shivapuri National Park, which lies in the transition between the subtropical and temperate zones. 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. This little park is also home to an amazing 177 species of birds, including 9 threatened species. Once inside the National Park, we will ride one of Nepal’s most famous single trails! It is a lovely trail which winds its way through the forest around the northern perimeter of the park and it takes us almost all the way to our hillside hotel for the night. Here we can relax and take in the amazing mountain views!

Meals: B, L, D
Sleeping: Shivapuri Village Resort.

29th October, Shivapuri Village to Boudha and Jazzmandu headliner
This morning we continue our ride in the National Park and after the first couple of kilometres we ride on the southern side of the Kathmandu Valley rim and will get amazing views of the valley and the city. For the first few kilometres we warm up on jeep trails before we then turn onto a very small trail which gradually becomes single trail. As we ride along this awesome single trail we have great views down on the Beverly Hills of Kathmandu, Buddhanilkantha.

We climb again on a jeep trail to Nagi Gompa, a Buddhist monastery set high on the Shivapuri Ridge, from where we leave the forest and ride down though a traditional Tamang village. Tamang people are one of Nepal’s Buddhist ethnic groups and their villages are lovely. By mid afternoon we reach Boudha where we will check into our hotel. After a shower we go for a walk to see the huge stupa of Boudhanath and then head out for a great evening of music which will feature the 2010 Jazzmandu headliners.

Meals: B, L, D
Sleeping: Mandala Hotel

30th October, All day Jazz… Mountains in the morning and then jazz till the late night
Early in the morning we head to the airport for a spectacular mountain flight, this is your chance to get up close and personal with the big mountains, including Everest the biggest of them all! By mid morning we will be back at the hotel for breakfast and then might take a short mountain bike ride, close to the hotel and then get back in time to head to the big day out...the Jazz Bazaar at Gokarna which, as the name suggests is blend of cultural folk, classical music from the Subcontinent and of course jazz music performed by international and Nepali musicians. Late in the evening we return to the hotel after a great day of music and mountains.

Meals: B
Sleeping: Mandala Hotel

31st October, Ride to Nagarkot
Today we have a range of options, depending on how you feel after the first few days of riding. We can head back up into the Shivapuri National Park for some good climbing on jeep trails or stick to the single trails in the valley to reach the traditional old town of Sankhu, from where we will climb up to Nagarkot, on the valley rim. We will mix it up according to how the group feels and have a great ride. We will reach Nagarkot by mid afternoon and maybe it is time for a massage in the hotel! Nargarkot is a charming hill town, famous for its incredible views of the Himalayan Range.

Meals: B, L, D
Sleeping: Country Villa

1st November, Bhaktapur and onwards to Patan for some Jazz fusion
This morning you can get up early to catch the stunning sunrise over the Himalayan Range – a simply incredible sight, followed by a great breakfast!

After breakfast, we climb to the very top of the Nagarkot hill and then blast down the jeep track to Bhaktapur and have lunch in this stunningly conserved Newar city. If you don’t wish to cycle you can transfer to Bhaktapur in the car and meet the rest of the group for a great few hours of sightseeing.

After lunch we ride a mixture of single trails and small roads to Patan the 3rd of the ancient cities of the Kathmandu valley. We arrive at our fantastic little guest house in the late afternoon, with time to freshen up before heading to the Patan Palace for a wonderful evening of jazz fusion in the palace garden.

Meals: B, L, D
Sleeping: Hotel Himalaya

2nd November, Patan and the “All Star Jazz Finale”…
After a sleep in, we head out to explore Patan, we give the bikes and our bottoms a rest as we walk around this fascinating old city. Patan is also known as Lalitpur, the city of fine arts. According to legend the founding of Patan dates back to Pre-Christian times. As opposed to the Malla cities of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur that were mainly influenced by the Hindu religion, Patan was for many years a major Buddhist city. It is believed that it was founded in the third century B.C. by the famous Buddhist emperor, Ashoka, who visited the town while on a pilgrimage from Northern India and built four stupas that enclosed the centre of the old town. This would make it the oldest continuing Buddhist town in the world.

After lunch we head back to the hotel on Lazimpath to get ready for the festival finale - The All Star BIG JAM!! Musicians from the different bands play their sets and then later on they all have a huge jam session together, creating high energy music and groovy sounds to dance the night away.

Meals: B, L, D
Sleeping: Hotel Manaslu

3rd November, Say goodbye to the Kathmandu Valley and the city of Jazz
We'll enjoy one last fabulous breakfast together and share a final round of tales about the trip, before we transfer you to the airport, bid farewell and look forward to our paths crossing again…maybe at next year’s Jazzmandu?

 

PRICE
4-5 pax: R11360 per person
6-8 pax: R9600 per person
9+ pax:  R8480 per person

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: R1280

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • Hotels as per itinerary on twin share basis
  • All meals as per itinerary
  • Guide for city sightseeing
  • All entrance fees to sights and national parks
  • Baggage transfers
  • Water during ride
  • Bike guide and mechanics
  • All vehicle transfers in private vehicles
  • Tickets to Jazz concerts
  • And much more…

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

  • International flights
  • Personal travel insurance (we insist all guests must have one with emergency evacuation coverage)
  • Nepal Visa fees
  • Airport taxes
  • Excess baggage charges
  • Additional nights at the beginning or end of trip
  • Optional activities and sightseeing tours
  • Personal items such as laundry, soft drinks and bar bills
  • Tips