india to nepal, please advise a newbie!

Hi, my name is Laura and I'm planning a 'gap' year, now that I've graduated from University.

I am interested in cycling from India into Nepal. Having Googled all day I have only really found a route from New Delhi to Kathmandu.

Does anyone have any advice or experience, or even ideas of a bike route lasting about 2-3 weeks? Unlike most of you guys I don't have touring experience, and would prefer to do a medium intensity ride, without missing out on any sites that need visiting along the way.

I understand that a ride of this length would require alot of preparation and training.

Any advice you could give would be most appreciated! Thanks

Hi,
Not sure whether you got any further with planning this trip, but if its of any interest I'm heading out to India soon to cycle from Manali up to Ladakh and maybe spend some time cycling through Spiti. Would be looking to hook up with other cyclists en route for some moral support!

Steve (UK)

hi steve,
haven't done much planning yet, but i wont be out there till end of the year 2010 - guess you will have been and gone by then? would be good to meet other cyclists though. good luck with your planning and have a great time in india!

I've backpacked that exact route, so I guess I might be able to help.

I'll start off by saying I wouldn't cycle this route. It's a heavy backpacking route and it's mayhem basically. I can't remember the scenery being that interesting either.

One thing the route has got going for it though is the whole Agra, Taj Mahal, Amber Fort, Varanasi thing. There's some good attractions along the way and as with all of India, you'll never be bored.

Actually, the more I think of it, the more I think "why bother?" There's a million other places I'd rather ride a bike lol

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THYLACINE CUSTOM CYCLES <click for info • " I love how people quote a work of fiction like it's the bible." - Anonymous

There's probably quite a few organised Tours available. I know there were quite a few that were organized in England about a decade ago that'd take crazy routes around Nepal up some insane mountain ascents that were geared for someone who was hardcore into mountain bikes. There were a few easier trips too. The 'odd' thing was that they said they'd have guys with guns accompany the riders... Nice!

Personally, if I was a just graduated from Uni gal, I'd shy away from somewhere that you'd bring a nice randsom... If you must end up providing some 'adult entertainment' against your will, I hear that Tijuana pays better and has less chance of death than New Delhi, Janakpur or Kathmandu...

I'd rather take a tour through South America, the Alps or even just taking a trek across from the Rockies in Colorado, through Moab and down through the Grand Canyon towards Vegas... after a few nights of debauchery, head up through Death Valley and up through the Sierras uptowards Kings Canyon and Yosemite...

Thylo - I know Australia has got a million miles of outback - but are there any really interesting places to go treking/riding?

I'm not the expert here because I've only just MTB'd within Victoria, but I know there is the Tassie Trail which goes the length of Tassie (bbp has done it, looks awesome - but its an MTB trail), as is the Mawson Trail, which is nearly 600kms long and starts in Adelaide.

This is a good thread on longer rides in Oz. Might be worth getting in contact with Audax, too.

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THYLACINE CUSTOM CYCLES <click for info • " I love how people quote a work of fiction like it's the bible." - Anonymous

Thanks. I'll save that info just incase I ever get chance to use it...