Nepal: Ride through the Realm of Gods

During the next two months, the Vintage Rides tour leaders - Laurige, Dinesh, Ravi and Robin will guide you to discover this mystical country through exceptional Royal Enfield journeys. This year, Benoit will also be on-site to welcome you, organize your trip, and gather your impressions after the tour! So for those of you who are not part of the adventure yet, sign up now for the second part of the October/November season!

A small Himalaya land

Nepal is a legendary country which lies between two giants: China to the North, and India to the South. It is a mythical junction on the Silk and Salt Road, the place where Buddha was born, and where today a multitude of religions (mostly Buddhism and Hinduism) and ethnic groups live together. In addition to its huge cultural wealth, Nepal is home to eight out of the ten highest peaks in the world, including the well-known Mt Everest which culminates at 8.850m (29.035 ft) above sea level. Riding your bike, surrounded by these impressive peaks is a surreal experience. Between the mountainous area in the north and the Terai jungle in the south, the country enjoys a great variety of climates and therefore is home to a rich and diverse wildlife. During a safari arranged through us, you will have the chance to gaze at rhinos, elephants, monkeys, crocodiles, leopards, bears, and maybe the famous Bengal tiger in Chitwan National Park (one of the nine national parks and three nature reserves in the country).

Discover the Nepalese culture

From Kathmandu to Pokhara, you will cross picturesque mountain villages connected by hundreds of trails that have been used for centuries and remain unaltered. On the road you will see stupas (buddhist structures), chorten (tibetan stupas), walls of mani (rocks carved with tibetan buddhist mantras), and gompa (tibetan monasteries). You will also taste the Newa cuisine (the Newars were the first inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley) and enjoy a daal bhaat tarkari (soup of lentils, rice and vegetable curry), some chapati (indian bread), a dahi (yogurt) or a papad (thin fried and crunchy pancake with lentil flour). Once in Pokhara, you will admire the purity of the Annapurna peaks reflecting off of Lake Phewa.

Mustang: The Legendary Expedition

Mustang was called “The Forbidden Kingdom” for many years because, until recently, its access was closed to all foreigners. It is an ancient kingdom with a valley that forms one of the most vertiginous gorges and among the deepest in the world. Vintage Rides prepared a very demanding itinerary in this region from Pokhara to Jarkot. With rough trails and mountains peaking above 8.000m (26.000 ft), everything is here for an exceptional Royal Enfield trip. Surrounded by Tibet, whose influence can be sensed everywhere, and protected by Himalayan giants, Mustang is a genuine adventure land for bikers. From passes to canyons, the riders and their bikes will be put to the test to overcome each stage. At the end of the journey, at more than 3.500 m (11.500 ft) above sea level, you will have the privilege to admire the ancient kingdom in a majestic mineral scenery.

Join the Vintage Rides adventure in Nepal

Benoit joined the Vintage Rides team last year. He arrived in Kathmandu this week and will stay there until the end of the first part of the season in May to welcome our riders, organize the trips with the tour leaders and check our bikes, assuring that everything runs as smoothly as possible. He has lived in the US, China, New Zealand and Australia but to him, Nepal is an easy choice: “If you like mountains, wide-open spaces, and the mystical aura conveyed by Hinduism and Buddhism, Nepal is the perfect country for you!” You can contact Benoit and all the travel advising team to get more information about our Nepal motorcycle trips and embark on the adventure! So, what are you waiting for?

KEY ELEMENTS: Capital: Kathmandu Official language: Nepali Currency: Nepalese rupee ($ 1 us = 104 rupees) Religion: Hinduism (80%) Area: Around 147 181 km² (UK = 241 930 km²) Population: 27 800 000 inhabitants GMT/UTC: + 5h45