FAQs
✓ Airport pickup in Kathmandu.
✓ Ground transportation to/from airports and hotels during the tour.
✓ Motorcycle rental fees, fuel, and repairs.
✓ Hotel lodging in Kathmandu, single room accommodation (if available).
✓ All multi-course meals while in remote areas.
✓ Two domestic flights within Nepal.
✓ Guides, translators, porters, and support staff.
✓ National Park permits, Conservation Area permits
✓ Half-day cultural tour of Kathmandu.
✗ International airfare to/from Kathmandu.
✗ Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu (breakfast is included at the hotel stay).
✗ Entry fees to UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kathmandu.
✗ Alcoholic beverages and optional meals.
✗ Riding gear (ie. helmet, jacket, pants, boots, etc.)
✗ Any significant damage caused to the motorcycle due to crashes or accidents.
✗ Tips to the Nepali work crew.
✗ International travel insurance, including medical expenses.
This is not a traditional vacation tour; this is a true expedition. We will be staying at quality hotels but the accommodations will not be similar to normal western standards.
Comfort is important to keep us rested and sharp as riders, so our hotel in Kathmandu will offer luxurious accommodations with superb service. We will be traveling through remote parts of Nepal which do not have plush hotels – keep in mind hot water is a luxury that many hotels do not consistently have. Most of the time, you will have the experience of staying in the kind of accommodations locals use.
Not without special permission. The bikes available in Nepal have limited suspension and horsepower. This combined with the rough condition of the roads and often high altitudes make travel with a passenger slow and tedious. Although we travel at lower speeds, a passenger adds an additional challenge.
If you believe you are an expert rider with a passenger in riding conditions up to class 3 unpaved roads and you want to bring a passenger, then you will need schedule a time to talk with Bret directly and get special permission before being accepted onto the expedition.
Our cook crew will make delicious Nepali meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Our cooking crew will also take into account any dietary restrictions or allergies to the best of their ability. Ganga, our head cook, has worked for decades cooking for high-altitude expeditions so he and his team comfortably adhere to Western hygiene and food handling standards. Each meal will include a protein, starch, and vegetable. You will not go hungry!
You will see this on your packing list but to reduce plastic waste, please bring a re-useable contained (ie. Nalgene, Hydroflask, etc.) as filtered drinking water is available.
This question is unanswerable. You are not signing up for a tour where our start/end points are predictable – you are signing up for an expedition. A tour takes you point to point whereas an expedition points in a direction and flows with the changes that unfold as we travel. Weather, mechanical challenges, stopping to visit with locals, riders abilities, illness and a desire to stay an extra day somewhere all make it impossible to set a mileage goal. What we will do is work to limit riding days from five to eight hours total per day, regardless of distance.
There are short days where we will ride up to 100 miles. We will have long days where we will only accomplish 20 miles. It all depends on which roads are open, which roads have unexpectedly closed, what kind of bike issues we’re having (after all, we’re using rented motorcycles), the quality of the roads, and how people are feeling. Some people are more affected by altitude than others; some people are more affected by heat/cold than others.
We are traveling as a group and we will make group decisions. This is not a tour where you will be told where to go and what to do. You will have input on what YOU would like to see and/or do. You might end up where you expect, or you might end up somewhere else. This is an adventure and an adventurous attitude makes all the difference.
Although Nepali regulations state that all riders need a Nepali motorcycle license, it’s unrealistic for foreigners to get one for this trip. You will need to purchase an international drivers license in your home country before the expedition starts.
Motorcycle insurance is not common in Nepal and costs of repairs are comparatively small – certainly less than a deposit you would typically pay in the United States. If you have an accident while the motorcycle is in your care, you will be asked to pay for the repairs – the most expensive penalty we’ve had was $500 USD. All normal wear and tear (ie. flat tires, frame issues, engine problems, etc.) will be handled by our repair crew at no cost to you.
Nepal roads are partially paved, partially graveled, and partially potholed. A pleasant road of rock and dirt may be interrupted unexpectedly by a smooth road before returning to dirt and a stream crossing. Technically we do not ride “off-road” in Nepal; we will be traveling routes that local traffic – including buses – use. In Nepal, they don’t use the phrase “off-road”… they just say “road”.
In the Mustang region, many of the roads are new, so it is a gloriously wide graveled (and in places paved) road with no potholes. The road to get there tackles a few challenging sections – sand, water crossings, etc., but nothing that an an intermediate – or ambitious novice – can’t handle. Be prepared for more sand and dirt than pavement, and revel in the adventure of riding the path less traveled.
Given the rough conditions, we try to keep our mileage and ride times to a minimum. We should never exceed six hours in the saddle and will start our days early to ensure road closures and unforeseen circumstances don’t prolong the day. This is an active adventure and requires a moderate level of fitness for everyone’s safety.
A rider with intermediate skills – or an ambitious novice who is anxious to learn – generally does very well. The terrain will normally range from level 1 to level 3 (ADV Skill Rating System)
All riders are required to have at least one year of licensed motorcycle riding experience, and be comfortable with gravel road riding.
It is also strongly recommended that you get in shape. Even though we try control how many hours you will ride each day, the level of attention needed to manage traffic and roads will add to your fatigue level. We may also be traveling at altitudes higher than you are accustomed to.
Surface conditions throughout the tour will be approximately 40% rock and dirt, 35% gravel, and 25% paved.
All participants must have the strength and endurance to ride a motorcycle off-road for up to six hours a day at high altitude, including reserve energy to assist others when needed. Help is not a phone call away and it will take days to extricate an injured rider.
There will be no modern amenities on this tour, and participants must be prepared. Many nights will be spent in hotels with sporadic electricity (ie. unreliable to charge electronics), no cell service, and no heating or air conditioning.
Visas to enter Nepal may be purchased beforehand at a local consulate or you can purchase yours at the airport on arrival. 30-day visas cost $50 USD (as of this writing).
Before any international trip, you should schedule an appointment with a travel doctor to receive any required vaccinations before travel. Based on your country, age, heath, gender, etc. this may very from rider to rider.
If you decide to travel to Nepal before the official arrival day, we can provide you some guidance with regard to transportation and lodging. We have one full rest day built into our schedule for adjusting to the time change and our first riding day will be a light travel day, knowing many of you will have come from 6-12 times zones away.
No. We will have an expert motorcycle mechanic with us as a sweep rider. They can quickly and easily fix almost anything we might need on the trail, including some impressive engine repairs.
Your gear (limited to 110 liters per person) will be carried in the large support truck or on top of the Land Rover, which accompanies us throughout the trip. We recommend you carry a small duffle bag, a small tail bag or backpack for daily essentials such as sunglasses, camera(s), medication, lunch and gear for weather changes. Your primary job is to is focus on your riding, enjoy the scenery and take lots of photos.
You will be riding and traveling each day with Bret Tkacs and his wife, Christina Tkacs. Together, they will make sure your adventure is everything you expect – and more. We will be tackling each challenge together, and if you want some personal feedback or instruction, or just want someone to ride your bike through a deep water crossing, just ask.
There will also be a sweep rider and mechanic to make sure you’re on the right path or to help you if you have bike trouble. Your kitchen crew will also be following the group, and you will have the chance to spend time with those who have spent their whole lives in Nepal.
We are going to explore Nepal, so we highly encourage interaction with the local people. How much you choose to interact is completely up to you. We will stop in a town or village almost every day, whether it’s to stock up on supplies or just to take a break. The towns and villages we visit have often never seen a tourist or see them very seldom. It is not uncommon that at some point, we will set a camp that will become an attraction for the entire village! You will have ample opportunity to talk with locals and may possibly make new friends if you choose to.
Bret has traveled by motorcycle through more than 50 underdeveloped (3rd world) countries and has concluded that Nepal is the friendliest and safest country he and his wife have explored. Nepal is the perfect country for anyone looking to step away from the westernized world to see other cultures. Not only are you likely to fall in love with Nepal, but this will become the benchmark for all other 3rd world countries you ever visit.