The attempt to ascend Mt. Everest then got Nepal worldwide attention and since then, the Shangri-La has evolved into an adventure hub attracting tourists from all over the world.[break]
Today, Nepal is the preferred destination for extreme sports in a natural setting. From high-pass trekking in the Himalaya to the craziest of whitewater rafting or mountain biking, paragliding, bungee jump and canyoning, and in recent times, even bikers seem to have found a soft corner for Nepal.
Pramod Shrestha, founder of Himalayan Enfielders, believes that you can see more of Nepal while on a bike ride.
Since you also have the opportunity to easily talk to people along the way, unlike if you travel by cars and buses where you have to get off, bike trips will give people the opportunity to truly explore a place, especially in Nepal, which boasts perhaps the best biking routes in the world, some of which are yet to be wheeled.
Though Nepal has plenty of trails to meet every biker’s wildest fantasy, the roads in the far west are still some of the lesser tread tracks as people have not yet ventured much beyond the nearby tried and tested routes.
With Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve and Bardia National Park, the largest and most undisturbed wilderness areas in the Terai, a mixed bag of ethnic cultures, this zone holds a lot of promise for riders on the lookout for an exhilarating ride along with a potpourri of things to do and enjoy alongside.
F O R E – “Friends Of Royal Enfields” a motorcycle adventure tour promoter that has been successfully promoting motorcycle adventures in Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Darjeeling, Ladakh and Tibet for the past 8 years is now, with the support of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 and Nepal Tourism Board, organizing “Wild West Ride” from September 24 to 30aimed at promoting domestic and international tourism in the far west of Nepal.
“Though this event is aimed at promoting tourism, we are also trying to spread the message to the people who are passionate about biking that there is a fantastic opportunity and routes to go for rides even outside the Valley,” says Rabi Thapa, the CEO of Sacred Summits which is one of the organizers of the event.
This ride is estimated to be 1,600 kilometer long and is most definitely not an easy one as this 7-day journey includes long hours of riding. Because of it tediousness, the organizers have set a limit of 30 riders.
The route is set for Kathmandu – Chitwan – Butwal – Nepalgunj - Bardia – Suklaphanta – Mahendranagar – Dhangadi – Kapilavastu – Pokhara and then back to Kathmandu.
“As far as the location and distance are concerned, I don’t think for people who come all the way from the States or other far-away places traveling a little further within Nepal would be an issue, especially if they get to see more than the regular Kathmandu-Pokhara-Chitwan triad that Nepal is known for,” says Pramod Shrestha of Himalayan Enfielders, which is also a part of the organizing committee of the event.
“I know that even people who have been living in Nepal for years haven’t ventured much outside these places and it’s imperative that they get to know their country better, and bike trips like these provide them that chance.”
Steven Lee, who’s been volunteering in Nepal for the past 4 years, agrees with Shrestha and adds, “Nepal is a very alluring country. There is so much to see and it just instantly captivates you and it’s the reason why I like traveling within Nepal.”
Lee, who is passionate about riding and is an Enfield enthusiast, has been to Jiri and Pokhara but this is the first time he’s traveling beyond that. “I am looking forward to the trip, especially after having heard so many good things about the far western region.”
Another rider, Oliver Morf, who hails from Switzerland and who in his 11 years in Nepal has never ridden beyond Butwal, is equally excited about the journey and applauds the organizers’ efforts.
“This is something different and new.If this ride is the first of many, then we are on our way to discovering the true essence of Nepal and not just limit it to Mount Everest and Lord Buddha.”
With such enthusiasm from the organizers and the participants alike, there is a lot of hope riding on this event to bring to light something new, something undiscovered and something truly magnificent.
This ride, besides the effort it is making to promote tourism in the far western region of Nepal, is also supporting a noble cause. Yam Lal Rasaily, popularly known as “One Leg Cyclist” will be helped in purchasing a new mountain bike for his journey to the SAARC countries to promote peace and bring awareness to the plight of the handicapped.
Rasaily is a victim of utter negligence by incompetent doctors at Lumbini Zonal Hospital in Butwal. At the age of four, a vital nerve was mistakenly severed during surgery which made his leg swell up and thereafter amputation was the only option left.
Even though he’s lost his right leg, he has bicycled 3,105 kilometers within Nepal in a span of two months and 17 days.
“This trip, in a way, has been inspired by Yam Lal Rasaily who has always been urging us to visit his side of the country,” says Sherap Sherpa, the managing director of Mandala Graphics.
According to Rasaily, there are many fascinating places in the far west that can attract tourists, like the Ghodaghodi Taal, a lake famed for its kingfishers, lapwings and waterfowls and which is also being studied as a potential national wildlife refuge, and Chandani Dodhara Bridge or Mahakali Bridge which is a suspension bridge over the Mahakali River with a length about 1,496.5m built to link the only island of Nepal, a border village of Chandani Dodhara in far western Nepal with the rest of Nepal.
Even with all these places of interest, these areas have not yet received their due.
Now with the rising popularity of bike tours and with initiatives like the “Wild West Ride,” one can really hope that the list of places to see in Nepal finally incorporates a multitude of areas involving not just selective parts of the nation but the country as a whole.
The organizers plan to present the event as a travel journey through different media outlets.
You can also follow them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=181146468623079.
Related story
Shangrila Dev Bank, LIC Nepal in bancassurance agreement
-1778309205.webp)
