Didn't know about Lumbini, I'll try to join it to the itinerary.

Thanks, Esteban! :D

lumbini is not that special (yet), but the birth place of Buddah with this historical value, as well as some interesting temples. Many tibetan monks, for instance, I liked to see them and hear them singing.

But Siddartha Highway up north is a very nice sceniic and twisty ride and a good option if you go went to Chitwan.

Happy travels

Interesting to see the comments on the 60 day rule, I have been in and out of Nepal 3 times and Pakistan twice on my Bullet in the last couple of years, never stayed more than 4-6 weeks in either country and re-entered India every time with no problem whatsoever. All you need is a multple entry visa as both these countries are classed as 'neigbouring countries' and as such are exempt from the 60 day rule. Whilst you are 'technically' required to have a CDP for a Nepal bike entering India, nobody is going to ask you for it, but, realistically you could buy a decent Bullet in India for the cost of a mths hire in Nepal and the only legal requirement for taking an Indian Bullet into Nepal is that you pay Nepali road tax of about 100Nrps a day. If it was me, I would buy the bike in India and then sell it on when I'd finished with it. Good luck !

I'll be in Kathmandu in 5 days and plan to do Mustang. Any info would be greatly apprreciated.

Useless,

Thanks for sharing the info. At the time, there was lots of talking about it, particularly regarding neighboring countries (others was clear, plain no! airport borders are better informed than land ones). You could add to that discussion with good first hand info.

Cheers,

Esteban

Hi Estabangc, not much to add really, I'm currently riding a Nepal reg Bullet ( I usually keep it stored In Kat ), which I've ridden from Nepal,through India into Pakistan and back twice, I use a standard Indian 6 mth, triple entry, tourist visa and as I said, I have never had a problem crossing land borders with it, in fact, I have never found the customs/immigration to be anything other than extremely helpfull.
UB.

Greetings to you all, my small adventure starts today!

Will fly today to Kathmandu where I'll arrive tomorrow in the afternoon.

Royal Enfield 500 rented at Bikemandu.com is waiting for me, and my itinerary will be Kathmandu-Pokhara-Mutkinath-Pokhara-Chitwan National Park-Kathmandu, all of this in 12 full days.
Then, aircraft to Delhi to pick up another Royal Enfield (a 350cc) to tour Delhi and Agra and back to Delhi in 4 full days.

Safe travels you all from north Italy, I will update this thread in case I'll find decent internet connections, otherwise.... see you on November 19 back in old Europe!

Happy and safe trip! We cross fingers for the fuel shortage (and no bike restriction!) :thumbup1:

In Chitwan, apart from the Elephant trek, consider a canoe excursion. It's a nice thing and lots of wildlife.

Don't miss Fatehpūr Sikrī next to Agra. It's a really wonderful place.

Lots of internet connection, no worries on that.

Esteban

Thank you Esteban, now I'm gonna leave, bags are packed and my girl is waiting for me to bring me to the airport, while my dog is coming to me with her plastic ball begging to play... wrong moment, honey! :smiliex:

Ride safe! I am envious, it is a good itinery and riding in Nepal will prepare you for India :thumbup1:

How's all going, Knight?

I guess no updates/posts here on the issue means "no news, good news". Wish you are having a great time!

Esteban

Ride safe and keep us posted. I'm planing something similar and would like to know more about how your rental went.

Hello you all!
Just came back to Italy two days ago after a perfect flight from Delhi thru Moscow.

Well, this has been one of the most beautiful and unforgettable trips of my entire life!
First of all, let's talk about the bikes: the Royal Enfield I rented in Kathmandu at www.bikemandu.com was absolutely perfect and never had any problem.
A brand new bike (April or May 2012!), perfectly serviced before being given to me, with a highly professional treatment I received from Gurung, the Company's boss.
Bikemandu.com highly suggested to anybody who wants to hire a motorbike in Nepal, no doubts!
After collecting the Enfield, I left Kathmandu to Pokhara, where I arrived after 7 hours but consider I have pulled over many times for many pictures and videos because of the fantastic sceneries.
Was stopped by the Police two times at checkpoints, but they always turned out to be very polite, professional and absolutely friendly (we also had pictures together like old friends).
Stood in Pokhara two nights and three days and there I had the pleasure to spend this time with Fern, Heike, Felipe and some other guys from the HUBB, enjoying their tales from their trips around the world.
Thanks for the fantastic moments, guys!

From Pokhara I tried to make my way up to Jomsom and Mutkinath on the famous 80-km dirt road, but I managed to ride only 30 km. in about 4 hours, then I gave up: I realized I had no enough time to go to Muktinath and be back in the three days I planned, it would have been a long rough ride just to arrive there, stay there a couple of hours and be back.
Too much, it was a stress with no fun.
So, I turned the bike and made it back to Pokhara by night to meet the guys again, and I spent a couple of great nights at the Bullett Base Camp, a fantastic hangout for bikers just in town.
I had the bike serviced at the Bullett workshop nearby because a big stone on the track to Muktinath bent the shift leverage, then I headed to Chitwan, staying a day at Bandipur, a Newari town which is out of the mass tourism circuit but that really deserves a visit.
At Chitwan National Park, I took an elephant ride, walk in the jungle, canoe ride and I also visited the Elephant Breeding Center: all of this was
very interesting and perfectly organized by my hotel, the Travellers Jungle Camp in Sauraha.
From Chitwan, I made my way to Heutada then I took a twisty mountain road with gorgeous views that led me to Kathmandu, where I stood three days to visit Kathmandu, Patan and Bakthapur, three lovely towns with an apocalyptic traffic! doh

Then, I dropped off the bike at Bikemandu on November 12 and on November 13 I caught my flight to Delhi, where I picked up the 2007 Royal Enfield I booked at Tony Bullet Center in Karol Bagh neighbourhood.
The bike run OK for the following 5 days (only with some oil leaks), so I visited the entire Delhi and I made my way to Agra for the famous Taj-Mahal (STUNNING!) and the Agra Fort.
On November 17, last Saturday, I dropped off the bike in Delhi at Tony Bullet Center (by, the way, very professional treament also there) and came back home by Aeroflot flight Delhi-Moscow-Bologna.

What can I say?
99% of the trip's pleasure has been made by Nepali and Indian people, always friendly, smiling and much willing to chat and get sincere friendship.
Majestic landscapes, but terrible traffic: everybody honks, scarse respect for road rules, they overtake anywhere and with any traffic condition, but I must say that nobody ever put me in dangerous situations, they "take measurements" very well.
No fuel shortages anywhere, and some problems with road conditions on some stretches of the national roads, but nothing too serious (for example just outside of Kathmandu on the way to Pokhara and close to Kusma City, where a river crosses a town with no bridges, so I was forced to get into it with the Enfield, but with no major problems).

And it was also a pleasure to hook up with Fern and the other guys from the HUBB, with whom I spent really unforgettable moments in Pokhara at the Busy Bee and at the Bullett Base Camp, two places you don't have to miss when in town.

TO FERN: I spotted you in an apocalyptic traffic jam of Kathmandu on the 11th in the afternoon and I was going to reach you to say "hello", but I hired a tourist guide for the historical spots that day, he was on a motorcycle leading me to Patan, so I was forced to follow him when he took another direction when we were only a few dozens of meters away from you.
Sorry, Fern, it'll be for the next time, but I really would have liked to chat a bit screaming louder than the concert of blowing horns :mchappy:...
What was the name of the Spanish guy with BMW GS that was with us the first night? I don't really remember it, despite my efforts (too many Gorkha and Everest beers, unfortunately... :-).

This is all, if somebody needs some info, I'm here.

Greetings,
Nick

Nice report Knight of the H G!
Good to know that the Nepalese hospitality continues.
It sounds like Pokhara is still something of a shangri la for westerners.

Good you had so much fun. I enjoyed reading about your trip! Lots of enthusiasm, that's nice ;-)