Upper Mustang Biking

Ace has a reputation for successfully leading treks with knowledgeable leaders and staff taking care of all your travel needs. We are a certified sustainable travel company that also endorses the idea of giving back to the community by participating in various philanthropic activities. Here are 17 reasons why you should choose Ace the Himalaya for your next adventure!

Indeed, Nepal is entirely open. Fully immunized travelers are welcome in Nepal without restriction. Arriving travelers can obtain a visa on arrival at the Kathmandu airport as well. Please visit Covid-19 travel protocols 2022 for up-to-date information.

• A vaccination card or certificate showing verification of receiving the entire COVID-19 vaccine is recommended to carry before traveling to Nepal.
• A PCR test isn’t mandatory. However, check with your airlines and any country you are traveling through to see if it’s a requirement.

We suggest you look at the Nepal immigration site https://www.immigration.gov.np for the most up-to-date information.

• Two passport-sized photos (2×2 inch) to give to our office staff
• A copy of your international flight ticket to give to our office staff
• A copy of travel insurance to give to our office staff

The best course of action is to add a day or two before and after your intended trek days in case of flight delays or cancellations. It also gives you time to buy clothing equipment and gear required before your trip. Please be aware that Ace the Himalaya is not responsible for any inconveniences or missed international flights resulting from unforeseen events like airport changes, flight delays or cancellations, etc.

Our guides are fluent in English. All the guides that we assign speak and understand English. They’ll share with you the fascinating stories, traditions, and folklore of the mountains. The guides will also help you communicate with the locals since many shopkeepers and hosts of teahouses don’t speak English.

• COVID-19 vaccination (Negative PCR report in case of unvaccinated travelers.)
• Typhoid vaccination is recommended but not required

We suggest you have a dental checkup before your trip and know your blood type. It is helpful if you inform us of any medical condition that is relevant so we may convey this information in the event of an emergency. Ace the Himalaya keeps your medical condition confidential unless treatment is necessary.

Either hard-tail or full suspension mountain bikes will do fine. In some parts of the routes, you can take downhill shortcuts for which we strongly recommend full suspension bikes. (Your guide will let you know if there are any shortcuts you can take.)

All the brands we provide are properly serviced and fully functional standard hardtail rentals best suited for the trips. We provide full-suspension bikes (if preferred by our clients) for an additional charge.

• Trek: 3-, 4-, 6- and 8-series
• Cube: Comp, LTD, CMPT, Reaction
• Giant: ATX, Tralon
• Other brands: Capic and V-Ket8

Yes, bikes can be hired at the time of booking. The bike’s frame size has to match your height, and since there is a limited number of each size, we strongly suggest you provide us with this information well ahead. In case of any damage incurred to the bike or the equipment, the client will be liable to pay for the repair and replacement, depending on the nature of the damage.

We provide a helmet, a pump, a spare tube, a water bottle and a repair kit with a rental bike.

Cycle computer and a GPS unit for USD 2 and USD 5, respectively, per day per person. You can see more in the equipment section.

Yes, it is highly recommended that you have your bike thoroughly serviced before coming on the trip. Spare parts are available in Kathmandu, but may not always be compatible with your bike.

Most airlines are quite used to people traveling with bikes, and if a bike is properly boxed and within the luggage allowance, it is a relatively hassle-free experience. On arrival at your destination, you will be met by your leader, and you will just need a baggage trolley to take your bike as far as the transfer vehicle.

Make sure the bikes are properly packed. You may do it yourself (here’s a guide or if you’re not sure, you could have a local bike shop pack it for you.

We take every care to ensure your bike is well treated, but it is normal for a bike to sustain minor scratches, resulting during the daily ride as well as loading and unloading from support/transport vehicles.

Your bike is part of your baggage allowance on the plane, details of which are shown on your flight ticket, and maximum weights are usually between 20 and 25 kgs. A boxed bike weighs around 16 kg, so you need to pack carefully. Put heavy items in your hand baggage, wear your heavy/bulky jacket when you check in. Ace the Himalaya will not be liable for any excess baggage charges brought by the airline as a result of your exceeding the baggage allowance, whether you have a hire bike or take your own bike. In practice, excess luggage charges are rare for those who pack sensibly, even if you are a little over the specified limit.

Few airlines impose specific standard bike carriage charges. All such charges are beyond our control, and to be paid by the client. Where we know of a bike carriage charge in advance, this will be added to the relevant trip notes. In the unlikely event of any of your luggage and or bike being misplaced or damaged while in the care of the airline, a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) must be filed with the appropriate airline on arrival. This is essential if you subsequently wish to make a claim against the airline or on your travel insurance. This must be done at the airport where your baggage arrived or should have arrived.

The support vehicle (where available) and the guide will carry the required repair tools and spares. We do recommend you carry some basic tools and spares (like a puncture kit and Allen keys). Our guides are also qualified mechanics and have ample experience maintaining bikes on the trips.

Safety and comfort are what you’re looking for here. Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need for the trip:

• Cycling helmet (included with the bike rent)
• Touring shoes
• Cycling gloves
• Cycling shorts (1 to 3 pair)
• Socks – wool or synthetic (2 or 3 pair)
• Leg warmers or tights for riding
• Short-sleeved shirts (2)
• Light, long-sleeved shirt for layering and sun protection
• Windcheater, rain gear, jacket and pants
• Waterproof shoe covers

It is recommended that you carry a backpack with your valuables like camera and passport. Panniers are not suitable for the trips.

Yes. All the bikes are compatible with customized bike parts. The support team accompanying the group will be able to help with any bike alterations or damage to the bike along the entire trip. Please inform us in advance if you plan to bring your own saddle and pedals.

The best time for the Upper Mustang Mountain Biking is from March to November. It is not very advisable to bike during the winter season (December, January and February)

Yes, you can obtain a Nepal visa upon your arrival at the airport. There are kiosks in the arrival hall that you use to complete the necessary forms.  The cost is USD 30 for a 15-day tourist visa, including numerous entries, or USD 50 and USD 125 for a 30-day or 90-day tourist visa including numerous entries respectively. You should carry cash (USD) with you to pay your visa fees quickly and easily, as digital payments are frequently unavailable.

Our staff will be waiting for you outside the airport terminal with our signboard (Ace the Himalaya). You will be accompanied to a hotel in a private tourist vehicle.

It depends on your spending habits. Generally, in Kathmandu and Pokhara, you can allocate USD 20 for a lunch and a dinner. USD 7 to 10 a day will be enough to buy bottles of water, chocolates and a few drinks during the trekking.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, yes – to some extent. Once you are out of the cities, all you need is cash. Please change the currency to local Nepali Rupees before you go to the mountains.

When you book, you must pay a 30% deposit to secure your itinerary. The remaining balance can be paid upon your arrival at Kathmandu or before arrival. US Dollars cash and credit cards (Visa, Master, and American Express) are accepted once in Nepal. Please note a 4% transaction fee will be added for all credit card transactions.

You can make payments via US Dollars cash or credit card (Visa, Master, and American Express). A 4% transaction fee is added if paying with a credit card. Thus, we encourage you to pay with USD cash if you are planning to pay upon your arrival in Kathmandu. We prefer you pay with larger bills (USD 50 or 100).  Please note that the cash should not be older than 2009 and in good condition, as banks do not accept worn, torn, or crumpled bills.

There are ATM and money exchange facilities almost every few meters in Thamel, where you will be staying in Kathmandu. So, you can easily use your cards to cash out limited sum of money to which a minimum charge is deducted by the ATM facility itself. You can easily exchange your foreign currencies in currency exchange centers for an exact rate.

Long cycling days and tougher terrain (for both on and off the road trips) require a certain degree of experience of more demanding and technical riding for the Upper Mustang  Biking Trip. Vehicle support may be limited. You should be very confident of your physical condition and bike handling skills.

No. The guide will carefully pace the ride to include rest and refreshment along the way. Where available, the support vehicle will accompany you and you can always hitch a ride if you need a break.

After making the deposit, one of our staff will email you for further information. We will require a copy of your passport photo page and your arrival/departure flight details. We will also provide you with additional trip information.

Travel insurance is mandatory for our hiking itineraries. We require your policy to have medical evacuation coverage for the maximum elevation of your itinerary.  Insurance may also cover additional costs in the event of a flight delay or cancellation caused by bad weather, medical costs, theft, loss, and damage to your items while traveling. Travel insurance can be obtained online by one of several travel insurance companies. Please note that insurance obtained from an airline at the time of booking your flight may not cover medical evacuation coverage.

You can find the necessary items to pack for the trip on the Equipment section. Gear and equipment can be bought or rented upon your arrival in Kathmandu. If you plan on buying or renting gear in Kathmandu, please allow extra time.

Bring copies of your passport, insurance papers, and other essential items in your carry-on during your flight. If you need to take medications daily, keep them in your daypack with your other essential possessions.  You can store other non-trekking essentials in the office of Ace the Himalaya or at the hotel in Kathmandu.

Whilst on the trek, our porter will take care of your luggage. All you need to carry is your small day bag for your personal belongings like camera, water bottle, sun cream etc.

We use standard rooms at two or three-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara with breakfast.

Along the biking route, teahouses/lodges generally provide basic clean facilities with a mattress and a quilt or blanket. We usually provide single and double rooms, or occasionally a dormitory. Dining will be around a bonfire when possible. In tea houses, food will be prepared in the kitchen which you should not enter without permission. The toilets in tea houses provide essential and basic facilities.

Most teahouses (lodges) below Upper Mustang (Kagbeni, Muktinath, Tatopani) cook a delicious range of mostly vegetarian fare. Pasta, tuna bakes, noodles, potatoes, eggs, dhal bhat, bread, soups, fresh vegetables (variety depends on the season), and even some desserts like apple pies, pancakes, and some interesting attempts at custard.

However, you will find a lot of garlic on the menu because it assists with acclimatization – eat some every day. Each day dinner and breakfast will be at a lodge you’ll stay at while lunch will be taken on the way to the destination.

Bottled water is easily available at the lodges and teahouses, which you can buy at the cost of USD 1 at lower elevations to USD 4 at higher elevations per liter.

If you are planning to drink normal water all the way during the trek then, we use Katadyn filters to purify the natural water sources to make them safe to drink. This way, it is sustainable and pocket friendly as you need not buy bottled mineral water. You must carry a water bottle that can hold both hot and cold water and a hydration pack.

If the temperature drops too low for the Katadyn filter to function properly or if any technical issues occur, it is recommended to buy boiled water from the teahouse to ensure safe drinking water an alternative.

Yes, teahouses do provide hot boiled water for an extra charge of USD 2 to 5 per liter. The cost varies and increases at higher altitudes.

At the lower altitude, the guesthouses provide the facilities of a hot shower.

And in the rest of the places (at higher elevations), warm water in the bucket will be provided for showering.

For all the above showers, it would cost you extra about USD 2-4 per shower. The higher you go the hot shower would be expensive.

Yes, you can charge your equipment during the trek for an additional cost. The cost will vary but is around USD 1-5 per charge. Two pins (type C) and three pins (type D) adaptors are highly recommended. Bring these adaptors or purchase them while you are in Kathmandu.

We provide licensed trekking guides with fluent English. Our guides are certified by the Hotel Management and Tourism Center after receiving 45 days of training. Similarly, the guides receive high-altitude training from Kathmandu Environmental Education Project (KEEP).

Our guides are well trained and certified in first aid. Throughout the journey, our guides will evaluate your condition and your oxygen level using an oximeter. Our head office receives continuous updates on your condition and location through the guides. In places without a phone signal, your situation will be updated through a satellite phone during emergencies.

Our company insures all our trekking staff members, including guides, cooks, Sherpa, and porters. Please browse through our legal docment page to view insurance details.

• COVID-19 vaccination (Negative PCR report in case of unvaccinated travelers.)
• Typhoid vaccination is recommended but not required

We suggest you have a dental checkup before your trip and know your blood type. It is helpful if you inform us of any medical condition that is relevant so we may convey this information in the event of an emergency. Ace the Himalaya keeps your medical condition confidential unless treatment is necessary.

Our guides are 24 hours available for services during the trek. They are trained to use first aid kits and have the knowledge to use Oxy meter. They are very much aware that the higher the altitude the oxygen level gets lesser so to get updated on the oxygen level of our clients and to know whether they are fit enough or need extra precautions to continue.

Guides carry local sim cards for both Nepal Telecom and Ncell in order to update the whereabouts and situation of every client. During times of emergency, our guides are alert and keep updated with the head office in Kathmandu which is available 24 /7 to arrange from horses to mules or helicopters in must-needed cases especially when the client is seriously sick in the mountain and needed to be hospitalized.

Tipping is expected and appreciated. You can tip your trekking guides and porters based on your satisfaction and enjoyment. We suggest you spend at least 10% of your total trek cost for tipping staff. You’ll learn more about how much to tip your group’s guides and porters during our pre-trip briefing in Kathmandu.

Travelers occasionally fail to complete the journey for medical or personal reasons. In this situation, be aware that we do not issue any refunds for products purchased or unused trek days. We must pay our administration staffs, guides, and porters, purchase trekking permits, and all other booked accommodations in advance, so our expenses remain the same.

If there are any, you will be allocated to a trekking group. The details of the personal data of your group members cannot be disclosed. However, feel free to contact us if you have queries about other trekkers in the group and we shall give you a general idea of the ages, nationalities, and sex of your group members. Chances are you will be trekking with others unless you have booked a private trip.

Yes. The guides carry local cell phones, so you can use their cell phones if necessary and reimburse them. Assuming you have brought your cell phone, you can obtain a local SIM card and use it. Our guides or representatives can help you get a local SIM card after your arrival. There is the availability of Wi-Fi at most teahouses for an additional cost.  We utilize satellite telephones for emergencies.

You can extend your trekking trip for an additional cost. Potential arrangements will be made if we get a request from your guide. This is applicable for private or solo trips as the itinerary can be easily adjusted. The addition of extra days is bound by the time when you are in a group. Therefore, discuss with your group and guide, what changes can possibly be made.

Yes, you can extend your holiday. Ace the Himalaya offers many options and alternatives for your holiday extension. For more information, you can visit our Day trips pages.

Yes, you must book your international flights. We are a local agency and do not make international flight arrangements. You can easily browse through flight tickets in airlines sites to book ones most feasible for you.

Depending on the nature of the travel, the transportation to and from the destination varies from domestic flights to vehicular transportation. We drive you to Besisahar, the starting point of the biking trip, and from Beni the end point of biking, a jeep ride will be offered to you, and from Pokhara a tourist vehicle will bring you to Kathmandu. If you want to fly to Kathmandu, you can do so by paying an extra amount. We provide you only those options which enhance your local experience while allowing you to bike comfortably and efficiently. We use private tourist vehicles for sightseeing, city tours, and pickups. Depending on the group size we use cars, minibusses, or vans. For traveling along the narrow and bumpy roads of Nepal, we use 4WD and a private tourist vehicle. All the vehicles are usually air-conditioned unless we are traveling in cooler areas.