Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > West and South Asia
West and South Asia From Turkey to Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Ladakh and Bangladesh
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



Like Tree1Likes

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #16  
Old 21 Jul 2012
Knight of the Holy Graal's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mantova, Italy
Posts: 566
Didn't know about Lumbini, I'll try to join it to the itinerary.

Thanks, Esteban!
__________________
Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 23 Jul 2012
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Seville (E)
Posts: 561
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knight of the Holy Graal View Post
Didn't know about Lumbini, I'll try to join it to the itinerary.

Thanks, Esteban!
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
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 23 Jul 2012
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 139
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 !
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 25 Jul 2012
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tasmania
Posts: 13
I'll be in Kathmandu in 5 days and plan to do Mustang. Any info would be greatly apprreciated.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 27 Jul 2012
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Seville (E)
Posts: 561
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uselessbaba View Post
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 !
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
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 30 Jul 2012
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Portugal
Posts: 139
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.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 1 Nov 2012
Knight of the Holy Graal's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mantova, Italy
Posts: 566
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!
__________________
Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old 1 Nov 2012
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Seville (E)
Posts: 561
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knight of the Holy Graal View Post
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!)

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
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 1 Nov 2012
Knight of the Holy Graal's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mantova, Italy
Posts: 566
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!
__________________
Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 1 Nov 2012
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 4,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knight of the Holy Graal View Post
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!

Ride safe! I am envious, it is a good itinery and riding in Nepal will prepare you for India
__________________
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #26  
Old 13 Nov 2012
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Seville (E)
Posts: 561
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
Reply With Quote
  #27  
Old 15 Nov 2012
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Munich
Posts: 77
Ride safe and keep us posted. I'm planing something similar and would like to know more about how your rental went.
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 21 Nov 2012
Knight of the Holy Graal's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Mantova, Italy
Posts: 566
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!

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 ...
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 s, unfortunately... :-).

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

Greetings,
Nick
__________________
Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 21 Nov 2012
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 4,343
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.
__________________
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #30  
Old 25 Nov 2012
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Seville (E)
Posts: 561
Good you had so much fun. I enjoyed reading about your trip! Lots of enthusiasm, that's nice ;-)
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Where to buy a bike in Nepal? ggemelos West and South Asia 5 2 Nov 2013 10:10
RTW on 100cc underbones - Underboning the World Underboning Ride Tales 300 4 Jan 2013 09:24
Bhutan Nepal India - help with logistics :-) Adastra West and South Asia 4 7 Aug 2012 09:57
India, Nepal and Onward? What bike? cmor15 Route Planning 6 21 Jul 2012 14:14
Parking a bike in India - Carnet limitations? Drewsome Trip Paperwork 1 10 Dec 2011 15:31

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

ALL Dates subject to change.

2025 Confirmed Events:

  • Virginia: April 24-27 2025
  • Queensland is back! May 2-4 2025
  • Germany Summer: May 29-June 1 2025
  • CanWest: July 10-13 2025
  • Switzerland: Date TBC
  • Ecuador: Date TBC
  • Romania: Date TBC
  • Austria: Sept. 11-15
  • California: September 18-21
  • France: September 19-21 2025
  • Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2 2025

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 00:38.