Nepal’s extremes of terrain, from the pancake-flat terai to its muscular foothills and beyond, lends itself to both easy-going and spectacular mountain biking. The hills around Kathmandu and Pokhara generally attract fitter and more physical bikers, and some of these might even have cycled to and from India and Tibet.

Whatever the itinerary, biking is an excellent way to explore the country and makes for a more relaxed or thrilling experience rather than just the checklist of formal sights. An organised tour of days or weeks ensures good, well-maintained equipment, maximisation of precious holiday time and, above all else, a well-planned itinerary where the more arduous stages can be driven rather than ridden.