International Tours

Join Bret Tkacs on a one-of-a-kind tour through remote regions and villages in the mountains of Nepal. A tour with Bret means you will receive on-trail ADV training while seeing a part of the world that few foreigners get to visit.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Please read this section thoroughly before asking any questions

Riding Ability:

Moderate off-road technical skills are required, and skills will be improved upon throughout the tour. Surface conditions are anticipated to be approximately 40% gravel, 35% paved, and 25% rock/dirt.

All riders are required to have at least one year of licensed motorcycle riding experience, and one year riding on rock and dirt.

It is also strongly recommended that you get in shape. Even though we control how many hours you will ride each day, the terrain will be diverse and challenging, and we will likely be at high altitude.

Riding Conditions:

The western reaches of Nepal are pristine and undeveloped. As a result, paved roads are few and far between. Our routes traverse a myriad of uncharted roads, some considerably rougher than others. Our path through the Karnali Province tackles a few challenging sections, but nothing an intermediate, or ambitious novice, motorcycle rider can’t handle. Be prepared for more dirt than pavement, and revel in the adventure of riding the path less traveled.

Given the rough conditions, we try to keep our mileage and ride times to a minimum. We should never exceed six hours in the saddle and will start our days early to ensure road closures and unforeseen circumstances don’t prolong the day. This is an active adventure and requires a moderate level of fitness for everyone’s safety.

We will also travel with a support truck, which will carry all our gear (limited to 120 liters total, per person). All you have to do is ride and enjoy the scenery.

Fitness:

All tour participants (including passengers) will be required to participate in a phone interview with Bret prior to accepting your registration.

All participants must have the strength and endurance to ride a motorcycle off-road for up to six hours a day at high altitude, including reserve energy to assist others when needed. Help is not a phone call away and it will take a lot of time to extricate an injured rider using local transportation.

There will be no modern amenities on this tour, and participants must be prepared. We will be spending time in the mountainous regions where the temperatures drop when the sun goes down. Many nights will be spent in expedition-grade tents with no electricity (ie. no way to charge electronics or CPAP machines), no cell service, and no heating or air conditioning. Batteries will likely be unavailable for purchase along the trip, and cold nights will certainly drain any item needing charging.

This 12 day tour is all-inclusive, and the following will be included in the cost of the tour:

✓ Airport pickup in Kathmandu.
✓ Ground transportation to/from airports and hotels.
✓ Royal Himalayan motorcycle rental fees, fuel, and repairs.
✓ Luxury hotel lodging in Kathmandu and Pokhara, shared accommodations with one other person.
✓ Expedition-grade camping accommodations.
✓ All meals while in remote areas.
✓ Two domestic flights within Nepal.
✓ Guides, translators, porters, and support staff.
✓ National Park permits
✓ Full-day cultural tour of Kathmandu.

Not included in the price are the following:

✗ International airfare to/from Kathmandu
✗ Visa for entry into Nepal
✗ Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu
✗ Entry fees to UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kathmandu
✗ Alcoholic beverages and optional meals
✗ Riding gear (ie. helmet, jacket, pants, boots, etc.)
✗ Sleeping gear (mat, sleeping bag, liner, pillow, etc)
✗ Any significant damage caused to the motorcycle
✗ Trip protection or travel insurance
✗ International travel insurance, including medical expenses
✗ Costs due to COVID
✗ Tips

Accommodations:

This is not a traditional vacation tour. We will be staying at quality hotels when possible but this is a real adventure, meaning accommodations will not be similar to normal western comforts.

Comfort is important when possible to help keep us sharp as riders so our hotels in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Butwal offer luxurious accommodations with superb service. We will be traveling through remote parts of Nepal, which do not have hotels or restaurants. This is why we will spend most nights in a fully-supported expedition-grade camp.

Motorcycle
We will be riding Royal Enfield motorcycles, though it’s not certain yet whether this will be the Bullet or the Himalayan. The BMW motorcycle upgrade was offered by a rental company that went under during COVID. The upgrade is still listed as an option on the registration form in case we find another company to assist us. Otherwise, the upgrade fee will be refunded in full.

COVID:
We understand the COVID-19 pandemic is a concern for many, and since it is new to us as well, we are doing our best to monitor the situation and do our best to plan for the unknown. This trip has been cancelled twice already, so prepare to remain flexible.

If the tour is cancelled because either your country or the Nepal border are officially closed due to COVID, we will email or call you as soon as possible. We will refund 100% of your payment (minus a 3% processing fee if paid by credit card online).

Please delay your purchases to as close to the start point of the tour as possible. If this tour is cancelled due to COVID, it’s probably because either Nepal or your country has closed their borders and airlines will very likely refund your entire flight.

We are not responsible for reimbursing any other purchases you may have made to include airline tickets, hotel reservations, visa costs, medical insurance purchases, gear purchases, passport costs, immunization costs, or any other purchases you may have made in preparation for this tour.

It is very possible that your tour may be altered due to COVID. If this occurs, we will adjust the tour to accommodate location restrictions and we will travel to areas that may not be on the tour map. If the borders close during or after the tour, we are not responsible for any additional time spent in Nepal to include COVID test costs, visa extension fees, hotel fees, or any other associated costs with staying in Nepal. Please purchase travel insurance or trip protection for this possibility.

Full payment terms and conditions will be available when you click the “Register” button.