There's been a Rockside and we've just had to clear this track it's a long way down he goes hold on to your helmets folks get ready to join the ride of a lifetime with four adventurers as they kick convention to the curb and Hit The Road Less Traveled in the heart of Nepal on top of the world in the Himalaya this is not your typical Bike Tour it's a roller coaster of Epic Proportions picture this challenging trails that make you heart race a dash of history and culture and encounters with the kind of people who redefine the word inspiring we're not just talking about scratching the surface we dove head first into the very soul of Nepal Nosh loves these mountains from the jaw-dropping Majesty of upper Mustang to the a inspiring views of Everest and yeah we even swapped exhaust notes with working elephants in Chitwan National Park hold on to your hand handlebars though the real kicker the monsoon decided to throw us a curve ball extending its stay and bringing challenges that had our hearts in our mouth whoa whoa watch out watch out so rev up those engines buckle up and get ready for a motorcycle Adventure that's not just about the destination it's about the thrill of the journey in some serious altitude now Nepal here we come the road's waiting and so are the unforgettable stories we are about to create we rock into Kathmandu and begin the hunt for our accommodation the Mayor Manor we're going to start the trip a little fancy and this hotel is steeped in Tradition but the first task is to find it but a little more daunting is knowing that in a couple of hours time we'll be riding in this crazy City traffic you sure we at the right place doesn't look like the brocher does it certainly not looks like the back streets of Kohlkata says here here here we go that's crazy hello good morning good morning we've chosen a hotel called theMayor Manor that was built in 1935 by the chief of the Nepalese army Toran Samja Rana at the time of its construction it was located close to the king of Nepal and now it's tucked away in the lane at one time the Chinese Ambassador resided here and for a couple of months it housed President Jimmy Carter I'm Nugget Nugget Nugget oh my real name Tony yeah Tony Tony hey nugget he looks like I thought we're doing I thought we're doing adventure tough this is making the Cutting Room floor this we'll have to edit this out we're hardened adventurers Nosh what are you eating tell me what you're eating um Puri and alubaji along with sausage and a scrambled egg which is very Western this is very Eastern should I should try some of that you should certainly try some of that we'll be getting more along the way but nothing as fancy as this okay first job after breakfast pick up the bikes and meet up with our nepes riding buddy BJ he's somewhere around here his name's BJJ hey how are you great to see you welcome to Nepal beautiful nice hot weather too bought my this is the field shop yeah it looks flash everything in this town's flash so far so we're scramming we're scramming Nepal are we come and show us what we got SC from scram okay okay for the right yeah who's helmet with that one BJ I think he thinks he's going to have that one now I Black Beauty although blue ray but he doesn't know our selection solution he he doesn't know the game he doesn't know the game we select our bikes through a lottery 1 2 3 4 four all right he's got the you got the Bits of Paper all right okay yeah you grab your bit of paper d it until we we and then we look there you go you do the honor okay here we go so you pick one don't open it until we all got one all right you're ready set go go a he's got four I've got four got one I got three number one one one two three got the black one the black beauty there you go okay starts that's a good start you ready to do battle with the Nepalese bikes are going everywhere and whilst the traffic was daunting what was just plain scary was knowing Nugget and I were going to share a room for 3 weeks 5:00 in the morning we're just about to get ready to go to Pokhara oh. Jesus now that's one thing different about this room I've never seen anything like that oh mate we'll just keeping that robe on will you oh no no no no the night before we leave for upper Mustang the evening cloud formations make it clear the monsoon is hanging around much later in the season the North normal we didn't know it at the time but this interesting Sunset meant we were heading into trouble 6:30 big J heading to pokra yeah guys hold on hold on go let's go you go bye-bye thank you see you bye-bye all right now I got to convert the subcontinent riding Style which actually when your head gets around it it's actually a lot better the smooth movements nothing radical everyone kind of knows what you're going to do the minute you start turning sharply though you got problems well that's what I mean see sorry sorry it's BJ up there this has been absolutely crazy coming down this there bits of mud it's like a motorcross track what really surprises me with a Scram and you'll see it later is how many bumps and dips we're hitting and it soakes it up yeah it's been amazing fun but you got you got to keep your mind to it it gets quite scary sometimes you come around a corner and there'll be a bus there now normally you see that in the pole you know on your side of the road on TI road but this is slippery mud with B holes and all sorts of stuff so it takes it to another dimension it's right up there anyway this is really what I call an adventure this really gets you on the edge it's a great start it's early October and usually by this time the wet Monsoon has been replaced by less humid hum and dri weather but Mother Nature has other plans and the monsoon is continuing to dump Heavy Rain on the Steep Mountain sides of Nepal in these conditions land slips are inevitable frequent and at times just bloody dangerous time for some lunch before we finally hit the dirt Nugget it's good to see you adapting to the subcontinent food you doing well it's just like a fancy KFC to me yeah here so that's the suspension bridge we've got across yeah yeah yeah yeah um and there's a trail we can see right up there on the left side yeah goes up there W all the way woohoo Up Up and Up snakes up there's a Temple up the top that's where we'd be going wow uh day one our first Swinging Bridge to infinity and beyond nugget he comes no here he comes woohoo oh no so Dave you've got the Black Beauty I've got the Black Beauty and we've had a bit of a little bit of bad luck so side stand just went and now I got a flat tire the sad thing is Bijay has the tools all right and the tube so so I'll have to go up ahead and yeah you have to go up ahead and I'll just wait here in the serenity of this look at this St view though if you if you're going to have a flat tie you couldn't pick better than that I don't reckon and look what I found under the seat a marvellous toolkit there we go I can remove the axle with that I can remove the chain adjuster with that there got it and whilst the rain is warm in The Valleys at the top of those Hills it can get cold and windy nugget hates cold and as he waits for me he's looking like a miserable Hobbit yes it's going up isn't it big drop down there on the side it looks like never never land of milk and honey have a go that beautiful River and the clouds and looks like something out of uh Switzerland doesn't it crazy is it trying to find a spot on well maybe just there the rain continues to Pelt down as we spend the next couple of days heading towards Lette our launching pad for the spectacular Mustang and upper Mustang valleys you're kidding me Nugget nearly got hit by a rock from a landslide right he comes up come on hello yep here boys come that was unbelievable what a man how was that are you all right what I fell over you're all right guys SP me out a little bit yeah yeah yeah he crashed be that's a beer that's a beer he was causing pandemonium he took the right line I took the left and yeah his was like BS that there under water mate aren't we we thriving adversity we that get covered people were running there Mass oh you would have seen that yeah the water coming down woohoo that's Adventure we came to a spot and the locals were looking up and no one dared to go further I could see some small rocks falling but after what we' just been through was time to get out of here let's let's get out of here now the rocks are falling there now get just right where we are falling you see the Rocks falling there get yeah let's get out of here fortunately there was a go round on the other side of the river that kept our goal of reaching Lette achievable in a twist of fate we stumbled Upon A group of of Kenyan Riders who had narrowly escaped death mere inches away from the Peril we had just dodged the firsthand account captured in the courageous lens of YouTube channel the grin machine paints a vivid picture of the perilous Dance with Destiny we all narrowly avoided so one of our Riders went through the landslide yes and the Box started falling again and he rode the way out and he started running the you guys were coming the bike was left there then the other Rider he called he went back walking looking up waiting for the stones somehow he picked the bike started it and pushed it across oh my God it happened to ask when we waiting moment I got there let's get out let's get out guys this is for you guys give it a country flag but in motorcycle Adventure I've always found an upside to adversity this rock slide that went within inches of sending someone to Heaven had forged a lifelong friendship with our Kenyan compatriots take byebye good riding safe riding thank you see you again take care God it's got a swing up on it so we've skirted around that big land slip you can see it over there after a day's ride like that there is nothing like chowing down on some Hornet lava for those reluctant to try it tastes kind of like a handful of mixed nuts and the added benefit it's regarded as an aphrodesiac we arrived at Lette on dusk Mission achieved but would the rain ease up for the next couple of days I'm eaten so many of them TR this now I've eaten mine nug your turn no it's actually a frozen because of they they don't go for the hunting right all right ice cream do it's for you know the it it's kind of you know yesterday I told you AF yeah oh well that's always makes what else can do hang on so it's an aphrodisiac so we're going on the road of bonus again again the road of boners we arrived at the Village of Lette our staging point for the upper Mustang and the rain wasn't letting go so we decided to down tools and wait it out for a day it would be fair to say that Cabin Fever set in very early a Nugget was in fine form if this weather's going to clear up the boys are starting to go rain crazy I wonder what they're up to in there we're heading to the top of the mountain doing on that time that was terrible absolutely terrible I made it up as I went fortunately by the afternoon the clouds lifted and revealed what we had been chasing rugged snowcapped Peaks and with a week's worth of sunshine forecast things were looking up God it gets a bit of a wobble up after being the fourth one I can tell you look back there today we're riding from Lette to Kagbeni no easy route for us we're going to do it the hard way but I just didn't appreciate how hard and crazy this day's riding would become it was certainly A Memory Maker that's for sure here we go PID is giving us a little climbing practice before the main event after lunch where we will hit a touch over 4,000 M or a little over 13,000 ft in the old money before riding into Kagbeny in the late afternoon look at that pulling up this hill like no tomorrow but there's a Twist he didn't expect a pinch Point created by a recent Landslide a pile of rocks on one one side and a huge Cliff face on the other we get through there hey boys we'll get through there bit of teamwork my inclination was to go up over the rock pile but the others wanted to smoother route with the Cliff face go figure no I reckon you can go up to the right Nugget there off to the right am I missing something Nugget I start making a path to the right over the Rocks but Nugget is not so sure he's worried about the height of the rock pile and its instability losing control and going over the cliff here just get this one out of the Road that's going to hit our brakes after that that's smooth look oh another little complexity to add to the mix was that Nosh notice small rocks continuing to fall you're breathing hard nugget is the altitude yeah but about o there's rocks falling so let's let's move quick just reflect for a moment on how many times you've seen someone topple over at slow speed at the risk of putting too fine a point on it toing over here meant death you just can't sugar coat it get that and if we're going to go to the left this rock had to go how many times have you seen Riders pushed over from their luggage getting caught on either a rock or a log no that one that puppy had to go can't BJ just worried about our bags hitting and you go I think we're through you need a little bit of momentum but every now and again in life there are decisions that you make that you later reflect on and think to yourself well that was Bloody stupid today would be one of those days for me yeah Nugget's coming through he just sofly softly who he's break wow he go ni here they got they going up oh nugget we're at another spectacular location another pile of rocks the last time this didn't end well oops oops Dave you got confidence in me I got confidence in you Nugget I've bring I been training have you come on you can do it is it structurally sound it seems more sound than the last one you're not going to just drop it Nagwa Y what did you do to me nugget we're heading off this mountain range for lunch over the past 4 days the brakes have copped a caning and for a couple of us we've noticed rear brake pads are wearing thin the beauty of Nepal is you'll find a handy motorbike mechanic in just about every village we've been giving the bikes a bit of a a flogging so what we found here is a bike mechanic and you go through and it's a restaurant as well not just being gentle on the brakes absolutely as good as new beer bike but doesn't need any and it nugget you been a bit hard on The Brakes oops I was wondering why it was start to squeak have a look at it there's nothing left help you go come on little donkey up you go chug chug chug chug chug chug chug see that's it in second gear like it just keeps chugging so can all see the Piston going up and down there woohoo there's Nar bikes are just losing their Edge in terms of oxygen have a look down there it's like we're in a bloody helicopter we're still climbing oh no keep it up keep it up 4,300 or can it be 14 13,000 I reckon it's a bit more than 13 yeah ni loves these mountains don't you push me off there net I really wouldn't like that that is a long way down oh oh wow on the way down into Kagbeny my curiosity got the better of me when we stopped to let a large herd of goats cross the road the Shepherds told BJ their entire flock of goats were already pre-sold and that the larger goats fetched a price of 40 to 50,000 rupia each the gats were sold in either Kathmandu do or Pokhara and four dogs accompanied the flock to control it and to protect it Nugget's been on the hunt for evidence of snow leopards and he find finally hit the jackpot ever see a snow leopard yeah oh yeah he's saying there lot of snow leopard over that side yeah and he's saying that snow leopard has eaten lot of mountain goats of his oh really yeah it was nice to know there was evidence of snow leopards where we'd been riding earlier it's believed the population of this endangered species in Nepal is now around 500 animals climate change appears to be pushing them higher into the mountains as their habitat shrinks in the valley below the small town of Kagbeni is nestled where two huge rugged valleys intersect it's hard to get your head around the size of this landscape but if you look carefully in this shot you'll just manage to pick us out these valleys make this town vulnerable to flash flooding and just 8 weeks ago the town was inundated with a one in 100e flash flooding event we ared in the town in the late afternoon and it wasn't until morning that we would comprehend the devastation of this event the makeshift Bridges at the entry to the town gave a strong hint of devastation looks like they've been hit by a flood or something something seems to really taken out some of the buildings our accommodation for the night was a funky hotel called Yak Donald's and in the morning we caught up with the owner well uh I'm luxm Grom and I'm from KAG bini and I we have a hotel called Yak Donald's yes which is quite popular we had a flash flood yes on 13th August 6 weeks ago yeah 13th August and it was a nightmarish and lots of houses have been uh destroyed repaired went through those windows yes those all inside and check this also close to the river that ran through the town a wall of mud large rocks and water over 4 metres High destroyed everything in its path over 50 buildings were wiped off the face of the Earth including many shops and hotels Seven Bridges the medical clinic the police station part of the school and a temple with accommodation see the level of the the deis is this much yeah and then the water has to go a little bit still One More Story down oh my goodness Yak Donald's narrowly missed destruction so like this it goes like this my hands you can see my hands it goes like this that's how deep it was yeah I I don't understand how no one was killed yeah no because early uh we get early from other Village yeah they it will take two 1 to 2 hours to reach here yeah and by the time the villagers will inform us you know from there and then we we run away but you can't help leave this place with a really positive feeling these Nepalese are tough resilient people and they're not going to get knocked down and she was determined about that she said we're not going to get knocked down because once you're down you're down and that's how she explained it so the key message from Luchme was keep coming to Kagbeny even though they're still recovering you know they're only 6 weeks from this Devastation but they need the tourism because it drives the whole community's well-being and Welfare our ride out of Kagbeny drove home the enormity of the devastation of the flash flood we left with a solemn respect of the power of Mother Nature but equally the power of community spirit and resilience I think the strength of the Nepalese deeply embedded in their spiritualism there such a positive bunch of people cohesive Community it's something that many many of us Envy we go oh there's my goats again this goat oh God the smell on this day we would move into upper Mustang and finish at the ancient wal city of Lo Manthang close to the Chinese border the landscape would be a highlight of the day's ride the sense of moving into a very different region was palpable beautiful apple orchards over here beautiful in the middle of Norway in this really arid dry landscape along the kaligandaki river it's an absolute Oasis over here this is our longest swinging brid well look at that P Rock okay we got to get across up we go as we climbed into the mountains the tracks became increasingly challenging we were taking these bikes Way Beyond their intended purpose as Street oriented Adventure Tours but they were doing okay watch your bag oh God but on the open roads time for some fun the gravity games engines off in neutral seeing who could get to the bottom the quickest followed by some Full Throttle hill climbing and Nugget had a little trick up his sleeve the no he's getting away on us what's happened to Nugwha what's happening oh no I'm catching him I'm catching him big time you're going down Naga hey don't cut me off hey to the uninitiated I get it it's as interesting as watching paint dry but it also can be spiced up with a Full Throttle blast up the next Hill getting the best out of these scrams up the hill nuggets going over okay guys going down what turn over what ni goodness where you racing and he's gone over ni I to pull him now nugget stop crapping on we are moving into an area of religious significance where the Blood Red Cliffs help tell the story of good versus evil and are a tangible record of the demon blood and intestine spilled by an enlightened Buddhist monk who was protecting a temple and a Village looking down there I can just see the boys they are we arrived at the ancient 8th Century LoGekha Buddhist Monastery at a very interesting time for nugget the Narine roofer restoration Works have been completed hours before we arrive and we catch up with the project manager wow the Temple of Lo Gakha is located a tad under 4,000 M or 13,000 F feet and is the most significant cultural and religious site in the Mustang district and is packed with Antiquities that up until these new Renovations were not on display Namaste my name is sonur I was born in jarot uh in the lower Mustang region and here since last year I uh I've been working uh to restore this uh Monastery that gets back to the 8th Century so this is the second year and then officially we are uh finishing or completing tomorrow October 7 now is it true we've got a big scoop here we have it opens tomorrow it's true we opens tomorrow yeah yeah officially you know like we are uh uh tomorrow is the official date of our completion of this two years project so that means been renovating for two years yeah yeah people like you are most welcome to visit uh so I got like a VIP treatment today preview yeah yeah yeah yeah we have our art historian from Austria yes yeah his name is Christian Lantis so he did everything documents and then you know like this was his idea you know like to put it on display yes so that everyone can see yes 1683 84 yeah the panel is in memory of Mustang King Aon Sam rap husband of Nida GMO so it's again like connected nid GMO she was the queen from ladak and then the artist the artist who build this is as the discussion moves to the roof restoration nugget the adventurer transforms into Nugget the super roofer from Narabeen Nugget the roofer is approved your roof 800 year old yeah I'll be proving it so out out of out of 10 what's your rating give it I'll give it a nine I would have given it an eight but I'll give you a nine cuz I love the safety feature of the The Fortress I'll give it a nine yeah it's great only oh wow on unfortunately the monastery is a bit difficult to get to like the main road is just over here and it's the path a little bit less traveled and you know it's more than deserving of you know a visit it's it's a Once in a Lifetime thing to go to a 8th Century Monastery for goodness sake you know oh by the way there's this this is the landscape that you're going to ride through I don't to get yeah you don't want to get your feet wet oh well you know you stand on the pegs of these Enfields and they do that well go go nice come on what a way to finish the day a little bath with the infields is that Yamaha hey Yamaha what is it oh XZ W 250 RR looks great looks smake woohoo he we come right up this Valley and up in the afternoon sunlight the landscape and colors and contrast etched lifelong memories as we steadily made our way along this huge and stunning Valley wall we were heading to the ancient city of Lan Thang that up until 1992 was forbidden to foreigners it's regarded as one of the last strongholds of traditional Tibetan life in the world I just have the pinch myself like we're in the Himalayas you can just see it down there out of the wind hello hello this is our accommodation this is we had a cracking day today nugget a no didn't we day Brant day some cbies and and this is our very flash accommodation with a yak in the middle eating flowers got a stuffed dog you got a stuffed dog as well I think it's a live one but anyway he act looking good what H here you you lose you you snooze you lose this is what happens when you start talking to people are straight up here straight in the double bit got to go meet some Nomads Nuggets hunger to see a yak is insatiable and today we're heading out to hopefully find and catch up with some nomadic Yak herders and gain a small insight into the way they live which hasn't changed much in centuries there we go Nugget but the first job is to find them and that's a little bit tricky we kind of roughly know where they are but they do move about as the seasons change got it's smooth cross country that is on the road on these Nomads is uh a little bit harder than we thought we'll track them down though we're got to track them down there's a reason they're called Nomads we'll find them so we came up this Valley and uh this doesn't look like the valley they're in this is good riding though lots of fun just got to be wary of those r rocks just Bri accordingly hi doggy hey nugget I think your Yaks up there that's what they're telling me but hang on well let's see if I can zoom in and find you a yak they yeah they y so she's she's uh this is cheese made from Yak milk and this is just from the morning milk that they've gathered gathered from the Yaks yes yes uh so they put this here to dry becomes harder you can see those pieces over there already starting to harden up they sort of change color like that and um when they're laid out here so uh it's not that easy to make this cheese first up they've got to milk all the Yaks then they've got to boil the milk for about 2 hours then that has to cool down and then that coagulates as well into this thing yeah um they sort of have a yeah yeah shaking they're shaking they they Churn it with a churner and that's how this becomes this paste which she then lays out to dry up yeah so she invite us inside so this uh tea is prepared for this high altitude it just helps people recover very quick helps them keep hydrated and it's good for health over here this green very very light thin yeah could you ask her do she heat with cook with the yak oh yeah yeah usually they use only Yak dung and Goat dung small one p and uh before 2 days before it's rain yeah okay not dry Dr so they're going to took some woods from outside that's all there's not much wood out there no no much it burns really hot yeah she name is Chon Chon ch ch yeah CH yeah uh she going to prefare you local pure our like a yog pure y card I'll drink it yeah it's quite warm yeah could be any worse than was Booker shots it's like a very sour Greek yogurt taste it U right on the top of your pallet you can feel it yeah it's nice though no sry put hairs on my chair put more hairs on put hairs on your head I reckon I was hoping oh we're going to Cheers Cheers nugget what are you doing I was helping him just drying out all the the the Yak dung cuz that stuff's dry and this stuff we turned it over in the to dry out for their fuel but he's left me he's left here yeah but I feel obligated to help him being a farmer I'm used to playing in cow dong good job Jon continues to live a traditional nomadic lifestyle and successfully managing the herd is essential for survival but walking the land also provides other opportunities where mushrooms berries and herbs are picked for food and medicinal purposes and the excess is sold in town for additional income on this day nugget would get pretty close to a yak but there was more to do we were heading to the world's highest golf course at 4,200 M or 13,800 ft in the old money at 4,200 M this is the world's highest golf course if you don't believe me there's a tea off plate to the left of the screen granted by the way the suspension is working on the bikes it's a rough course but an annual competition for those dedicated to chasing a small white ball is held what are we doing nugget they told us there a Tru that can get us up to over 5,000 m but it's not easy and he wasn't willing to give it a go yeah typical Dave nugget fashion we're going to give it a go we'll give it a go we're not going to slip the clutches though the second the clutches are slipping we're not doing it we got a long long way to go yet we don't want to blow a clutch but we also don't want to die wondering no if we don't make it we don't make it but I've got my phone on so we'll know if we've made the elevation or not all right all righty now let's pick a line any let's hope let's go see if we can find I reckon there nugget I reckon there see that Ridge let's go up that along that Ridge okay better get up there a going to win on the Flor it's you told me that you B now there's two things working against us at this altitude there is about half half the oxygen in the atmosphere compared to sea level you can't burn fuel efficiently without oxygen and the power of the bikes drop significantly secondly the enormity of the landscape where a tiny little rise in front of you is actually three times bigger when you're up and close and personal we got to get the speed up TI as a rock we're up we're up we're up we're up we're up well when we look I reckon we'll get to that point there and I reckon that's pretty close to five to overcome the reduction in power of the engine we're using the undulations of the landscape to gain speed for climbing similar to a slingshot and for the most part it's working well provided you pick the right course oh ah no no it's getting a slingshot now away like losing a bit of power now with the altitude but not too much they're going all right yeah what are you at boss 499 4950 4,950 M and they said it couldn't be done we blasted our way up here slingshotting from Hiller Hill on two street bikes you could ride to work on Monday what's you saying about filters keep your filters clean and your throttles on W never a CL as nugget and I saved our very small achievement we turned to the direction of the Chinese border and wondered if the Border guard stationed at that Green Building in the distance were observing us through binoculars and celebrating with us after all they wouldn't have seen too many scrams at this altitude woo we we're using l m thong as a base for the next couple of days but while we're out and about we pay a visit to the mysterious Chhosa caves just kilometers from the Chinese border God I hope nugget doesn't get stuck in this tunnel or we'll end up in a diplomatic incident we'll have to dig him out in the hills of upper Mustang there are hundreds of ancient man-made caves where's Net G the five-story high Jong cave is one of the best examples with 40 rooms and multiple levels and skylights that provide ventilation light and a cracking view of the valley below oh well will nugget fit I don't know so that's why I'm saying it's like the mines of Moria nugget where are you where are you nuget NWA yep I love this place nugget has a theory as to why the caves were dug out and how they were used by villagers which is pretty close to the mark this is awesome and what a fortress back in the day when like people genas car and all that were come and this is 800 BC and like once you block downstairs there's a you got to come you can't come from the top you got to come in from the bottom so see these nice they just have them out the windows those little Windows just them down it's nugget Fortress they probably got rooms full of these and no matter what helmet you had on meate that crack your skull so no one's going to break into this Fortress that's how they survive for so long here I suppose 800 BC yeah wow I actually got a connection this I feel like I'm I'm Relative look they must have been my height too I can feel I should have been one of them one of the hobbits all right let's go Dave next time take your shoes off before you come in my house an early start with a walk through the ancient city of Lo Manthang felt like stepping back in into a captivating Journey Through the corridors of time as we strolled we found ourselves immersed in the heart of the former Kingdom of low unraveling the mysteries of its Rich history and cultural tapestry the worn cobblestone streets whispered Tales of a 14th Century City that once thrived as the heartbeat of trade along the historic salt route connecting Tibet and India protected by weathered walls the the city revealed its resilience through intricate mud brick structures and narrow alleys that bore witness to a cultural heritage standing the test of time over the centuries this city had evolved into a sanctuary for Tibetan Buddhism adorned with monasteries and religious institutions that to this day tells the tale of this City's profound spiritual journey today we're leaving Lo Manthang and heading south to the Luri cave Monastery we've picked a pretty challenging route through some spectacular ancient landscape but we need Fuel and in this ancient city that is purchased by the lemonade bottle who W woohoo how's that beautiful day for riding stunning thanks for visit thank you L manang that magnificent there the boys go keep your toes up those little tiny bushes are as hard as a rock what a brilliant trail what has happened oh I can see a front wheel wash out there now's a rear wheel rear wheel where are I up we go if you can see it but there's a little Peg right up on the top of that Hill that's where we're going now got to get the Reps up how one nice oh I don't want to Slick the cutch if IU can help it DJ had to push it oh yeah all I think the infields will get there BJ yeah off these Enfields they've chugged up this hill Enfield to in this hill I'd say so Enfield scramming it where're scramming it scramming it I guarantee you in will be upy yeah well doesn't make me feel so bad now I'm just a few meters down there upside down up no he's up downside up he's the right way up now that's them there you reckon we could have got the bikes up here no way yeah but there Cloud yeah that's Dave filming this is is what we do for views like this get your motorbike Adventures from the top of the world the enormity of the landscape look at that little motorcyclist over there he's come up this Gorge go nestled in the breathtaking Landscapes of upper Mustang the mystical Luri cave Monastery dating back to the 11th century in the Tibetan Empire is a sacred site for Buddhists as we approach the first thing to steal our attention are the Lamagai big birds with a 3 m wingspan riding the air currents along the valley Cliffs Nosh makes an incredible Discovery two nests in the cliff wall each with baby Lamagai a rare find considering the declining global population of these Majestic Birds ah there he goes into the nest comes another one but what strikes me is the familiarity of the birds with the monastery's routine as we climb towards the temple one bird flies in for a closeup seemingly inquisitive about our visit the Lively comings and goings of the monastery appear to be a part of the bird's daily life and we were about to understand why a cave Monastery yes it's name as a lri gumba yes so we're heading towards the you can see the up there yeah wow I need to see hey Wi-Fi password oh not a w I'm going to order an Uber how that there we need an Uber you don't have to use the camera as an excuse nsh me now you're tired come on we spoke with Buddhist n lap who amongst other responsibilities is the guardian of the Luri monastery Lapa committed to becoming a Buddhist nun at the age of 12 and is now 35 years of age her hope is to stay at this Monastery her whole life the life and responsibilities of a Tibetan nun are intertwined with the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment community service and the preservation of cultural heritage Lapa confirmed the Lapagaia's role at the monastery they snacked on leftovers from pussa or religious ceremonies and they played their in Sky burials where the deceased family members of The Local District are placed on the valley floor to be consumed by the birds and remains that aren't taken a later burnt but another great day it's not just the landscape of Nepal it's the culture it's the history it's the spirituality of the place you know it's it just has so much to offer and then to do it on a bike that's really laid back it's not a racer it's immerses you in the landscape look at that we pop up near those ancient ruins yeah I feel privileged coming to Nepal but I feel doubly privileged doing it on a motorbike and just taking my times you know and Bam you come around a corner there's a stooper there's there huge landscape a water crossing you know it's just got everything that's what we need there's the boys they're heading away we're heading to the revered pilgrimage site of profound significance for both Hindus and Buddhists Nosh is eager to explore the main Temple a Sacred Space dedicated to Lord Vishnu what a beautiful day getting up to Muktinath now here's the eagle as well uh-oh another Swinging Bridge got a steep entry into this one down God those rocks move nugget don't you saw that on the way up looks pretty steep exit too okay so they we are at this Temple called Muktinath uh it's supposed to be a very Holy Temple uh in the sense that MTI means Liberation from the cycle of birth and death yeah um and you know if you believe in reincarnation everybody is striving for MTI as in to stop coming back being born again and again so this Temple and this spot represents a place where you can achieve that there's 108 Taps uh that correlates to 27 constellations into four sectors so the number 12 108 so the 108 number holds quite a bit of significance in Hinduism so we've got to go through these 108 Taps and then there's two little ponds over there that you can see and we've got to go through there as well and that apparently purifies you and uh grants you MTI all this water is coming from a glacial stream so it's pretty cold and uh yeah I'd like to like to take a run through it DJ is off go I'm not going to come back again making sure of that yeah I got pilgrims hold a deep belief that immersing themselves in the waters of these 108 spouts purifies them of sins and guides them towards spiritual ual salvation the sanctity of this ritual underscores the reverence attached to this sacred location well done boys you're cleansed with a mix of emotions we say goodbye to the desolate yet spiritually Rich Mustang District Nosh has two more bucket list items exploring Chitwan National Park and taking a two-day break from biking for a trek aimed at capturing Mount Everest from a mountainous Vantage Point 60 km away however a single obstacle stands in our way the world's second highest swing Bridge a challenge that simply must be conquered there he goes up there go all right you go BJ let's set this little go hello that is a suspension bridge as I moved out onto the bridge Mother Earth fell away spectacularly I was suspended hundreds of feet above the valley floor and I felt as if I was in a helicopter but yet I was strangely reassured by the demeanor of the villagers and school kids as they made their way across the bridge with less concern than if they were walking down the foot path suspension bridges play a crucial role in Nepal due to its challenging topography they are beautifully designed and in this example improve connectivity between the villages this bridge slash travel times by over 2 hours and made schooling goods and services accessible hello hello hello go hey what out um Mount Everest sorry where are you going to Mount Everest Everest Everest Everest yeah he use that as a berm as we venture towards Pikey Peak perched at an impressive altitude at just over 4,000 M the promise of an unparalleled view awaits us on a a clear day the Grandeur of Everest the world's highest mountain majestically unfolds before our eyes a mere 60 kmet away from the iconic Everest Base Camp a view so dramatic and lifechanging it's a spectacle that has left many in awe but there's a catch the notorious unpredictable clouds that have left their mark on countless Travelers w oh I slid right out in these Final Days of our Nepal adventure we find ourselves on a track that's more about exploration than a well- trodden path and amidst this adventure a loyal companion emerges my trusty Enfield a street oriented duel sports bike that has defied expectations from extreme altitudes to muddy terrains deep water Crossings to steep Rocky climbs this little Powerhouse has embraced every challenge without complaint comfortable and reliable my Enfield has been a steadfast partner though I must admit the thin air at 15,000 ft did make her struggle a bit but as they say at those Heights even the mightiest bikes feel the pinch of oxygen deprivation nice tell us to go this is your gig this this is my Gig this is my element Welcome to My Playground here on there's a 2-hour walk to base camp uh we spend the night there because you can see what's happening not much of a view over here with the clouds coming in and then tomorrow morning Sunrise we head up for Sunrise to [ __ ] speak up boys we're ready we PID off me okay r that I don't know but it's been said said I don't know but it's been said treckers dicks are made a lead treckers dicks are made a lead I don't know but I've been told I've been know but I've been told biker dicks are made of gold bikers his dicks are made oh [ __ ] sprained my ankle I don't have to carry out of here after nearly 3 weeks on the bikes Nosh finally gets us walking and is promising us a view of Mount Everest he says he's going to deliver us a cloudless view but I'm not so sure that pesky Monsoon is hanging around can't talk you know leadership's about getting people to do what they otherwise wouldn't do and Nosh has been determined to get nugget and eye on top of a mountain and he's picked a great one Pikey Peak now doesn't look much today you summited nugget yeah I realize now why I'm not a Tracker yeah feels like I've been kicked in the guts by a mule plus I was up at 4:00 walking in the dark no promis this clear skies in a view of Mount Everest I can't even see a nose in front of me it's so windy up here blow a dog off a chain I'm hiding behind this pray it's all ice it's all ice I can see the ice on it I know I'm sitting in it it's all ice I'm dying of new pneumonia No movement there would be no view of Mount Everest today for nugget and I we headed back out of the cold but Nosh persevered and was rewarded with a tantalizing Glimpse although the clouds denied him the summit but who cares this trip had been far more than just riding bikes or spying a mountain peak we had absorbed the spirituality of the mountains and nothing told that story more powerfully than the expression on Nugget's face time to head home but not before we visited the world famous Chitwan National Park Chitwan National Park is huge and we were on the edge of the park where working elephants still played a key role in Nepalese life a poignant moment between a mother and daughter awoke memories of my own granddaughter it was tugging at my heartstrings and I was missing home it was time to leave this magical place beyond the motorcycle Thrills Nepal's culture and Landscapes had woven a rich tapestry of Adventure this had been a cracking trip and we were definitely coming back you kidding me on top of the world life inside slow down DJ good excent
2024-03-06 15:34