Manang Motorbike Tour

How Difficult Is the Manang Motorbike Tour?

Manang isn't the highest ride in Nepal, but it surprises riders who underestimate it. The difficulty is in the road, not the altitude.

• Besisahar to Chame: the hardest section. The track is narrow and exposed, with a cliff on one side and the river below, and you'll meet buses and jeeps coming the other way. Dust is thick in dry months, and rocks fall after rain.
• Chame to Manang: easier, with a wider road and better surface, though there are still loose sections around Bhratang.
• Manang to Khangsar: short but steep and rough, with tight turns above the river.

You should be comfortable standing on the pegs, riding loose gravel at walking pace, and holding a line on a narrow track. If you've only ridden on tarmac, choose the Jomsom Muktinath Motorbike Tour first, or do a one-day off-road course before you come.

For a section-by-section breakdown, read our blog post "How Difficult Is the Manang Motorbike Tour?"

Altitude and Acclimatisation

Manang sits at about 3,519 m, and Khangsar at about 3,734 m. Altitude sickness can affect anyone above 3,000 m, regardless of fitness. The itinerary manages this in three ways:

• You spend a night in Chame (about 2,670 m) before going higher.
• You spend the morning of Day 4 in Manang before going up to Khangsar.
• You start descending on Day 5 and are back below 1,200 m by the end of Day 6.

Mild headache and breathlessness on the first day in Manang are normal. Severe headache, vomiting, confusion or loss of coordination are not. Tell your road captain immediately, because the answer is always to go down.

Permits for the Manang Motorbike Tour

You need two permits, and both are included in your tour price:

• ACAP permit: Annapurna Conservation Area Permit, checked at Dharapani and Chame.
• TIMS card: Trekkers' Information Management System card.

No restricted area permit is needed for Besisahar, Chame, Manang or Khangsar. A restricted area permit is required only for Nar Phu, the side valley above Koto, if you add it as an extension.

You'll need to bring:

• A passport valid for at least six months, with a Nepal visa (available on arrival).
• Your home driving licence plus an International Driving Permit with motorcycle entitlement.
• Travel insurance that covers motorcycling and altitudes up to 4,000 m.

Who Leads Your Motorcycle tour to Manang

Nepal Moto Tours is a locally owned operator based in Bhaktapur, founded by Prabhash Thakur, a former engineer who now rides the Annapurna and Mustang roads several times a year. Your road captain will be one of our licensed guides, such as Kreetika Thapa, one of the first women to lead motorcycle tours in Nepal, or Prabin. Our mechanic, Khan Bhai, rides with every Manang departure.