MOUNTAIN BIKING
This is the best way to visit the region. Mountain Biking is fast catching up as one of the major adventure sports of the region. It gives the biker the freedom to reach the offbeat and uncharted places. Most Mountain Biking tours are totally customized according to guest requirement. We have also organized biking trips for school groups and corporate.
Mountain Biking in Eastern Himalaya, especially Darjeeling - Sikkim sector has gained popularity in the recent past due to increasing concern about environment on the one hand and increased health consciousness on the other. The freedom of being able to travel at your own pace and to stop and start whenever and wherever you feel like, is also enticing to many.
Our group – mountain – biking – tours are organized each year especially in spring and fall, usually in April – May and mid September – October.
Individual mountain biking is offered year – round upon request. Tours can be planned in combination with trekking and tours by Jeep.
Sikkim’s recent best adventure product is mountain biking. The rugged and dramatic terrain of Sikkim Himalayas offers sure and exciting biking trails to the adventure lovers. The beauty of the countryside, flora and fauna and lifestyle of the Sikkimise people is best experienced on a bike’s seat as you meander through lush green hills. This is relatively new sport that Sikkim boasts of and many have lured by the exiting thrills of this outdoor fun. There is no specific season for mountain biking in sikkim and Darjeeling. Many have enjoyed riding their bikes during monsoon in slushy dirt road too. Every time there is different fun and feeling.
Well Equipped back up Team
The accompanying vehicle is equipped with a well – stocked tool – box to take care of your repair needs as well as with a first aid case for additional safety. While on our tour we offer drinking water, delicious pack lunches, and snacks. An extra mountain bike is also part of our standard equipment.
Bring your own Bike or Rent it from Us
While in most of our tour – participants bring their own mountain bikes along with them. we also have Indian mountain bikes and few western mountain bikes for rent. You can rent mountain bikes from us in case of your inability to bring your own.
Since Mountain biking is a physical sport it requires abundant good amount of rest. Throughout our tour we will be staying in good hotels and guesthouse wherever available. In some of the remote areas lodging is in very simple hotels and also in traditional houses of different tribes wherever available.
Even today biking activity is mostly confined to international tourists. But it is fast gaining popularity among the domestic tourists, specially the youth.
Sikkim Mountain Biking
The entire state of Sikkim is ideal for Mountain Biking activity. You can also combine your trip with Darjeeling hills which is in the adjacent area. Sikkim is divided into 4 districts. The West, South and East districts offer lower to medium altitude experiences whereas North district offers high altitude destinations.
The Kalimpong and Darjeeling hills provide lower altitude biking options. Typically tourists start biking from Siliguri / Kurseong or Mirik which are within an hour and a half drive from Bagdogra Airport. In 5 to 6 days the popular destinations of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Lava, Loleygaon is covered. Although there are no typical biking trails in the region, there are a numerous less trodden roads which are ideal for biking. Our biking programs cover these routes instead of the highways. You may combine Sikkim or Dooars along a biking trip to Darjeeling. Occasionally people prefer to combine both, the entire region can be covered in a trip of 15 to 18 days.
Fitness
Mountain Biking tours demand good physical fitness. Previous experience is a big advantage, but fresher are also welcome. If this is your first such tour, we would strongly recommend that you bike daily a minimum of 20 kms for one month before you start the trip. Freshers are also recommended to start their biking tours in the plains or low altitude destinations. Dooars can be a good start.
Group Size
Typical groups consist of 6 to 20 members though we have experience in organizing trips of 2 heads as well as large groups of 40 members. Travelling in smaller groups makes your tour more expensive as the cost of support services such as backup vehicle, trained guide etc is divided among fewer people. Larger groups are more difficult to manage and are normally slower in movement unless team members are experienced bikers.
Safety
Safety and security of our bikers are of utmost importance to us. We follow best possible safety practices during these tours. All our tours are accompanied by back up vehicle for fast evacuation in case of emergency. The tour leaders and guides are not only trained in Biking but also in first aid and other related hazards. In this respect we follow the guidelines provided by the Department of Tourism and other authorities.
Basic Safety guidelines for mountain biking
- Keep younger riders in the middle of the pack and take frequent rest stops with kids.
- Ride single file with the flow of traffic.
- Obey all traffic signals and road signs.
- Follow the instructions of biking team leader.
- Ride defensively and never assume that drivers will see you.
- Never venture out alone without informing the team leader.
- Do not drive behind the support vehicle provided by us. The support vehicle carrying spares and medicine should always be the last.
Adventure Tourism Activities in general do have certain element of risk associate with it. The risk adds to the charm of these activities. However safety and security of the participants in such activities must remain paramount. The government of India has laid down guidelines for minimum acceptable standards for adventure tourism activity in terms of equipment and human resources. However no specific guideline is available for Mountain Biking activity. There are certain internationally acceptable guidelines for safe biking. We at The Hindustan Travel try to follow the best national and international practices in mountain biking.
Danger Awareness – Our Mountain Biking activities vary from soft adventure to hardcore long duration biking tours. Although every precaution is taken to ensure the safety and security, it is important that as a participant you understand that you are primarily responsible for your safety. The Biking activity involves substantial stress and the fellow bikers, even with the best of intentions, may not always be able to come to your help. The participant must be physically fit and be confident to take the challenge of biking on his / her own. The skill level would vary according to the tour you participate. If you are not confident about your fitness or biking skills in comparison to the requirement of the tour, you should avoid participating in the program or choose a program that is less straining.
Guide Expertise – The team leaders and guides accompanying your tour are always highly experienced and skilled. There is no proper training facility available for mountain biking in India. Our guides have learned the skills based on practice, self learning and experience. We also conduct internal camps to continuously freshen up the skills of our guides who are some of the best in the region and are also qualified in first aid.
- Evacuation Assistance – All long duration biking tours are accompanied by backup vehicle. The vehicle carries the first aid kit and also helps evacuate the biker in case of any medical emergency.
- Trip Information – Information about the daily travel distance, road condition, inclination etc are given with each tour. You must go through the details before you join a tour. This information helps prepare the tour participants be ready for the challenges ahead.
- Tools – The standard tools to ensure safe biking are used by our team. This equipment would include Walkie Talkie, First Aid Kit, Cell phones, Bike maintenance equipment etc.
allied substance
Bikes: The Hindustan Travel owns its mountain bikes which are Imported Trek Bikes. Guests may bring their own bike if wished.
Guide: Our guide will be with tour throughout the program taking care of guest needs.
Support vehicle: Support vehicle (4 wheelers) will accompany groups of mountain bikers. In steeper climbs the bikers may use the vehicle.
Accommodation and Food: Accommodation will be arranged in the places as per guest specification and budget. Some of the places traveled may not have much choice of accommodations. Most of the lunches will be packed and the other meals will be arranged at the place of stay.
Medical facilities: The team will carry first aid kit, The Hindustan Travel guide is well aware of the first aid procedures. In case of emergency, the support vehicle may be used for transfer to the nearest medical facility. Significant medical infrastructure is available only in the major towns such as Darjeeling, Gangtok, Siliguri and Kalimpong.
Travel Insurance: Travel Insurance is the responsibility of the guest.
Permits: The Hindustan Travel will arrange for all the necessary permits for the tour, guests are required to provide the information and documents as and when required by us.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Accommodation in all the hotels on single / twin / triple sharing basis.
- Breakfast, Lunch, evening tea and Dinner on all days.
- All prevailing taxes like Service Tax and Luxury tax in all hotels wherever applicable.
- Services of a guide.
- Interstate road tax, toll tax, driver’s allowance, parking etc.
PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE
Expenditure incurred on tips, telephone, beverages, travel insurance, laundry, other expenses of personal nature, any other expense not mentioned in 'cost includes' above. Any lunch, dinner, snacks, mineral water etc. unless mentioned in the itinerary.
