Bikers at the Phuenstholing-Thimphu highway.
Two wheeler tourists
Kuensel, 27 September, 2003

There is more to Bhutan than just a culture tour or trekking up the mountains.
“Biking along the country’s narrow roads and blind curves is one,” says Kinley Tshering of Himalayan adventures which has initiated bike tours for tourists.

The company’s first batch of bike-loving tourists, five Austrians, flagged off from Pheuntsholing earlier this week. The group rode the Phuentsholing-Thimphu highway and also to Haa and Paro.

“Bhutan’s roads are a pleasure to ride on with less traffic and great views,” said one of the bikers, Siegfried Mayer. “Sometimes you virtually ride through the clouds.”
A local guide with a vehicle loaded with food, refreshment, spares, and tents follow the bikers as a back up along the highways.

Kinley Tshering said that he initiated the motorbike tour to promote adventure tourism in Bhutan. “There were a lot of enquiries from tourists about biking and cycling tours on the Himalayan routes,” he said.

The company has seven KTM 640 LC4 adventure bikes and 10 mountain bikes. The 640cc KTM bikes cost about Nu 0.4 million and are a regular feature in rallies like the Paris Dakar rally.
With contribution from Himalaya Reisen, Austria, Himalayan adventures invested about Nu 5.0 million to buy the machines and other equipment.