Where to Get Caught Up in Cycling

Getting there: Singapore and Thai Airways are among the airlines that fly from the West Coast to Katmandu. Round-trip fare from Los Angeles costs about $1,568. It is also possible to fly on other carriers to Bangkok, Delhi or Hong Kong, then make connections to Katmandu on Royal Nepal Airlines.

Documents: U.S. citizens must have a passport plus entry visa ($10), available from the Nepal Embassy. Call (202) 667-4550 for details.

Political update: Call the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory Desk in Washington at (202) 647-5225.

Renting a bike: Daily rentals are very cheap--$3 and up per day--but many bikes are old, poorly maintained street machines.

Bicycle tours: Tours by the following companies include in the package price a rental mountain bike with at least 18 gears, helmet, trained guide, some meals and, in some cases, van support to carry clothes and camping equipment, if necessary:

Himalayan Mountain Bikes (c/o Marco Polo Travels, P.O. Box 2768, Katmandu, tel. 011-977-1-413-632 or 418-733) operates a variety of tours ranging from one-day trips in Katmandu to a 13-day bike/trek camping tour.

In the United States, Himalayan Mountain Bikes’ longer trips can be booked through All Adventure Travel, P.O. Box 4307, Boulder, Colo. 80306, (800) 537-4025, and Asian Pacific Adventures, 826 S. Sierra Bonita Ave., Los Angeles 90036, (213) 935-3156.

Wilderness Travel, 801 Allston Way, Berkeley, Calif. 94710, (800) 247-6700 or (415) 548-0420, offers a 15-day trip, including nine days of cycling.

Above The Clouds Trekking, P.O. Box 398, Worcester, Mass. 01602, (800) 233-4499, has 18-day trips that include a week of mountain biking plus trekking and a raft trip.

Victoria Travels and Tours, P.O. Box 536, Kamaladi, Katmandu, (011-977-1-226-130) has a variety of bike tours and combination bike/raft/trek tours.