FULL PACKAGE

INCLUDES

 

  • Race Entry for one athlete and all services and provisions included as part of the Race Entry.

  • International airport meeting on arrival, welcome and assistance by race staff.

  • All hotel transfers for duration of package.

  • Domestic flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back for one athlete (includes up to 25kg of checked-in baggage, plus one bike and 5kg of cabin baggage).

  • 9 nights' accommodation for one athlete (7 nights' hotel accommodation on a bed & breakfast basis, plus 2 nights' mountain Lodge accommodation on a full-board basis).

  • Welcome evening meal on the arrival day at a traditional Nepali restaurant in central Kathmandu.

  • Guided group activities, and 2-day Poon Hill trek with a certified trekking guide.

  • Access to a Fitness and Swim Centre in Pokhara and 25-metre swimming pool.

  • Full race course inspection.

  • Access to a bike mechanic for the package week.

  • Transport back to Pokhara after the race.

  • Half-day guided sightseeing tour of Kathmandu, including all entry tickets to sites of historic interest.

Total per athlete on a twin-room sharing basis for 9 nights -1,530 euros

including Race Entry price of 285 euros

*Single room supplement for 9 nights is 250 euros

ITINERARY

DAY 1: Saturday 16th November 2024

Arrival in at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport - 1,350 metres (4,430 feet) above sea level (asl).

Average temperature - high of 20 degrees Celsius, low of 4 degrees Celsius (68 F/39F).

  • Our staff will meet you at the Arrival’s Hall exit after you clear immigration and collect your baggage. We will transfer you and your baggage/bike to the Race Hotel in the Thamel District at the heart of Kathmandu - Aloft Bonvoy - (about 20 minutes drive from the airport).

  • The rest of the day is free for you to rest or to explore the neighbourhood.

A welcome evening dinner at an authentic Nepalese restaurant is included for those on the Full Package, where you will meet fellow athletes and others in the group. The guide and leader will provide full information of the week ahead, upcoming tours and the race, along with other necessary details, making your stay in Nepal enjoyable and more interesting.

 

DAY 2: Sunday 17th

Fly to Pokhara - 820 metres asl (2,690 feet).

Average temperature in Pokhara - high of 20.5 degrees Celsius, low of 8 degrees Celsius (69 F/46.5 F).

07.30 - 10.00: Breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu.

10.15: Transfer from hotel to domestic airport and check-in. Up to 25kg of checked-in baggage and one bike box is included, plus 7kg of cabin baggage. Race staff will provide assistance.

The flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes about 30 minutes and you can enjoy a spectacular view of the high Himalayan mountains, and maybe even Everest, if the sky is clear.

Transfers to the Race Hotel - Mount Kailash Resort (10 minutes drive from the airport) - next to the beautiful Lake Phewa are provided on arrival in Pokhara. The Race Hotel is opposite the race swim start and T1 and close to a wide range of shops and restaurants in the Lakeside area of Pokhara.

The rest of the day is free to rest or to explore the surroundings.

The hotel has a leisure pool, but if desired there is a 25-metre swiming pool that can be accessed by Himalayan Solo Point Five athletes just 10 minutes taxi drive away at our partner swimming and gym training centre. Alternatively, Phewa Lake is always on standby :)

A bike mechanic will be available if any technical cycle assistance is required.

Evening meal is your choice and arrangement.

DAY 3: Monday 18th

Morning group bike ride

06.00 - 06.30: Coffee and light breakfast box

06.30 - 09.30: Guided group bike ride on first part of bike course from T1 to Nagdanda and back (fast or easy-paced groups, you choose) - 46 kilometres (28 miles) in total. Get a chance to test your bike set-up, try out some ‘Nepali flat’ terrain (hills for those not in the know… as almost nothing in Nepal is flat!), and loosen off after your journey, plus check out the early part of the race course.

09.30 - 10.30: Late breakfast

Rest of the day free to rest, explore the surroundings or take in some sightseeing - Such as the Peace Pagoda, Shiva Monument, International Mountain Museum, or take part in an activity such as Paragliding, Micro-Light flight, Zipline (The Zipline in Pokhara is the world’s longest at 1.8 kilometres, and the steepest!!), or try a 5-star Bungy Jump (The Race Staff can assist with any arrangements).

Evening meal is your choice.

DAY 4: Tuesday 19th

Himalayan Solo Point Five course recce, with overnight at the mountain village of Ghandruk - 1,990 metres asl (6,529 feet).

Average temperature in Ghandruk - high of 14 degrees Celsius, low of 3 degrees Celsius (57 F/37.5 F).

** Bedding, including warm blankets and quilts, is provided by the Lodges in Ghandruk, but some people may also prefer to bring a light sleeping bag, or base layers to wear overnight. Light backpack with change of clothing and personal items recommended.

06.15: Early morning swim at Lake Phewa (Optional)

07.00 - 08.45: Breakfast at hotel

09.00: Vehicle pick-up at hotel and drive the full bike course from T1 to T2 to view (about 2.5 hours with stops), heading beyond the Pokhara valley to Nayapul and the lovely village of Bhirethati, and on to T2 at Klui.

11.30 to 12.30: Light lunch at T2 at Klui.

12.30 to 17.00: Guided hike/easy run from T2 across the full 21 km run course, following the Modi River upstream and including views of huge cascading waterfalls and your first up-close views of the Annapurna Mountain Range. The run course starts on asphalt for the first 2 kilometres before reaching a stone and dirt jeep track. This extends to kilometre 14, before moving on to single track forest trail, threading its way past some traditional mountain homesteads and up on to a ridge line with spectacular views of the Annapurna range and the iconic Mt Machhupuchhre (Mt Fishtail), before the last 4km of jeep track running down to the finish at the village of Ghandruk. Two guided groups will be available - one hiking (for those having more than a light lunch!), and one easy running, you choose. Both group led by local Ghandruk guides.

18.00: Evening meal provided.

 
DAY 5: Wednesday 20th 

Active day - hiking to the settlement of Ghorepani - 2,870 metres asl (9,425 feet), with optional add-on hike to Poon Hill - 3,200m asl (10,530 feet) for sunset, before returning to overnight at Ghorepani lodges.

Average temperature at Ghorepani - high range between 8 and 15 degrees Celsius, potential low of minus 4 degrees Celsius (high range 46.4 F/59 F - low 25 F).

** Bedding, including warm blankets and quilts, is provided by the Lodges in Ghandruk, but some people may also prefer to bring a light sleeping bag, or base layers to wear overnight. A light down jacket is recommended after dark (inexpensive down jackets can be purchased or hired at many trekking shops in Pokhara). Light backpack with change of clothing and personal items is required.

07.00 - 08.00: Breakfast

18.30: Guided trek to Ghorepani begins. Coffee breaks and lunch stop with meal provided.

Enjoy one of the best treks in the whole of Nepal, hiking on paths close to gentle mountain streams and waterfalls, through forests of rhododendrons, bamboos and oaks. December has the lowest rain precipitation of the year in Nepal, so it has the maximum chances of a clear sky in which to marvel at the spectacular mountain views. It is also a relatively quiet month for tourist traffic, so you will get to experience a calm time before the adrenaline starts in the build-up to race day!

14.30 - 15.30: Arrive in Ghorepani. Option to continue with a guide on to Poon Hill after a short break, and experience the sunset (Headtorch and warm clothes/down or fleece jacket, hat and gloves will be required for this additional short hike), before returning to Ghorepani.

18.30: Evening meal (provided).

 

DAY 6: Thursday 21st

Hike from Ghorepani to Nayapul, and drive to Pokhara. Option to hike to Poon Hill viewpoint for sunrise.

05.00: (Optional, but recommended) - Coffee and hike to Poon Hill summit for sunrise views over the 8,000-metre Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges (Headtorch mandatory and warm clothes required).

07.30 - 08.15: Breakfast

08.30: Begin guided hike back down towards Nayapul. Starts towards Ghandruk but then takes a different route from Tadapani through the forest and down through terraced farm fields. Coffee stops throughout the day and lunch included.

15.00 - 16.00: Meet transport for 1.5-hour drive back to the Race Hotel - Mt Kailash Resort - in Pokhara.

Evening meal is your choice

DAY 7: Friday 22nd 

Race Registration, and free day

07.30: Social swim and coffee at Lake Phewa.

08.30 - 10.00: Breakfast

10.00 - 12 noon:: Race Registration at Mt Kailash for Full Package members.

12 noon onwards: Free time to relax and prepare for the race on Saturday.

Lunch and evening meal is your choice.

DAY 8: Saturday 23rd 

*** RACE DAY ***

05.30: The race staff will assist in transporting your bike and gear to the swim start and setting up at T1.

06.00: Assembly at swim start

06.15: START OF THE HIMALAYAN SOLO POINT FIVE 2024

DAY 9: Sunday 24th 

Morning flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu. Half-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu.

07.30 to 09.00: Breakfast at the Mt Kailash Resort hotel

09.30: Transfers to Pokhara Domestic Airport, 30-minute flights to Kathmandu, and hotel transfers on arrival in Kathmandu.

12.00 - 13.00: (Times may vary depending on flight arrivals from Pokhara)

Lunch as you choose

13.30 - 17.30: (Times may vary depending on flight arrivals from Pokhara)

Guided sightseeing tour around places of great historical and religious interest in Kathmandu. An introduction to the Nepalese cultures of both Hindu and Buddhism. Visits to various exciting areas listed as world heritage sites, including the famous old Durbar Square and palace courtyard. From here we will take a short drive to one of the oldest monuments in Nepal, the Swayambhunath Stupa, which includes archaeology dating from more than 2,500 years ago and brims with Buddhist and Hindu iconography as well as offering a panoramic view of the city. The tour will also Include a visit to the impressive Bouddhanath dome stupa, which will allow you to get taste of Tibetan culture, and we will finish at the the holy Pashupatinath Hindu temple.  End of tour drink at the hotel.

DAY 10: Monday 25th

07.00 to 10.00: Breakfast at the Aloft hotel.

Transfers as required throughout the day to the International Airport and Departure.