Youth of Dharan Embracing Cycling for Health, Adventure, and Tourism

SUNSARI, October 6.

Known traditionally as the “City of Lahures,” Dharan—also recognized for its modern lifestyle and fashionable culture—is increasingly becoming popular as a cycling hub. From the city streets to the surrounding hills and rural outskirts, the number of young people riding bicycles is steadily rising. Youth in Dharan are embracing cycling not merely as a means of recreation and local transit, but also by integrating it with competitive sports, adventure travel, and tourism.

For 18-year-old Deepsagar Tamang of Dharan-11, his cycling journey has evolved into adventurous and competitive mountain biking. Interested in cycling from an early age, Tamang has already won the Junior National Championship. Inspired by watching his friends ride during childhood, his journey—which started on a basic bicycle—has taken him to various locations across Nepal, Assam in India, and competitive mountain biking tournaments. “Seeing my friends ride made me want to cycle too. My parents bought me a bike, and I started riding. Cycling has now become a crucial part of my life,” he shared.

Tamang has participated in cycling events and expeditions across various locations, including Pokhara, Kathmandu, Okhaldhunga, and Gaighat in Nepal, as well as Assam, India. His most notable experience includes a cycling expedition to the Kanchenjunga Base Camp. During the ‘Sirijangha Tourism Festival 2025’ organized in Taplejung last year, his four-member team successfully cycled to the Kanchenjunga Base Camp, making them the first junior cyclist team in the world to accomplish this feat.

The journey starting from Dharan was far from easy. Due to difficult geography, cliffs, and rugged trails, they had to ride in some sections and carry their bicycles in others. “Reaching there was not easy. The trail was very tough. We rode where possible and carried our bikes where we couldn’t. After three days of navigating harsh terrain, we reached Kanchenjunga Base Camp,” he recalled.

Furthermore, Tamang participated in the ‘Yak Attack’, a premier international mountain bike race along the Annapurna Circuit. In this seven-day race that starts in Besisahar (Lamjung), passes through Manang, and concludes in Tatopani (Mustang), he secured second place along with a cash prize of NPR 50,000. He also won first place in the junior category of both the ’20th National MTB Cross Country’ and the ’12th Downhill Championship’. Having won dozens of national and international titles in the junior category, Tamang aims to pursue cycling professionally.

For many other youths in Dharan, cycling serves diverse purposes. While some have taken it to competitive levels, others ride for daily commuting, fitness, and recreation. For Amit Shrestha of Dharan-12, cycling has become an essential part of daily life to stay active and healthy amid busy traffic and urban pollution. “What started out of necessity gradually became a passion and now an integral lifestyle,” Shrestha remarked, adding that cycling promotes physical fitness as well as mental well-being and positive thinking.

For 24-year-old Anis Tamang, born in Kerabari (Morang), his connection with cycling began under different circumstances. After leaving school after Grade 8 due to financial constraints, he began delivering newspapers door-to-door around 12 years ago just to be able to ride a bicycle. While delivering newspapers, he started filming videos and posting them on YouTube. After purchasing his own bicycle, he embarked on long-distance journeys, including a 19-day cycling trip from Dharan through Sikkim to Delhi, covering 100 to 200 kilometers per day. He has also secured podium finishes in regional competitions, including third place in a local race in Panchakanya and second place in the ‘Asian Indoor Road Series’ in Nagarkot.

Similarly, Vijay Shrestha of Dharan-10 has made cycling part of his routine for the past 15 years, frequently riding with friends to destinations like Bhedetar, Chinde Danda, Chatara, and Barahakshetra, as well as undertaking long-distance trips to Darjeeling, Sikkim, Pokhara, Lumbini, and Baglung. He emphasizes that cycling helps promote fitness, exploration, and social connection. Local cyclists are now also working as guides for tourists visiting Dharan. Inspired by his elder brother, Deepak Jimi of Dharan-11 turned his passion into a profession and now earns a living guiding foreign tourists on bicycle tours across scenic destinations.

To encourage young cyclists, Pedalers Dharan organizes the annual ‘Kora Ride’ cycling challenge, attracting over 300 participants across different age groups. Kisan Maskey, President of Pedalers Dharan, noted that the event helps foster skilled cyclists and promotes local heritage sites. However, the lack of dedicated cycle lanes remains a major challenge. He emphasized that government support in building safe cycling infrastructure and dedicated lanes would help establish cycling as a structured medium for health, recreation, tourism, and local livelihood in Dharan.