Pioneers Leg 15 – Tijara to Kathmandu

 

 

Who are the Pioneers?

All the riders who have participated in any of the very first legs of our UK to Sydney adventure are in an exclusive club called the ‘Ride25 Pioneers’. Each year the Pioneers are invited to complete the next leg for the very first time and raise money for 1moreChild & Lyra in Africa.  Pioneers help to define the journey and adventure to Sydney.

2025 was Leg 14 from Jaisalmer to Tijara Fort. 2026 is Leg 15 (of 25 legs) from the UK to Sydney.  To get a flavour of the previous legs visit the Pioneer Photos and Pioneer Videos.

This is the film for Leg 14:

Snapshot of Leg 15

• Start at the 19th Century Hill Fort in Tijara
• Beautiful cycling through rural India – experience a world far from the tourist sites
• Embrace the culture with up close encounters
• Mostly quality hotels, many with pools
• Beautifully varied road surfaces…..
• First ever Ride25 temporary camp on night 2
• Night in the wealthy capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow
• Visit the temples in the holy city of Ayodhya – the most sacred of all Hindu cities
• Cross the Ganges and witness the celebrations
• Morning Jeep Safari to Chitwan National Park to look for Rhinos, Sloth Bears, Elephants, Leopards and the Royal Bengal Tiger.
• Tough climb up to Kathmandu after a flat few days
• Finish at the World Heritage Site – Durbar Square in Kathmandu
• Celebration dinner at the Yak & Yeti Hotel with a dinner in a 200 year old palace
• For those with any energy left – post dinner night club at Lord of the Drinks – officially the “44th best club in the world” with 2,500 capacity
• Ride25 Food truck preparing fresh, vegetarian lunches every day from pop-up restaurants

See full route for Leg 15 below (best viewed on desktop):

 

See map of the journey so far including Leg 16 below (best viewed on desktop):

Start:

Tijara Fort Palace – 06.00 Sunday 15th November 2026

Finish:

Kathmandu – 17.00 Sunday 22nd November 2026

Days Cycling:

8

Distance:

1,165KM

Total climbing:

8,629m ascent

Road Surface:

Mostly “tarmac”. Failed surface through many villages / rural areas and for multiple kms on the climbs on days 6 & 8.

Max capacity:

100

Itinerary

We will be cycling for 8 days from Sunday 15th November to Sunday 22nd November 2026. You will need to arrive in Delhi by Saturday 14^th November and leave Kathmandu on or after Monday 23rd November 2026. It is unusually long but with easier logistics / flight times you can fly overnight on the Friday 13th and get home by the evening of Monday 23rd November.

Logistics

How to get to Tijara Fort?

It is about a 2 hour taxi drive from Delhi International Airport. An Uber XL with a bike box is circa £40. Alternatively you can arrange a transfer in a large car from the airport for circa £100.

For any transfers, accommodation, and pre- or post-tour arrangements in India and Nepal

Please contact our trusted partner:

Ramesh WATTAL, Welcome Travels (A unit of Welcome Destinations Pvt. Ltd)
209 Skipper Corner, 88 Nehru Place, New Delhi – 110019, India
Email: rkw@welcometravels.com
Phone: +91-11-26214638; Mobile: +91-9810069594
Website: www.welcometravels.com

Pre-Start – Tijara Fort

We are staying again in Tijara Hill Fort where you can register and build your bikes in the afternoon. Dinner at 18.30.

The routes below are subject to change until the week before when we will recce the routes again to update the latest road surfaces so don’t download them until the last minute.

Day 1 Tijara to Aligarh – 171km, 868m total ascent. Exact camp location TBC.

We begin with a gradual descent as we leave the area with the fort passing through a forest before spending the day in beautiful countryside on quiet lanes experiencing rural Indian life far away from tourists. One common site is the chimneys of small brick factories in amongst the rice paddy fields. Short section alongside the canal. Hustle & bustle of markets in the villages. Variable road conditions with short sections of failed road interspersed throughout the day. Dinner on the rooftop of a newly built hotel.

Day 1 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

 

Day 2 Aligarh to Camp Site – 176km, 666m total ascent.

Another day with a mixture of rural roads and B roads through the countryside with a Ride25 first in the evening our own Ride25 Camp.  No not a luxury camp like Night 1 on Leg 14 but a real camp.  Individual tents will be in situ before we arrive.  Site TBC but close to the Ganges.

Day 2 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

 

 

Day 3 Camp Site to Lucknow  – 170KM, 528m total ascent.

We are rewarded with more beautiful rural cycling in the thick of real Indian life. Mostly subsistence farming and plenty of crops spread out over the road to be crushed by traffic to extract the seeds! We finish in the wealthy Muslim city of Lucknow. Look out for three 85ft bronze statues on the outskirts honouring politicians that shaped India in recent times. For the final few miles through the city we are in parks on the riverside.

Day 3 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

 

Day 4 Lucknow to Faizabad / Ayodhya – 138KM, 653m total ascent.

We begin by cycling past the very large and grand Ambedkar Park, along the grand avenues and on the back streets of Lucknow before entering more beautiful countryside with mango and banana tree small holdings amongst the rice fields.  Another fantastic day on a mixture of quiet country roads and tarmac tracks alongside a canal for about 50km. Ayodhya is regarded as the most sacred of all cities for Hindus and has over 100 temples.  This is a short Ride25 day and with an early start we should arrive in time to explore the temples and Ghats on the Sarahyu River for those that want to. The hotel is also alcohol free but beers are available nearby!

Day 4 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

 

Day 5 Faizabad / Ayodya to Siddhar, Nepal – 150 / 199KM, 695m total ascent.

Amazing start to the day as we cycle along the sacred Sarahyu River, passing some buffalos bathing, temple and Ghats. The next 100Km are again lovely quiet rural roads before the roads get busier as we approach the border with Nepal. The last 30km is on a new large road with hard shoulder but not busy. We then have the joys of crossing the border into Nepal. A crossing used mostly by Indians and less organised than some of our crossings! We stay at a 5* hotel 6km from the border. We are only 15km from the birthplace of Buddhism in Lumbini. We will provide an optional bus for the last 50km if it is too long.

Day 5 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

 

Day 6 Siddhar to Chitwan National Park – 148KM, 1,155m total ascent.

We leave the border city early before any traffic builds up and then it gets quieter and more scenic with the Himalayas in view for most of the day. We follow the Karra river and have the first climb of the trip.  The gradient is gradual but a 30KM stretch has suffered from major landslides in the largest monsoon on record in 2025.  The roads were under repair on the recce and they are aiming to prevent this happening again in the next monsoon.  It’s possible the road will be fully resurfaced by November 2026 or not but either way it’s the only way we can get to Kathmandu.

Day 6 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX EXPORT

 

Day 7 Chitwan National Park to Hetauda – 66KM, 828m total ascent.

Practically a day off! We’ll start the day with a Jeep Safari in Chitwan National Park renowned for rhinos, crocodiles, leopards and the Royal Bengal Tiger. Back to the hotel for lunch before cycling 66KM on good fast roads to Hetauda.

Day 7 – Full route including elevation profile, stops & TCX GPX EXPORT

 

 

Day 8 Hetauda to Kathmandu – 98KM, 3,235 total ascent.

There are two quieter routes to Kathmandu from Hetauda – both involved alot of climbing. This is the longer but quieter route but will depend on the state of the roads after the monsoon in summer 2026. There are numerous stretches where the roads have been washed away but with considerably less distance and an early start plenty of time to get everyone to Durbar Square for 16.30. The route is gorgeous with incredible Himalayan views throughout.  The official finish is the World Heritage site of Durbar Square in Kathmandu before we weave through the cobbled streets to our hotel.

Day 8 – Full route including elevation profile, stops, & TCX/ GPX

 

 

Which hotels are we staying in?

As usual the quality of hotels depends on the location of suitable hotels on our journey. The hotels are 4 or 5* except on night 2 when we are camping and night 7 where we are in local Nepali hotels. We are all staying in the same place every night part from nights 1, 4, 6 & 7 where there will be an overflow hotel. Dinner is in the main hotel every night.

The package includes the following:

Pre-start –Tijara Fort Palace, Alwar

Stunning expansive 19th Century Fort converted into a residence.  Tijara Fort palace.  Sprawling gardens with a swimming pool.

 

 

Night 1 – ITC Fortune Hotel, Aligarh

4* modern hotel with rooftop bar, restaurant and small swimming pool ITC Fortune Hotel  & modern 4* Lemon Tree

 

 

 

 

Night 2 – Wild Camping!

Our trusted partner will set up a camp with individual tents (or doubles for couples) with matts, sleeping bags and pillows!

 

 

Night 3 –  Taj Mahal Lucknow Hotel

5* Hotel next to the grand Ambedkar Park and the river.  Outdoor pool and spa.  Dinner at the hotel. Taj Mahal Lucknow.

 

 

 

Night 4 – Park Inn, Ayodhya

4* newly built hotel.  Park Inn Ayodhya. No Bar! Overflow hotel nearby.

 

 

 

 

Night 5 – Siddhartha Vilasa Siddharth

5* Modern oasis 6KM from the border. Swimming pools, rooftop bar and Spa. Siddhartha Vilasa.

 

 

 

Night 6 – Chitwan National Park

Royal Tulip – 5* resort hotel.  Royal Tulip. Overflow hotel nearby.

 

 

 

Night 7 – Avocado & Orchid Resort

Nepali local hotel in Hetauda. Avocado Resort. Local Nepali overflow hotel.

 

 

 

Night 8 – Yak & Yeti Hotel

5* heritage hotel in the centre of Kathmandu.  Dinner in a 200 year Palace that’s part of the hotel.  Pre-dinner drinks in the gardens. Yak & Yeti. Post-match entertainment at Lord of the Drinks.

 

 

Cycling in India – The Truth.

Road Surfaces – Hard to describe – similar to leg 14 and possibly worse on the hills depending on the 2026 monsoon. We spend lots of time on quiet rural lanes that have narrow (single track) tarmac that is more variable in places. The road surface as you go through villages is often very poor but only for short sections of a few hundred meters at a time. There are potentially long up hill sections with failed roads on days 6 & 8.  We will confirm the state of these roads in early November 2026.  As in previous legs using either road bikes or ideally gravel bikes but sturdy wheels and thick tyres are mandatory.  Wheels built for speed / perfect tarmac will slow you down with all the punctures! The monsoon in June / July traditionally causes lots of issues to the roads but they are very proactive at repairing them post monsoon. You will need multiple spare inner tubes for your bike on your bike / in your luggage.

Climbing – there are no hills across the first 5 days.  Day 6 has one climb and day 8 has three long climbs.

Traffic – Days 1, 3 and 4 are all on quiet rural roads. Day 2 is mostly B roads. Day 5 is rural until the last 50KM which is busier. Day 6 and 7 are bigger roads but mostly quiet particularly as we leave early as soon as the sun is up. The planned climb on Day 8 is quiet but if we have to use the alternative road it is busier – no trucks on buses but plenty of cars / motorbikes.

The Highway Code – you will no doubt recognise constant infringements of the UK Highway Code! Traffic lights are generally ignored, traffic may be on the wrong side of the road and will be very intent at continuing despite what others on the road want to do. You have to ride assuming no-one will stop at a junction.

Pollution – the pollution in Delhi at this time of year is horrendous with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of approaching 400 – versus a recommended safe level of 100. London is circa 20-40. It is exasperated by farmers burning stubble at this time of year over large areas.

Temperature – the temperature should be very pleasant with highs in the low to mid twenties.

Rain – likely to be dry but potential for some rain particularly as we get closer to Kathmandu.

Food Hygiene – we have consciously chosen the highest quality hotels with high levels of food hygiene to reduce the risk of food poisoning for breakfast and dinner. We will control the lunch provision with our team of chefs cooking daily fresh food from a Ride25 food truck with a marquee for shade and seating.  Sensible personal decisions on only eating hot freshly prepared food will reduce your risk.

Personal Hygiene – we will encourage widespread use of hand sanitiser particularly as there will be limited opportunities to wash your hands throughout the day. In addition we will encourage everyone to use a product like this to toughen up tummies for the journey. Endurance sport does put short term pressure on your body – particularly if you push it hard.

Support Vehicles – we will have an extra minibus, mechanic and jeep this year together with everything we had on Leg 14.

 

How does the trip compare to previous legs?

Click for data on previous legs.

In total by the end of Leg 15 the journey we have cycled so far is 5,700 miles.

Visas

India

Good luck! Hopefully everyone on Leg 14 will already have a 5 year India Visa so you can avoid the process.

If you don’t have a Visa, nearer the time you will need to get a Visa for India in advance online from here.  Avoid using an agency that simply charges you a premium. The process is laborious and frequently crashes! It seems to be less glitchy using the Google Chrome Browser. We will be in India for parts of Legs 16 & 17 so you can buy a multi-entry visa that last for 5 years for 80USD. You will need the following:

• Passport copy in PDF format <300kb file size. If you’re struggling to get the file size low enough try using an App like Docscan where you can suppress the scan sufficiently with ease.
• Passport sized photo or yourself < 1mb
• List all countries visited in 10 years (just not more than 20!).
• India Reference – Use the hotel name in Tijara – Tijara Fort Palace, Hasanpurmafi Tijara, Rajasthan 301411, India
  Phone: +91 1469 296 966 The hotel is in the District of Alwar.
• Tour Operator – you can leave blank or put Ride25 Ltd, The Hyde, Hambleden, Henley-onThames RG9 6SY
• If you are asked for an Indian Verifier / Sponsor you can use our fixer: Ramesh WATTEL, Welcome Travels (A unit of Welcome Destinations Pvt. Ltd), 209 Skipper Corner, 88 Nehru Place, New Delhi – 110019, India
  Email: rkw@welcometravels.com
  Phone: +91-11-26214638; Mobile: +91-9810069594
  Website: www.welcometravels.com

Nepal

You will also need to get a visa for Nepal at the border and pay 30USD.  To make the crossing as efficient as possible you’ll need to complete this form a day before we arrive at the border. Take a screenshot of your completed form. It will also help to have 30USD in cash.

For new riders Ride25 will request a copy of your Indian Visa in advance as we need to provide to the hotels in advance.

 

What do I wear?

Normal cycling attire is fine for both sexes across the whole route. Any clothes that will help you keep cool.

Health & Safety and General wellbeing

As in previous legs:

• We will start early every day for the coolest part of the day so we expect everyone to finish by 5pm but we will pick up any cyclists at the afternoon water stop if there is a risk they would still be cycling in the dark. The exception may be after the border on day 5 if there are delays.  We will cycle in groups but you will need front & rear quality lights.
• We will try to prevent anyone cycling on their own.
• As in previous legs we will demand insurance details in the event at Registration  – this is important so that we can contact your insurer in the event that you are unconscious and your next of kin is uncontactable or doesn’t know your insurance details.
• Mel, Margot, Dan, Adam, Eleni, Clare and Sarah (Medic) and a professional physio will be supporting the tour as usual but we will also have a large contingent from our new Indian Partner, Welcome Travels India again who will also provide all the vehicles, drivers and food truck.

Do I need to train?

YES. 1200km in over 8 days is a big challenge. Longer than previous years and some long days but statistically no harder on average per day than many of the previous legs!

What is the cost?

Cost: £1,950 per person with a single supplement of £700. As in all previous Pioneer trips this is a not for profit – ie the cost is a sum of the direct costs of running the trip only.

If you are in a twin room please indicate during registration if you have a preference for a room mate.  Room mates will be allocated in advance.

This includes:

• 9 x nights quality accommodation in Tijara, Aligarh, Campsite, Lucknow, Ayodhya, Siddharthanagar, Chitwan National Park, Hetauda & Kathmandu
• 9 x breakfast
• 8 x lunches in catered pop up restaurants including soft drinks
• 9 x dinners
• 5 x manned support cars, minibus, jeep truck, ambulance, 3 x lorries for bikes / luggage. 3 x bike mechanics, physio / first aid, medic & local tour guide
• AM Jeep Safari in Chitwan National Park
• Transportation of bags each day to the finish
• Transportation of bike boxes from the start to Kathmandu
• Water, fruit and supplies at all the stops.
• 3 x personalised cycling shirts – ensure you enter the correct shirt size when you register. We will aim to launder the shirts every 2 days to reduce wastage.
• 1 x Cap

£500 Deposit due on booking, balancing payment due in June 2026. No deposit refunds – any deposits forfeited and donated to charity if there is a surplus.

Please pay by Bank transfer only – you will receive an invoice with bank details when you register.

Your place is ONLY confirmed if you pay the deposit on registration and the full payment by the end of June 2026.

What’s not included?

• Flights to and from Delhi / Kathmandu.
• Transfers to and from the airports.
• All alcohol & mini-bars – please pay for all your bar drinks as you go and settle your mini-bar.
• Medical Insurance – details of your policy required before travel. See Yellow Jersey as an example of cycling specific insurance.

Optional extras:

• Single room.

For any transfers, accommodation, and pre- or post-tour arrangements in India and Nepal

Please contact our trusted partner:

Ramesh WATTAL, Welcome Travels (A unit of Welcome Destinations Pvt. Ltd)
209 Skipper Corner, 88 Nehru Place, New Delhi – 110019, India
Email: rkw@welcometravels.com
Phone: +91-11-26214638; Mobile: +91-9810069594
Website: www.welcometravels.com

How to book a place?

Initial Payment: £500 payable to confirm a place. This will be donated to 1moreChild in the event that you pull out. Alternatively make the full payment of £1,950 (twin) or £2,650 (single) now to avoid further admin.

2026 Auction

After the success of the auction at the end of Leg 14 which raised a total if £84,000 we will again have one in Kathmandu. Please think of ideas for money can’t buy opportunities that you can facilitate! You can add suggestions when you register.  Work experience ideas are particularly sought after.

2026 Special Speakers

We have a great history of some educational speakers such as Dr Martin Lawson and Jamie White, the geologist! Please volunteer if you have some special relevant knowledge!

What else can I do before or after the Leg?

There are many other things to see and do in both India and in Nepal at the finish. Particularly some fantastic climbing / trekking if you have any energy left at the end.

What happens after Leg 15?

We will go back to the finish in Kathmandu and continue or journey across Nepal, back into India and then to Thimphu in Bhutan (Subject to consent).  Likely to be 6 days cycling Mid October 2027 – the weather is getting cooler as we head east and to higher altitude so we need to shift the trip earlier in the year.

What are we raising money for?

As in previous years all participants shall pay all their own costs and all money raised shall go straight to 1moreChild in the first instance. Once 1moreChild has hit it’s annual requirement the balance will go to Lyra in Africa.

What is 1moreChild?

1moreChild was set-up by Harry & Hen Ferdinando in 2008 to help enable street children in Jinja, Uganda to go to school and prosper. Ride25 raises money for 1moreChild for the following key reasons:

A small amount of money goes along way – as little as £15 per month can transform a child’s life. 100% of all money donated to 1moreChild goes to tackle the problem.  There are no western overheads, admin costs or wastage. In addition Harry & Hen pay all their own costs. The money raised from the cycle will make an enormous difference to 1moreChild and enable them to take many more children out of the slum.

1moreChild provide school fees, 3 meals a day, school uniforms, school supplies, shoes, clothes, medical care, tutoring, mentoring, a football club and various other activities.

Visit 1moreChild.org for more info.

What is Lyra in Africa?

We have added a second charity called Lyra as our second beneficiary. Lyra, based in Iringa in Tanzania is very similar to 1moreChild in many ways and was set up to enable girls to complete their schooling.

Lyra was initially set-up by Maria Spink to build “Hostels” in the grounds of secondary schools in Tanzania. A high percentage of rural girls drop out of secondary school partially because of walking 10-15KM each way to school. Some fall pregnant after accepting lifts on motorbikes etc. The Lyra solution is to build a hostel that houses circa 100-140 girls so that they can stay at school. The annual drop-out rate of these children has reduced significantly from 15% to 2% per annum. The teenage pregnancy rate has dropped to zero from 6-10 pregnancies per annum per school.

So far, Lyra has built 15 hostels housing about 1,500 girls annually.

The hostels are only built if they local authority commits 30% of the build costs and the community agrees to offer significant resources (circa 4% of the cost) in terms of building material / manpower / harvest etc. Once they are built the structures and running costs are handed over to the community so there is minimal ongoing overhead running the hostels. The rest of the construction cost is funded by donors at a one-off cost of £70k per hostel.

Lyra also funds places in these hostels (food costs etc) for the most disadvantaged at a cost of 290USD per annum per child.

In 2017 Lyra started a Youth Enterprise Scheme that both intensively trains and provides a Savings & Loan Scheme to give participants everything they need to start a business and become at the very least self-sufficient. It now has over 1,300 entrepreneurs running a wide variety of businesses from mushroom farms, chickens, food supplements etc. This well thought out scheme has been wildly successful and has resulted in 80% of participants at least doubling their income and providing employment for at least one other person. The Scheme is now being adopted by other organisations in Tanzania.

Lyra has also built IT facilities in several schools.

Visit Lyra in Africa for more info.

Can I visit Lyra?

Maria Spink will run a trip in October 2026 to visit Lyra in Tanzania – details to follow but the groups are typically made up of a parent with a youngster (aged 15-30).

What impact has the money raised by the Pioneers had?

The Pioneers cycle trip is the most significant fundraising initiative for 1moreChildwith circa 70% of their overall funding coming from this trip.  We have raised £2+ million for the charity across legs 1 to 14.

As a result of our trips 1moreChild has taken over 200 children off the streets and given them everything they need to go to school. Many of the children have now gone on to do great things including studying at University and representing Uganda at cycling!

 

 

What about Ride25 Pioneer Virgins?

You can invite your friends if there are places left once the Pioneers and Founders have had a chance to sign-up. Virgins  can register but their places will only be confirmed in January 2026. If there are places and you invite friends they will be expected to fundraise / sponsor / donate.  For the first time we will organise an Ride25 induction / Q&A in the UK for any new riders.

What are the opportunities for sponsorship? 

We have put together a number of packages but are also open to offers from anyone for anything. Meet our 2025 sponsors:

 

Sponsors get to stay in the best hotel if there is more than one hotel and can also bring guests that fit the right profile.

Cyclists pay for the costs of the shirts, banners etc so all the money given in sponsorship goes directly to charity. The more you sponsor the larger exposure your logo will get. The noise created on Linkedin was enormous in the business community so you should get great value. As well as the ESG benefits sponsors generate significant new business and / or investment on the rides.

Some sponsors donate a larger amount that includes a place on the ride. Contact Rob Hamilton (rh@ride25.com) if you’d like more information on sponsorship.

What about individual sponsorship?

Please do create your own personal sponsorship page using Givestar or use the Group page to raise money by sending it to all your contacts. Alternatively you can donate direct to 1moreChild or make a donation from overseas through the 1mC website.

 

What else do / don’t I need to do beforehand? 

• Bike Service – make sure you book a Bike Service before you travel – you may need to book this a few weeks in advance but will seriously reduce the chance of issues on the ride.
• Bike Fit – if you haven’t it’s worth getting your bike fitted properly by a professional – it will help prevent injury.
• Wheels – make sure you have sturdy wheels and thick tyres.
• Pack inner tubes and even a spare tyre that fits your bike – the roads are uncompromising!
• Esim – if you roaming doesn’t cover India.  The whole route has phone signal and 4G 90% of the time.
• Visas – For India you need to apply for a VISA in advance – see above.
• Buy & Pack an Apple Airtag /  Android Tracker for your Bike Box – very useful if there are issues with bike boxes.
• Buy a bell / horn for your bike or even a whistle – most Indian drivers use their horn extensively.  A horn / whistle will help you compete.

 

What else do I need to bring? 

• High Quality rear bike light for safety & FRONT LIGHT for early mornings
• Hydration Tablets – such as Precision Fuel & Hydration – critical for multi day long distances  particularly if it’s hot.
• Imodium & Dioralyte – better safe than sorry!
• 2 x large water bottles for hydration drinks and water – very important on this leg – there are frequently large distances where it is impossible to refill.
• Helmet
• Large saddle bag with –  2 x spare inner tubes, puncture repair kit and tyre leavers
• E-cycle pump – better fir travel than canisters
• Sun cream – not possible to buy where we’re cycling apart fro in Kathmandu
• Phone mount in case you lose your GPS at the airport
• Portable battery charger for the camping night