Thrilling Adventure Sports in Nepal You Would Love!
Besides promoting Nepal’s cultural and religious heritage, the Nepal Tourism Board is taking a significant initiative to promote adventure sports in the country. Ice Hockey, figure skating, and skiing are the latest instalments in Nepal’s list of extreme sports.
Nepal’s mountains, hills, and geographical location have proved to be an ideal location for adventure sports. Annually hundreds of vacationers visit Nepal to partake in such adventurous activities. Below we summarise the 13 best adventure activities that can be experienced in Nepal.
What is Adventure Sports?
Extreme sports or Adventure sports involve activities that involve a high chance of risk. This form of game is usually highly specialized gears and experience. These sports usually involve high speed, height, and a huge level of physical exertion.
Sports categorized as extreme differ from normal sports and are controlled by variables like snow, wind, water, and mountains.
List of 13 Best Adventure Sports in Nepal
- Ice Hockey and Figure Skating in Nepal
- Ice Climbing
- Skiing in Kalinchowk
- Skydiving in Pokhara
- Paragliding in Pokhara
- Mountain Biking
- Bungee Jumping
- Canyon Swing in Bhote Koshi River
- Zip-Line
- Canyoning
- Kayaking
- Paramotor in Pokhara
- Rock Climbing
What are the Adventure Sports in Nepal?
For several decades, Nepal has proven to be a hub for tourists who seek activities that involve a great amount of risk. People visit the difficult terrains of Nepal for several purposes, like bungee jumping, sky diving, ice climbing and many others.
To further promote the country’s mountainous regions, the Government has undertaken a major initiative to promote new extreme sports like ice hockey, skateboarding, and skiing, to name some.
Below, we have enlisted a few extreme and action sports taken to have been witnessed in Nepal.
1. Ice Hockey and Figure Skating in Nepal
To promote Visit Nepal 2020, the Nepal Tourism Board recently hosted the first-ever ice hockey and figure skating event in Gokyo Lake, Nepal. The lake lies at a height of 4,700 m (15,400 ft).
The sports event is the first of its kind and started to promote Visit Nepal 2020, was attended by athletes from countries like France, Finland, the United States, Canada, and India, to name some.
Some of the notable figures to be present at the historic event were Dmitriy Viktorovich Dudarev and Aleksandr Chekarshev from Russia, Jeremy Abbott, Matej Silecky, and Laura Kottlowski from the United States.
2. Ice Climbing
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For people bored with climbing indoor rocks, Nepal provides a range of locations suitable for ice climbing. Home a village close to Besisahar, Annapurna Region is ideal for excursions.
It is advisable to visit Nepal for these events during February and April.
3. Skiing in Kalinchowk
Kalinchowk has recently proved to be the most visited tourist location in Nepal. Located in the Dolakha district, Kalinchowk is now a major attraction for people who love to experience snowfall and extreme sports like skiing.
The sport was inaugurated in 2017 and has been a significant session amongst Nepalese and foreigners.
Located at a height of 3,842 m, Kalinchowk is also well known for Kalinchowk Bhagwati Temple.
The Ski and Snowboarding Foundation Nepal has recently organised a ski festival, which is set to go down on 7th March 2020.
4. Skydiving in Pokhara
This adventure sport was started on 1st November 2010. The event participants were Bibek Pandey, Phul Bahadur Tamang, Dik Bhadur Khrissina and ministers from the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.
The jump involves a freefall drop from a height of 9,000 – 11,000 ft from an AS 350 B3/B2 Helicopter.
In 2017, more than 75 jumpers from around the world experienced the thrill.
5. Paragliding in Pokhara
Pokhara is one of the places in Nepal to experience the paragliding flight from Sarankot (Toripani). During the glide, you’ll be able to witness the majestic Machapuchre, and other mountains surrounding the valley and the beautiful Fewa Lake beneath you.
The view from the sky above will have your breath taken. The paragliding experience is one of the most popular activities in Pokhara, besides skydiving and ultraflight.
6. Mountain Biking
The trekking and hiking trails and Nepal have proven to be suitable racing tracks for bike lovers.
For vacationers looking for short motor ride adventures, there are several tracks in the outskirts of Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Mountain Biking in Nepal can be enjoyed in
- The Kathmandu Valley (1-14 days)
- Pokhara to Kathmandu (7-12 days)
- Annapurna Circuit (+11 days)
- Mustang (5-10 days)
- Lower Everest Region (5+ days)
7. Bungee Jumping
There are only a few places in Nepal designated for bungee jumps. Amongst them, the most popular is the one in Bhote Koshi and Pokhara.
You can experience a 160 m freefall off a suspension bridge into the Bhote Koshi River gorge. The bungee experience is not so high and is a 70 m jump from a platform.
8. Canyon Swing in Bhote Koshi River
The Last Resort in Bhote Koshi River is the only place where you can experience Canyon Swing in Nepal.
It’s at the same height as the bungee (160 m) and takes from the same bridge. The swing can reach a speed of 150 km/ph.
9. Zip-Line
Until the UAE took the honour in 2018, Pokhara was well known for having the world’s longest zip line.
The line extends over a distance of 1.8 km and reaches a speed of 120 km/ph.
There’s also another zipline installed in Dhulikhel, Banepa where you’ll experience a 72 metre long drop. On your way down, you can see Mt. Annapurna. and Mt. Langtang. Mt. Guarishankar, Mt. Lhotse, and Mt. Phuribichyachu.
10. Canyoning
If you are looking a for dangerous adventure sport in Pokhara. It can be undertaken in Ghalel Village, just 1 hour away drive from Pokhara. You can also experience a simple Rock and Slide at the Jalibre Canyon in the Chitwan National Park and even at the Charaudni Canyon near the Trishuli River.
In this adventure, you climb down a slippery canyon while the stream of water flowing down the gorge makes it more challenging.
The activity is managed and organised by a trained official who will ensure your safety and help you confront your fear of heights and water.
This adventure tourism in Nepal has been recommended by Lonely Planet and gives you the same experience as in the Natural Water theme park.
11. Kayaking
Besides paragliding and zip-line, Pokhara is also famous for Kayaking in the Seti River.
During the rides down you are likely to witness certain rare species of birds nesting along the banks of the river.
Besides Pokhara, there are several other places can you can enjoy a kayaking experience like in
- Mardi Khola
- Tamba Koshi
- Thuli Bheri
- Modi Khola
- Bhurungdi Khola
- Balephi Khola
12. Paramotor in Pokhara
In 2016 Paratrike (Paramotor) Tandem Flying Club started a project to promote adventure in flying. It’s a combination of ultra-flight flying, para hiking and paragliding.
At present, there are only Sparrow Fly and Falcon Fly ( flies over 7,000 ft) motor engines that help you soar the sky.
For people looking for adventures in the sky Pokhara is the best place to be.
13. Rock Climbing
Besides going on a trekking adventure, you can experience the thrill of short-rock climbing excursions. Astrek Climbing Wall in Thamel features an artificial wall to master your rock climbing skills.
There are also several other natural climbing spots in and around Kathmandu Valley, such as Nagarjuna and Pharping are mainly focused on local climbers.
However, there are several other unknown sites which are favourable rocking climbing if you are equipped with proper gear and experience.
Honorary Mentions
- Stan-up Paddle-Boarding
- Rafting
- Trekking
Above are the 13 best adventurous sports in Nepal that everyone should try once in their lifetime. To read more interesting blogs browse our website Source Nepal.
