HIMALAYAN BIKE TRAVERSE EXPEDITION

- CONCEPT -

“How do we solve the environmental crises facing our planet today and how can we inspire people to do something as simple as ride their bikes to work as a means to that end?”

I have decided to set out next spring to achieve a world first with my bike and hike expedition through the entirety of the Himalayan Mountain Range from its easternmost to westernmost points entirely self-supported and without the use of motorized transportation of any kind. In doing so, I aim to raise awareness about our collective emission rates on our ailing planet and to get us all to change our ways through utilizing bicycles more regularly in our daily lives for transportation. The route I have plotted follows the highest passable trails, glacial areas, and dirt and gravel roads, generally avoiding paved roads of any kind. It follows along the primary ridgeline of the Himalayas as closely as possible while maintaining the lowest proportion of areas requiring ropes for assistance in order to pass through. In such instances where ropes are required, one climbing partner will be permitted. Border crossings will be completed with all of the necessary visas along with any special permissions required. The gear for my journey will be ultra light and weigh in at under 10kgs.

- AIMS -

Promote Bike Usage On a Global Scale

My chief aim in riding what is perhaps the most rugged and difficult ‘trail’ on Earth is to communicate to the world a simple message: “Your bike can take you anywhere you’d like to go.” If I can traverse the Himalayas on a bike then anyone can ride their bike to work—and so many other places. The bicycle, one of humankind’s noblest inventions, has come through numerous immense evolutions in recent decades. E- bikes, gravel bikes, extremely efficient mountain bikes, velomobiles, fat bikes, and full suspension trikes have exploded onto the market and gotten millions of people into cycling for the first time. The pandemic has encouraged people to recreate away from crowds, generating still more new cycling enthusiasts. I wish to inspire further millions of people to get on their bikes and ride for a healthier planet.

Promote Ecotourism With “Bike and Hike”

As countries open their borders after the pandemic traveling will likely resume at a breakneck pace, causing emission rates to skyrocket worldwide. In order to avoid this, new guidelines must be created for how we travel as a global community and we must begin by building awareness of the problem. As such, I am dedicating this world first expedition to raising awareness about less impactful ways to travel our Earth in the hopes that we can rescue our planet from the brink of environmental disaster. This is my heart’s greatest desire.

Bring Attention To the Himalayan Nations

The people of the Himalayas live an extremely challenging life in some of the most remote places on Earth. They lack basic infrastructure and health and human services that we in the west would consider essential to life. I plan to produce a series of videos about their lives and culture that also illustrates the impact of tourism and climate change on them. While I will cross several internationally recognized borders, the people of the Himalayas deserve recognition together as a highly unique group of like-minded tribes and mountain peoples with much in common. I will carry the white flag of peace with me throughout my journey to greet those of all nationalities with and to represent my journey as one to unite humankind for the common good of all.

- FROM NANGA PARBAT TO NAMCHA BARWA -

The journey in many ways is the goal itself and thus each part of the route must provide real adventure – challenges to drag me out of my comfort zone, terrain of great variety and also extremes, and exposure to a wealth of ancient high mountain culture. It is based on these criteria that I have charted a route from the easternmost point of the Himalayas, the Namcha Barwa in the bend of the river Brahmaputra to the westernmost point, the ruthless and majestic Nanga Parbat in the bend of the river Indus. It is that great expanse of land between these two geographical points on the globe that comprise the world’s highest mountain range: The Himalayas.

5000 km

Distance to be covered (over 3100 mi)

150,000 meters

Approximate elevation gain (495,000 feet / 93.75 miles)

Two 6000+ metre, twenty-nine 5000+ metre

Highest passes

Route Passes Through 5 Countries

China, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan

Ten 8000 metre peaks

will be closely visible

Two major border-crossing issues come along with this plan: Pakistan-India and Bhutan-China. My strategy is a peaceful and friendship-based one, aiming in this way to receive approval for my special border crossing requests. In the case that I am denied passage along my chosen route, the expedition will be temporarily suspended while I travel by other means to such ports of exit and/or entry that will enable me to pass legally from one country into the next at the appropriate international border crossing. Then I will travel to roughly the point where I last left off on my bicycle (on the opposite side of the border) and resume my pedalling journey from there. The route will take approximately six months to complete, calculated at 20-50 kilometres per day (depending on terrain) with one rest day after every fifth day of movement. Based on current covid regulations and subsequent visa issuing policies of countries along the route, the expedition start is planned for

March 2024.

- BIKE & GEAR -

Swiss bicycle manufacturer Koba is providing two bicycles for the expedition, one for me and one for the expedition’s media manager who will join me at key points along the route to capture photos and videos of the journey. The bikes are constructed completely of carbon fiber, which will allow for carrying over large portions of the route that will not be passable by bicycle. I estimate that I will be carrying the bike on my back for approximately 25% of the route. I will ship parcels of food and supplies to points along the route so that they are waiting for me when I arrive. I also plan to purchase much of my food in village shops and groceries along the way, and thus will limit my cooking gear to the minimum required.

- PARTNERS-

This expedition will surely be the ride of my life and I have spent years in preparation. There is no greater endeavour I can think of that I am better suited for to raise awareness about what we can do as global citizens to care for our Earth while caring for ourselves at the same time. If I can ride my bike for six months over the hardest path in the entire world, you can certainly ride your bike to work, to the café, and to visit with your friends. It’s the least we can do!

Viktor Zichó

Budapest Hungary,

January, 2022