One Year On: Phaplu Mountain Bike Club

Based in the rural town of Phaplu in eastern Nepal, Phaplu Mountain Bike Club is a grassroots initiative working to create long-term opportunity for young people through mountain biking tourism. Founded by TCTF mentor Ang, the club is part skills hub, part social project. It offers local youth the chance to stay connected to their home, build new careers in adventure tourism, and reimagine the future of the Solu Khumbu region on their own terms.

One year on, the team has grown its trail network, hosted national-level competitions, supported riders into the top ranks of Nepalese mountain biking, laying the groundwork for what could become a new model for rural youth engagement through sport, creativity, and tourism.

Here’s what they’ve been up to.

Creating Opportunity — One Trail at a Time

In partnership with the Himalayan Trust, they hosted a 10-day mountain biking trip and built two new trails in the Ratnange Trail Centre, adding to what is now a growing network of world-class mountain biking tracks in the area. They also launched Nepal’s first online GPS trail map, opening up the experience for visiting riders and showcasing the region as a serious destination for adventure tourism.

They’ve also been working with local forest communities, securing pledges to protect against illegal logging and support reforestation. The trails, it turns out, are not just for riding. They’re also a path to conservation.

Bringing the World to Phaplu

In December, PMBC hosted the second edition of the Enduro Ratnange Race, with double the number of participants from the previous year and an international rider line-up that included high profile mountain bikers from the Scott Enduro MTB team.

The air was electric with excitement as riders tackled the challenging Himalayan terrain, bringing global attention to this once-quiet corner of Nepal. The race has firmly placed Phaplu on the map as one of Asia’s rising mountain biking destinations, and it’s generating direct benefits for the community. Local businesses, guesthouses, and families are seeing the impact of increased tourism, with the sport becoming a new source of pride and income for the region.

“The race has put Phaplu on the map for mountain bikers, and we’ve seen a big rise in tourism. The whole community is behind it.”
— Ang Tshering Lama, Founder, PMBC

Investing in the Next Generation

Perhaps the most exciting part of this story is what’s happening with the young riders.

Thanks to the fund, two teenage riders, Ajay and Palden, were able to compete in Nepal’s biggest mountain biking event, the Asia Enduro Race. They placed 4th and 6th in the elite men’s category at just 16 years old.

PMBC also led an educational trip in the region, where young riders trained alongside professional athletes and learned about sustainability, tourism, and leadership. Beyond the trails, there have been arts and creativity sessions, nurturing imagination and expression in local youth.

The Express Yourself Centre: Delayed, Not Forgotten

One of the initial goals of the grant was to start building the Express Yourself Centre, a creative hub for young people and elders to come together through music, art, and storytelling.

Due to unforeseen government roadworks and building restrictions in the proposed location, construction has been paused. But the vision remains strong and very much alive in the hearts of the community.

“The centre isn’t just for the kids. It’s for the older generation, too — to bring people together. Music, art, theatre — we want to see that again.”
— Ang Tshering Lama

In the meantime, PMBC has decided to pause the next phase of grant funding until a new project lead is appointed. Former project coordinator Mingma, whose passion lies in hands-on training, has stepped away from administrative leadership. The team is now seeking someone to carry the project forward with care, capacity, and vision.

Looking Ahead

PMBC’s goals for the coming year are clear:

• Continue developing the trail network

• Train the next wave of riders and support Ajay and Palden in reaching international competition levels

• Reignite plans for the Express Yourself Centre

• Continue positioning Phaplu as a model for how rural tourism can empower youth and protect local landscapes

There is also growing interest from beyond Nepal. With connections being built to New Zealand, including conversations with Jezza Williams of Makingtrax, a recipient of our 2024/25 Community Impact Fund grant, the project is already inspiring new ideas for exchange programs involving young riders abroad.

“Out-migration is a huge issue in the villages. PMBC is helping change that. It’s making staying here an option — and a future.”
— Ang, March 2025

The Conscious Travel Foundation is proud to have supported this work through our Community Impact Fund. And with continued support, we can’t wait to see where these trails lead next.