The start of one of the world?s longest mountain bike descent trails begins high on the vast Tibetan landscape in the small town of Lhasa, 3680m above sea level. Following the old famed Silk Road, the trail traverses through the stark, yet awe inspiring scenery of Tibet, detours high into the shadow of Mt Everest before heading for Kathmandu, 4000 metres below and at the bottom of an awesome 142 kilometre downhill. Where else can you claim to have visited Everest Base Camp on your bicycle!

Leaving the narrow streets of Kathmandu, a one hour flight takes you into Lhasa. Here, you unpack your bike, acclimatise and explore popular sights like Potala Palace, the former palace of 14 Dalai Lama?s, and Jokhang temple. Here, pilgrims arrive to worship the Shakyamuni Buddha, prostrating themselves in prayer, incanting mantras and kindling butter lamps.

Day three dawns and the road from Lhasa beckons, the Friendship Highway stretching out before you. Heading out along tarred, tree-lined roads, you ease into top gear and relax at the thought of a smooth journey through Nepal. After a day in the saddle you spot a campsite near the road and, after dinner, settle into your sleeping bag, excited about the days ahead.

But before long, reality bites. The sun rises and you're confronted with a long uphill climb to the top of Kamba Pass at 3700m. Fighting one switchback after the next you slip into low gear. Your heart pounding, your mind wondering why you do this to yourself, you are suddenly greeted with your first of many breathtaking sights. Festooned in colourful prayer flags, the Tibetan tapestry opens to reveal the expansive Lake Namdrok; its azure blue water in stark contrast to the gray mountains above.

Soon you?re back in a valley, riding along the lake shore when suddenly the tarred road ends and the Friendship Highway becomes the friendship 'gravelway'. This is the stuff of real mountain biking!

Burning thighs and dropping temperatures

The next two days take you along the toughest stretch, through deep valleys with looming craggy ice peaks toward the first of two passes. With the air rapidly thinning, thighs burning and temperatures dropping, you put all your energy into a climb up to 5010m. The trade-off? Glaciers tumbling down to the road, endless glacial lakes and a trail that leads all the way to Gyantse, a hot bath and a comfortable hotel bed.

The next day, dreaming of your feather pillow, you hop back in the saddle and head out on flat, tar roads towards Shigatse Hotel. The landscape is desolate, decorated with young nomadic herders tending up to 1000 goats or yaks. Making a beeline for the road, they'll try to make a few Yuan by charging you to take their photo.

Back on the gravel, you ride towards Lhatse before encountering a long stretch of road winding through picturesque canyons. Here, Tibetans toil night and day to tar the Highway that winds up the Gyamtso La. The 'piece of cake' gravelway soon becomes a powder run of small hills, flat stretches, and the odd mud bath with hidden bumps.

This is the place for dabs, tea parties and occasionally, the call for the support van to load up you and your bike for the easy route to camp. But at the top of the pass you?re rewarded with your first views of Everest. Suddenly your aching rear end disappears as you stand in awe of the sheer size of this mighty peak the Nepalese call Sagarmatha; 'Mother of the Universe'.

Everest in all her glory

But the best is yet to come, and ahead of you lies the prairie town of Shegar and, beyond that, Pang La Pass. Gritting your teeth, dropping into low gear and slipping intothe zone, you tackle the next four hours with gusto and determination. Ahead of you lie no less than 42 uphill switchbacks on the gravel road towards one of the world's mind-blowing vistas. 900m higher in altitude the cloud curtains draw back to reveal the full array of Himalayan peaks; Everest looming in the centre, accompanied by Shishapangma (8012m), Cho Oyu (8210m) and Lhotse (8516m). Time to dismount and wipe away the tears of emotion that stick to your dust-covered face.

Everest base camp lies 20km away, down a quick Excedrin descent and a gradual climb. Soon you find yourself in the shadows of Everest, looming down on you from her lofty 8848m perch. Time to unwind, read a book or just bask in her glory.

With Everest at your back, you veer off towards Nepal along double-track, boulder gardens and smooth gravel roads through Tingri towards the longest downhill descent on the planet. But first, two more passes, Llung La and Thang La, then finally, a 142km downhill all the way to Zangmu. Dropping 4000m in altitude, you find yourself amongst crashing waterfalls, lush green mountains endless rice fields and smiling children.

Beaming with pride, deliriously happy, with aching bones and a sun-kissed face, you arrive back in the bustling city of Kathmandu, You have accomplished one of the toughest mountain bike trails, cycled to an altitude of 5150m, slept in the shadow of Everest and lived to tell the tale.