"CONQUER PEAKS, RIDE TRAILS, EMBRACE THE THRILLS."

My bike ride was 8 hours long, and I walked for quite a bit of it. It turns out mountain biking on a real mountain is extremely hard. For context, I'm a 44 year old woman from the Canadian prairies and I've never biked in a mountain in my life. It was totally worth the effort. My guide, Pankaj, was super patient and encouraging, and wouldn't let me give up, even when I meekly suggested putting the bikes in a cab at the end of the forest ride. He pushed me to bike the rest of the way. The forest is a magical place. I tried to memorize every smell and sound, every vista of ancient trees, every clearing and creek. This is the closest I've felt to the earth since I was a child. I hope I remember it forever. I would do it again.

Rad Inventures is for those who believe: As with any journey, who you travel with is more important than the destination. The owners, Alphonse and Pankaj, sweep you off your feet with their humility, empathy, and hospitality. The Subha Brothers are entrepreneurs with a cause. In their words: "Money is secondary; what we do is to promote our community and culture". Any soul consumed by wanderlust will love these lads! Good going and all the best.

Pankaj and Alphonso are true pros: Friendly, experienced, knowledgeable, and really good communicators. Plus they do a lot of volunteer work, and support young cyclists in training and competitions. The Trek aluminum bike was a decent quality and nearly new. I had a great time doing the city tour, exploring Darjeeling's (steep!) back roads, monasteries, hidden neighborhoods and view spots. Cycling is the best way to experience it all. If possible, request Pankaj as your guide. He's amazing. He's a local, and speaks perfect English; he has great stories to tell. And he's a competitive mountain biker, so he's certainly passionate about the sport. We had some really interesting conversations over chai and while on the road. Note: If not obvious, Darjeeling is very hilly! Quite challenging at times, especially considering the altitude. If you do a city tour, you'll also have to weave through a bit of traffic. Pankaj is very patient, and he will frequently check on you. (There's an off-road mountain bike park option as well, if you prefer to avoid the hectic roads.).