A total of 100 participants reached the birthplace of Lumbini on bicycles all the way from Kathmandu and eastern town of Dharan.

Chief Secretary of the government of Nepal, Lilamani Poudel, joined the cyclists who were led by famous Nepali World Cyclist, Pushkar Shah, on the four-day cycle tour’s last leg at Bhairahawa from where the tour entered the holy Lumbini area, organiser Tour de' Lumbini, a non-profit organisation, informed in a press statement.

Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, officials of the Lumbini Trust and Buddhist monks in Lumbini congratulated and felicitated the riders for having completed the stretch of around 300 kilometres.

“I’d like to congratulate the participants of Tour de’ Lumbini for working so hard to get here and pray for peace,” the statement quoted PM Koirala as saying at the official function at Lumbini.

During the tour, the riders braved the scorching summer heat, at times pedaling under 40-plus degree Celsius temperature conditions, conditions, and passed through historic UNESO world heritage sites of Kathmandu and Chitwan before entering Lumbini area. 

The cyclists passed through the scenic Dhading, Trishuli, Narayani, Nawalparasi and Rupandehi valleys. The enjoyed the hospitality and reception extended by local clubs, entrepreneurs and government officials – at stopovers in Kurintar, Arunkhola and the Lumbini area, the statement informed.

They were welcomed and joined by cyclists of Dharan at Narayanghat, and promoters of cycle cities in Nepal in Butwal and Bhairahawa in western Nepal. After a surprise reception at Lumbini Developt Trust and Kasai Hotel officials in Lumbini, the tour’s participants visited and keenly observed the archeological remains at Kapilvastu further west of Lumbini, where archeological excavations are ongoing to find out more about the life and times of Gautam Buddha.