The cycle rally was kicked off near the site of the Kastamandap Temple, in Basantapur Durbar Square, by Tourism Minister Kripasur Sherpa on Saturday morning. Also in attendance during the kickoff were Chief Secretary Leela Mani Paudyal and civil society members and public figures such as Kanak Mani Dixit, Bharat Basnet, Megh Ale and round-the-world cyclist Pushkar Shah. Before the rally was flagged off, a moment of silence was observed in honour of the people who lost their lives in the recent quakes.

The rally, which was attended by scores of bicycle enthusiasts and lay riders, made stops at all the heritage sites in the Valley, before circling all the way back to Basantapur Durbar Square late in the evening. Along the route, of almost 60 km, the cyclists visited sites such as Swoyambhunath, Pashupatinath, Changu Narayan and Patan Durbar Square, among others.

The organisers hope that events of this nature will encourage the public to get engaged in the rebuilding and restoring of the damaged heritage sites in the Valley.