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Kathmandu to Pokhara: bus, car or flight?

The three ways from Kathmandu to Pokhara, side by side: how long each takes, what can go wrong, and which I suggest.

Written 14 October 20262 min readBy Rujan Neupane

I’m Rujan, a licensed trekking guide living in Kathmandu. Pokhara is the start of most walks in the Annapurna region, and almost everyone travels there from Kathmandu. There are three ways to go. None is perfect; each fits a different trip.

The road

The road is about 200 km, along the Prithvi Highway: out of the valley over the rim at Naubise, down to the Trishuli river, past Mugling and up the Marsyangdi and Seti valleys to Pokhara. It is a beautiful drive, but a slow one. Traffic at the edge of the valley, road works and slow trucks on the narrow stretches all add time.

Tourist bus

Tourist buses leave Kathmandu early in the morning and take about 7 to 9 hours, with stops for tea and lunch at roadside restaurants. They are cheap, the seats are reserved, and your bag rides on the roof or in the hold. It is the usual choice for travellers with time and a small budget.

Private car

A car with a driver takes about 6 to 8 hours. You leave when you like, stop where you like, and can break the journey with a night at Bandipur or near the Trishuli. It costs more than the bus, but for a family or a small group the difference is smaller than it looks, and it is far more comfortable.

Flight

The flight takes about 25 to 30 minutes in the air, and on a clear morning the Himalaya floats past the window on the right. With the drive to the airport and the waiting, allow 2 to 3 hours door to door. Flights are sometimes delayed or cancelled by cloud, especially in the monsoon and in winter fog, so keep your plans loose on a flying day.

What can go wrong on the road

  • Landslides in the monsoon, June to September, can close the highway for hours.
  • Festival travel around Dashain and Tihar fills buses and roads.
  • Strikes sometimes stop traffic for a day. When that happens, we wait or fly.

Which I suggest

  • Short trip, or tired from a long flight: fly, and keep a spare half day in case of delay.
  • A family or two or more people: a private car, perhaps with a night in Bandipur on the way.
  • Time, a small budget and a good book: the tourist bus.

Once you arrive, see Pokhara in one day. And in the other direction, for your first day in the city, see Kathmandu in one day.

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Written by Rujan Neupane

A freelance guide in Kathmandu, trained, with a deep interest in photography and in Nepal's photography history. I walk these routes and write these pages myself.

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