Getting Around Nepal

Nepal is a small landlocked country between India and China, roughly 500 miles (800 km) east to west and 100 miles (164 km) north to south. In terms of getting around, you're limited to just a few options given the mountainous terrain and limited public transport infrastructure. 

For most trips, you'll likely have one to two domestic flights (starting from Kathmandu), either to access Nepal's famous trekking regions or to get between Kathmandu and Pokhara, Nepal's second-largest city. Private jeep transfers and local buses are a more affordable way to get between the main points of interest in Nepal, and often take 5-8 hours on winding highways (or bumpy dirt roads, when accessing more remote regions). 

During the summer monsoon months (June through September), keep in mind that flight delays or road construction are often common due to the cloudy weather and periods of rain.
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Lukla Airport
Map of How to Get from Kathmandu to Lukla
How to Get from Kathmandu to Lukla

As the small mountain town of Lukla is the typical starting point for treks in the Everest region, including the Everest Base Camp Trek, it’s a busy little place. As there is no... read more

Pokhara
Map of How to Get from Lumbini to Pokhara
How to Get from Lumbini to Pokhara

Pokhara and Lumbini are two of the most popular travel destinations in western Nepal; Pokhara is about 125 miles (200 km) north-east of Lumbini. Here's how to get from Lumbini... read more

How to Get to Upper Mustang

Upper Mustang is a restricted area that remains quite a challenge to get to from other parts of Nepal. But, the journey there is part of the fun. From Pokhara, you'll first need... read more

Map of How to Get from Pokhara to Dhampus
How to Get from Pokhara to Dhampus

Dhampus is about 15 miles (25 km) from Pokhara, and is both a day-hike destination and a stop on longer treks in the Annapurna Himalaya (such as the Ghandruk Trek). It's easy to... read more

Jomsom's airport
Map of How to Get from Pokhara to Jomsom
How to Get from Pokhara to Jomsom

The exciting journey between Pokhara and Jomsom, the headquarters of Lower Mustang, involves crossing to the 'other' side of the Himalaya, to the rainshadow on the edge of the... read more

Map of How to Get from Bandipur to Pokhara
How to Get from Bandipur to Pokhara

The Newari hill-top town of Bandipur is a convenient place to break the journey between Kathmandu and Pokhara for a couple of days—it's about halfway between the two cities—as... read more

Patan Durbar Square
Map of How to Get from Bhaktapur to Patan
How to Get from Bhaktapur to Patan

Patan is only about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from Bhaktapur, and both ancient cities sit within the Kathmandu Valley. Because of traffic conditions, the journey may take longer... read more

Kathmandu
How to Get to Kathmandu

Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, can be easily reached by air from many Asian and Middle Eastern transport hubs, as well as rather laboriously overland from India and China... read more

ABC
Map of How to Get to Annapurna Base Camp
How to Get to Annapurna Base Camp

The Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek is a popular trek in the Annapurna Himalaya, and there's only one way to get there: on foot. On Foot Duration: 7 days or more, depending on... read more

Map of How to Get from Kathmandu to Koto
How to Get from Kathmandu to Koto

Koto is the starting point of the rugged Nar Phu Valley trek. At around 140 miles (230 kilometers) from Kathmandu, it's a challenging but scenic journey from the capital. Here's... read more

Lhasa
Map of How to Get from Kathmandu to Lhasa
How to Get from Kathmandu to Lhasa

Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is 376 miles (606 km) northeast of Kathmandu, and there's a very large mountain range in between: the Himalaya. The easiest way of making the trip... read more

Tents at Everest Base Camp
Map of How to Get to Everest Base Camp
How to Get to Everest Base Camp

The Everest Base Camp (EBC) Trek is Nepal's most famous (and most popular) adventure. There is no vehicle road leading to the foot of the world's tallest mountain. Most... read more

How to Get to Pokhara

Pokhara is Nepal's second city, and a favorite with many travelers. It's easy to get to from many other places in Nepal, including Kathmandu, Lumbini, and Chitwan. However, it's... read more