Getting around Nepal

Flights save days on Nepal's slow mountain roads. Kathmandu connects to Pokhara, Bharatpur (Chitwan), Bhairahawa (Lumbini), Nepalgunj, Biratnagar and remote strips like Jomsom, Lukla, Talcha (Rara) and Simikot.

• The 25-minute Kathmandu–Pokhara hop replaces a 6–8 hour drive.
• Lukla (for Everest) is weather-dependent — build buffer days; flights often shift to Manthali/Ramechhap in peak season.
• Remote-region flights (Jomsom, Rara, Dolpo, Humla) cancel readily in cloud; keep your itinerary flexible.

Tourist buses run the popular triangle of Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan (Sauraha) — more comfortable and safer than local buses, with a/c and assigned seats. Local and night buses reach almost everywhere else.

• Kathmandu–Pokhara is roughly 6–8 hours by tourist bus along the Prithvi Highway.
• Greenline and similar operators include a lunch stop; book a day ahead in season.
• For the hills, the road is the journey — expect switchbacks, dust and frequent stops.

Shared and private jeeps reach trailheads and hill towns that buses can't — Jomsom, Dunche (Langtang), Salleri, and the rough roads of Karnali and the far west. A hired car with a driver is common for valley day-trips.

• Shared jeeps leave when full from district hubs; private hire is faster but pricier.
• Many treks now have a road to the old start point — confirm where walking actually begins.
• Monsoon landslides can close mountain roads for hours or days.

In Kathmandu and Pokhara, metered taxis, ride-hailing apps (Pathao, InDrive) and cycle/electric rickshaws cover short hops. Thamel and the old cities are best explored on foot.

• Agree the fare or insist on the meter before getting in a taxi.
• Ride-apps usually undercut street-hailed taxi prices in the cities.
• Air quality and traffic make a mask and patience worthwhile in Kathmandu.