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Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park

by Jayaram Thapaliya Updated January 21, 2025

Chitwan is located in the southern part of Nepal and is popular among tourists for Jungle Safari. If you’re in Pokhara or Kathmandu and considering a visit to Chitwan National Park for Chitwan Jungle Safari, you might be looking for the best way to get there.

In this post, you will find information on how to reach Chitwan National Park ( Sauraha ) from both Kathmandu and Pokhara. To go to Chitwan from Kathmandu, it is easy like from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Because you will get flight as well as tourist bus transporation.

How to reach Chitwan ( Sauraha ) from Kathmandu and Pokhara?

The distance from Kathmandu to Chitwan is just 155 km, while from Pokhara it’s 145 km. However, traveling by road takes approximately 5 to 6 hours. Several transportation options are available to travel from Kathmandu to Chitwan and from Pokhara to Chitwan. Here are the most common ways to make this journey:

By Flight:

If you’re looking to reach Chitwan quickly from Kathmandu, the Kathmandu to Bharatpur flight is your best option. It’s the fastest and most convenient way to reach Chitwan, taking only 20 minutes.

By Tourist Bus:

Tourist buses are the most commonly used mode of transportation from Kathmandu to Sauraha ( Chitwan ) and from Pokhara to Sauraha ( Chitwan ). There are regular tourist buses for these routes that depart from Sorkhute in Kathmandu and the Tourist Buspark in Pokhara.

By Private Vehicle:

If you prefer personalized transportation to Chitwan, you can hire a private vehicle such as a car, jeep, or van.

By Local Bus:

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option to reach Chitwan National Park (Sauraha), you can take a local bus from Kathmandu to Chitwan. These types of local buses are available from morning to mid-afternoon and depart from the New Buspark in Gongabu. Please note that there is no direct local bus from Kathmandu to Sauraha. The local buses go up to Sauraha Chok, and from there, you’ll need to take another vehicle. Similarly, there are no local buses from Pokhara to Sauraha.

About Author

Jayaram Thapaliya is the Executive Director of Base Camp Hike, a Nepal-based trekking company offering professionally guided treks across all major Himalayan regions of Nepal. With extensive on-trail experience, he helps travelers plan safe, well-organized, and authentic trekking adventures.