This article is going to discuss Kathmandu To Pokhara Bus, Flight, Car e.t.c.
Nepal is the most popular trekking destinations in the world. Thousands of travelers plan and visit Nepal each year. Most of the travelers either go to Annapurna Base Camp Trek or Everest Base Camp Trek.
Thus, if you are planning for trekking inside the Annapurna region. Then, you need to know the Pokhara is the place that you’ll need to reach to begin your trek.
Pokhara is the second-largest city in Nepal. The city attracts tourists from all over the country and globe alike.
It is located in the western region in the lap of the holy mountain Machhapuchre (Fishtail). The major attraction of this city is the Phewa Lake in the middle of the city.
The climate of the city is subtropical i.e slightly warmer than Kathmandu. The temperatures range from 25 to 35-degree Celsius in summer and -2 to 15-degree Celsius in winter.
It has got many popular places to visits. Begnas lake, Phewa Lake, Mahendra Cave, Devi’s Fall, World peace Pagoda and Sarangkot are few of them.
It is well-known as the starting point for most of the trekking trails in the Annapurna regions.
The total distance between Kathmandu to Pokhara is approximately 204 km.
Pokhara is well linked with the rest of the country by a strong network of flights, buses, private cars, and jeeps.
If you want to know how to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu. Then I’m here to answer that question for you.
Here are three alternatives to get in Pokhara from Kathmandu. Those listed here are among the most popular versions to get in Pokhara.
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Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus Travel
The most common way to get to Pokhara is by bus. On the daily basis, there are three types of run from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
The commencement point of the journey entirely depends on the travel operator. Most of these buses can be boarded in Pokhara from the station on Kantipath road.
If you travel by road, you’ll travel through Naubise from Kathmandu on Tribhuvan highway. Then the journey continues on the Prithvi Highway straight to Pokhara. Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus travel is a scenic ride in the Prithvi Highway for around 6 hours.
The total time may take approximately 6-7 hours. But the choice of the bus you take can make a huge difference in total time to reach there.
Local Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus
Local buses run from the bus stand from Kalanki in Kathmandu and arrive at Gongabu bus station in Pokhara.
These buses leave throughout the day, there is no fixed departure time. These local buses stop anywhere for everyone thus it is overcrowded.
Thus, they are much less comfortable than tourists buses. As you’ll not get any extra facilities such as air conditions, old seats and also sometimes you’ve to share your seats with the goats and chickens.
If you’re traveling Nepal on the tight budget then it’s only worth taking local buses over tourists bus. Normal price ranges from $3-5 are very cheap and the 8-hour journey is normal.
Micro or Mini Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus
Micro or Mini Bus is suitable for a small group of people of 10-12. It takes about 4-6 hours to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu.
You can’t buy bus tickets from tourist travel agents. So, to get this you’ve to go to the mini-bus stand Kalanki Bus Park. Once, they fill the bus they go all the way to Pokhara with only a few stops on the way.
This kind of bus is better than local buses but not as good as the tourist buses.
These buses cost around $3.5 and leave when the bus gets full with at least 10 passengers. If you want to take some sights in the mornings then leave around noon and arrive in Pokhara by evening then they are good options.
Tourists Buses
This is the probably most better option if you’re traveling to Pokhara by road. The tourist bus is generally for tourists so it is more expensive and comfortable than the local bus.
It stops twice along the way to Pokhara; first, stop at breakfast and second stop for lunch.
These tourists buses take around 7 hours to reach Pokhara and most of them leave early in the mornings. So, if you miss the morning’s departure you’ll have to wait till another day.
It is not necessary to pre-buy a ticket from the travel company. But if you’re traveling in the peak season, then it’s better to do so.
Normally, most of the tourist bus has the same level of comfort. Their services include free WiFi, free water bottle, air conditioning, and frequent stops.
Tourist’s buses are the safer option as the standard of driving is a bit better. Also, they don’t carry more than seat availability. The seatbelts of these tourist buses make your journey much safer.
Flight Kathmandu Pokhara
The easiest way to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu is by flight from Tribhuvan International Airport. This is the fastest transportation choice as this journey takes only 30 minutes to reach Pokhara.
This scenic flight will give you an ample opportunity to view Mt. Dhaulagiri and another mountain of the Annapurna region.
Flying over the snow-capped mountain will provide you a thrilling experience.
Since Pokhara is a popular touristic city. There are daily lots of flights available from Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu.
This is a more convenient option to travel to Pokhara as you’ll save time and it’s far safer than other options.
Particularly in the monsoon season, flight cancellations are frequent. However, if you’ve very little time then flying to Pokhara might not be that bad.
Kathmandu Pokhara flight ticket cost around $124 per person for one way. If there is a special package on some occasions you might get a discount. You can book your flight by your travel agencies or directly from airlines.
Pokhara to Kathmandu Flight is a short journey and a unique experience.
If you take flight Kathmandu Pokhara, then it will be very convenient for you in terms of time and comfort.
Pokhara from Kathmandu By Car
If you don’t want to travel by bus, then you can hire a private car with a driver for your journey to Pokhara.
Depending on your budget and group size different models of private cars are available.
It is faster than a tourist bus as it’ll take approximately 6 hours to travel by car. It is a very good option you’ll get a chance to made many stops to take beautiful pictures. Now, it’s obvious that the travel time depends on you.
But if you want to stop for a long time then you might have to pay a waiting charge.
If you want to spend extra days then you’ve to pay the overnight charge for holding the car for a night. After paying the overnight charge you can return on the same route without any other additional costs.
Private vehicles can be arranged by your private tour operators. It might cost around $90-10.
Conclusion
Personally, I would like to suggest taking a tourist bus rather than any others. As they’re not much expensive and yet very comfortable to ride in. By bus, it only takes 6 hours to reach Pokhara.
Finally, I just want to say that, you can choose yourself what is best for you.
But, before taking any decision on your traveling options you need to account everything from budget to the duration.
Hope this article gave you some idea on how to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu.
Happy Journey !!!!
