Kathmandu To Chitwan Travel Guide

Starting our blog on Kathmandu to Chitwan Travel Guide.

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is centrally located. It has a long history of kings, monuments, culture, trade, and religion. This valley spans 570 square kilometers and is a tourist hub called the “City of Temples.” It is an open museum for travelers.

UNESCO Sites of Kathmandu

7 UNESCO heritage sites reside inside Kathmandu Valley. These are Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Changunarayan, and Boudhanath. Inhabited densely by Hindus and Buddhists, it is a pilgrimage site. This beautiful valley is surrounded by lush green hills on all sides.

Tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Chitwan

For your journey to Chitwan, a luxury tourist bus can be taken from the tourist bus station of Sorahkhutte, Kathmandu. The bus usually has 42 seats and is comfortable with tourist amenities. The bus leaves from Kathmandu early at 7 a.m. Kathmandu Chitwan bus consists of 2 seats in each of the two columns. It’s a drive of approximately 5 hours from Kathmandu to Chitwan.

The distance between Kathmandu and Chitwan, Sauraha, is 144 km. Similarly, Boundless Adventure provides bus tickets from the city office. If you want private vehicles, we are interested in cars, Jeeps, Vans, and Buses.

Chitwan

Chitwan portrays the geographical features of the southern plains of Terai. The Chitwan District is densely covered in the South Western territory with tropical and subtropical forests. Chitwan borders India to the South and is cut by the Narayani River (a tributary of the Ganges) to its north.

Chitwan National Park

Chitwan National Park, located here, is filled with diverse and rare flora and fauna, making it the tourist hub of Nepal. Its rich ecosystem encompasses a variety of habitats, including lush forests, grasslands, wetlands, and rivers.

The dense tropical forest of Chitwan National Park has seen several rare wildlife species, including the majestic Bengal tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, Asian elephant, and mugger crocodile. The forest is also filled with Sal trees, figs, bamboo, and medicinal herbs.

Boasting over 500 species of birds, Sauraha is an arcadia for nature enthusiasts. It is a tourist town located on the bank of the Rapti River, the gateway to Chitwan National Park.

Alternatives for Kathmandu to Chitwan Travel Journey

Road trip from Kathmandu to Chitwan

There are multiple roadway routes you can take to get to Chitwan from Kathmandu. Tribhuwan Highway, the oldest highway in Nepal, is the major highway for this traverse. The road first crosses the territory of Kathmandu from Naubise and takes the famous Prithvi Highway until Mugling. Then, it heads to ward toward the bustling city of Chitwan, Narayanghat.

Naubise to Mugling

The 110-kilometer stretch from Naubise to Mugling travels alongside the raging Trishuli River, which originates high in the Himalayas. Mugling is a popular stopover on the Prithvi highway, located at the Marsyangdi and Trishuli Rivers’ confluence. Both of these rivers are Tributaries of the Saptagandaki River system. The Trishuli River is famous for its raging rapids for rafting enthusiasts.

Along the way, you will travel via various Tars, flatland right above the base of a hill. The road is filled with twists and turns through numerous villages in the Dhading district.

Mugling to Narayanghat

From Mugling until Narayanghat, we travel along the river bank of the Narayani River. The stretch is 37 kilometers through little twists of hilly roads. One of the most significant Hindu pilgrimage sites, Devghat, is located between this travel stretch.

Devghat is a popular Hindu salvation site located at the confluence of the Kaligandaki and Narayani Rivers. The road then leads to Narayaghat, piercing into the Chitwan district.

Narayanghat is a bustling town with modern amenities in the Chitwan district. There is a vast bridge, Narayani Bridge, built over the Narayani River, spanning a length of 420 meters. The other route takes on Narayani Bridge to the west and heads towards Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, via East-West Highway.

From Narayanghat, your bus heads southbound towards Tandi. From there, you will reach the tourist hub of Chitwan, Sauraha. It is a 17-kilometer journey from Narayanghat to Sauraha. Your final stop on Kathmandu Chitwan Bus travel is at Sauraha, the gateway to Chitwan National Park.

Luggage

Your traveling bus will have a compartment on the back for your luggage. There is no weightage limit for the bags on buses vying from Kathmandu to Chitwan. The luggage compartment is inside the bus, safe from rain showers and dust.

Stopovers along the way

The bus from Kathmandu to Chitwan makes one stopover for breakfast between journeys. It is usually made after at least 2 hours of departing. Furthermore, your bus driver will stop for refreshments multiple times. Note that the cost of your breakfast is not included in the bus ticket price.

Backpackers,

This bus journey is a budget option for travelers going to Chitwan. Backpacker tourists can take a low-cost bus from Kathmandu and reach Chitwan within 5 hours.

Boundless Adventures provides bus tickets and all other travel requirements for the Chitwan tour. Email us with your needs.

Air Travel from Kathmandu to Chitwan

As a Kathmandu to Chitwan Travel Guide, we recommend taking a direct flight from Kathmandu to Chitwan. The flight is scheduled throughout the day and departs from Tribhuwan International Airport, a domestic terminal. A twenty-two-minute flight from Kathmandu will land you at Bharatpur Airport. You will have to arrange for a transfer vehicle to Sauraha from Bharatpur. Bharatpur Airport to Sauraha takes about 45 minutes by road vehicle.