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» Information about Chitwan National Park
» How to get from Kathmandu to Chitwan/Sauraha
» How to get from Pokhara to Chitwan/Sauraha
» How to get from Sunauli to Chitwan/Sauraha
Introduction on traveling to Chitwan National Park & Sauraha
- The most popular method of traveling to Chitwan National Park is by bus. There are dedicated tourist buses offering different standards
- The second most popular method is to hire private transport, either a car or a jeep.
- Mini-vans reach further outside of Chitwan National Park
- Traveling by airplane is also an option for those short on time.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is that in all cases, you should familiarize yourself with the difference between Sauraha and Chitwan National Park - chances are you'll be in both at some stage.
Information about Chitwan National Park & Sauraha```html
Chitwan National Park
Chitwan National Park is located in the mid Terai area of Nepal. It's famous for a jungle that is home to Royal Bengal tigers, elephants, one-horned rhinoceros, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species. Check out my full guide to Chitwan National Park for more details.
Sauraha
Sauraha is a small town located just outside Chitwan National Park. It offers a wide range of accommodations, tour agencies, and restaurants. This is where all transport is directed.
The difference between Chitwan and Sauraha
Chitwan National Park and Sauraha are adjacent to each other. Chitwan is the vast jungle where treks and jungle safaris take place.
Sauraha is the small town situated right outside the National Park and serves as the primary travel/accommodation hub. Essentially, to reach Chitwan National Park, you first need to travel to Sauraha.
When traveling independently, transportation is often referred to as going to Sauraha. While stating your destination as Chitwan is acceptable, keep in mind that staying in Sauraha is more cost-effective than staying inside Chitwan National Park. When booking tours from abroad, consider this aspect. Some tour agents might overcharge you for direct transport/accommodation to Chitwan compared to Sauraha.
How to travel from Kathmandu to Chitwan/Sauraha
How to take a bus from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park
Bus travel to Chitwan is the most popular choice. There are various options, with tourist buses and local buses being the two main choices.
The bus from Kathmandu goes to Sauraha, not directly to Chitwan. The first bus departs from Kathmandu just outside Thamel along Sorhakhutte (the first left after Paknajol Road). In 2018, the Kantipath bus stop was closed, and all tourist buses now depart from Sorhakutte. Buses are available for several destinations, including Pokhara and Chitwan/Sauraha. Most buses leave at 7 am sharp. It's worth noting that the road both before and after Mugling has been under constant repair and widening. Every year, there is a promise that there will be no delays, but every year, delays persist.
You can purchase a ticket to Chitwan/Sauraha in advance from a travel agency or your hotel. Tickets cost between 800-1000 rupees, approximately 800 if purchased in person at the bus stop that morning. Bargaining may be required.
The journey time to Sauraha is around 4-5 hours*. Refer to the section below on how to get from the Sauraha bus stop into the town, as it's crucial.
Which is the best bus service to Chitwan?
There is little difference between the main tourist buses. Each year, new companies emerge while old ones vanish, but the buses remain the same. Disregard any travel agent claiming the bus is new. Popular bus companies include Holiday Adventure, Blue Sky Travel and Tours, Rainbow Adventure, Sarada Tours & Travel, Baba Tours & Travel, Sai Baba Tours & Travel, Sanjok Tours & Travel, Kasara Tours & Travel, and Holiday Inn Tours.
Ultimately, the specific bus company doesn't matter much as they usually travel together in a convoy.
These buses typically have 32-36 seats. The air conditioning usually functions during summer months only. There are usually two stops - one around 10 am and another at 11:30 am for lunch. Although you may receive a bottle of water onboard, it's advisable to bring your own food and snacks as there are no toilets onboard.
Luxury tourist buses to Chitwan (Sauraha)
These buses, once known as "private" buses, operate at a higher luxury level. The two most popular are Greenline and Mountain Overland. However, Greenline has not been serving Sauraha since 2016. While rumors suggest they may resume soon, Mountain Overland generally provides the more luxurious bus. During peak season, expect to pay USD $10-12. Tickets often include water upon arrival, and the buses usually have functioning air conditioning, more comfortable seating, and better suspension. These buses offer the advantage of non-stop travel without dropping passengers off on the way or at the destination.
Mini vans to Sauraha (Chitwan)
Kalanki bus stop has mini vans (micro's) running to Sauraha. It's cheaper than all of the above (400 rupees) but there are many dusty stops along the way ending at Tadi Bazaar, Sauraha. You'll then need to take a rickshaw/taxi to the town itself (4km) for an additional 200-300rps. There have been several accidents involving mini-vans in the past. Coming back there is one pharmacy (Rose) along the main strip offering safer mini-van transport from the middle of Sauraha to Kathmandu.
Private car hire to Chitwan (Sauraha)
Hiring a private car from Kathmandu to Chitwan is quite easy. Any tourist or travel agency in Kathmandu can arrange one for you. Average prices are about USD$70 for the trip which you can split between passengers. Agents will often try to sell you a round trip as it works out cheaper for them (return transport). They may also try to sell you entire tour packages to Chitwan which will end up more expensive than simply booking yourself. 4x4s are more expensive but not needed as the road is fine aside from ongoing roadworks.
Private mini-van service: there is a mini-van service leaving from downtown Sauraha every day at 7am. Details in the guidebook below.
Throughout the year expect delays from either Kathmandu or Pokhara to Chitwan due to roadworks at Mugling. Ignore all tour agents or touts telling you there is no problem. The reality is the road works have been happening since 2015. With delays ever since. How long you get delayed is random based on the work that day and no matter how much the bus operators promise to call ahead to find out ... it never happens. Delays can add up to 3-4 hours to a journey. If you hit it lucky (60/40% for) then you won't have a delay. Kathmandu buses are often departing at 6.30am to speed things up a little - check departure times when getting your ticket!
How to fly to Chitwan National Park from Kathmandu
The nearest airport to Chitwan National Park is Bharatpur Airport, (10km away). A taxi is easily obtainable from the airport. You will need to bargain hard. Prices start at 1000rps but vary depending on fuel strikes etc.
Plane tickets to Chitwan are available from nearly all travel agencies in Kathmandu. It's also possible to book online, however, a wise person would note that credit-cards are processed outside Nepal. Getting refunds or changing a flight can be a headache. Travel agents offer cheaper flight tickets, which they can swap and change if there is a cancellation. Flights run daily depending on numbers. Off season flights are frequently postponed until the next day. Prices are approximately USD $170 from mainstay airlines like Yet Airlines and Buddha Air.
Note: contacting these airlines directly is a waste of time. Copy & paste websites cheap listing their numbers etc. The airlines will tell you to visit the airport to buy from them so long as the desks are open ... So yes, buy from a travel agent or your hotel to save time, money, and hassle.
*Road works in 2024 are likely to add on hours to the journey.
How to get from Pokhara to Chitwan/Sauraha```html
How to take a bus from Pokhara to Chitwan National Park
Regular buses from Pokhara to Sauraha depart from Pokhara's main bus stop at 7:30 am. The journey takes 4-6 hours. Tickets can be purchased from travel agents, hotels, or at the bus park. Buses tend to fill up quickly, so booking in advance is recommended. Prices start around 600 NPR at the bus park or 700-800 NPR from an agent.
If booking through an agent, confirm the type of bus you expect. Agents sometimes provide older buses to increase their profit margin. If you were satisfied with a specific bus from Kathmandu or elsewhere, inform the agent of your expectations.
Mountain Overland, Swift, Blue-sky, Sai Baba, and Rainbow are among the main bus companies on this route.
Luxury buses to Chitwan from Pokhara
Private air-conditioned buses vary depending on the season. Premium bus services to Chitwan are limited, so it's advisable to inquire beforehand, especially during the off-season when tourist numbers are low. Mountain Overland is a reliable option for this route.
Mini vans from Pokhara to Sauraha (Chitwan)
Mini vans depart from just beyond the "old bus park" in Pokhara. While they are slightly quicker and cheaper, their safety record is not the best. Considering the additional cost of a taxi to reach the vans, the total expense may exceed that of a tourist bus.
How to fly to Chitwan National Park from Pokhara
The nearest airport to Chitwan National Park is Bharatpur Airport, located 10 km away. Please refer to the "Kathmandu to Chitwan" section above for more details.
Flights from Pokhara to Bharatpur operate daily during peak season but may be limited in the off-season. The flight duration is approximately 25-30 minutes, with ticket prices usually below USD $180. It's recommended to purchase flight tickets through a local travel agent.
How to get from Sunauli to Chitwan
Sunauli is the border town between Nepal and India
How to take a bus from Sunauli to Chitwan/Sauraha
From Sunauli, you can take a direct bus to Sauraha. Prices may vary widely, and touts might try to overcharge you. Aim for 500-600 rupees. However, it's common to have to change buses at Bhairahawa. So ...
A better option is to take a local bus or rickshaw from Sunauli to Bhairahawa (3 km) as it's more convenient. Then, take a local bus to Sauraha (3-4 hours). The price is approximately 400-500 rupees. Ensure you receive a small ticket and keep it secure.
Establishing a rapport with the bus driver is helpful as ticket boys frequently hop on and off along the journey. Make sure the driver knows you intend to disembark at Sauraha.
How to get from Sauraha bus stop to the town center
I found this to be the hardest/easiest part of the whole journey. From Kathmandu and Pokhara you will be dropped off at a miserable field of a bus park just outside of Sauraha town which is typically known as "Tourist Bus Park" but has an official name of Bachhauli Bus Park - just say "tourist bus park".
Touts arriving on jeeps and 4x4's will surround you waving brochures and offering free or 5-10 rupees lifts into town. They will say they are taking guests to a guesthouse and just looking to cover the cost of fuel and are willing to take you. Ignore them!! They will take you to their own guesthouse and leave you there if you decide not to stay (or charge you a fee for transport to where you really wanted to go in the first place).
If you booked ahead then your hotel will have a man waiting for you there with transport.
A sneaky way to grab a free lift is to know the name of a hotel near the Rhino statue (downtown Sauraha) and agree to be taken there. If you don't like the hotel then at least you are near many more and in the town center.
To get to Sauraha town where there's plenty of accommodation simply leave the bus park/field. Turn right and keep walking down the dusty road for about 20 mins. Once you come across the main road with tarmac turn left. You'll soon start to see guesthouses and travel agents. This is the main Sauraha road which will eventually lead you to the river. This method is about 3km (it's all flat and relatively easy). Do check out my full map to Chitwan National park for more details.
If you do then you might meet a rickshaw elephant or taxi along the way offering a lift. If you do make sure you have a destination name. Either your guesthouse, a well known guesthouse name in the center or the Rhino or Elephant statue in Sauraha town.
If coming from Sunauli or via micro van you will likely be dropped at the Tadi Bazaar bus stop. Taking a rickshaw or taxi from there to Sauraha center is the best option.
If you don't like the idea of walking then you can always book a hotel here and have them pick you up. (hint: enter your travel dates to get the best price)
More information on Chitwan National Park
Chitwan National Park Entrance fee
There is a 2000 rupee daily fee for entry into the national park. There is NO fee for entering Sauraha. Generally those on package tours staying inside the National Park have this fee waived or included in the price.
More information on making the most our of your stay in Chitwan National Park and Sauraha check out my full travel guide to Chitwan National Park. Or, download my guidebook below. .
Download my guidebooks to Nepal
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Available in print or digital editions - the best guidebooks for visiting Nepal.
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Full Nepal Guidebook
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Chitwan National Park Guidebook
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