Private car 4.5–5.5 h
A car from Lakeside drives east on the Prithvi Highway to Mugling, about 95 km and 3 hours, then south along the Trishuli and Narayani rivers on a winding stretch to Narayangarh and Bharatpur. From there it is about 20 km east to Tandi and Sauraha. Expect roughly NPR 13,000–18,000 per vehicle one way. Leave by 8 am to reach your lodge in time for the afternoon canoe ride or Tharu village walk.
Tourist bus 5–6 h
Tourist buses leave Pokhara's Tourist Bus Park at about 7–7:30 am and reach the bus park at Bachhauli, just north of Sauraha, around noon or early afternoon. Fares are roughly NPR 800–1,200, with premium services higher. Lodges usually send a jeep to meet the bus if you give them your arrival details. The route has meal stops and is the cheapest comfortable way between the two.
Flight via Kathmandu Half a day or more
There has been no reliable direct scheduled flight between Pokhara and Bharatpur, the airport nearest Chitwan. Flying means connecting through Kathmandu: 25 minutes to Kathmandu, a wait, then about 20 minutes to Bharatpur, and a 30-minute drive to Sauraha. It is rarely faster than driving and costs far more, so we use it only when a guest cannot manage the road. Check current status before you travel.
Stops on the way
- Damauli
- Mugling
- Kurintar
- Narayangarh
- Bharatpur
- Tandi (Ratnanagar)
Book a lodge that collects you from the Bachhauli bus park or from Bharatpur, because Sauraha's tourist bus park is a few kilometres from the river lodges.
Questions travellers ask
How far is Chitwan from Pokhara?
Sauraha, on the northern edge of Chitwan National Park, is about 155 km from Pokhara by road via Mugling and Narayangarh. The drive takes 4.5–5.5 hours by private car and 5–6 hours by tourist bus. Lodges on the western side near Meghauli are about the same distance but a different turn-off after Bharatpur.
Is there a flight from Pokhara to Chitwan?
Not a reliable direct one. Bharatpur airport serves Chitwan, but scheduled flights run from Kathmandu, not Pokhara. Flying from Pokhara means changing in Kathmandu, which takes longer than the drive in most cases. Airlines sometimes add seasonal routes, so check current status before you travel; otherwise plan on the road.
Should I visit Pokhara or Chitwan first?
Either works, but many itineraries run Kathmandu, then Chitwan, then Pokhara, and fly back to Kathmandu from Pokhara. That order avoids doubling back on the Mugling road and ends your trip with lake and mountain days rather than early safari starts. Coming from India by Sonauli, Lumbini, Chitwan and Pokhara also connect in a loop.
What does a Pokhara to Chitwan tourist bus cost?
Standard tourist buses cost about NPR 800–1,200 per seat, with premium services such as Greenline costing more and including a meal. Buses leave Pokhara around 7–7:30 am and arrive at Bachhauli near Sauraha in 5–6 hours. Book through your hotel a day ahead in October and November, when seats sell out.
