The cable car station at Kurintar sits beside the Prithvi Highway with a large car park, ticket counters and a waiting hall. Fares are charged by nationality, with separate rates for Nepali citizens, Indian citizens, other SAARC visitors and other foreigners, and child fares by height. Six-seat cabins leave every few minutes and climb about 1,040 m in roughly 10 minutes, passing over the Trishuli valley, terraced fields and forest. Separate cargo cabins carry goats for sacrifice, which surprises many first-time visitors.
From the top station it is a five-minute walk past puja shops to the temple square. Buy a puja basket of flowers, red powder, coconut, incense and sweets, and join the queue. Inside, the goddess is represented by a stone image; priests accept offerings, mark your forehead with tika and return prasad. Walk around the temple clockwise, ring the bells and tie a red thread or offer a lamp if you are making a wish.
After darshan, walk five minutes to the viewpoint behind the temple for the mountains, then have tea or a vegetarian lunch in the bazaar. Allow about three hours in total on a weekday. On Saturdays and festival days, especially Dashain in October, queues for the cable car and the shrine can take three hours or more. Operating hours change by season and include a midday break, so check current timings before you travel.
Good for
- Pilgrims
- Families
- Seniors
- Groups
Questions travellers ask
What is the Manakamana cable car fare for Indians?
Indian citizens pay a separate rupee fare, which has been around NPR 880 return for adults with a lower child fare, while other foreigners pay about US$ 20 return and Nepali citizens less. Children are charged by height. Fares are revised from time to time, so check the current tariff at Kurintar or on the operator's site before you travel.
How long is the queue at Manakamana?
On weekday mornings outside festivals, expect 15–30 minutes for the cable car and 20–40 minutes for the shrine. On Saturdays, public holidays and during Dashain, each queue can take two to three hours or more. Arrive when the cable car opens and avoid Saturdays to keep the visit to about three hours.
Is the Manakamana cable car safe for elderly pilgrims?
Yes. The cabins are enclosed, seated and step-free to board with staff assistance, and the ride is smooth and about 10 minutes long. At the top there is a short walk on paved lanes with some steps to the temple. Elderly pilgrims should avoid Saturday crowds, which involve long standing queues in the sun.
