Guide
Pokhara to Chitwan by Car: Route and Driving Time
Driving from Pokhara to Chitwan: the route via Mugling and Narayangarh, about five hours on the road, road conditions and good places to stop.
By DriveRentalNepal ·
Pokhara and Chitwan are the two most popular stops outside Kathmandu, and the drive between them links the mountains to the jungle in a single day.
The route
Head east from Pokhara on the Prithvi Highway through Damauli and Dumre to Mugling. At Mugling, turn south and follow the Trishuli River to Narayangarh, then continue east to Tandi for the turn to Sauraha. Plan on about five hours.
Road conditions
The Prithvi Highway is busy with trucks and buses, and the gorge road from Mugling to Narayangarh has had long periods of roadworks. Expect some slow one-way sections. In the monsoon, landslides can add delays.
Where to stop
- Bandipur, a short detour uphill from Dumre, for lunch with a view
- Mugling for tea and fuel at the junction
- Riverside restaurants along the Trishuli between Mugling and Narayangarh
Doing it the other way
Chitwan to Pokhara is the same road in reverse. The climb from Mugling is slow behind trucks, so start early.