Getting to Nepal's trailheads: flights, jeeps and buses

Getting to the trailhead is often the least predictable part of a Nepal trek. Everest and Upper Mustang start with small-aircraft flights that depend on morning weather, Langtang and Manaslu start with long, rough road journeys, and the Annapurna routes start from Pokhara with short drives. Know which type of start you have, and build the spare days that type needs.

This guide lists journey times for each trailhead and the delays to plan for. Times come from our route pages and are typical, not guaranteed. For route detail follow the links to the region pages.

Trailheads at a glance

Flying to Lukla

Lukla (2,846 m) has a sloping runway cut into the hillside and flights take 35 to 40 minutes from Kathmandu, weather permitting. Cloud and wind close the runway often, particularly in the monsoon, so cancellations and delays are common. In busy months many flights leave from Ramechhap (Manthali), a four to five hour drive from Kathmandu, which means a very early start. Keep one to two spare days at each end of the trip, and consider driving to Phaplu/Salleri or Jiri and walking in, which adds time but avoids the flight. See the Everest Base Camp itinerary for how the flights fit into the plan.

Flying to Jomsom

The flight from Pokhara to Jomsom takes about 20 minutes and runs in the morning because wind builds in the Kali Gandaki valley by midday. Cancellations are common, and if a flight is cancelled, a jeep to Pokhara takes most of a day. For Upper Mustang, the start is at Kagbeni, a walk or drive from Jomsom, and your permit is checked there. Do not book an international flight for the day you return. Read the Upper Mustang itinerary for the plan.

The Trishuli road to Langtang

The road from Kathmandu to Syabrubesi is about 117 km via Trishuli and Dhunche and takes seven to eight hours by jeep or eight to ten by bus. There is no scheduled flight. In the monsoon landslides can close it, so keep a spare day at both ends, and leave early to avoid afternoon traffic. See the Langtang itinerary.

The road to Machha Khola

The Manaslu Circuit starts with an eight to nine hour jeep ride via Dhading, Arughat and Soti Khola, on a rough, dusty road with the last stretch a narrow track cut into the hillside. Monsoon landslides cause delays. The route exits via Dharapani and a jeep to Besisahar, then six to seven hours back to Kathmandu on a busy road. See the Manaslu itinerary.

Pokhara and the Annapurna roadheads

Pokhara is six to eight hours from Kathmandu by road or about 25 minutes by air. From Pokhara, the Poon Hill trailhead at Nayapul is about 1.5 hours away, Kande for Mardi Himal about an hour and Siwai for Annapurna Base Camp about three hours. The Annapurna Circuit starts from Kathmandu or Besisahar, with a nine to ten hour drive to Dharapani and a finish near Pokhara. Lakeside Pokhara has many hotels and gear shops, and it is a good place to arrange permits and buy last items. See the Poon Hill, Mardi Himal and Annapurna Base Camp itineraries.

Bus, jeep or flight: how to choose

A flight is the fastest way to a trailhead but depends on weather, and it is priced per seat. A private jeep is faster than a bus, lets you choose the start time and gets cheaper per person with a full load, which is one of the clearest savings from travelling with partners. A public bus is the cheapest option but slower, harder with a large pack and more exposed to delays. For the long roads to Syabrubesi and Machha Khola, a private jeep is the sensible default for a group; for short drives from Pokhara, a shared jeep or taxi is enough. Whichever you pick, agree the pickup time and place the night before and confirm with the driver or your agency in the morning.

What a flight morning looks like

On a Lukla or Jomsom morning you will usually be asked to arrive at the airport very early, weigh your bags and wait. Flights go as the weather allows, so the departure time on your ticket is a hope, not a promise. Carry water, a snack, your warm layer and your permits in your daypack, because the checked bag may arrive on a later flight. If your flight is cancelled, ask your agency or airline to rebook you for the next available morning, and keep your hotel for one more night rather than giving up the room. A spare day built into the plan makes this a minor inconvenience instead of a missed connection.

Spare days: the rule

Never book an international flight for the same day you return from a trek. Flights and roads are the most common reasons for missed connections.

Where to sleep before and after

Kathmandu (Thamel and the area near Boudhanath) and Lakeside Pokhara are the usual bases. Book the night before a flight near the domestic terminal or in a place where an early pickup is easy, and keep spare luggage at the hotel while you trek. After the trek, a night in the city is worth the cost to recover and repack.

Money, permits and SIM planning

Cash machines exist at larger villages such as Namche Bazaar and Chame, but they are not reliable, so carry enough rupees for the whole trek. Permits are issued in Kathmandu or Pokhara and checked on the trail, as covered in our permits explainer. Phone coverage varies by region and altitude, so ask your agency about connectivity on your route and do not rely on it for emergencies.

Region pages

Each region page covers access in more detail: Everest, Annapurna, Langtang, Manaslu and Upper Mustang.

Planning checklist

1. Choose your trailhead and note whether it is a flight or road start.
2. Add the spare days from the table.
3. Book the first and last nights of your trip with flexible cancellation.
4. Share the plan with your partners and agree who rebooks if a flight is cancelled.
5. Read the regions guide and the itinerary index for the full plans, and see the Annapurna region guide for more on roads and flights there.