Getting around · Gorkha
Manakamana Cable Car
Nepal's first passenger ropeway, swinging from the highway up to the Manakamana temple over a deep river gorge in Gorkha.
The Manakamana cable car is the ropeway that lifts pilgrims and travellers from the Kathmandu–Pokhara highway to the hilltop Manakamana temple in Gorkha district. Opened in 1998, it was Nepal's first passenger cable car and remains the country's best known, turning what was once a long uphill pilgrimage on foot into a scenic ten-minute glide over a deep river gorge.
What to expect
The base station sits at Cheres, beside the highway near Kurintar, a short drive west of the Gorkha turnoff. Gondolas run in a continuous loop, so you board as cabins come around rather than to a set timetable. The ride climbs roughly 2.8 kilometres and more than a thousand vertical metres in about ten minutes, swinging high above the Trishuli river and terraced hillsides before reaching the ridge-top village around the temple.
At the top, stalls selling offerings, snacks and souvenirs line the short walk to the shrine. A separate cargo cabin even carries goats and other offerings up the hill — a vivid reminder that this is first and foremost a working pilgrimage route.
Good to know
- Tickets: Pay the round-trip fare at the base station; rates differ for Nepali and foreign visitors.
- Crowds: Weekends, Saturdays especially, and festival days bring long queues — arrive early or visit on a weekday.
- Time it: Allow a couple of hours for the round trip with the queue, the ride and time at the temple.
- Weather: The ropeway can pause briefly in high winds or storms, so the dry, clear months are the smoothest time to ride.
How it fits your trip
The cable car pairs naturally with a wider Gorkha visit. Many travellers ride up on their way along the highway, then continue to the town to climb the Gorkha Durbar ridge and trace its history at the Gorkha Museum. To plan the connection between town and ropeway, see our Gorkha to Manakamana route and the wider Gorkha temples, cable car and history collection.
Because it sits squarely on the main road between the two big hubs, the ropeway is one of the easiest stops to add when getting around Nepal, and slots neatly into the Kathmandu to Pokhara journey for anyone driving between the cities.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Manakamana cable car?+
It is a passenger ropeway in Gorkha district that carries pilgrims and visitors from a base station beside the Kathmandu–Pokhara highway up to the ridge-top Manakamana temple. Opened in 1998, it was Nepal's first cable car of its kind and remains its most famous.
How long is the Manakamana cable-car ride?+
The ride covers roughly 2.8 kilometres up the hillside and takes about ten minutes each way, climbing more than a thousand metres over the river gorge. The gondolas run in a continuous loop, so you board as cabins come round rather than to a fixed timetable.
How much does the Manakamana cable car cost?+
There is a round-trip fare with separate rates for Nepali and foreign visitors, paid at the base station. Expect to queue at weekends and on festival days, when crowds of pilgrims are heaviest, and carry small notes for the ticket.
Is the Manakamana cable car worth riding?+
Yes — even for non-pilgrims, the ten-minute climb over the gorge gives sweeping views of the Trishuli river and terraced hills, and it is by far the easiest way to reach the temple, which otherwise requires a long uphill walk.
