Getting around · Nepal
Prithvi Highway Road Trip
Nepal's busiest scenic drive: 200km from Kathmandu to Pokhara along the Trishuli River, past Mugling and Bandipur.
The Prithvi Highway is Nepal's classic road trip: about 200km of paved road linking Kathmandu and lakeside Pokhara, the country's two biggest tourist cities. It follows the Trishuli River west to the junction of Mugling, then turns up the Marsyangdi valley toward the Annapurna foothills. Allow five to seven hours by car or six to eight by tourist bus, and treat the drive itself as part of the trip.
The route
From Kathmandu the highway climbs to the Thankot rim and drops into the Trishuli River gorge, which it shadows for most of the way west. At Mugling the road forks — north toward Gorkha and Chitwan, west toward Pokhara — and from here it climbs gently along the Marsyangdi past terraced hills to the lakes of Pokhara.
Highlights along the way
- The Trishuli River, Nepal's most popular rafting river, with put-ins right beside the highway.
- Mugling, the busy junction town and traditional fish-and-rice lunch stop.
- The hilltop heritage town of Bandipur, a short climb off the highway, with its restored Newari bazaar and Himalaya views.
- A detour north to historic Gorkha, birthplace of the unifier Prithvi Narayan Shah, for whom the highway is named.
Driving the Prithvi Highway
This is the best-maintained long highway in Nepal, paved for its full length, but it is busy with trucks and buses and is being widened in stretches. Sit on the river side of the bus for the best views, drive in daylight, and allow extra time around Kathmandu and Mugling and through landslide-prone sections in the monsoon.
Make it a road trip
Rather than racing through, break the journey overnight in Bandipur for the sunrise mountain panorama, or detour to Gorkha and its hilltop durbar. The Prithvi pairs naturally with the historic Tribhuvan Highway road trip to the south and the Siddhartha Highway road trip onward from Pokhara to the border.
For mode-by-mode costs and times on this corridor see the Kathmandu to Pokhara route guide, browse more drives in our scenic road trips of Nepal collection, and plan the logistics with getting around Nepal.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Prithvi Highway go?+
The Prithvi Highway runs about 200km from Kathmandu west to Pokhara, following the Trishuli River to the junction town of Mugling and then the Marsyangdi River toward the lake city. It is Nepal's busiest tourist road corridor and the main overland link between the country's two largest tourist hubs.
How long does the Prithvi Highway drive take?+
By private car the drive takes roughly five to seven hours, and by tourist bus about six to eight hours, for the 200km route. Times depend heavily on traffic around Kathmandu and Mugling, road works and the season; the monsoon can add hours through landslide zones.
What are the best stops on the Prithvi Highway?+
Popular stops include the riverside rafting put-ins on the Trishuli, the junction town of Mugling, the hilltop heritage town of Bandipur, and a detour up to historic Gorkha. Many travellers break the journey overnight in Bandipur for the mountain views and old bazaar.
Is the Prithvi Highway a good road?+
It is paved for its full length and is the best-maintained long highway in Nepal, but it is winding, busy with trucks and buses, and can be slow. It is being widened in sections. Drive in daylight and allow extra time in the monsoon when landslides are common.
