How to Travel from Chitwan to Lumbini

Route: (Chitwan → Bhairahawa by bus) + (Bhairahawa → Lumbini by drive)

Travel Time: about 5~6 hours

It’s very popular to taking a tourist to visit Lumbini from Chitwan, for its cheap price and special experience of viewing different landscape along the road. First, you need to transfer from your hotel around Chitwan National Park to Sauraha Bus Station (distance: 7 KM, time: about 25 minutes by taxi). And then you can take a morning bus from the station to get to Bhairahwa, the nearest transfer center to Lumbini. You will travel through dust all the way, and some segments are well-paved and flat highway, the others are argillous and bumpy village roads you may feel uncomfortable. The bus regularly stops 3 times or more by the road, near some vendors or small shops. You can get off, take a short break, go to the toilet, buy some food or drink, and have lunch in the restaurants (usually a Nepalese style set meal you need to pay extra money).

Step 2: Bhairahawa to Lumbini

After arrival in Bhairahawa, you need to change to a public bus, or take a taxi to get to Lumbini Park. If you don’t have a good sense of direction, or brings huge luggage, or want to get a better transportation service, a local taxi is much more recommended. A taxi normally takes nearly 1 hour to reach Lumbini Park.

Note: There are three kinds of long-distance buses running in Nepal. One is the local bus mainly used by the local Nepalese. The local buses drive very slowly and are often overloaded, super crowded, in terrible condition. The second is normal tourist bus in better condition, but without air conditioner. The third one is luxury air-conditioned tourist bus often chosen by tourists, more comfortable, clean, even including a meal.

Popular Chitwan Lumbini Tour (by driving):

☞ 13 Days Nepal Discovery Tour (Kathmandu - Chitwan - Lumbini - Bandipur - Pokhara - Dhulikhel)

Ordinary Tourist Bus from Chitwan to Lumbini

Bhairahawa Border Town in Siddharthanagar

Bhairahawa Airport (IATA: BWA, official name: Gautam Buddha Airport) is the nearest airport to Lumbini, which only has domestic flights between Kathmandu and Pokhara. Bharatpur Airport (IATA: BHR) is the airport serving tourists from Kathmandu and Pokhara to Chitwan National Park. Currently, there are no direct flights running from Chitwan to Lumbini and Lumbini to Chitwan. However, if you want to save time and take an air travel to Lumbini, an optional choice is to fly to Kathmandu or Pokhara from Chitwan and take additional flight to Lumbini later. After landing in Bhairahawa Airport, you can take a taxi to your hotel conveniently or directly go to Lumbini Park for sightseeing (about 40 minutes). Below are flights schedules listed for two separate passages for your reference.

Bhairahawa Airport (Gautam Buddha Airport)

Tourists always start a Nepal tour from Kathmandu - the capital city and tourist distribution center. 4 days is enough to enjoy the world heritage sites and Himalayan views in Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur and Nagarkot). For those travelers who won’t want to miss the most astonishing nature of Nepal, spend 1 or 2 more days visiting lakeside Pokhara. For more experience, Chitwan is a good choice to offer Nepal’s oldest wildlife (various mammal and birds species) as well as a variety of excursions in 2 days usually. If you are a Buddhist follower or fan, travel Lumbini and other Buddhist sites in 3~4 more days. If you are a trekking enthusiast, there is a bucket of trekking routes, like Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Circuit, Poon Hill, etc.

☞ 4 Days Classic Kathmandu Valley Tour
☞ 5 Days Kathmandu Pokhara Leisure Tour (by Flight)
☞ 8 Days Nepal Holiday Tour (Kathmandu - Pokhara - Chitwan)

Travel with Us

Traveling with Himalayas Discovery, you are assured to use our high-quality travel services, including vehicles, professional tour guide and experienced driver, well-organized itinerary, assistance of visa and permits application and other travel related services. We will settle all arrangements in advance to make sure you always enjoy a worry-free journey.

Adam's Family from USA visited Kathmandu with Himalayas Discovery