The hill-top town of Nagarkot is a popular short-break destination from Kathmandu, as it's only 16 miles (27 kilometers) from the heart of the city. Private transfer is the quickest and easiest way to go, a 1.5-hour journey from the Kathmandu Valley through the Himalayan foothills. Or, hit the trail: from the outskirts of Kathmandu, you can hike one of Nepal's most beloved short treks, reaching Nagarkot in about 5 hours.
By Private Transfer
Duration: 1.5 hours
A private transfer is the quickest and most convenient way of getting to Nagarkot from Kathmandu. You can book a comfortable car and driver via your travel specialist or hotel, or negotiate a price with a local taxi driver. There isn’t a taxi stand in Nagarkot, so arrange your return journey to Kathmandu through your driver or hotel.
Although Nagarkot is not far from Kathmandu, the traffic conditions and hilly terrain once you leave the Kathmandu Valley mean that the journey is slower than the mile figure might suggest.
By Private Transfer & Short Trek
Duration: 5 hours
If you book a private transfer to nearby Bhaktapur or the village of Sankhu on the edge of Kathmandu, you can make the lovely hike to Nagarkot and nearby villages in just a few hours. Although there are some steep sections, this is one of the most popular short treks in Nepal, good for hikers of all levels. You'll make your way through oak, pine, and rhododendron forests, taking in views of the Kathmandu Valley and snow-capped Himalayan peaks. Read more about it in this article.
By Local Bus
Duration: 3+ hours
If you are staying in Bhaktapur and feeling adventurous, taking the local bus is an acceptable way of getting to Nagarkot. However, if you’re staying in more central neighborhoods of Kathmandu, or even Patan, this isn’t so convenient, as you’ll first need to get a local bus to Bhaktapur, and then change to the Nagarkot bus. It’s possible, but slow and uncomfortable, and local buses are not very safe. There are no tourist buses operating along this route.
Keep in mind that the bus from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur might stop in a different place from where the Bhaktapur to Nagarkot bus departs from (this will almost certainly be the case if you’ve come from Patan to Bhaktapur).
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