Ghorepani serves as the gateway to multiple hill stations in Myagdi District. Whether you’re planning to visit Poon Hill, Mohare Danda, or Kokhe Danda, reaching Ghorepani by vehicle can save you a lot of time.
However, based on my experience, the bus and jeep services in this region are quite unreliable. And let me tell you this straight away—there’s no direct vehicle from Pokhara or Kathmandu that goes all the way!
So, how to reach Ghorepani? The answer is to take a private/shared jeep to Banthanti and proceed with a 4 to 5 hour hike.
If you’re looking to save a few extra rupees, there are bus services that go up to Ulleri as well.
While there are a few sources claiming that private jeep service is available from Beni, I couldn’t confirm that when I asked around Hari Chowk. Therefore, this article mainly focuses on helping you get to Banthanti before reaching Ghorepani.
Key Facts About Ghorepani Transportation
| Bus/Jeep Available From | Hari Chowk, Pokhara, Kaski |
| Final Destination | Banthanti, Kaski |
| Contact (for jeep) | +977-9856010928 (In-charge) |
| Jeep Timing | 6:30 AM onwards |
| Price | Negotiable (we paid Rs. 1100 per person on a shared jeep), Bus (Rs. 300 to 400, can change) |
| Bus Timing (Pokhara to Ulleri) | 8:30 AM |
| Bus Timing (Ulleri to Pokhara) | 2:00 PM |
| Drive Duration (Pokhara to Banthanti) | 3 hours |
| Hike Duration (Banthanti to Ghorepani) | 4-5 hours |
| Route | Pokhara > Nayapul > Birethanti > Ulleri (bus stops here) > Banthanti (jeep stops here) > Hike starts > Nangithanti > Ghorepani |
4 Ways to Reach Ghorepani From Pokhara
Personally, my partner and I were on a mission to complete the Kokhe Danda > Mohare Danda > Poon Hill trek within just 2 days. Naturally, we were hoping for a direct jeep to Ghorepani.
We contacted jeep service providers in Hari Chowk a day in advance, but it turned out the jeep would only go as far as Banthanti.
Since we didn’t want to waste any time, we reached Hari Chowk by 6:30 AM. Upon further enquiry, we learned that a bus also heads up to Ulleri.
Luckily, we found some travelers going toward Ghorepani, so we hopped on and enjoyed a comfortable jeep ride with them.
Now that you’ve heard our story, let’s break down the details of each approach to reaching Ghorepani.
Important: To get to Ghorepani from Kathmandu, you’ll either need to visit Pokhara a day earlier, or take a direct bus to Beni and from there, check for a possible jeep to Ghorepani.
Public Bus to Ulleri & Hike to Ghorepani [Budget-Friendly]
There’s only one bus that departs early in the morning to Ulleri.
I was told at Hari Chowk that it leaves at 8:30 AM. However, I’d recommend arriving by 8:00 AM, just in case the schedule changes in the future.
After reaching Ulleri, you’ll need to hike up to Banthanti, which is roughly a 1.5-hour uphill climb. Keep in mind that Banthanti is the official starting point for the Ghorepani–Poon Hill Trek.
And like I mentioned earlier, it’s a 4 to 5-hour hike from here to reach Ghorepani. You’ll stay the night at Ghorepani and head to Poon Hill the following day.
Private or Shared Jeep to Banthanti & Hike to Ghorepani [Best]
Since the bus only goes up to Ulleri and takes comparatively more time, it’s best to opt for the jeep service. I know it might be a bit costly, but it’s still the most efficient option.
If you’re in a big group (6 to 9 people), just head to Hari Chowk at your preferred time (but not later than noon), and book yourselves a private jeep.
However, if you’re traveling solo, as a duo, or with a small squad of three to five, hiring a private jeep can get expensive. Luckily, since there are usually many trekkers around, you might be able to find others to share the ride with.
A jeep can accommodate 8 to 9 people, so make sure it’s fully packed before departure. Note that you’ll be splitting the cost among yourselves, which makes bargaining a bit tricky.
Travel Tip: Stick with this crew until the end. You’ll likely need them again when arranging the return jeep. Exchange contact numbers if necessary.
It takes about 3 hours to reach Banthanti, where your short trek begins. There are two possible routes:
- The left route takes you to Kokhe Danda (no need to reach Ghorepani first), and from there to Mohare Danda within a total of 5–6 hours.
- For Ghorepani, take the right path. You’ll pass Nangithanti before reaching your final destination in about 4 to 5 hours.
Since we opted for the first route, I’d recommend the same.
But let’s take a moment to reflect. If there were a direct jeep to Ghorepani, the route to Mohare Danda via Kokhe Danda would be shortened to just 4 to 5 hours overall.
Drive Pokhara to Beni & Get Direct Jeep to Ghorepani [Unsure]
Just like you, I was also pretty confident that the jeep would reach Ghorepani. I’d heard it from multiple reliable sources, especially this reel by a popular Instagram influencer.
But since we chose not to go through Beni, we were told the jeeps would only go as far as Banthanti. Were we fooled?
I don’t think so. We had asked at one of the Ghorepani hotels about the possibility of a jeep reaching there, and they clearly denied it. They told us that Banthanti was the last stop.
So, I apologize that I can’t confirm whether heading to Beni guarantees a direct jeep to Ghorepani, because my experience says otherwise.
In case any of you have managed to track down this jeep or already know about it, feel free to comment below. I’ll make sure to update the article accordingly!
Taking Your Private Vehicle [Customizable]
During most of my trip, I felt like we should have taken my motorcycle. It would’ve been so much more convenient.
But let’s be honest. I probably wouldn’t have written this article then. Everything happens for a reason, perhaps.
Coming to the point: it’s actually possible to take your two-wheeler or four-wheeler up to Nangithanti. However, I did notice that many still left their vehicles at Banthanti, possibly due to security reasons.
From Nangithanti, there’s no road connecting to Ghorepani for sure (at least until my trip in April 2025). We also didn’t see any road construction during that time.
However, situations can change in the future. In case any of you have been to Ghorepani on a motorcycle, do let me know!
Otherwise, Nangithanti will be your final stop if you’re taking the same route via Nayapul > Birethanti > Ulleri > Banthanti.
Pokhara to Ghorepani Bus/Jeep Fare
The bus fare from Pokhara to Ghorepani is somewhere around NPR 300 to 400. I’m not entirely sure, and this does change from time to time.
Even the jeep fare isn’t fixed here. You can negotiate the price if you’re hiring a private jeep.
Since we were on a shared jeep, we had to settle for Rs. 8000, which was divided among 7. So, it came down to around Rs. 1150 per person.
During our return from Tikhedhunga, we paid a local jeep Rs. 1050 per person (which was basically due to an emergency; otherwise, we were planning to trek downhill to Nayapul ourselves).
Road Condition to Ghorepani Explained
The road from Pokhara to Nayapul, Lumle via Hemja is paved all the way. But after crossing the main Nayapul Bazaar, the real off-road journey begins.
This road condition isn’t the worst in Nepal, for sure. It’s a manageable ride up to Banthanti, with only a few extremely bumpy sections.
However, one important thing to note is that the road is quite narrow. So, the jeeps heading uphill often have to give way to those coming from the opposite direction.
In fact, in certain sections, the combination of a U-turn and off-road terrain makes the climb quite tricky. But that’s nothing to worry about if you’re traveling by jeep or public bus. The drivers here are professionals; you just have to trust them.
Returning From Ghorepani: A Major Problem?
For those going just for the Ghorepani–Poon Hill trek, you’ll reach Ghorepani from Banthanti on the first day. The next morning, you’ll hike to Poon Hill early and return to Banthanti.
If possible, continue with an additional 1-hour downhill hike to reach Ulleri by 2 PM. That’s when the only bus of the day departs for Pokhara.
But what about those planning to cover Kokhe Danda and Mohare Danda too? Well, you’d have to be really quick to make it to Ulleri by 2 PM. So, the only realistic option is to get a private or shared jeep, just like the day before.
If you’re in a big group, jeeps can be called, even if they aren’t readily available. But for smaller groups, this becomes tricky. There’s no guaranteed return option on the second day.
Because you certainly wouldn’t want to bear the entire jeep cost alone, would you? So, you’ll either have to wait for others or spend the night somewhere in Banthanti, Ulleri, or even further down in Tikhedhunga.
We had initially decided to hike all the way down to Nayapul and reach there the next morning. Turns out, that was a bad decision! My partner ended up with a sprained ankle.
Wouldn’t it have been amazing if we could return the same day? Sadly, this is the transport problem in Ghorepani that needs a proper solution. If fixed, the trek could be completed in exactly two days.
Final Words
Hope this article helped you understand everything you need to know about reaching Ghorepani and continuing your trek beyond.
Still have questions? Feel free to drop them in the comments below. I’ll be happy to help!
And if you’re reading this from the future, let me know how things have changed. I’d love to hear your experience before planning my second visit to Ghorepani,
Happy travelling to Myagdi!
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