How to Travel from Kathmandu to Salleri (Bus, Jeep)
There are two options to travel from Kathmandu to Salleri: you can either travel by bus or jeep. Salleri is about 260 km east of Kathmandu and takes around 10-11 hours to get there. The buses and jeeps leave early morning every day from Chabahil in Kathmandu. It is easy and quick to get your tickets in Chabahil, and generally you can just get your ticket 1-2 days before your travel.
Travelling by bus or jeep to Salleri is popular for those starting the Everest Base Camp Trek (EBC) that do not want to fly into Lukla. After you arrive in Salleri, you can get a jeep ticket from Salleri to Thamdanda (sometimes also spelled as Tham dada). After you get to Thamdanda, it’s the start of the trek to Everest Base Camp! Salleri can also be a starting or ending point to the Pikey Peak Trek.
How to Travel from Kathmandu to Salleri by Bus
Generally, it is slightly more comfortable to travel by bus than jeep in Nepal. This is due to that the jeeps can get crowded, and you don’t really have your “own seat” on the jeep as opposed to the bus. People usually prefer travelling by bus for this reason as it is somewhat more comfortable.
What Time Does the Bus Leave?
The buses leaves between 5-6 am in the morning. Usually, there are two buses per day, both leaving early morning. It is best if you take the earlier bus as the journey will be long.
Kathmandu to Salleri Bus Price
The price of the bus ticket is Rs. 1,500. If you buy the bus ticket through a travel agency or through your hotel, they will add a commission on top of it, so the price will be a little bit more expensive. If you buy the ticket directly at the ticket counter in Chabahil, then you will get the actual price (without commission fees).
How to Travel from Kathmandu to Salleri by Jeep
Apart from the bus, it is also possible to travel from Kathmandu to Salleri by jeep. The jeep is actually not much faster than the bus, it takes the same time as the bus. It can also get a little bit more crowded in the jeep, so it feels more uncomfortable than the bus. Check out here more in detail what’s it like to travel by bus in Nepal.
What Time Does the Jeep Leave?
The jeep leaves at 5 am from Chabahil. You should ask if the jeep driver can pick you up from your hotel. If they can’t it is fine to arrive to Chabahil in the morning 15 minutes before departure. Usually, the jeep picks up passengers in different locations around the city and it can be late by the time it arrives in Chabahil.
Kathmandu to Salleri Jeep Price
The price of jeep tickets are between Rs. 1,900-2,200. If you buy it at a travel agency or through your hotel, they will add some commission so it will be more expensive. If you buy your ticket at the ticket counter in Chabahil, then you will pay for the actual price only.
How to Buy the Bus/Jeep Ticket
The ticket counters for the bus/jeep tickets to Salleri are in Chabahil, Kathmandu (see map below). If you are staying in Thamel, you can take a taxi (car) or motorbike taxi with Pathao (Pathao on the Apple Store, Pathao on Google Play) for the best taxi prices. The cost is about Rs. 400 for a taxi and Rs. 150 for motorbike taxi from Thamel to Chabahil.
Where to Get on the Bus/Jeep in Kathmandu
Both the bus and jeep leave from Chabahil. It is the same place where the Chabahil ticket counters are located. So the place where you buy your ticket is the same place where you have to come in the morning to get on the bus/jeep.
If you decide to take the jeep, ask if the jeep driver can pick you up from your hotel or a location near your place. It is a practice in Nepal that jeep drivers pick up passengers near their home in Kathmandu, so be sure to ask. They pick up passengers for free of charge. Once, I also asked to be picked up and we basically spent an hour picking up passengers in Kathmandu before leaving to Salleri.
Is it Faster to Go by Bus or Jeep?
It is actually more or less the same. I initially thought the jeep would be faster but not really. The jeep spends over an hour picking up passengers in Kathmandu. Once I took the jeep and none of the passengers came to get on the jeep in Chabahil (the official pick up location). So the time the jeep spends picking up passengers, the bus is already on the way.
Is it More Comfortable to Travel by Bus or Jeep?
The bus is more comfortable than the jeep. This is due to that the jeeps can get pretty crammed and crowded with passengers. The bus is a bit more comfortable because you have your own seat at least. If you take the bus, make sure to get a seat in the front as it gets very bumpy towards the back of the bus.