Manakamana Temple & Cable Car: Travel Guide (2025)

Planning a trip to the Manakamana Temple and Cable Car?

You’ve come to the right place! I live in Nepal and loved my visit to the Manakamana Temple and Cable Car.

The Manakamana Temple and Cable Car are located in the Gorkha District of Nepal. It is about halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara and is easy to get there by taking a bus or minivan.

The Manakamana Temple is a sacred Hindu temple and is an important place in the Hindu religion. The Manakamana Cable Car was built in 1998 primarily to transport people to the temple as beforehand, it was only possible to reach it by hiking.

Here is all the information you need on visiting the Manakamana Temple and Cable Car!

Manakamana Cable Car

How to Get to the Manakamana Cable Car

The bottom station for the Manakamana Cable Car is located along the Prithvi Highway about halfway between Kathmandu and Pokhara.

You can get there either by taking a bus or minivan. It takes about 4-5 hours to get from Kathmandu to Manakamana.

Tourist Bus

All the tourist buses operating between Kathmandu-Pokhara or Kathmandu-Chitwan pass by the Manakamana.

Tell the driver that you are going to the Manakamana Cable Car and they will drop you off at the right location. Ticket price for a tourist bus is around Rs. 1,200.

Going by a tourist bus is a more comfortable option than taking the minivan.

However, for example, if you take a tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara, you will have to pay for the full bus ticket price, even if you get off at Manakamana. There is no tourist bus that only operates only between Kathmandu and Manakamana.

Minivan (Hiace)

Same as with the tourist bus, any minivan (Hiace) operating between Kathmandu-Pokhara, Kathmandu-Chitwan or Kathmandu-Gorkha will pass by the Manakamana.

The ticket price for the minivan from Kathmandu to Manakamana is Rs. 600.

Manakamana Cable Car Information

Manakamana Cable Car Opening Times

The opening times of the Manakamana Cable car is every day from 8 am – 5 pm (with a break at 12-13:30 pm).

Manakamana Cable Car Ticket Price

The ticket ticket price for the Manakamana Cable Car is Rs. 770 for Nepali citizens (two-way), Rs. 1,000 for Indian citizens (two-way), and Rs. 2,700 for foreigners (two-way).

Best Time to Visit the Manakamana Cable Car

The best time to visit the Manakamana Cable Car and Temple is on weekdays. It can get extremely busy on public holidays and weekends with queues up to 2-3 hours.

Manakamana Cable Car Ride

The Manakamana Cable Car is one of the top 4 cable cars in Nepal.

It was built mainly as a way to transport visitors to the Manakamana Temple, however, the cable car ride offers really scenic views.

The cable car is 3 km long and takes about 10 minutes to get to the top. It offers nice views as you pass by the Trishuli River, hills and villages along the way. Some of the sections are very steep so sometimes it is best not to look down.

As the Manakamana Temple is very popular for devotees and the cable car is the most common way to get there, the queues to the cable car can get very long. If you come here during a public holiday, expect to queue as long as 2 hours.

Manakamana Temple in Nepal

How to Get to the Manakamana Temple

Take a bus/minivan from major cities (Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan) to the Manakamana Cable Car (bottom station) or Aanbu Khaireni. From there, you have two options to reach the Manakamana Temple:

1. Manakamana Cable Car: The Manakamana Cable Car takes you up to the temple in 10 minutes. After the scenic ride, you arrive to the Manakamana Bazaar, which is full of restaurants and souvenir shops selling items for praying ceremonies at the temple.
2. Hiking from Aanbu Khaireni: There is a hiking trail starting from Aanbu Khaireni to the Manakamana Temple. It is an uphill hike that takes about 3 hours. This hiking route used to be the only way to the temple before the cable car was built. These days, the cable car is the most popular to get to the temple and not many people hike.

Best Time to Visit the Manakamana Temple

The best time to visit the Manakamana Temple is on weekdays. It can get extremely busy on public holidays or on weekends, with queues to the cable car taking as long as 2-3 hours.

History of Manakamana Temple in Nepal

The Manakamana Temple is a sacred Hindu site where thousands come each year to perform prayers and offer animal sacrifices (goats).

It is dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati and was built in pagoda style in the 17^th century. ‘Mana’ means ‘heart’ and ‘kamana’ means ‘wish’, so it is believed that if you make a wish here, the wish will be fulfilled.

On a clear day, you also get nice views of the Himalayas. If you want to see the Himalayas it is better to visit in the morning (between October-April) as it gets cloudy in the afternoon.

Manakamana Temple Tickets

The Manakamana Temple can be visited for free, without having to buy a ticket. If you take the Manakamana Cable Car up to the temple, then you will have to pay for the ticket for the cable car. Once you get to the top, it is free to visit the temple.

Day Trips from Kathmandu

Not sure about visiting Manakamana? There are many other places near Kathmandu that are great for a day trip, including waterfalls, hiking trails, and heritage sites.

Here are some of the best day trips from Kathmandu that can be also extended to 2-3 days, if you have more time:

• Bhaktapur
• Chandragiri Hills and Cable Car
• Kakani
• Nagarkot
• Sundarijal
• Changu Narayan

🌸 For more places near Kathmandu, check out the best day trips from Kathmandu!

FAQs: Manakamana Temple and Cable Car

Why is the Manakamana Temple famous?

The Manakamana Temple is a sacred Hindu temple and many people come here to do worshipping and praying ceremonies.

‘Mana’ means ‘heart’ and ‘kamana’ means ‘wish’, and it is believed that if you make a wish here, the wish will come true.

How much is the ticket for the Manakamana Ropeway?

The ticket prices for the Manakamana Cable Car are as follows:

• Rs. 770 for Nepalese (two-way)
• Rs. 1,000 for Indian citizens (two-way)
• Rs. 2,700 for foreigners (two-way)

How long is the Manakamana Cable Car ride?

The Manakamana Cable Car covers the 3 km in distance and it takes about 10 minutes’ ride.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Manakamana Temple in Nepal is a sacred Hindu Temple that is popular to visit as a day trip from Kathmandu. The easiest way to get there is to take a bus or minivan to the bottom station of the Manakamana Cable Car and take the cable car up to the temple.

When you are there, don’t forget to make a wish as they say that if you make a wish at the Manakamana Temple, then your wish will come true!