How to Get from Salleri to Kathmandu by Bus or Jeep
Salleri is the district headquarters in Solukhumbu, and you pass by the town if you plan to go to Everest Base Camp by road. You pass through Salleri both on the way to EBC and also on your way back. If you want to avoid the Lukla flights, then taking a jeep or bus from Salleri to Kathmandu is a good option. It’s also more affordable, so you can reduce the trek costs by a lot.
I didn’t take the flight to Lukla, and traveled by road before and after finishing EBC. If you want to travel by road after finishing EBC, then you have to finish the trek in Surke, take a jeep from Surke to Salleri, and then another jeep from Salleri to Kathmandu. Salleri is a small town, and there are jeeps and buses that leave to Kathmandu every day in the morning.
It takes almost 12 hours by road from Salleri to Kathmandu, and the drive is very tiring. Looking back, going by road on the way to EBC is manageable, but it is totally exhausting on the way back. If you are very tired after you finish EBC, then it’s better to take a flight back from Lukla than to suffer taking the jeep back all the way to Kathmandu.
EBC Trek Essentials:
🏔️ Insurance: World Nomads
⚡️ Charging: Power Bank
💧 Drinking Water: Water Filter Bottle
Salleri to Kathmandu Distance
Salleri is 260 km from Kathmandu, and it takes around 10-12 hours by road. The road is not too bad but it’s also not the best. If you are used to the roads in Europe, you will find that the road between Salleri and Kathmandu is pretty bad. But if you have traveled on the mountain roads in Nepal, then the road between Salleri and Kathmandu doesn’t seem so bad.
For example, if you are going to start EBC by road, you’ll see that the road between Salleri and Kathmandu is pretty good compared to the section between Salleri and Surke (Surke is the town from where you can start trekking to EBC).
Salleri to Kathmandu by Bus
If you are arriving in Salleri after completing EBC, then you have the option to take a jeep or a bus back to Kathmandu. The bus is slightly more comfortable than the jeep, so I recommend taking the bus. Once you arrive in Salleri, the easiest way to get your ticket is either through your hotel or at the bus ticket counter.
The buses operating between Salleri and Kathmandu are deluxe type of buses. There are no tourist buses on this route, so even though the bus is not as comfortable as a tourist bus, they are better than the local buses.
There are usually two buses going to Kathmandu every day, leaving between 5-6 am from Salleri. The best is to get a seat in the front row seats of the bus as the bus goes through a mountainous, bumpy road. If you sit in the back, the ride is more uncomfortable with all the bumps in the road.
One time when I took the bus back to Kathmandu, I arrived in Salleri sometime in the afternoon. Then, I asked the owner of my hotel if he can reserve a bus ticket for me for the next day, and he booked it for me without any issues. I didn’t have to pay in advance for the bus ticket, only after I was already on the bus the next day.
Bus Ticket Price
The bus ticket costs Rs. 1,500 (USD 10). You can just get the ticket the day before you want to go from Salleri to Kathmandu, so there is no need to organize buying the ticket a long time in advance.
Salleri to Kathmandu by Jeep
The jeeps from Salleri to Kathmandu leave early morning from around 4:30-6 am, and it also takes around 10-12 hours.
The last time I took the jeep back to Kathmandu, the jeep came to pick us up at around 4:30 am, it was still totally dark outside and everyone was exhausted. I was the only woman in the group, and the other passengers let me sit in the front. Honestly, it has never happened before, so i had a nice ride back to Kathmandu, enjoying sitting in the front seat.
Jeep Ticket Price
The price of the jeep ticket is Rs. 1,900-2,200 (USD 12-15). It’s a good price if you want to save money and not take the Lukla flights after finishing EBC.
If you just happen to be in Salleri and want to get back to Kathmandu and have a bigger budget, then you can also book a private jeep. The private jeep can be around USD 100-120, and can work out well if you have your own friend group to share it with.
Where to Buy the Bus/Jeep Tickets
You can buy the bus ticket at the ticket counter in Salleri or to ask at your hotel to arrange a ticket for you. You can buy the ticket once you arrive in Salleri and you will get a seat for the bus/jeep the next day.
Alternatively, if you are traveling from Surke to Salleri, you can also ask your jeep driver on the way to Salleri to reserve a jeep for you. When I was traveling to Salleri from Surke, everyone in my jeep had just completed EBC and everyone was on their way back to Kathmandu. We decided to get a jeep for the next day together, and our jeep driver had contacts and reserved a jeep for us for the next day. It was the best option for me as we got to Salleri late in the evening and without the help of our jeep driver, it would have been difficult to get a jeep for the next day.
Is it Faster to Go by Bus or Jeep?
The buses and jeeps take around the same. I was surprised but they both take the whole day to get to Kathmandu. I traveled on this route a couple of times, and it didn’t matter whether I went by bus or jeep, they both took up to 12 hours.
Bus vs Jeep: Which One is Better?
After traveling on this route multiple times both by jeep and bus, I have to say that the bus is more comfortable. The jeeps get crowded with passengers, and you are crammed together. While on the bus, everyone has their assigned seats.
Apart from being very crowded, the seats of the jeeps are also very uncomfortable, especially if you have to sit there the whole day. I always try to cushion the backseat with my jacket and jumper, but my back still ends up in so much pain due to the seats. Otherwise, I never have any back pain.
The only time I would say that the jeep is more comfortable over the bus, is if you manage to get the front seat next to the driver. However, everyone knows that the front seat is the most comfortable, so there is little chance that you can get it. Sometimes, they also put two people sitting in the front if there are many passengers, and then again, it’s not that comfortable.
If I had to choose, I would either take the bus or book a private jeep. I would only take the shared jeeps if I really had no other option.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Salleri from Kathmandu by road?
Salleri is 260 km from Kathmandu by road and there are buses and jeeps that operate between Salleri and Kathmandu daily.
How long does it take to get from Salleri to Kathmandu?
It takes about 10-12 hours to get from Salleri to Kathmandu both by the bus or jeep. One would think that the jeeps are faster but due to the stops and breaks during the trip, the time is usually the same for the bus and the jeeps.
How much is the jeep to Salleri?
The jeep from Kathmandu to Salleri costs Rs. 1,900-2,200 (USD 12-15). The jeeps leave from Chabahil in Kathmandu around 5-6 am in the morning but you can also ask the jeep driver to pick you up from your hotel.
My Final Advice on Traveling from Salleri to Kathmandu
If you are planning to go from Salleri from Kathmandu, you are most likely returning after completing the Everest Base Camp trek. Once you get to Salleri, you have the option to go to Kathmandu either by bus or jeep.
I recommend taking the bus as it is a bit more comfortable than the jeep. I always have a massive back pain when taking the jeep as the seats are very uncomfortable. You don’t have to pre-book the ticket in advance, you can just book the ticket after arriving in Salleri.
If you are on the way back from EBC, and taking the jeep from Surke to Salleri (and planning to continue to Kathmandu), you can also ask your jeep driver to book a seat for you for another jeep to Kathmandu. One time, I got from Surke to Salleri late night, and we got our jeep driver to call and reserve another jeep for us for the next day to Kathmandu.
The road back to Kathmandu is long and tiring, and if you are trekking EBC, it is worth it if you want to reduce your EBC costs. When I traveled by road to the EBC start point (and then back to Kathmandu by road), it was very long and tiring, but ultimately, I also saved money by not taking the flight to Lukla.
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