How to Travel to Bardia National Park (Bus, Flights)
The Bardia National Park is located about 570 km from Kathmandu and you have options to travel to Bardia National Park by bus or flights. The buses can take between 12-17 hours, depending on where in Nepal you are travelling from. The flights take much faster (1 hour) to Nepalgunj but after you land, you will have to take a local bus to Bardia which will take an additional 3 hours.
Apart from the long and tiring bus journey, Bardia National Park is a more remote, authentic jungle experience than Chitwan National Park in Nepal. Bardia is regarded as the best place in Nepal to spot tigers in the wild and if you are brave enough, you can even go on a jungle walking safari. Here is everything you need to know on how to travel to Bardia National Park by bus or flight.
Check out here my travel guide to visiting Bardia National Park.
How to Travel from Kathmandu to Bardia National Park by Bus
- Bus Route: Kathmandu to Thakurdwara
- Bus Type: Air Bus (like a deluxe bus, it is non-tourist bus but still good quality), only night bus available. 1 bus per day.
- Bus Schedule: There is only one bus per day. It leaves at 5:15 pm, and arrives around 9-10 am the next day
- Price: Rs. 2,200
The bus ride from Kathmandu to Bardia National Park is a pretty long one. The distance is about 570 km and expect it to take at least 17 hours. There is only one bus daily that goes from Kathmandu to Bardia, so there are not multiple options to choose from.
The bus going from Kathmandu will drop you in Thakurdwara which is the town where all the guesthouses and lodges are for the Bardia National Park. From here, you can take a tuktuk to reach your hotel for about Rs. 100-200.
Where is the Bus Stand in Kathmandu?
The buses to Bardia leave from the Gongabu Bus Park (also called Naya Bus Park/New Bus Park). After leaving the Gongabu Bus Park, it also makes a stop in Kalanki to pick up passengers. The bus goes on the Ring Road from Gongabu Bus Park to Kalanki so if you call ahead, the bus might be able to pick you up along the Ring Road too (e.g. Swoyambhu). However, if you want to make sure you get your assigned seat, it is best to get on the bus at the first departure point in the Gongabu Bus Park.
How to Travel from Pokhara to Bardia National Park by Bus
Travelling from Pokhara to Ambassa by Bus
- Bus Route: Pokhara to Ambassa (also spelled as Ambasha) (note: there is no bus from Pokhara to Thakurdwara, only to Ambassa)
- Bus Type: AC or Deluxe Bus
- Bus Schedule: 2 buses per day: departure at 1 pm or 1:30 pm, arrival next day around 4-5 am.
- Price: Rs. 2,100-2,300
The distance between Pokhara and Bardia is about 450 km. The distance from Pokhara is less than from Kathmandu but it will still take about 12 hours to get there.
As I mentioned above, there are 2 buses daily and one of them is taking a longer route than the other. The bus going on the shorter route goes via Waling and Palpa, so make sure to pick that bus to have a shorter ride.
- Faster bus (shorter route): leaves at 1:30 pm (via Waling and Palpa) and “officially” arrives around 4 am in Ambasha.
- Bus on the longer route: leaves at 1:00 pm (via Mugling) and arrives around 5 am in Ambasha.
Travelling from Ambassa (Ambasha) to Thakurdwara
Once you get from Pokhara to Ambassa, you will have to take a tuktuk to reach your guesthouse in Thakurdwara. This will take about 30 minutes by tuktuks and cost around Rs. 500. Some of the lodges also arrange a pick up in the morning for free of charge, so make sure to check with your hotel if they can come to collect you. If not, there are tuktuks in Ambassa even at 4 am in the morning on stand-by as they are expecting the bus to arrive and drive travellers to Thakurdwara.
Where is the Bus Stand in Pokhara?
The buses leave from Prithvi Chowk in Pokhara. To get to Prithvi Chowk, you can take a taxi or a local bus from Lakeside. The bus fare is Rs. 30. For the cheapest taxi prices, book it via the inDrive taxi app.
How to Travel from Chitwan to Bardia National Park by Bus
If you like jungle safaris and would like to check out two of the best places in Nepal to see tigers, wild elephants and rhinos, you can travel to both Chitwan and Bardia National Parks. Here is all the information you need on how to get from Chitwan to Bardia by bus.
Bus Route:
- First, take local bus from Sauraha to Bharatpur
- Then, in Bharatpur, get on a tourist bus (coming from Pokhara or Kathmandu) to Ambasha or Thakurdwara
There is no direct bus from Sauraha (main tourist town in Chitwan) to Bardia but you can take a bus from Bharatpur. So first, you will have to get from Sauraha (main tourist town by the Chitwan National Park) to Bharatpur.
There are local buses frequently going between the two towns. Once you are in Bharatpur, you will have to catch either the tourist bus going from Pokhara to Ambasha or the one coming from Kathmandu to Thakurdwara. Both buses stop by in Bharatpur.
The bus that leaves Pokhara at 1 pm will reach Bharatpur around 5-6 pm and then continue to Ambasha (Bardia). The bus that leaves Kathmandu at 5 pm also passes through Bharatpur. These two buses are the better quality tourist type buses. If you are planning to go on this route, it is best to get the ticket through a travel agent who can contact the bus driver to confirm your seat, and pick up time and location.
Apart from the above 2 options, there could be local buses that are going to Ambasha but they would be very uncomfortable and less safe, so I do not recommend local buses for such a long distance.
It takes about 12 hours to get to Ambasha from Bharatpur so it’s still a pretty long bus drive.
How to Travel from Tansen (Palpa) to Bardia National Park by Bus
The distance between Tansen and Bardia is about 330 km and takes about 10 hours to reach. To take a bus from Tansen (Palpa) to Bardia, you will have to get on the bus that is going from Pokhara to Bardia. The bus leaving Pokhara at 1:30 pm will pass by Palpa and this is the bus that you will have to get on.
The bus from Pokhara arrives at around 6-7 pm in Palpa. It is the best to book this ticket through a travel agent so they can contact the bus driver to confirm your pick up time and location. It could be that you will have to pay for the full fare of bus ticket between Pokhara and Ambassa, even though you are only getting on in Palpa.
There could also be local buses that go between Palpa and Ambassa but I do not recommend taking them. The local buses are less safe than going by the tourist buses.
How to Travel to Bardia National Park by Flight
Flying to Nepalgunj Airport
In case, you are short on time or just want a more comfortable solution to getting to Bardia, taking a flight is also an option. The closest airport to Bardia National Park is the Nepalgunj Airport. There are daily flights from Kathmandu and other major cities.
- Kathmandu to Nepalgunj flight: USD 135 (one-way), takes 1 hour
Which airplane company to fly with? Buddha Air is one of the safest airlines in Nepal so I would recommend booking flights with Buddha Air. You can check the availability of tickets on Buddha Air’s website. The cost of flights is usually higher for foreigners than as for Nepalis but it can save you 17+ hours of travelling on the bus.
Nepalgunj Airport to Ambassa/Thakurdwara
Once you land in Nepalgunj, you will have to take a local bus to Thakurdwara. The bus will take about 3 hours from Nepalgunj. Alternatively, your hotel may be able to arrange a jeep to pick you up. If you prefer that option, just contact your hotel to ask about the prices.
