Kathmandu to Chandragiri Cable Car: Route and Return Planning

What this page answers

This page is about sequencing: getting to the correct station, leaving enough time for the timetable's uncertainties, and making sure the return journey still works after a hilltop visit.

Quick facts

Set the destination to the Thankot-side boarding station, not the hilltop Maps pin

Travel time to the hills is separate from the ride, queueing and hilltop visit

The operator suggests at least two to three hours on the hilltop

Arrange the return ride down and the road pickup before departure

The two legs of the trip

Leg one is the road journey from Kathmandu to the lower station on the Thankot side. Leg two is the cable car ascent of roughly 2.5 km, described by the operator as about ten minutes of ride time. That figure covers the ride only, not the ticket queue, a lunch break, a weather hold or waiting for a cabin.

No fixed door-to-door duration is claimed here. Traffic, roadworks and the operator's break schedule all change the real total, so a plan built backwards from the last descent is safer than one built forwards from a departure hour.

What to settle before you leave Kathmandu

Today's operating status, break arrangement and ticket cut-off
Last ascent and, more importantly, last descent
The correct navigation target: the lower boarding station
Whether your driver waits, returns at a set time, or is booked one-way only
A fallback if service is suspended after you arrive

Building a realistic half-day

A workable order is: reach the lower station, confirm the return cut-off, buy the appropriate ticket, ride up, visit the temple and viewing areas, allow time for food or photographs, then return to the lower station with a buffer.

If you want a full day out, add nearby stops around Thankot or Matatirtha either before or after the cable car, but keep the hilltop visit inside the confirmed service window.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get from Kathmandu to Chandragiri?

A precise door-to-door time is not verified here. The operator describes about ten minutes for the cable car ride itself; road travel, queues, breaks and the hilltop visit are additional.

Where should I tell my driver to go?

To the Thankot-side Bottom Station used for boarding, following the operator's Route to the Hills guidance. The hilltop station Maps pin is not a driving destination.

Can I do Chandragiri as a half-day trip from Kathmandu?

Yes in principle, but only with a confirmed last-descent time and a return vehicle. See the half-day itinerary for an order of steps that keeps the return ride first.

Sources and verification limits

Operator information was checked on 2026-10-29. Fares, opening times, breaks, last-ride cut-offs, activity prices and facility opening status can change; confirm them with the operator before travelling. The Google Maps rating snapshot shown on the homepage is a manual third-party snapshot, not a review collected by this guide, and it is not included in this page's structured data.

Cable car contact published by the operator: +977-9802069900.

Google Maps location reference · Independent Nepali-language homepage

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Cable car & tickets

Getting there

On the hill

Trip planning

Nearby, food & stays

This is an independent, unofficial, non-profit visitor guide. It is not operated by Chandragiri Hills, the cable car operator, the temple or the resort, and it does not sell tickets or take bookings. Road arrivals board at the Thankot-side Bottom Station; the Top Station Maps point is not a verified boarding or parking address.

Kathmandu to Chandragiri cable car