Lumbini to Chitwan by road

How far Chitwan is from Lumbini

Sauraha is roughly 150–170 km from Lumbini, and the drive takes around 4–5 hours by car. Unlike the routes from Kathmandu and Pokhara, almost all of it runs across the flat Terai plains, with one short hilly section east of Butwal.

Leave Lumbini after an early visit to the Maya Devi Temple area and you can reach Sauraha by mid-afternoon, in time for sunset at the Rapti River. Leave after breakfast without stopping and you’ll usually be there for a late lunch.

Bus journeys take longer than the car times above, because buses stop often and may need a change at Narayangarh or Tandi. Allow most of a day if you travel that way.

Private car, bus or flying in

The road from Lumbini to Sauraha

1. Lumbini to BhairahawaA short drive east from the Lumbini monastic zone to Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar), the main town of the area, past the airport and close to the Indian border.
2. Bhairahawa to ButwalNorth to Butwal, a busy commercial city at the foot of the hills. Here you join the East-West Highway, Nepal’s main road across the plains.
3. Butwal to Narayangarh on the East-West HighwayThe longest stretch. The highway heads east, climbs briefly over the Daunne hills, then crosses the farmland of Nawalparasi and the Narayani River bridge into Narayangarh, joined to Bharatpur.
4. Narayangarh to SaurahaContinue east on the highway to Tandi, then turn south on the short road to Sauraha, which ends at the Rapti River opposite the national park.

Crossing from India at Sunauli to Chitwan

The Sunauli (India) and Belahiya (Nepal) crossing sits just south of Bhairahawa, and it is one of the most used land borders for travelers coming from Varanasi, Gorakhpur and the rest of northern India. From the border, the drive to Chitwan follows the same route as from Lumbini and takes roughly the same time.

Many travelers stop in Lumbini first, as it is close to the border, then continue to Chitwan the next day. Allow time at the border for immigration on both sides. Indian citizens do not need a visa for Nepal; many other nationalities can get a Nepal visa on arrival at Belahiya, but rules change, so check before you travel.

Other crossings exist further east, including Raxaul/Birgunj. Our overview of how to reach Chitwan covers all the arrival points.

Travel tips and road conditions

• The Terai is hot from April to June. Travel early and carry plenty of water.
• Winter mornings (December–January) can bring thick fog on the plains, which slows driving until it lifts.
• Sections of the East-West Highway are being widened; road works can add time.
• Monsoon rain (June–September) occasionally floods low sections or causes small landslides in the Daunne hills.
• ATMs are easy to find in Bhairahawa, Butwal and Narayangarh if you need cash before Sauraha.

Chitwan to Lumbini: traveling west

Chitwan to Lumbini is the same drive in reverse. Leaving Sauraha after a morning activity, you’ll usually reach Lumbini by mid- to late afternoon. That leaves time for an evening walk around the monastic zone, with the main sights the next morning when it is cooler.

If you’re continuing into India, staying a night in Lumbini or Bhairahawa before crossing at Belahiya is often easier than doing Chitwan to the border in one long day.

Combining Lumbini and Chitwan in one trip

A Lumbini Chitwan tour pairs two very different places: a quiet pilgrimage site and a wildlife park. Most travelers spend one night in Lumbini and one or two nights in Sauraha. A program along the lines of our 1 night 2 days safari gives one evening activity and one morning safari, which is the minimum; two nights is more relaxed.