Route · Langtang & Manaslu
Kathmandu to Nuwakot
Nuwakot is about 75 km north-west of Kathmandu over the Kakani ridge and down to Bidur, then up to the palace hill. Expect 3 to 3.5 hours by private car in normal conditions. The Trishuli valley floor was hit by the August 2026 flood; check current status before you travel.
The easiest way. The road leaves the Kathmandu Valley at Balaju, climbs through pine forest to Kakani at about 2,000 m, where there are views of Ganesh Himal and Langtang on clear mornings, then winds down to Bidur in the Trishuli valley. From Bidur a smaller road climbs about 7 km to the Nuwakot ridge. A private car lets you stop at Kakani and reach Nuwakot for lunch.
Buses to Trishuli (Bidur) leave Kathmandu from Machhapokhari through the day. From Bidur, local jeeps or a taxi cover the last stretch up to Nuwakot. This is cheap but slow, and buses are crowded. Trishuli Bazaar lost a bridge and many buildings in the 26 August 2026 flood, so check current status before you travel and ask your guesthouse in Nuwakot about the last leg.
Worth a stop on the way
- Kakani ridge and its Himalayan viewpoint
- Ranipauwa
- Bidur (Trishuli Bazaar)
- Devighat confluence
Local tip
Leave Kathmandu by 7 am to clear city traffic and catch the mountain view at Kakani before cloud builds.
Questions
Can Nuwakot be visited as a day trip from Kathmandu?
It can, but it is a long day: 6 to 7 hours of driving for 2 to 3 hours on the ridge. We prefer one night, so you see the palace in the soft evening light, walk the village lanes and wake to the Trishuli valley below. If you must do a day trip, leave Kathmandu by 7 am and combine it with Kakani on the way.
Was Nuwakot damaged by the 2026 flood?
The historic palace and old bazaar stand on a ridge high above the river. The flood of 26 August 2026 hit settlements on the Trishuli valley floor, including Trishuli Bazaar in Bidur and Devighat downstream, damaging buildings, a bridge and water supplies. Road access through Bidur may involve detours; check current status before you travel.
How far is Nuwakot palace from Bidur?
The palace hill is about 7 km from Bidur (Trishuli Bazaar) by a winding road, around 20 to 30 minutes by car. You can also walk up by the old trail in about 1.5 to 2 hours, climbing through terraced farmland. Taxis and local jeeps wait in Bidur, but agree the fare before you get in.
What is there to see on the way to Nuwakot?
Kakani, at about 2,000 m on the north rim of the Kathmandu Valley, has a viewpoint over Ganesh Himal and the Langtang range, a memorial to the 1992 Thai Airways crash and a small strawberry-growing area. Further on, the road drops through Ranipauwa to the Trishuli river at Bidur. The confluence at Devighat is a Hindu cremation and pilgrimage site.