Manakamana Temple — one of Nepal's most revered Hindu shrines — sits 1,302 m above sea level in Gorkha district. The famous cable car from Kurintar makes it an easy day trip: ~95 km from Kathmandu, 3–4 hours by car. Hugely popular with Indian and Nepali pilgrims. Car 50 USD · SUV 65 USD per day with driver.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Day trip (return) | One-way drop | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car (Toyota Corolla) | Up to 4 | 50 USDNPR 7,500 | 35 USDNPR 5,250 | Driver, fuel, tolls |
| SUV (Mahindra Scorpio) | Up to 6 | 65 USDNPR 9,750 | 45 USDNPR 6,750 | Driver, fuel, tolls |
| Hiace Van | Up to 10 | 90 USDNPR 13,500 | 60 USDNPR 9,000 | Driver, fuel, tolls |
Cable car tickets (approx. NPR 1,100 return per person) are purchased at the site and not included · Temple entrance is free · Driver waits while you visit
The route follows the Prithvi Highway west along the Trishuli River gorge — one of Nepal's most beautiful drives, with terraced hills, rapids, and the occasional suspension bridge.
From Kurintar on the highway, a Swiss-built cable car ascends 1,700 m to the temple ridge in ~10 minutes. The aerial views over the Trishuli and Marsyangdi river valleys are stunning.
Dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati, the temple is believed to fulfil wishes (mana = heart, kamana = wish). Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims — especially from India — visit every year.
On clear days the temple ridge offers views of the Himalayan range including Annapurna, Manaslu, and the hills of Gorkha — much cleaner views than from Kathmandu Valley.
Leave Kathmandu by 7 AM. Arrive Kurintar cable car base by 10–11 AM. Temple visit: 1–2 hours. Back in Kathmandu by 6–7 PM. Avoid weekends and Hindu festival days — the queue can be very long.
Manakamana is directly on the Kathmandu–Pokhara highway. You can visit the temple en route to Pokhara on a multi-day trip — one of the most popular itineraries for Indian tourists.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 06:30–07:00 | Pickup from your hotel in Kathmandu / Thamel |
| 10:00–10:30 | Arrive at Kurintar cable car base station |
| 10:30–11:30 | Cable car up, temple darshan, cable car back down |
| 11:30–12:30 | Lunch at Kurintar or Mugling roadside restaurants |
| 12:30 | Depart for Kathmandu |
| 15:30–16:00 | Arrive back in Kathmandu |
Tip: Go on a weekday and arrive at the cable car by 10 AM to beat the queues. Festival days (Dashain, Tihar, Navratri) draw enormous crowds — allow 2–3 hours for the cable car alone.
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