Nepal is a landlocked country. There are only two options for entry and exit from Nepal.
- By air, you can enter Nepal through Kathmandu’s only international airport. That is Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
- By the drive, it has eight entry points. 6 of them are on the Nepal-India border and 2 are on the Nepal-China border. The immigration office at each point provides Nepalese visas to foreigners coming to Nepal. Below is a list of places to enter Nepal by road.
Nepal India border entry points
> Kankarvitta: It is a small town in eastern Nepal on the border between Nepal and India. It is 610 km from Kathmandu and takes about 15 hours drive. The nearest domestic airport is Bhadrapur which is 25 km southwest of Kankarvitta. Flight time from Bhadrapur to Kathmandu is 45 minutes.
> Birgunj: It is a major trade border between Nepal and India. It is also the main entry point to Nepal for Indian tourists, especially from Calcutta and Patna. This border is about 210 km away from Kathmandu. The nearest airport is Simra which is about 20 km from Birganj. Flight time from Simra to Kathmandu is about 20 minutes.
> Jamunaha: This border is near Nepalgunj, the southwestern city of Nepal. It is about 530 km from Kathmandu. It takes around 12 to 13 hours drive to reach there from Kathmandu. There are direct flights between Kathmandu and Nepalgunj. The duration of the flight is 55 minutes. Tourists entering Nepal through the Indian city of Lucknow use this border.
> Mohana: This border is located in Dhangadhi, a city in the far west of Nepal. The road distance from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi is about 660 km. Although the place doesn’t have much to offer, it is mainly used by Indian tourists as an entry and exit point as the capital of India, New Delhi is about a 6-hour drive from here.
> Gadda Chowki: This border is close to Mahendranagar, a small town in far western region of Nepal. It is an 18-19 hour drive and 695 km from Kathmandu.
> Belhia: It is also famous by the name of Sunauli Simana. It is located in the western region of Nepal near Bhairawa town. It takes 8 to 9 hours to reach this city which is at a distance of 280 km from Kathmandu. Bhairahawa is also the gateway to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The road distance between this city and Lumbini is only 20 km. There are daily flights from Kathmandu to Bhairawa Airport. The flight duration is only 30 minutes.
Entry points at the Nepal China border
> Kodari: This is the first border between Nepal and China to be accessed by road. It is 114 km from Kathmandu and takes 6/7 hours drive. This border is an important trade center between Nepal and China. Moreover, it is very famous for its majestic rivers and magnificent views of mountains. There is a famous hot spring called Tatopani near this border.
> Rasuwagahi (Kerung): This is the new open border between Nepal and China. It is at a distance of 150 km from Kathmandu. The entrance to the Langtang trek is located on the road to this border from Syabrubeshi Kathmandu.