Can I book a self-drive car in Nepal for this route?
Yes. EV Drive Nepal rents automatic EVs for self-drive use across Nepal, based in Pokhara. Foreign renters must be at least 25, have held the appropriate licence for at least two years, provide an original valid home-country licence plus a physical International Driving Permit, and provide passport and valid Nepal visa documentation. A refundable security deposit equivalent to USD 500 is required for foreign renters. Full eligibility details are on our FAQ page.
See full eligibility & documentsIf you're part of the Nepali diaspora planning a trip home, there's a specific kind of freedom in driving yourself rather than booking a driver for every leg — but there's also a real question mark over whether it's actually doable, especially in an EV, on roads you haven't driven in years. This guide walks through one loop that answers both: Pokhara, up to Kathmandu, down to Sauraha for Chitwan National Park, a stop in Bandipur, then back to Pokhara to close the loop.
We're not going to oversell this loop, but every distance and drive time below is a confirmed figure, not a rough guess — where we're still unsure of something (like a specific charging stop), we say so plainly, same as we do everywhere else on this site.
The loop at a glance
Total Loop
~518 km
Pokhara back to Pokhara
Suggested Pace
5–6 days
Comfortable, not rushed
Terrain
Highway + hill roads
No high-altitude driving
Charge Needed
1–2 stops
Fleet-dependent
The Pokhara–Kathmandu leg (204 km, roughly 5–6 hours via the Prithvi Highway) is well-documented. From there, Kathmandu to Sauraha is about 155 km (roughly 5 hours, whether you go via Hetauda or Mugling). Sauraha to Bandipur is 85 km (about 2 hours 30 minutes), and the final Bandipur–Pokhara leg is 74 km (about 1 hour 40 minutes).
Day by day
Day 1
Pokhara → Kathmandu
~204 km
5–6 hrs
The most predictable leg of the loop, on the Prithvi Highway. Expect winding hill roads — allow extra time, especially just after monsoon season when surface conditions can be rougher. There's a private DC fast-charging stop at Kurintar (thee GO e-stop) plus an NEA station at Mugling if you need a top-up on the way.
- Leave Pokhara in the morning — the drive itself takes most of a working day once you factor in a proper break.
- Charge to 100% before leaving; this leg is comfortably within range for every EV in our fleet on a single charge.
Days 2–3
Kathmandu
A couple of days to actually be a tourist in your own family's country — temples, the old city, the Kathmandu Valley. Not a driving day, but worth building in properly rather than treating Kathmandu as a pass-through.
- Confirm parking at your accommodation before arrival — self-drive means you're responsible for finding your own parking in the city, unlike a driver-included tour.
Day 4
Kathmandu → Sauraha (Chitwan)
~155 km
~5 hrs
This leg heads south into the Terai lowlands for Chitwan National Park — flatter, generally easier driving once you're off the hills around the valley. Two route options get you there: via Hetauda (150 km, the shorter option) or via Mugling (162 km) — either way, plan for around 5 hours on the road.
- Chitwan is a genuine highlight for most first-time self-drive visitors — budget a full day here, not just a stopover.
Day 5
Sauraha → Bandipur
85 km
2 hrs 30 min
Bandipur is a preserved Newari hill town with Himalayan viewpoints and an old bazaar — a genuinely photogenic stop, and a natural place to slow down before the final leg home. It sits just off the main Pokhara–Kathmandu highway, reached by a short, steep climb up to the town itself.
- The climb into Bandipur is steep but short — no different from ordinary hill driving elsewhere on this loop.
Day 6
Bandipur → Pokhara
74 km
1 hr 40 min
Mostly the well-maintained Prithvi Highway back to Pokhara. A GadiCharge station sits right at the base of Bandipur, before the climb up into town, if you need a top-up before the final stretch home.
- This is the shortest driving day of the loop — a relaxed final leg rather than a rush to the finish.
What it's actually like driving an EV on this route
None of this loop goes above a few thousand meters, so cold and altitude aren't real factors here — that's more of an Upper Mustang or Jomsom concern. What matters more on this route is charging discipline: knowing where the confirmed stops are, and being honest with yourself about which ones are still unconfirmed. We'd rather tell you "we haven't verified this yet" than give you a number that turns out to be wrong when you're on the road.
“Take the wheel, take the freedom — but plan the charge stops like you mean it.”
Booking and eligibility, in plain terms
- Minimum age to rent: 25 years.
- Nepali licence holders: no IDP is required under the company's current policy.
- Foreign renters: an official physical International Driving Permit is required together with the original home-country licence; digital or online-issued IDPs are not accepted.
- Refundable security deposit, separate from the daily rental rate: NPR 50,000 for Nepali renters; foreign renters provide a deposit equivalent to USD 500, with payment method and local-currency amount confirmed before handover.
- Send your documents ahead of pickup (license, IDP if applicable, ID) to keep handover quick.
Full policies, no fine print
Deposit conditions, insurance excess, and what happens if there's a breakdown mid-trip are all covered plainly on our FAQ page — worth reading before you book, not after.
Ready to plan this drive?
This loop works well as a first self-drive trip home — familiar destinations, one well-confirmed highway leg, and enough flexibility to slow down where it matters. Send us your dates and we'll confirm which EV in the fleet fits the trip best.