Nepal›From Kathmandu›Ilam
Kathmandu to Ilam by flight or bus
About 560 km. The flight is fastest at 7 h; the bus is cheapest, from ₹1,130 per person.
Fastest
Flight
Kathmandu–Bhadrapur flight (Buddha Air / Yeti Airlines) + 3 h jeep to or from Ilam
7 h door to door
Cheapest
Bus
Night bus Kathmandu–Birtamod + jeep to or from Ilam
from ₹1,130 per person
Best value
Flight
Kathmandu–Bhadrapur flight (Buddha Air / Yeti Airlines) + 3 h jeep to or from Ilam
cheapest at mid fares among options within 1.5× the fastest time (or 1 h more on a short ride)
Every option, compared
Door-to-door times (flights include the time at the airports). Fares are typical ranges from the cheapest seat to the premium one.
| Mode | Service | Time | Fare | Runs | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | Kathmandu–Bhadrapur flight (Buddha Air / Yeti Airlines) + 3 h jeep to or from Ilam | 7 h | ₹4,500–₹6,880per person | Daily | flight search ↗ |
| Bus | Night bus Kathmandu–Birtamod + jeep to or from Ilam | 15 hovernight | ₹1,130–₹2,000per person | Daily | Rome2Rio ↗ |
- Flight, Kathmandu–Bhadrapur flight (Buddha Air / Yeti Airlines) + 3 h jeep to or from Ilam: About 45 minutes in the air, then about 3 hours by road. Foreign passports pay about US$180-200 for the flight.
Booking links open the route on the country's transport booking site for trains, buses, boats and transfers, and a flight search for flights, dated about two weeks out; change the date there.
What it costs your group, one way
Fares × people; a private car is priced per car, one car per four people.
| Option | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Flight · Kathmandu–Bhadrapur flight (Buddha Air / Yeti Airlines) + 3 h jeep to or from Ilam | ₹9,000–₹13,760 | ₹18,000–₹27,520 |
| Bus · Night bus Kathmandu–Birtamod + jeep to or from Ilam | ₹2,260–₹4,000 | ₹4,520–₹8,000 |
Once you’re in Ilam
- Best time: October – April
- Typical stay: 2 days
- November: Great month: November is in the middle of the recommended season (October – April). Tihar (Deepawali) can fall this month.
Related
Plan Kathmandu and Ilam
A day-by-day plan with this journey, the stays and the rest priced in.