Plan my trek
Plan my trek
Pokhara (Sarangkot)
Year-round; Oct–Apr
~NPR 8,850 (£50)
~2 min ride; half day
10–12+ (varies)
Low
Nepal’s mountains make for dramatic ziplines: steep ridges, deep river gorges and big drops in short distances. The headline ride is the ZipFlyer in Pokhara, which opened in 2010 as the country’s first commercial zipline. It runs about 1.8 km from the Sarangkot ridge down to Hemja in the Seti valley, with a vertical drop of more than 600 m and a starting incline of 56 degrees. The operator says riders can exceed 100 km/h and reach up to around 120 km/h depending on wind and weight.
Since then zip-lining has spread fast. There are lines across the Kali Gandaki gorge at Kushma, around the rim of the Kathmandu Valley at Nagarkot, Dhulikhel and Ghyampe Danda, and a growing number of municipal lines in the hills built mainly for domestic visitors. Most foreign travellers ride just one, usually in Pokhara, as part of a few days’ rest before or after a trek.
Anyone who wants a big adrenaline hit with very little commitment: families with children over the minimum age, people who would never jump off a bungee platform, and trekkers with a spare afternoon in Pokhara. It is not suitable in pregnancy or if you have back or neck problems, and riders need to fall within the operator’s weight band.
Unlike paragliding, ziplines are not supervised by Nepal’s civil aviation authority. They operate as tourism businesses registered with the tourism authorities and, increasingly, as projects run by local municipalities. We could not find a published national safety standard specific to ziplines, so standards depend largely on the operator. The ZipFlyer has the longest track record and the most international customers; newer municipal lines are often run by locally trained staff, sometimes trained by technicians from established private lines. That makes operator choice, and your own common-sense checks, more important than the length of the line.
We have focused on lines that are accessible to international visitors and reported as operating in recent years. Smaller lines open and close frequently, and we could not confirm 2026 opening hours for every site, so check locally before making a special trip.
Nepal’s best-known zipline launches from a station on the Sarangkot ridge at around 1,550 to 1,600 m and drops to a landing at Hemja at about 950 m. The line is about 1,850 m long, with a drop of more than 600 m and a 56-degree start; at points you are reported to be more than 450 m above the ground. Two cables let you ride side by side with a friend.
Ride: roughly 90 seconds to two minutes. Getting there: transfer from the Lakeside office by car (about 30 minutes) or the Annapurna Cable Car plus a short walk. Price: NPR 8,850 for foreign nationals at the time of writing. Suits: almost everyone visiting Pokhara.
Kushma, about 55 km west of Pokhara (roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by road), has become a small adventure hub around the Kali Gandaki gorge. A zipline run by a private local company opened in January 2022, crossing the river for about 1,400 to 1,480 m at a height reported at around 250 m, with a face-down ‘superman’ harness option. Nearby, a separate company runs a 228 m bungee and swing from a suspension bridge between Kushma and Balewa.
Status: the bungee company was still operating in 2026, but we could not confirm current zipline hours or prices. Suits: thrill-seekers combining a day of bungee and zipline. See our bungee jumping guide.
Opened around late 2023 in Changunarayan municipality near Nagarkot, this line is about 2,250 m long, which its operator claims makes it the longest in Nepal. It runs along the hills on the north-eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley, an area popular for Himalayan sunrise views towards Langtang and, on very clear days, further east.
Price: reported in late 2024 at US$50 (about £38) for foreigners. Distance: roughly 30 km from Kathmandu; allow 1 to 1.5 hours each way by road. Suits: visitors staying in Nagarkot for sunrise, or a half-day trip from Kathmandu or Bhaktapur.
Dhulikhel, a hill town about 30 km east of Kathmandu on the road towards the Tibetan border, has a zipline of about 1,100 m run by the same operator as the Nagarkot line. It offers a seated ride and a ‘superman’ face-down option, and two people can ride at once. On clear mornings the views stretch north to the Himalaya.
Distance: 1 to 1.5 hours by road from Kathmandu. Price: not verified for 2026; expect less than the ZipFlyer and check directly. Suits: travellers on a Kathmandu-based itinerary, or as a stop en route to rafting on the Bhote Koshi or Sun Koshi.
The Ghyampe Danda hill on the edge of Bhaktapur has a line of about 1,200 m that has been one of the most popular with domestic visitors, thanks to its closeness to the capital and its wide views over the Kathmandu Valley.
Distance: about 45 minutes to an hour from Thamel, depending on traffic. Price: typically lower than the big Pokhara line; check on arrival. Suits: a short add-on to a day exploring Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Weekends and public holidays can be busy with Nepali families, so go on a weekday morning if you can.
The Chandragiri hilltop on the south-west rim of the valley is reached by a cable car from Thankot, around 45 minutes to an hour from central Kathmandu. Alongside the viewpoint and temple there is a short zipline popular with domestic tourists.
Length: short (reported at around 100 m in 2022). Suits: families and anyone already going up for the Himalayan views; it is a gentle taster rather than a reason to visit. Cable car tickets are bought separately, and queues can be long at weekends.
Further from the main tourist routes are lines such as the Gadhi zipline at Taplakharka, about 18 km from Hetauda in Makawanpur (around 1,100 m), and the Bhedetar–Devisthan line above Dharan in the east (about 650 m, roughly 45 seconds), which often starts above a sea of cloud in winter.
Suits: travellers already passing through on the way to Chitwan or the eastern hills. Facilities are simpler and English may be limited. Check that they are operating before detouring.
Local governments have built several lines recently to attract domestic tourism: a 1,080 m line at Chhatrakot in Gulmi (December 2024), a 1,200 m line between Baikuntha and Kailash hills in Makawanpur (April 2025), and a 568 m line with sky cycling at Garjura near Resunga in Gulmi, which completed trials in October 2026.
Prices: low, from about NPR 600 to 1,500 (£3 to £9). Gulmi’s line advertises accident insurance for riders. Suits: independent travellers exploring off the usual routes, for example between Lumbini and the hills.
The ZipFlyer is the line most of our travellers ride, so here is how a typical visit runs. Smaller lines follow a similar pattern with shorter transfers.
Book online or at the operator’s Lakeside office, ideally the day before. Arrive at the pick-up point at least 15 minutes before your departure. Bring a photo ID that matches the name on your payment card, as the operator asks for it, and sign the waiver. Under-18s need a guardian’s signature, and younger teenagers must ride with a guardian present.
A vehicle takes you up to the Sarangkot launch station, about 30 minutes from Lakeside, or you can ride the Annapurna Cable Car (around nine minutes) and walk a short way. Expect a little waiting at the top while staff weigh riders and send them down in turn.
Staff check your weight and fit you with a seated harness and helmet. The briefing covers body position, keeping hands clear of the trolley and cable, and what happens at the braking zone. Loose items such as phones, sunglasses and hats must be secured or left behind.
The gate opens and the steep first section accelerates you hard. Within seconds you are well above the forest and terraces, with the Seti valley ahead and, on clear days, the Annapurnas to your right. The ride lasts around a minute and a half to two minutes. An automatic braking system slows you near the bottom; you do not need to brake yourself.
Staff help you off at the Hemja landing station. Transport back to Lakeside is included. Hemja is also where Pokhara’s bungee tower is located, so combination packages are common. Allow around half a day in total, including transfers.
Photo and video packages cost around NPR 1,500 (about £9) extra at the ZipFlyer. Personal cameras are usually not allowed unless securely mounted, because a dropped phone at speed is a hazard to people below. Buy the package if you want footage; the views alone are worth the ride.
Most lines have separate prices for Nepali citizens and foreign visitors. Prices below were collected from operator sites and Nepali press reports in 2024–2026; they change, so confirm before you go.
| Line | Length | Approximate price (foreigners) |
|---|---|---|
| ZipFlyer, Pokhara (with transfers) | ~1,850 m | NPR 8,850 (about £50) |
| ZipFlyer photo and video | — | NPR 1,500 (about £9) |
| Nagarkot Zipline | ~2,250 m | US$50 (about £38), 2024 rate |
| Dhulikhel, Ghyampe Danda, Kushma | 1,100–1,480 m | Not verified for 2026; check locally |
| Municipal lines (Gulmi, Makawanpur) | 568–1,200 m | NPR 600–1,500 (about £3–£9) |
The operator has a 24-hour cancellation policy. Agents in Lakeside and Thamel resell rides, sometimes in US dollars; compare the total with the operator’s own rupee price before paying.
Ziplines run for most of the year, and the ZipFlyer says it operates in most weather, but stops in strong wind or storms. The real difference between seasons is the view and the state of the roads. See also our best season to travel in Nepal guide.
| Months | Conditions | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| October–November | Clear skies after the monsoon, sharp mountain views, comfortable temperatures. Busiest time in Pokhara. | Best; book a day ahead |
| December–February | Cool, often very clear mornings; occasional valley fog in Kathmandu and the lowlands. Fewer crowds. | Very good; take a warm layer |
| March–April | Warm, rhododendrons in the hills, but haze builds and softens views as spring goes on. | Good |
| May | Hot and hazy, with afternoon thunderstorms that can pause rides. | Fine for the thrill; go early |
| June–September | Monsoon cloud and rain hide the mountains; lines may close in storms. Landslides can disrupt roads (in 2026 they affected the Prithvi Highway). | Possible but views unlikely; check road conditions |
Morning departures usually give the clearest mountain views, before cloud builds over the Annapurnas. The ZipFlyer has historically run several departures a day; ask for the earliest. Weekends and Nepali holidays such as Dashain and Tihar are busiest at lines near Kathmandu.
Ziplines are among the lower-risk adventure activities in Nepal when they are well built and properly maintained, but because there is no single national zipline standard, it pays to check the basics yourself.
Zip-lining is often listed among activities covered by standard UK travel policies, but not always, and some policies cap cover or exclude activities above a certain height. Check your wording before you ride. Some municipal lines provide accident insurance, but limits are low. If you are trekking too, read our guide to travel insurance for trekking.
Do not ride if you are pregnant, have back or neck injuries, heart conditions, high blood pressure that is not controlled, or have recently had surgery. The high speed and sudden braking put load on the spine and neck. Avoid alcohol beforehand; operators may refuse anyone they think is impaired.
We found no verified reports in the Nepali English-language press of serious accidents on the main commercial ziplines described on this page, though not every incident is widely reported and smaller lines are less scrutinised. Ziplines elsewhere in South Asia have had serious accidents linked to snapped ropes and poor maintenance, which is a good reason to choose carefully.
Nepal saw serious unrest in Kathmandu in September 2025; elections were held on 5 March 2026 and a new government has formed. Protests and strikes can still start at short notice, and late-monsoon flooding and landslides in 2026 disrupted roads in central Nepal. Check the latest UK FCDO travel advice for Nepal before you travel, and read our safety tips for Nepal.
A zipline ride takes half a day at most, so it pairs easily with other activities. In Pokhara you can add paragliding or a bungee jump; near Kathmandu, combine Nagarkot or Dhulikhel with white-water rafting on the rivers to the east.
Morning: early ZipFlyer departure for the clearest views, landing at Hemja. Midday: lunch back in Lakeside. Afternoon: tandem paragliding from Sarangkot, landing by Phewa Lake. Evening: sunset from the lakeshore. Book both a day ahead in October–November.
Day 1: morning in Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square, then the Ghyampe Danda zipline or drive on to Nagarkot for the long line and an overnight stay for sunrise. Day 2: sunrise at Nagarkot, then the Dhulikhel zipline or a walk to Namo Buddha before returning to Kathmandu. See our Kathmandu guide for more on the valley.
Outside peak season you can often book the ZipFlyer the day before or even on the day at the Lakeside office. In October and November, and around Dashain and Tihar, book a day or two ahead. Smaller lines are almost always walk-in. Keep your plans flexible in the monsoon.
Tipping is not expected for a single zipline ride. If staff go out of their way, for example helping nervous children, a small tip of a few hundred rupees is appreciated.
Stay on paths at launch and landing sites, which often cross farmland. Carry your rubbish back and refill bottles rather than buying plastic. Choosing locally owned operators and municipal lines keeps more money in hill communities, but only if they meet your safety checks.
A zipline ride makes a great half-day break in a wider trip. Browse our Nepal travel guide for ideas, then plan your trip with Get Lost Forever and we will help you fit adventure days around your trek, safari or city stay.
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At the time of writing the ZipFlyer costs NPR 8,850 (about £50) for foreign nationals, including return transfers from Lakeside. Photos and video cost around NPR 1,500 extra.
About 1.8 km (1,850 m), from the Sarangkot ridge to Hemja, with a vertical drop of more than 600 m. The ride itself lasts around a minute and a half to two minutes.
The operator says riders exceed 100 km/h and can reach around 120 km/h depending on weight and wind. Higher figures quoted by some resellers are not confirmed by the operator.
It is widely marketed as one of the steepest and tallest ziplines in the world, with a 56-degree starting incline. Rankings depend on how they are measured, so treat ‘world’s steepest’ as a marketing claim.
The Nagarkot Zipline near Bhaktapur, opened around late 2023, is about 2,250 m long and is claimed by its operator to be the longest in Nepal. The ZipFlyer in Pokhara has the bigger drop.
The operator’s site gives two ranges, 34–125 kg and 45–100 kg, and a minimum height of 130 cm. Confirm the current limit when booking.
Established lines such as the ZipFlyer have long track records. There is no single national zipline standard, so check that staff weigh you, brief you, use a back-up attachment and have a braking system at the bottom.
Generally from age 12, with a guardian present for younger teenagers and a guardian’s signature for anyone under 18. A minimum of 10 is also quoted, so check before you go.
Yes. The ZipFlyer lands at Hemja, where Pokhara’s bungee tower is located, and combination packages are common. In Kushma, the gorge zipline is near the bridge bungee and swing.
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By Govind Rai · Updated 22 October 2026Everything you need to plan your first trip, in one free download.
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