How to Reach Humkhola: Pokhara to the North ABC Trek Start by Bus and Jeep

On the North ABC Trek, the walking is the easy part to understand. Getting to the start is where most people get confused. Which bus? Which Tatopani? How much is the jeep? Do you need to book?

I went from Kathmandu to Humkhola by bus and jeep, and came back through Beni. This guide covers every leg, the fares we paid and the mistakes that cost time. If you want the full trek after that, read my North ABC Trek guide.

Kathmandu to Humkhola at a Glance

Leg	Transport	Time	What we paid
Kathmandu to Pokhara	Bus (or a short flight)	About 6 to 8 hours by road	NPR 1,200 per person
Pokhara to Tatopani (Myagdi)	Jomsom-bound bus	About 6.5 hours (6 AM to 12:30 PM)	NPR 800 per person
Tatopani to Humkhola	Bolero jeep, hired	About 2 to 3 hours off-road	NPR 8,000 per jeep
Humkhola to Beni (return)	Bolero jeep, hired	Most of an afternoon	NPR 5,500 for three people
Beni to Pokhara	Bus or jeep	About 3 to 4 hours	Not recorded

Step 1: Kathmandu to Pokhara

Pokhara is the gateway. Buses leave Kathmandu every morning, and night buses run too. We paid NPR 1,200 per person. Expect 6 to 8 hours, and more if traffic at Kalanki is bad. If you are short on time, flights between Kathmandu and Pokhara take under an hour.

We reached Pokhara at night and slept there. That way we could catch the early bus north the next morning.

Step 2: Pokhara to Tatopani by Bus

From Pokhara, take a bus heading to Jomsom or Beni and get off at Tatopani in Myagdi. Buses on this road leave early. Ours left at 6 AM and cost NPR 800 per person. Buy your ticket the evening before if you can.

Which Tatopani? Nepal has more than one. You want Tatopani on the Beni to Jomsom road in Myagdi, beside the Kali Gandaki river and famous for its hot springs. It is not Tatopani in Sindhupalchok on the Tibet border.

The road goes through Kusma and Beni, then follows the Kali Gandaki gorge north. Here is the catch. The road is wild. The bus zigzags along steep edges. When we went, a recent Kali Gandaki flood had damaged big parts of it. It felt like a roller coaster with no safety bar.

We arrived at 12:30 PM and starving. A Thakali khana set cost NPR 350. Eat here. There is not much food until you reach the homestays on the trail.

Step 3: Tatopani to Humkhola by Bolero Jeep

Humkhola is where the jeep track ends and the trail begins, at about 2,840 m. There is no bus. You need to hire a 4WD Bolero jeep from Tatopani.

• Price: NPR 8,000 for the whole jeep, whether you are one person or eight.
• Share it: we were three and met another group of three. Each group paid NPR 4,000.
• Time: about 2 hours of driving, plus stops. We arrived around 3:30 PM.
• Route: the track crosses toward Narchyang and climbs the valley on a road built for local hydropower projects.

This is no smooth drive. It is a full off-road adventure. The river runs right beside the track. Then our tire went flat. We sat there for half an hour. Our driver fixed it fast and we rolled on.

The views made up for everything. Tall mountains rose on both sides. Waterfalls dropped from the cliffs. The glacier water looked like blue ocean.

Getting Back from Humkhola

On the way down we went straight from Humkhola to Beni instead of stopping at Tatopani. The Bolero cost NPR 5,500 for the three of us. Beni is the district headquarters, so it has more hotels, ATMs and buses back to Pokhara and Kathmandu. We slept in Beni and travelled on the next day.

Tip: save your jeep driver’s number on the way up. You can arrange your pickup from Humkhola in advance instead of hoping for a jeep at the end of a long day.

Can You Start from Beni Instead?

Yes. You can hire a jeep from Beni to Humkhola directly. It is a longer drive, but it saves you the bus ride to Tatopani and gives you more choice of jeeps. This works well if you reach Beni the night before.

Road Conditions and Safety

• After the monsoon: landslides and floods often damage the road. Check with locals, bus drivers or hotel owners before you leave Pokhara.
• 4WD only: the track from Tatopani to Humkhola is rough, with river crossings and loose rock.
• Motion sickness: take medicine if you need it. The bus road is very winding.
• Leave early: start from Pokhara at dawn so you reach Humkhola with daylight to walk.
• Cash: carry enough. Do not rely on cards after Beni.

How Much Does It Cost to Reach Humkhola?

Here is our one-way cost from Kathmandu to Humkhola, per person:

Item	Per person
Bus, Kathmandu to Pokhara	NPR 1,200
Bus, Pokhara to Tatopani	NPR 800
Lunch in Tatopani	NPR 350
Jeep share, Tatopani to Humkhola	About NPR 1,330
Total	About NPR 3,680

A solo traveller who cannot share the jeep would pay the full NPR 8,000 for that leg, so it pays to find a group in Pokhara or Tatopani.

What to Do Once You Reach Humkhola

From Humkhola, the trail climbs to Phutphute waterfall in about 2 hours, then on to Sandhikharka and Gufaphant. Read my guide on where to stay on the North ABC Trek to plan your nights, and see Panchakunda Lake for the high point of the walk.

FAQs About Reaching Humkhola