How to Get to Pokhara: 4 Ways In (Including the New Direct Flight from Dubai)

Pokhara has always been the doorway to some of the most iconic trekking trails on earth, where the Himalayas rise close enough to feel touchable in a way few other places on the planet can match. It is a city built around water and mountains in equal measure. Since climbers and trekkers first started passing through in the 1950s, it has served as the base camp for the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp treks. It's also known as the "City of Lakes," where Phewa Lake turns still and glassy at sunrise, and Fishtail Mountain seems to hang directly over the rooftops. Until now, every international visitor's journey to Pokhara has started the same way: landing in Kathmandu first, then choosing one of three ways onward either by road, by domestic air or by private helicopter with each giving a first-time traveller a completely different introduction to the valley. This autumn, a fourth option joins them and it changes things for travellers coming from well beyond Nepal's borders.

By Road: The Slow Reveal

The classic route runs along the Prithvi Highway, roughly 200 kilometres of winding hillside road that takes anywhere from seven to eight hours depending on traffic and season. It is not the fastest way to Pokhara, but it is the way that lets the country introduce itself properly, one valley and one ridge line at a time. The road traces the Trishuli River for long stretches, its waters turning from grey to turquoise depending on the season, before climbing past terraced farmland cut into hillsides that have been worked the same way for generations.

Roughly halfway along, the road rolls through hilltop towns of preserved culture, worth pulling off for a coffee and a walk down the main lane, before folding back into the hills toward Pokhara.

By the time Phewa Lake finally comes into view, the Annapurna Range sitting behind it like it has been waiting the whole way, the drive starts to feel less like transit and more like the first real chapter of the trip. It is a full day of travel, but it is a full day of Nepal and for many travellers, that is exactly the point.

By Domestic Air: The Quick Hop

If a full day on the road does not suit your itinerary, the domestic flight from Kathmandu or other Nepali cities is the well-worn shortcut. Several carriers run the route multiple times a day and the flight itself is barely 25 minutes in the air. It is one of the shortest, most scenic hops you will ever take, with the Himalayan wall filling the window for almost the entire journey on a clear day.  The catch is that "quick" only applies once you are airborne. Between checking in at Kathmandu, the domestic terminal's unpredictable queues, and the very real chance of weather delays in monsoon or early winter, a 25-minute flight can easily eat up half a day of waiting. It's fast when it works, and frustrating when it doesn't.

By Private Helicopter: The Fast Track With a View

For a more immersive way in, private helicopter charters run between Kathmandu and Pokhara, covering in around 30 minutes what takes the better part of a day by road. Charters can flex around your timing, drop closer to your accommodation and double as an aerial sightseeing run over the Himalayan foothills before touching down. It is the premium option, priced accordingly, but for anyone chasing a mountain-flight experience or working around a tight schedule, it has long been the fastest, most flexible way into the valley.

Private Helicopter experiences that take off from Pokhara are available as many operators also run separate Annapurna Sanctuary and Base Camp helicopter tours directly from Pokhara. A much longer excursions of around two hours that land right at the foot of the range for a short stop before flying back. It is a way to stand in front of the Annapurna massif without committing to the multi-day trek in, and for travellers on a tight itinerary, it is often the only realistic way to see the base camp up close at all.

The Fourth Way: Flying In Directly From Abroad

Until now, every one of those three routes has shared the same starting point: Kathmandu. Land, fly, or charter, you always began by clearing immigration in the capital first, then finding your way onward. That changes on 23 September 2026, when flydubai begins daily, non-stop flights between Dubai and Pokhara International Airport, making it the first international airline to operate a scheduled service into the city.

Pokhara International Airport has been open since 2023, but until now it has run almost entirely on domestic and regional traffic. The five-hour flight means travellers no longer need to route through Kathmandu at all. Board in Dubai at midday and by early evening you are already in the Pokhara Valley, with the Annapurna Range visible before you have even reached your hotel. Since flydubai operates the route as part of its codeshare with Emirates, it also opens Pokhara up to travellers well beyond the Gulf. Anyone flying from London, Paris, New York, Nairobi, or any of the hundreds of cities across Emirates' network can book a single ticket, check their bags once and connect through Dubai Terminal 3 straight through to Pokhara without separate bookings or baggage headaches at the transfer.

The route launches right at the start of autumn, widely considered the best season to see the Annapurna Range in full clarity, so early booking is worth it.

The practical details:

- Route: Dubai ⇄ Pokhara, daily, non-stop

- Start date: 23 September 2026

- Outbound (FZ1165): Departs Dubai 12:00, arrives Pokhara 18:15

- Return (FZ1166): Departs Pokhara 19:15, arrives Dubai 22:00

Once You Land

Once you arrive, the Pokhara Valley opens up almost immediately. Himalayan Hideaway Resort Pokhara, The Centara Collection, sits in the hills above Kaskikot with sweeping views of Fishtail Mountain and the Annapurna Range, just 35 minutes from the airport. Arrange your transfer at the time of booking, and your first evening can be exactly what it should be: quiet, elevated, the mountains catching the last light outside your window.

Which Way Should You Choose?

There is no single "best" way in,  just the one that suits your trip. The road is for travellers who want the journey to be part of the story. Domestic air is for those balancing time against budget. The helicopter is for anyone who wants speed and a view to match. Plus now, direct international flights are for travellers who would rather skip Kathmandu altogether and land within reach of the Annapurna Range the same day they leave home.

September 23 is the date. Autumn 2026 is the season. Whether you are planning a trek, a wellness retreat or a stay at Himalayan Hideaway Resort Pokhara, The Centara Collection, there has never been an easier time to choose your way in; the lakes, the trails and the mountains waiting exactly as they always have, however you arrive.