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Rent a Car in Kathmandu

From the tangled lanes of Thamel to the Prithvi Highway climb out towards Pokhara, your own wheels turn the Kathmandu Valley into your playground. Compare car hire from trusted Nepali agencies in seconds and book with free cancellation.

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A rental SUV on a mountain road outside Kathmandu
Car rental providers: Enterprise, Alamo, Avis, Hertz, Budget, Europcar, Thrifty and Sixt

Compare car hire providers in Kathmandu

Kathmandu's market runs on established Nepali agencies rather than the big global rental chains. Many offer a car with a professional driver, which suits the valley's traffic and the mountain roads to Pokhara and Chitwan. We compare trusted local operators side by side so you can see who offers self-drive, who supplies a driver, and what insurance is included — all in one search.

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Why hire a car in Kathmandu

Kathmandu sits in a bowl of hills, and the sights you actually want to reach are spread right around its rim. A car puts the whole valley within range: the medieval Durbar Squares of Bhaktapur and Patan, the sunrise ridge at Nagarkot with its Himalayan panorama, the great Boudhanath stupa and the hilltop Swayambhunath (the "Monkey Temple"). Local microbuses are cheap but slow and packed, and metered taxis often mean haggling every fare. With your own car you simply go.

The bigger wins are the trips out of the valley. Pokhara lies about 200 km west on the Prithvi Highway, a scenic but winding 6–7 hour drive past Mugling and the Trishuli River gorge, while Chitwan National Park opens up the Terai jungle to the south. Whether you self-drive or hire a car with a driver, having a vehicle waiting beats juggling tourist-bus timetables — and lets you stop for momos and mountain views whenever the road tempts you.

Our 2026 Fleet

Choose the right car for your trip

Six vehicle categories, all bookable today. Free cancellation, pay at pickup and unlimited mileage on most rentals.

Most Popular White compact car at a car rental lot ready for pickup

Compact — Toyota Corolla or similar

Compact · Automatic · 4 passengers · 2 large bags

★★★★★ 4.4 / 5 · 80,000 reviews

€42/day from €29/day

  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before pickup
  • Unlimited mileage on most bookings
  • Pay at pickup — nothing charged today
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Family Favourite Silver midsize SUV parked outside a rental office with luggage beside it

Midsize SUV — Ford Edge or similar

Midsize SUV · Automatic · 5 passengers · 3 large bags

★★★★★ 4.6 / 5 · 120,000 reviews

€78/day from €59/day

  • Plenty of room for car seats and weekend luggage
  • Additional driver free for spouse / partner
  • 24/7 roadside assistance included
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Business Pick Dark navy full-size sedan parked on a city centre street

Full-size Sedan — Toyota Camry or similar

Full-size · Automatic · 5 passengers · 3 large bags

★★★★★ 4.5 / 5 · 95,000 reviews

€92/day from €69/day

  • Recent fleet (typically under 2 years old)
  • Comfortable, quiet motorway cruiser
  • Apple CarPlay / Android Auto on most models
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Lowest Daily Rate Red economy car parked at a car rental lot

Economy — Hyundai Accent or similar

Economy · Automatic · 4 passengers · 1 large bag

★★★★★ 4.2 / 5 · 45,000 reviews

€34/day from €22/day

  • Our cheapest daily rate
  • Fuel-efficient — low running costs on long trips
  • Easy to park in tight city and old-town streets
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Long Trips Silver SUV with tailgate open and luggage loaded on a mountain road

Standard SUV — Chevrolet Equinox or similar

Standard SUV · Automatic · 5 passengers · 3 large bags

★★★★★ 4.4 / 5 · 70,000 reviews

€84/day from €65/day

  • Unlimited mileage on most bookings for road trips
  • Comfortable for 4–6 hour drives
  • One-way rentals available between cities
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Premium Black premium sedan parked under a luxury hotel canopy at night

Premium / Convertible — BMW 5 Series or similar

Premium · Automatic · 5 passengers · 3 large bags

★★★★★ 4.6 / 5 · 38,000 reviews

€159/day from €119/day

  • Recent premium fleet
  • Upgrade to convertible available on request
  • Premium counter with shorter wait times
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Why customers choose us

Transparent pricing, flexible bookings and real human support — on every rental, no exceptions.

🛡️

Free cancellation

Cancel free up to 48 hours before pickup on most bookings. Lock in today's rate with no commitment.

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Pay at pickup

Nothing charged today. You only pay when you collect the keys — and what you see at booking is what you pay at the counter.

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24/7 Roadside assistance

A flat tyre, a dead battery or a lost key — one number, real people and help in under an hour.

Limited Time

This week's rental deals

New deals every Monday. Prices and availability change fast — book now and pay at pickup.

Light-coloured convertibles on a sunny coastal road Save 30%

Spring compact deal

Compact rentals from €19/day during the spring season. Free cancellation, unlimited mileage and pay at pickup — perfect for a weekend getaway.

€28/day from €19/day

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Standard SUV parked at a coastal overlook at sunset Best Seller

Weekly SUV road trip deal

Standard SUV from €189 for the full week — perfect for coastal routes, mountain escapes and long-distance drives. Unlimited mileage included.

€269/week from €189/week

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Dark full-size sedan leaving a rental office with the skyline behind Fast Pickup

Express pickup deal

Full-size sedan with skip-the-queue pickup at downtown offices. From €59/day, free cancellation, no hidden surcharges in the rate.

€95/day from €59/day

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Red convertible top-down parked beside palm trees on a coastal road 20% Off

Weekend convertible deal

Premium convertible from €89/day on Friday–Sunday pickups. Limited fleet — sells out fast on holiday weekends.

€119/day from €89/day

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Our fleet at a glance

Category, daily rate, cancellation and mileage — choose in 30 seconds.

CategoryBest forPaxCancellationMileageFrom / day
CompactMost Popular Day trips & weekends4Up to 48 hUnlimited €29 Book
Midsize SUVFamily Favourite Family travel5Up to 24 hUnlimited €59 Book
Full-size SedanBusiness Pick Work / premium5Up to 48 hUnlimited €69 Book
EconomyLowest Rate Cheapest daily rate4Up to 24 hUnlimited €22 Book
Standard SUVLong Trips Long-distance drives5Up to 48 hUnlimited €65 Book
Premium / ConvertiblePremium Special occasions5Up to 24 hUnlimited €119 Book
Rental info

What to know before you drive in Kathmandu

  • Drive on the left. Nepal drives on the LEFT, so you sit on the right of the car and overtake on the right. If you're used to right-hand traffic, take the first hour slowly — the busy ring-road junctions at Kalanki, Koteshwor and around Ratna Park are where mistakes happen.
  • Pick up at the airport or in Thamel. Most travellers collect at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), just east of the centre near Sinamangal, or have the car delivered to a Thamel hotel. Confirm the exact meeting point when you book, as the compact KTM arrivals area gets crowded.
  • Traffic is intense. City driving is dense, horn-heavy and shared with motorbikes that weave everywhere; dust and frequent jams are normal on the Ring Road. Many visitors choose to hire a car with a driver — it costs a little more but removes the stress of navigating Kathmandu's chaos yourself.
  • Mountain roads bite. The Prithvi Highway to Pokhara and the Naubise switchbacks climbing out of the valley are slow, single-carriageway and shared with overloaded lorries. Surfaces are mostly paved but potholed, so allow far more time than the distance suggests.
  • Fuel up before you leave. Petrol and diesel stations are plentiful inside the city but thin out on rural mountain stretches, so fill the tank before any run to Pokhara, Chitwan or Nagarkot. There are no big motorway toll networks, only small local points on some highways.
  • Licence, permits and insurance. Foreign drivers should carry an International Driving Permit alongside their home licence. Check the insurance excess carefully — on rough roads, low or zero-excess cover is well worth it. Compare Kathmandu car hire prices →
  • Local tip. Avoid driving the highways out of the valley after dark: lighting is poor and lorries dominate. The monsoon (June–September) brings landslides and flooded sections on the Prithvi Highway, so start early and park up before the afternoon rain.

Where to pick up your car in Kathmandu

Most pickups happen at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) or in the central Thamel district, with valley-wide hotel delivery often available.

View a larger map of Kathmandu ↗

Frequently asked questions

Questions our customers actually ask before booking.

Is it worth renting a car in Kathmandu?
Yes, especially for day trips around the valley and longer runs to Pokhara, Chitwan or Nagarkot, where buses are slow and inflexible. For the chaotic city centre and the winding Prithvi Highway, many travellers prefer to hire a car with a driver rather than self-drive. Compare options in Kathmandu →
What do I need to rent a car in Kathmandu?
You'll need a valid driving licence, and foreign visitors should carry an International Driving Permit alongside it. Agencies typically require a minimum age (often 21+) and a deposit; check the specific terms shown at booking.
Which side of the road does Nepal drive on?
Nepal drives on the left, so you sit on the right of the car and overtake on the right. Traffic is dense and horn-heavy, and motorbikes weave constantly on the Ring Road, so stay alert and drive defensively in the city.
Can I get picked up at Tribhuvan Airport (KTM)?
Yes. Most agencies offer pickup at Tribhuvan International Airport, just east of the centre, and many will also deliver the car to your hotel in Thamel or elsewhere in the valley. Always confirm the exact meeting point and any after-hours fee when you book.
Should I worry about insurance and the excess?
On Nepal's rough mountain roads, yes — the excess is what you'd pay if the car is damaged. Choosing a deal with low or zero excess, or adding full cover, is strongly recommended. Compare the cover included in each price before you commit.
Which car hire companies can I compare in Kathmandu?
In Kathmandu you'll mostly be comparing established local Nepali agencies — self-drive specialists such as Self Drive Nepal, plus operators that supply a car with a professional driver for the valley and the highway to Pokhara. Rather than guessing which agency is cheapest, compare the trusted agencies in Kathmandu in one search →

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