By road: two common routes
Both routes start on the Prithvi Highway, which climbs out of the Kathmandu Valley and follows the Trishuli River down to Mugling. Leaving the valley can be slow, so an early start helps.
From Mugling, one option is to turn south to Narayangarh, head west along the East–West Highway to Butwal, then climb the Siddhartha Highway up to Tansen. The other is to continue west to Pokhara and come south down the Siddhartha Highway. Which is quicker depends on traffic and road conditions at the time, so ask locally before you go.
Flying part of the way
Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa has flights from Kathmandu, and the airport is roughly two to three hours from Tansen by road. This is usually the quickest way to reach Palpa. See Bhairahawa Airport to Tansen for the drive up from the plains.
You can also fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara and continue by road, which takes roughly four to five hours. This suits you if you want to spend time in Pokhara first. Domestic flights can be delayed by weather, particularly in the monsoon and on misty winter mornings, so leave some slack in your plans.
Breaking the journey
Covering the whole distance in one day is tiring, and arriving on a hill road after dark is best avoided. A night in Pokhara puts you on the scenic route south. A night or two in Chitwan pairs naturally with Tansen, and our Chitwan and Tansen itinerary shows how.
If you do travel straight through, set off early, carry water and snacks, and keep the hosts at Bulbul informed of your progress so they know when to expect you. In the monsoon, landslides can close sections of road, so allow extra time.