Key takeaways
- The jump itself is one fixed ticket; transport from Pokhara and any guide or group fee is where the price gap between solo, guided, and group travellers opens up.
- For most SAARC visitors, a shared jeep from Pokhara keeps total day spend close to NPR 7,500-9,500 per person if you go solo and book on arrival.
- Indian and Bangladeshi visitors do not need a visa for Nepal in 2026 but should still carry passport or voter ID at check-in.
- Solo travellers sometimes wait an hour or two between jumps; guided slots are usually timed, so booking ahead matters on Saturdays and during Dashain.
In this guide (6 sections)
Most people who ask me about Kushma assume it is an add-on to an Annapurna trek and that they need a trekking permit or a guide to get there. Neither is true. Kushma Gyadi bridge sits in Parbat district about 1.5 to 2 hours from Pokhara by road. The bridge itself handles traffic, but the jump platform is built beside it, and a separate operator runs the bungee, the swing, and the zipline. You can walk up and pay for a jump on the day, or you can book a package from Pokhara the night before. Both are common.
The other thing people get wrong is altitude. Kushma is low. The bridge sits around 228 metres above the river below it, which is the drop distance, not the elevation of the town. The town itself is roughly 1,300 metres. You do not need to acclimatise, you do not need a TIMS card, and you do not need an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit for the jump itself. That single fact changes the planning math for a lot of SAARC visitors who were about to budget for a trek.
The wrong assumption most SAARC visitors make
Indian and Bangladeshi passport holders do not need a visa for Nepal. Most SAARC nationals get visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival, but the rules change occasionally and depend on which document you carry. Confirm with your nearest Nepal embassy or the Department of Immigration website before you fly, especially if you are travelling on a non-biometric ID. Insurance is a separate question and a separate decision.
Travellers also assume the 228-metre drop means a 228-metre freefall. It does not. The cord stretches, the rebound pulls you back up, and the whole sequence takes a few minutes above the river before you are lowered to a raft or a pontoon below. The thrill is real. The physics is friendlier than the number looks.
On the platform in Kushma I have watched nervous Indian tourists from Patna laugh harder than the British school group. The river does not care where you are from. The view is the same for everyone.
Field note, Mantra Mountain guide, March 2025
Before you book what the three options actually cost
Let us break the day into three layers. Layer one is the jump, swing, and zipline tickets sold at the operator's counter. Layer two is the road transport from Pokhara to Kushma and back. Layer three is whatever you layer on top, which is the difference between solo, guided, and group. The total cost depends almost entirely on how you handle layer two and three.
Tickets at the counter in 2025 were roughly NPR 7,500-8,500 for a single bungee, NPR 5,000-6,500 for the swing, and NPR 3,500-4,500 for the zipline. These figures shift season to season. Treat them as a working range and confirm closer to your travel date. The operator sells combos too, and a bungee plus swing plus zipline bundle runs around NPR 14,000-16,500 per person. Camera and video adds another NPR 800-1,500 depending on whether you want handheld or helmet-mounted footage.
Here is what each style of trip tends to cost in practice for a SAARC visitor starting from Pokhara. Numbers below use current rates as a baseline; check with your operator or the counter closer to your date because fees do move.
| Cost line | Solo | Guided (small) | Group (8-12) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bungee ticket | 7,500-8,500 | 7,500-8,500 | 7,000-7,800 (block booking) |
| Swing add-on | 5,000-6,500 | 5,000-6,500 | 4,500-6,000 |
| Zipline add-on | 3,500-4,500 | 3,500-4,500 | 3,200-4,000 |
| Shared jeep return | 1,800-2,500 | Included in package | 1,400-1,800 per seat |
| Private jeep return | 9,000-11,000 total | Usually included | Usually included |
| Guide or fixer fee | 0 | 2,500-4,000 | 1,000-2,000 per head |
| Video and photos | 800-1,500 | 800-1,500 | 800-1,500 |
| Lunch at Kushma bazaar | 600-900 | 600-900 | 600-900 |
| Total per person, one activity | 9,000-11,500 | 11,500-14,500 | 10,000-12,000 |
| Total per person, bungee+swing+zipline | 19,000-23,500 | 21,000-25,500 | 19,000-22,000 |
The guided column assumes a Pokhara-based operator books your jeep, queues your slot, hands you a harness briefing, and stays with you all day. The group column assumes you joined a shared departure from Pokhara with eight to twelve people. Solo means you walked into a jeep stand at Sabribagar or Hallan Chowk and negotiated the ride yourself.
The week before you go paperwork and numbers
Carry the original passport or voter ID. A photocopy alone has been refused at the jump site for age verification on past visits, especially for solo travellers who look under 25. Weigh yourself honestly the day before. The harness has limits. Most operators cap jumpers somewhere in the 40-115 kg range. If you sit outside that, phone ahead rather than discovering it on the platform.
Buy travel insurance that covers adventure activities before you leave home. Indian insurers including Tata AIG, Bajaj Allianz, and ICICI Lombard sell short-trip policies that cover bungee and zipline for under NPR 2,000 equivalent. Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan visitors usually get the same through their own providers. The jump operator in Kushma does not sell insurance. If you arrive without it and break something, you pay out of pocket.
Pick your date carefully. Saturdays and the Dashain and Tihar windows are busy. Weekday mornings are quiet and you jump within twenty minutes. After Dashain, demand drops for two or three weeks and the counter sometimes offers a small discount on a bungee plus swing bundle, though I would not promise that for 2026.
Day one Pokhara to Kushma Gyadi bridge
Jeeps to Kushma leave Pokhara from a few points. The shared jeep stand near Prithvi Highway at Sabribagar is the cheapest. Hallan Chowk is a quieter pickup that some hotels use. Tell the driver Kushma bungee or Kushma Gyadi bridge, not just Kushma, or you may be dropped at the wrong side of town. The ride climbs out of the Pokhara Valley, crosses a ridge, and then drops into the Modi Khola gorge. The bridge appears suddenly, with the river far below and the cables already strung.
The road is sealed most of the way and the journey runs 1.5 to 2 hours in dry weather. During the July-September monsoon it runs longer and landslides sometimes close the highway for an hour or two. If you are booking through a Pokhara operator, they will already know the road status for the day. If you are solo, ask at your guesthouse before you leave.
- Take a light jacket. The gorge has its own wind even in April.
- Eat a real breakfast in Pokhara. There is no good food at the jump site itself, only tea stalls and instant noodles.
- Carry cash in NPR. Cards are rarely accepted at the operator counter.
- Keep your phone in a ziplock for the raft pickup below.
The middle stretch jump swing zipline
At the bridge you sign a waiver, weigh in again, empty your pockets, and wait. Solo travellers wait longest because the operator schedules guided and group bookings first. On a busy Saturday I have seen solo jumpers wait ninety minutes past their check-in. The swing is faster to dispatch because it cycles in pairs. The zipline moves like a turnstile. If you are buying all three, plan on three to four hours at the site including waiting.
The bungee jump itself is the second highest commercially operated bungee in the world at 228 metres. That ranking has held for several years. Treat it as a working fact rather than a precise one; another operator in another country could take the title at any point and the operator in Kushma will not change their marketing overnight.
The swing runs over 200 metres. The zipline is shorter and faster and feels gentle after the swing. If you only have budget for one activity, take the bungee. If you are with a partner who refuses to jump, the swing is the next best thing and they can ride together.
Two of my solo Indian clients in 2025 paid less than the four in a guided group from Bangalore, but only because the Indians took the 6 am jeep and walked straight onto the platform. The Bangalore group waited for lunch.
Mantra Mountain operations note
What surprises people at the end
The pickup after the jump is by raft or pontoon from the river. You will get splashed. This shocks first-timers who assumed a clean dry landing back at the platform. Wear shoes you do not care about. Your camera bag stays with a friend or in a locker at the top. Phones go in the waterproof pouch the operator sells for NPR 200-400, or in yours if you brought one.
The jeep back to Pokhara is shared and does not leave on a fixed clock. You leave when it is full. Solo travellers sometimes wait forty-five minutes after the jump for the jeep to fill. Guided groups have a vehicle waiting. This wait is the single biggest hidden cost of going fully solo. Eat lunch in Kushma bazaar while you wait. The dal bhat is honest.
By the time you are back in Pokhara, the whole day has eaten six to eight hours. Travellers who planned to combine it with paragliding or the World Peace Pagoda usually find they have run out of afternoon. If you want to stack activities, do the lighter one the next morning. Sarangkot sunrise and then Kushma bungee is the order I would push for most SAARC visitors who have only three nights in town.
Final money note. Solo travellers on a tight budget can land at NPR 9,000-11,500 per person for a single jump with shared transport. A guided half-day from Pokhara lands at NPR 11,500-14,500 per person. A group of eight to twelve lands at NPR 10,000-12,000 per person. The all-three bundle roughly doubles the activity cost across the board. Pick the format that matches how much waiting you can stomach, not just how much you want to spend.
Keep planning
Frequently asked questions
Do Indian passport holders need a visa for Kushma bungee?
No visa is required for Indian citizens travelling to Nepal. Carry your passport or a valid voter ID. The same applies to most SAARC nationals, though entry rules vary by country and document type. Always confirm current rules with the Nepal Department of Immigration or your nearest embassy before you fly.
How high is the Kushma bungee jump exactly?
The bungee at Kushma Gyadi bridge is 228 metres, which puts it among the highest commercially operated bungee jumps in the world. The town sits at roughly 1,300 metres elevation, which is why no trekking permit or acclimatisation is needed.
Can I just show up and jump without booking ahead?
Yes, on most days. The counter sells tickets directly and you can walk in. On Saturdays, during Dashain, and on Tihar the queue builds and solo walk-ins sometimes wait 60 to 90 minutes. If you want a morning slot, phone the operator the evening before.
Is the Kushma swing as scary as the bungee?
It is a different fear. The swing runs over 200 metres, swings in a wide arc rather than a freefall, and you can ride tandem. People who refuse to bungee often do the swing. Solo bungee jumpers usually rate the swing as fun rather than terrifying.
What is the cheapest way from Pokhara to Kushma?
A shared jeep from Sabribagar or Hallan Chowk in Pokhara. It costs around NPR 1,800-2,500 per person for a return seat and takes 1.5 to 2 hours. The jeep leaves when full and returns when full, so factor in waiting time on both ends.
Is travel insurance necessary for Kushma bungee?
The operator does not require it, but I recommend it. A short adventure-travel policy from your home insurer covers bungee, swing, and zipline for a small premium. Without it, any injury is out of pocket, and hospital evacuation from Parbat to Pokhara is not cheap.
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