Panauti is about 32 kilometres southeast of Kathmandu, reachable in 45 minutes to an hour by taxi or private vehicle. The road passes through Banepa, the main town in this part of Kavrepalanchok district. Shared microbuses run from Kathmandu's Ratna Park bus station to Banepa, from where local transport continues to Panauti.
The town is often combined with a visit to Dhulikhel, 10 kilometres to the north, which has excellent mountain views and its own heritage temples. The two make a comfortable half-day trip from Kathmandu.