Lukla flight is the quickest and the most preferred way to get to Everest Base Camp (EBC). Almost every traveller takes a Lukla flight and commences their trek from Lukla for several days to get to EBC and other places in the Everest region.
Like many of the must experience hikes, if you have never hiked to Everest Base Camp, you need to add this hike on your bucket list. It’s almost as though the sureway to indulge in the magnificent beauty of the world’s highest peak- Mount Everest and neighboring peaks.
Getting to Lukla
Lukla is a mountain village in Solukhumbu district of Eastern Nepal, popular for its one and only airstrip, also known as Tenzing Hillary Airport, that serves thousands of travelers every year to the Everest region. It takes about 30 to 45 minutes flight on a Twin otter or Dornier from Kathmandu to get to Lukla. Various airlines like Tara Air, Sita Air, Summit Air and Simrik air operate their regular Lukla flights from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal.
There’s much to be said for Lukla flight. Unlike other flights, this scenic flight will let you experience those breathtaking vistas of the Great Himalayas. It’s a sense of unrivalled freedom that you feel seeing awe inspiring views of Mahalangur, Langtang and Rolwaling range bordering the northern territory between Nepal and Tibet.
But to experience this mountain flight fully, you must choose a left side window seat. Recognizing that there are no particular seat numbers, make sure you arrive earlier in the aircraft to enjoy the scenic views.
Lukla flight delays
Lukla airstrip was started off by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1964 in order to enable logistics supplies and facilitate means of transportation in the Everest region. As a matter of fact due to its geographical location, it has a single runway, narrow lane along a sheer mountain face at one end and a gorge on the other.
Put simply, this makes the take off and landing challenging- so much so- in fact the Lukla flight operation is usually limited in number, largely because of it’s amazing location. Besides, the mountain weather is changeable. Harsh climatic factors such as high winds, low lying clouds, monsoon rain, foggy winter etc. make conditions extremely adverse that result in frequent flight delay/cancellations.
It’s almost as though flying to Lukla is highly dependent on the weather. Whenever you travel to the Everest region, flight cancellations might be a possible option, especially in the months of May and August. So, it’s always prudent to buffer at least 2-3 days besides your itinerary in order to not leave out the other important activities, that may be your international flight.
Changes in Lukla flight
Linking the remote mountainous region of Khumbu, this one and only airstrip offers easy access to get to the Everest region for thousands of travellers every year. On the other side, it results in increased congestion in Kathmandu airport as the number of visitors in the Everest region soars in peak trekking season.
Considering this, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) decided air service to Lukla to be operated from nearby Ramechhap airport, starting from March 2019, especially in the month of March, April, May, October and November.
Kathmandu airport being the only airport in the capital city serving hundreds of regular domestic and international flights on its runway every single day, shifting Lukla flights from nearby Ramechhap airport is an easy add-on to address the Lukla flight delays/cancellation problem. This is more likely to continue in forthcoming years until the next notice will come out.
About Ramechhap Airport
Ramechhap Airport lies 132 km east of Kathmandu, in Manthali, Ramechhap district. It takes about 4-5 hours from Kathmandu to reach Manthali by road.
Unlike other major cities, this small town is often less visited, hence the accommodation conveniences available there remains basic and limited. As a large number of tourists travel there to catch Lukla flights, during peak seasons, it’s quite hard to get the best hotels and guesthouses in Manthali, Ramechhap. Depending upon conditions, the modern amenities available vary from place to place, and sometimes, you have to adjust to the basic facilities.
How can Trekking to Nepal help you?
Trekking to Nepal is an established company with a reputation of leading hundreds of treks in the Everest region. When it comes to adventurous hikes in the mountainous region of Nepal, the earlier you book the trip with us, the more likely we can ensure Lukla flights and make all necessary arrangements to set you off on the trails.
Just remember it comes at a cost of adventure, either easier to access or sometimes you will face unexpected situations like flight delays/cancellations due to bad weather. Even in the cases of flight delays/cancellations, we can rebook the flights at the earliest as we have the most comfortable option to make it easier in worrisome situations like this.
Rest assured, we do our best to plan your trip well and make your journey as much easier as possible.
