• Last Updated on Oct 29, 2024

According to information released by the Nepal Aviation Authority, beginning on October 1, 2022, all flights to and from Lukla will take off from Ramechhap rather than Kathmandu. The airlines have already sent out a notice and distribution. The flight's estimated date and time would not change according to the provided tickets. But to do this, you'll need to take the same route back to Kathmandu from Lukla through Ramechhap, which you'll need to reach from Kathmandu. 

NOTE:- FROM APRIL 1 2023 ALL KATHMANDU-LUKLA-KATHMANDU FLIGHTS DIVERTED TO RAMECHAP-LUKLA-RAMECHAP. MEANWHILE, ALL PASSENGERS FROM KATHMANDU AND RAMECHAP HAVE TO DRIVE 4-5 HOURS IN THE MORNING. 

The local town Manthali is located in Ramechhap. There are few lodging options because it is not a  popular tourist destination. Finding lodging during the busiest trekking season, especially in April and May, may be challenging because the Lukla flights will depart from  Manthali Airport. The peak season for hotel and airline business as well as government revenue. However, the expense has increased as more aircraft crew and staff are assigned to the Manthali airport due to the renovations at the domestic airport in Kathmandu and the diversion. 

The Manali airport is 132 kilometers east of Kathmandu, the country's capital, at 474 meters above sea level. It is located in Manthali's Tamakoshi River Valley. Ramechhap District is headquartered in Manthali. Kathmandu to Manthali will take about  4  to 5 hours by car. 

We will depart from our accommodation in Kathmandu at around 2 a.m. and go to Manthali airport to catch our early departure. There is a higher likelihood that many flights will take place on the same day because the flight from Ramechhap to Lukla is shorter. The good news is that there is virtually little likelihood of canceled flights leaving from here. 

All trekkers intending to travel to the Everest region in the upcoming season must consider this change in flight schedule and the Lukla flying detour. Due to airline route changes, this is the only path trekkers may take. Therefore, this flying divergence will not affect your actual trek itinerary, schedule, or the total number of days on the trip. The only drawback is getting up early to start the drive from Kathmandu to Ramechhap. However, the Everest region's breathtaking beauty and exhilarating adventures make the wait worthwhile. 

Note:- You might consider our 11-day Annapurna base camp Trek In the Everest region, you can do the Everest base camp trek return by helicopter. If you are short of holiday for ten days, you can get 5 hours Everest base camp helicopter tour. Or take a Helicopter flight to Lukla from Kathmandu, which will be hassle-free and comfortable.

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Alternative to the Ramechhap-Lukla flight from Kathmandu 

A helicopter flight is the most excellent option if you wish to avoid the Ramechhap Flight Diversion. Direct helicopter flights from Kathmandu to Lukla are feasible. We may be able to organize the helicopter if guests notify us in advance. Please let us know so we can arrange a helicopter ride for you. When you arrive in Nepal, we'll verify whether the helicopter is available. Helicopters are operated for charter, and their availability varies daily. 

Please be aware that even if we confirm a helicopter, it might not be available because confirmed reservations take a backseat to evacuation flights. Even though we are aware of the high additional cost, we want to let tourists know that we already have flights confirmed and that using the helicopter is unnecessary. If you are considering the helicopter option, you might want to take the Lukla to Kathmandu segment to avoid the long return trip to Kathmandu, which is longer due to afternoon traffic.

Flight Time from Ramechhap to Lukla 

Tenzing Norgay Airport(also Lukla Airport) is the entryway to the Everest Base Camp Trek and Everest Region Trekking, and a 20-minute flight from Manthali reaches it.  

Transportation to Ramechhap  

If you have already confirmed your reservation for a flight to Lukla, kindly contact the airlines, travel agencies, or businesses. They will undoubtedly organize and settle the alterations to make your travel easier. Regarding transportation, you must make arrangements if you are a lone traveler. Therefore, please let us know as soon as possible if you are traveling to Nepal through a  travel or trekking agency to prevent any upcoming transportation and lodging issues in Manthali. 

If you're traveling alone, visit Koteshwor. It serves as a hub for local buses and jeeps throughout Nepal. You can reserve a seat on a regular jeep or a local bus traveling to  Manthali. The local bus will leave early 6a.m in the morning. 

How long will these diversions to the Lukla flight last? 

There have been periodic cancellations of flights from Kathmandu to Lukla since late 2019, and it looks like this trend will continue for the foreseeable future. While this may not make much sense for Nepal, these detours occur due to heavy traffic and the international airports' constrained capacity, not just because of construction. We believe that there is a good likelihood that these detours will continue until the Kathmandu Airport's traffic bottleneck is resolved based on interactions with the airlines. 

We know this will be a problem, so we warn all current visitors. Although it makes traveling from Kathmandu to Lukla more challenging, it is a necessary obstacle everyone in Nepal who wantEverest or a related trek must face. Be assured that we will do everything within our power to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. We hope that the Kathmandu Airport will be functioning once more shortly. 

Benefits of flying from Ramechhap to Lukla 

Despite the management's lack of a systematic approach and the fact that security checks are still conducted manually, there are several benefits to flying to Lukla from Ramechhap. First, the airport's limited utilization makes air traffic-related delays or cancellations less dangerous. Second, there are other flights scheduled. Third, due to the close distance of the trip, even in Lukla's case of bad weather, the backlogs are rapidly removed. If you want to book with us. Ramechap to Lukla and Lukla to Ramechap with transportation, please get in touch with us.

Dipak Pande

Dipak Pande

Dipak starts to step up from porter, guide, and trekking leader to the company owner. Sometimes he share his experience with others as well as wrote in local travel news. Most of time he spend his time on mountain and his company.