Updated: March 31st, 2025
Lukla flights were again diverted from Kathmandu to Ramechhap in March and we expect diversions to continue until the end of the current trekking season. Here is what it will mean for your trek if you need to fly to Lukla via Ramechhap.
Ramechhap is a small airstrip 140 km (85 miles) from Kathmandu with little or no existing tourist infrastructure. The drive to the airport takes around 5 hours and the return to Kathmandu between 5 and 8 hours depending on traffic. These diversion will impact all trekkers regardless of the tour company or the airline your Lukla flight was booked with to the Everest Region.
Bottom line, this does not change anything regarding your trek or your schedule. Although it is an inconvenience and added challenge to have to get up earlier and travel back and forth to Ramechhap on a windy mountain road.
One of our team will be staying in Ramechhap during the trekking season and will help to make sure everyone gets on their flights. If flights are canceled from Ramechhap due to bad weather and conditions still permit helicopters to fly it may be possible to arrange the helicopter from Ramechhap as well. The cost for this will vary depending on the demand and number of trekkers but it’s safe to plan on at least $600 extra for a helicopter and maybe more. If guests end up taking a helicopter we will refund them for the one way flight fare of $150 to Lukla (Indian Guests will be refunded $80).
If all flights are canceled and it’s not possible to arrange a helicopter from Ramechhap, guests will have the option of staying in Ramechhap or returning to Kathmandu. However, keep in mind only basic accommodation is available in Ramechhap. If guests return to Kathmandu they will need to leave the hotel again the next day at 3am to try to catch the flight.
If you want to avoid Ramechhap, one alternate option is to go by helicopter. Helicopters will continue to fly from Kathmandu to Lukla. We can arrange the helicopter if guests notify us in advance for an extra $600 one-way (We will refund your $150 flight fare), so after the refund, the additional cost to you would be $450 each way. Please let us know if you would like us to arrange this, and we will confirm availability with you once you arrive in Nepal. Helicopters operate on a chartered basis and availability changes on a daily basis. Keep in mind that even if we confirm a helicopter, it may not be available as evacuation flights take first priority over confirmed bookings.
We realize the added expense of the helicopter is significant and want to remind guests that we already have confirmed flights and it’s not a requirement. If you are thinking about the helicopter option you might just want to consider the Lukla to Kathmandu portion and not booking round-trip so that you can avoid the return drive to Kathmandu which is longer due to traffic during the afternoon.
Are there any fixed wing flights from Kathmandu to Lukla?
As we have seen in past seasons some flights will still operate between Kathmandu and Lukla but only on an irregular basis. The airlines periodically need to bring their airplanes back to Kathmandu for maintenance and to rotate pilots and staff. This means that in some cases the last flight of the day will return to Kathmandu from Lukla or that the first flight will be via Kathmandu. The last flight of the day is always the most likely to be canceled as weather conditions are best in the morning. If the last flight is canceled it also means that same aircraft will be in Lukla or Ramechhap and the first flight the next morning will also be canceled or simply diverted. Despite the inconvenience, flying from Ramechhap at this point is the most reliable option.
Why is Ramechhap a good option for flights?
While getting to Ramechhap is an inconvenience and the airports lacks even basic amenities it is a more reliable option for the flights. For starters, the flight to Lukla from Ramechhap is only 12 mins compared to 35 mins from Kathmandu. This means that if the weather is good a number of flights can take place in a short period and get a large number of guests to Lukla. In Kathmandu, even if the weather is good the Lukla flights can often be delayed just on the runway due to traffic and end up missing the window of good weather to fly to Lukla. We want our guests to have the best chance to get to Lukla and start the trek so in that sense we don’t see Ramechhap as necessarily a bad option it’s just an added challenge.
What Time Will We Depart for Ramechhap?
In general, we will be leaving the hotel in Kathmandu around 2 or 3 am in the morning. The exact timing of the departure will be given to you at the briefing before the trek. If flights have been canceled the previous day any guests stuck in Ramechhap are likely to be given priority and as a result you might leave later from Kathmandu. Current conditions will be discussed the night before during your pre-trek briefing.
How long will these diversions to Ramechhap be taking place?
Closure of the Kathmandu airport to Lukla flights has been ongoing since late 2019 on a periodic basis and looks to continue for the next several seasons. This might not seem to make a lot of sense for Nepal, but in fact it’s mainly due to the limited capacity of the international airport and heavy traffic that these diversions are taking place and not just construction. Based on our conversations with the airlines we think there is a good chance these diversion will continue into the future until a solution can alleviate the crowded conditions at Kathmandu Airport.
We realize this is going to cause issues and are notifying all existing guests in advance. It does add to the challenge of reaching Lukla but it is unavoidable and something everyone in Nepal needs to deal with. Be assured that we will do our best to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible and it’s our hope that the Kathmandu Airport will be up and running again soon. Feel free to email us with any questions or concerns.
