Everything You Need To Know About Lukla Flight Changes This Season! It is not as bad as you anticipated. Let’s find out more details about it.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has issued an official notification stating that all airlines must operate flights to Lukla from Manthali Airport, Ramechhap.
Despite the fact that this reroute may sound like a major catastrophe, driving to Ramechhap actually lowers the probability of flight cancellations.
As everyone is aware, flights to and from Lukla frequently get canceled or delayed. Even though we cannot ignore the role played by the strong wind and fog, the Kathmandu airport’s traffic congestion is a crucial additional factor that has recently worsened matters. In spite of the weather being favorable for flying, we witnessed multiple incidents during the previous season where trekkers were forced to spend several days nesting in the chilly Lukla Airport. Since Ramechhap Airport only operates flights to Lukla, it is a reasonable alternative for getting to Lukla.
Manthali Airport, Ramechhap
At an elevation of 474 meters, Manthali Airport is situated in the Tamakoshi River Valley in Manthali, the administrative center of the Ramechhap District. It lies 132 kilometers (km) east of Kathmandu, and the drive there by car takes 3.5 hours to 4 hours.
It is a small town that typically sees few visitors. As a result, there aren’t many lodging options available, and the quality of the service is low. During the busiest times of the year, it’s possible that Manthali and Ramechhap won’t have any hotels due to the large number of trekkers who will arrive here to catch their flights.
Transportation Options To/From Manthali Airport, Ramechhap
It is quite an experience to travel from Kathmandu to Ramechhap. In exchange for seeing Nepal’s rustic and rural sides, you will bid farewell to the congestion and concrete of Kathmandu. To get to Bhaktapur, the initial stretch is a six-lane highway. The two-lane road progressively ascends past satellite towns after Bhaktapur to the hill station of Dhulikhel. At this point, you switch to the B.P. Koirala Highway from the Arniko Highway. The road also narrows and has numerous hairpin curves at this point. The picturesque hills, farms, and towns more than makeup for it, though. You will also get to take in the beauty of the Sunkoshi and Tamakoshi Rivers throughout the latter half of the ride.
There are many ways to get to Ramechhap, including using a shared vehicle at two in the morning, daytime public and private buses, or renting a car.
1. 2 AM Drive from Kathamndu to Ramechhap in shared jeep/haice
As crazy as it may sound, the most preferred choice for trekkers is to leave Kathmandu for Ramechhap at two in the morning. The reason is straightforward: this arrangement doesn’t require an additional day in your itinerary. And you arrive in Ramechhap by 6:30 am, giving you plenty of time to get some breakfast and board your plane to Lukla.
2. Private Vehicle Drive to Rammechaap Jeep/Car
Renting a car is the most convenient way to go to Ramechhap. It isn’t too expensive, especially if you can split the expense with others. It will cost approximately $80 to $100 for private car hire and $120 to $150 for a private jeep.
3. Local Bus Drive to Ramechhap
If you have an extra day and don’t like the idea of traveling at night, you can depart for Ramechhap the day before your flight via a local share bus or jeep. The regular public buses leave from the Old Bus Park at 6:00 am in the morning. You can also opt for a shared jeep which leaves from Chabahil at 5:00 am in the morning. It costs around $5 to $6.
Advantages of flying to Lukla from Ramechhap
There are a lot of advantages to flying to Lukla from Ramechhap despite the management’s lack of systematic approach and the fact that security checks are still done manually: There is minimal chance of delays or cancellations brought on by air traffic because the airport only serves to operate flights to Lukla. There are more flights on the schedule. Even in the event of poor weather in Lukla, the backlogs are cleared very quickly due to the short flight length.