Changes In Lukla Flight This Season- Everything You Need To Know!

Due to runway maintenance in Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, all flights to/from Lukla is being rerouted from Kathmandu Airport to Manthali Airport, Ramechhap from April 1, 2019, to July 30, 2019.

A formal statement to that effect has already been circulated by the airlines. The date and tentative time of the flights will remain the same as per the tickets issued. However, this will require you to travel to Ramechhap from Kathmandu on your way to Lukla and retrace the exact same route on your way back to Kathmandu.

Here is all you need to know to survive the change:

About Manthali Airport

Manthali Airport is located in the Tamakoshi River Valley in Manthali, the capital of Ramechhap District at an altitude of 474 m. It is located 132 kms east of Kathmandu and it takes 4.5 hours to get there from Kathmandu by road.

It is a small town that doesn’t see many visitors ordinarily. Hence, accommodation facilities available are limited and the service level is not very high. With the large number of trekkers who will come here to catch their flights, it is highly likely that you not find accommodation in Manthali during the peak season of April- May.

What Are My Options To Manage Transport To And Accommodation In Manthali Airport?
If you have directly booked your Lukla flights through Airlines website or travel agencies, please coordinate with the respective parties. In all likelihood, they will take care of the transportation to Manthali Airport. In the unlikely event that you have to arrange transportation and accommodation on your own, here is what you can do:

Getting to Manthali, Ramechhap

Get a cab to Koteshwor
Catch a local bus or regular jeep from Koteshwor Bus Park to Manthali. Vehicles usually depart starting 6:30 am until 1 pm.
This option will require you to stay overnight in Manthali. As more options arise, we will keep the blog updated!

How Can Visit Nepal 2020 Help?

For people who have booked their flights with HoneyGuide, here’s a better option that we have come up with:

Take you directly to Manthali in a private vehicle 5-6 hours ahead as per your flight schedule so you can easily catch the flight without having to stay overnight. This will remove the hassle of finding accommodation. For e.g. If your flight time is 7:30 am, we will leave from Kathmandu around 2 am.
HoneyGuide will allocate staffs and arrange tent accommodation in the area as a backup. In case your flight gets cancelled due to any reason, you can use our tent facility (with mattress) for free. You will however have to manage your own sleeping bags.
We will provide you with the contact number of the local staff in the field whom you can coordinate for any issue.
The flight cost of USD 180 that you have paid for Kathmandu to Lukla flight through Visit Nepal 2020 will now include:

The land transportation from Kathmandu to Manthali and Manthali to Kathmandu.
Flight from Manthali Airport to Lukla.
Emergency tented Accommodation if needed.
If you are planning your Everest trek, you can book your flights here.

We will arrange all the above mentioned services for you.

Even if you haven’t booked through Visit Nepal 2020 and wish to book transportation or tents with us, please let us know. We would love to help as best as we can. Please send all inquiries to info@nepalvisit2020.com