Lukla

Lukla is a town in the Khumbu region of eastern Nepal where most people visiting the Himalayas near Mount Everest start their journey. Lukla, at 2,860 meters (9,380 ft.), contains a small airport where most people begin and end their adventure in the region. Lukla means place with many goats and sheep, however these days, you are not likely to see many roaming around.

Somewhere between 90-95% of the foreign nationals who reach Lukla, will arrive by a ½ hour flight from Kathmandu. The remainder will mainly trek in from Jiri, about a seven to eight day walk. On organized treks, most of the Nepalese guides and kitchen staff will also walk from Jiri to Lukla, albeit in about half the time unless clients are also with them. When Sir Edmund Hillary made his famous first ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953, his expedition also walked in from Jiri.

Lukla has a variety of shops and lodges where one can have basic western style meals and pick up any last minute items for the trekking or climbing ahead. If you cannot find what you are looking for in Lukla, you might have better luck in Namche Bazaar. There are a couple of good climbing shops (e.g. Mountain Madness) in Namche where you can rent carabiners, helmets, ice axes, jumarss and harnesses. However, plastic mountaineering boots and crampons are best rented in Kathmandu if you have need of these items.

From Lukla, most trekking groups will take two days to reach Namche Bazaar, a nice easy pace to help in altitude acclimatization. Distance wise, this segment is doable in one long day (~8 to 10 hours) but not advised due to increased risk of altitude sickness. If you are not in a formal trekking group, you should double-check your ticket with the airline before leaving Lukla. Empty seats on flights between Kathmandu and Lukla are a rarity during the prime seasons and people being bumped off their flights is not uncommon.

Airplane wing beside runway in Lukla

Airport

There are frequent daily flights (i.e. no night service) between Lukla and Kathmandu, weather permitting. Although the flying distance is short, it can easily be raining in Lukla and yet the sun shining brightly in Kathmandu or vice versa. The airport's siren blasts the mountain air to inform personnel of incoming aircraft. The paved tarmac is only accessible to helicopters and small fixed wing short takeoff and land (STAL) aircraft such as twin Otters. There is about a 700 meter (2,000 ft.) angled drop at the end of the runway to the valley far below. The sight of the little runway as you are coming in to land, will surely get your adrenalin pumping. The airport is contained within a chain linked fence and patrolled by the Nepalese army or police around the clock.

When leaving on an outgoing flight, arrive well ahead of your listed departure time -- at least two hours. The airlines can usually find others eager to fill seats of late arrivers. Before you can enter the pre-boarding area, you will need to have your checked luggage inspected by hand. There is no real line here so be bold but courteous in getting to the front. After that, the big lines start for checking your carry-on baggage and a brief body pat-down search. All lighters, matches and loose batteries will be confiscated during the baggage check. If you have a headlamp, keep the battery inside and pack any spares in your checked luggage.

A dusk to dawn curfew may be in effect so if you are staying near the airport:

• keep your headlamps pointed at the ground while outside your tent or lodge. The army/police are very wary of moving lights.
• do not leave your campsite or you will likely be challenged by the army or police