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 metres (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, one is 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, jumars 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 not in a formal trekking group, one should double-check tickets 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.

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 (STOL) aircraft such as Twin Otters. There is about a 700-metre (2,000 ft.) angled drop at the end of the runway to the valley far below. The sight of the little runway when coming in to land, will surely get the 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 the listed departure time — at least two hours. The airlines can usually find others eager to fill seats of late arrivers. Before entering the pre-boarding area, checked luggage will be inspected by hand. The next line is for checking carry-on baggage and a brief body pat-down search. All lighters, matches and loose batteries will be confiscated during this baggage check. If carrying a headlamp, keep the battery inside and pack any spares in checked luggage.

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

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