Kathmandu<->Lukla flights

[Harnas]

Hello

It was posslible to arrange flight in advance with larger group of people, but the agency in Kathmandu said them, that return ticket isn't open - it means they have to declare the return date. It is not acceptable for me.
So, I will be looking for flight to Lukla (for 3 people), when I will came to Kathmandu on 4th October.
How much time should I expect to wait for flight?
Are there different types of tickets? I'm interested in open ticket.
Where do you suggest to look for ticekts?

[yakshaver]

Hello

It was posslible to arrange flight in advance with larger group of people, but the agency in Kathmandu said them, that return ticket isn't open - it means they have to declare the return date. It is not acceptable for me.
So, I will be looking for flight to Lukla (for 3 people), when I will came to Kathmandu on 4th October.
How much time should I expect to wait for flight?
Are there different types of tickets? I'm interested in open ticket.
Where do you suggest to look for ticekts?

Hm, I usually get my tickets for the return in Namche or Lukla. They only confirm you on a plane if you've fronted up at the agency in Lukla, anyway. Or at the Lukla airstrip.

Plus, the weather can play havoc with any tickets, bookings, or and any firm plans. If flights are cancellend, then almost everything starts from scratch, it is not like you have a seat anyomre, or that people are placed in some prior order. You, or better your guide, need to scramble for a seat on some plane.
Out of my 5 flights out of Lukla, two or three times I had to wait an extra day because of the weather. Actually once I had to wait two days, if I remember correctly.

Be flexible. Maybe just book an KTM to Lukla flight. Then book the return when you get into Lukla, or maybe Namche. But no one takes you seriously, ticket or no ticket, if you are not in Lukla and the cannot see your face. As well as the rest of your body.

[Harnas]

Be flexible. Maybe just book an KTM to Lukla flight. Then book the return when you get into Lukla, or maybe Namche. But no one takes you seriously, ticket or no ticket, if you are not in Lukla and the cannot see your face. As well as the rest of your body.

Is there any difference in price between one way ticket and return ticket?
It is possible to pay in dollars?

It is too late for me to book in advance with that large group. What about booking in Katmandu for flight to Lukla? It is problem with place for 3 people for flight in 2 or maximum 3 days?

[yakshaver]

Is there any difference in price between one way ticket and return ticket?
It is possible to pay in dollars?

It is too late for me to book in advance with that large group. What about booking in Katmandu for flight to Lukla? It is problem with place for 3 people for flight in 2 or maximum 3 days?


I think they only accept dollars, and it makes no difference wether you buy one way or return. Return is simply double of the one way price. No negotiation, the price is set by the alliance between the airlines cartel and the government.
The price is about half if you're a Nepali.

2-3 days in advance is quite ok to book for 3 people. No problem.

[Harnas]

Thank you for fast reply.
Final question: where to buy tickets in Kathmandu? I heard, that sometimes airline office don't have free places, but it is still possible to buy tickets from trekking agencies or organise it by hotel owners?

[marcy]

I am always buying 3 tix (1 westerner, 2 nepali) for a one way flight from KTM to Lukla. Then when I arrive back in Lukla the lodge owner in Lukla arranges tix for the guys and myself to fly back to KTM. So far, I've always been lucky and have always arrived Lukla in the afternoon, then been able to get a flight out for the very next morning. I've always purchased my Lulka-bound tickets from an agency in KTM. For my KTM-bound tickets, I've always stayed at the Paradise lodge in Lukla and the owner there arranges my tickets. There are a number of Lodges in Namche, Phakding, Lukla that can arrange tickets back to KTM for you.

[Landfall38]

The one benefit of buying return flight is that you do not have to carry the (US$) cash.

Drawback is you are (sort of) stuck with the airline you booked with.

I have flown 4 times Lukla-->KTM; each time with a return date booked and 3/4 times left on a different (earlier) date than I booked. Other posters are correct: your return reservation is meaningless unless you show up the day before in Lukla.

[marcy]

Return reservations are also meaningless if the weather isn't cooperative. Last year there were at least 2 times in the fall where several days consecutive bad weather left an unbelievable horde of masses stranded in Lukla and backed on up into the Khumbu. Bright side is that once the weather cleared, they flew nonstop flights and cleared the backlog in a day or so.

[Suginami]

A big problem is timing. Too many people want flights in the high season. Cannot understand anyone going up that way in October unless you absolutely have no other time to go. I much prefer December

[LTAT2009]

Hi,

The flight time from Kathmandu to Lukla if I remember correctly it is about 30-35 minutes. But as Suginami had mentioned due to high season you may have trouble with your retrun flight from Lukla. So, I would better suggest you too arrange your round trip tkt from Kathmandu and ask them that you want flexible TKT for the sectors. Do not buy low fare TKT, you may have problem to rebook later!

[yakshaver]

Someone, marcy I believe, wrote that often reservations are meaningless as the weather will throw havoc with any plans. And there is no system of "first in, best dressed" once the cancellations force the game of finding seats to start anew.
It happened to me twice, and this is when you value having a good guide who knows the system/culture (a bit "encouragement" of ground staff never goes astray) to put you on a flight once all bets are off.

Conclusion: do not stress too much. Book just the KTD to Lukla. Worry about the return when you get into Namche or even Lukla.

[odd man out]

October is described as being problematic due to crowds. What about early to mid May? Will crowds have thinned much by then as the rains would be building?

[tapxe]

How are late Feb and early March KTM-Lukla-KTM flights. Weather, crowds etc.

[Spaceman347]

Feb/Mar is generally nice clear days, it's going to be cold at higher altitudes as you're really in the last bit of winter You won't find too many other trekkers out at that time I wouldn't have though. I was in the Khumbu in March 2007 and it was very quite.

In answer to the previous question, I've never been up there in May but my guess would be that it would still be pretty busy in early May.

[Petrus]

We made a quick* trip to EBC in mid-may. Fairly quiet, only Gorak Shep had a number of tourists, in Periche, Dingpoche, Namche the lodges had about 10% occupancy. We flew in but walked out as we had time. There was a 3 day pause in flights anyway because of thick clouds & rain. Walking was splendid, though, we met maybe 5 other trekkers the whole way to Shivalaya.

*) 12 days from Kathmandu to EBC and back, with walkout to Shivalaya.

[JS_Nepal]

Hi All, I'm heading to Gokyo-EBC in Oct 2010 (yeah, I know....it's going to be busy, crowded and all that in Oct) with a buddy, for the first time.

I had assumed that I should try and book our tickets from KTM->Lukla over the web from Australia to ensure that I get something booked to coincide with my international flight to KTM (maybe two days after arrival in KTM). I guess the return flight booking can wait, as many of you have already suggested.

Is there a recognised website to book these tickets from?. I have found http://www.hotelnepal.com which seems to offer Yeti Airways flights - are they a recommended place to book them over the web?

Alternatively, maybe I should book something from Nepal on arrival in KTM?

thanks in advance for any input.

[aubergine]

I'd just like to bump this thread if that's ok as I'd also like to know whether it's best to book KTM to Lukla in advance (i.e. before arriving in KTM)

[yakshaver]

If you go to Nepal outside the high seasons, yes, booking KTM Lukla in advance might be ok. In high season, or when the weather is affecting Lukla (mainly) or KTM, it is meaningless - as things start to unravel in the booking systems.

Wether you book your tickets online or in Nepal, the most important thing is to be booked on the first flight in the morning. Usually later flights get canceled, as the nice morning weather changes as the winds pick up mid morning.

Here are some links. I usually book in advance but not online. I email my guide in Nepal who books for me. Last time I did not do that, and it happened to be a really busy high season (Easter this year) and I suffered.
Here are some links.

http://www.yetiairlines.com/yeti/

http://www.nepaltravels.com/flightbooking.htm