Lukla Weather Delays: How to Handle Cancellations

Lukla weather delays are quite a common thing while trekking to the Everest base camp in peak climbing seasons. But what to do if your flight gets cancelled at the last minute?

Hold on! You do not have to head back home right away. There are a lot more activities to do in both Lukla and Kathmandu, just in case your flight to or from Lukla gets cancelled. From exploration of cultural heritages to short hikes for acclimatization, there’s much more to deal with extra days in hand.

But before discussing how to handle Lukla weather delays, let’s understand what causes them.

Why Lukla Flights Get Cancelled?

The Lukla airport is known to be one of the most dangerous in the world. Not only is it located at an elevation of 2800 meters above sea level, but it is also surrounded by hills all around. And to top that off, it has the shortest runway of just 527 meters at such a high elevation.

Once you fly off to Lukla airport, there is no way around for second landing attempt if you miss the first one. You have to land on it at any cost. This is the reason why you need to have the perfect weather conditions for flying to Lukla cause landing right needs a good visibility and lower winds.

Given the limited flying window and constantly shifting weather on the Everest region, Lukla flights often get cancelled. And with hundreds of people flying in the peak season to catch the narrow summit window and trekking days, cancellations are undeniable.

To help you have a better idea about what’s flying to Lukla is like, let’s check these few quick flights.

Quick Facts About Lukla Flight

• The flight route from Kathmandu to Lukla is 73 nautical miles and takes about 35 minutes.
• Small twin-otter aircrafts are the airplanes that fly to Lukla airport.
• Due to bad weather conditions, more that 50% flights get cancelled or delayed.
• The best time to fly to Lukla is during clear springs days or Autumn mornings.
• There’s an alternative airport in Ramechhap that handles flights to Lukla. From Manthali airport, it takes just 15 mins to reach Lukla but before boarding you need to drive for about 5 hours to reach the airport itself.

How to Handle Lukla Weather Delays?

A good itinerary that is a little bit lenient on extra days is the best way one can handle the Lukla weather delays. It’s always a good idea to plan your trek to Everest more relaxed with additional rest days, acclimatization days, and some spare days. This way you will be cover for the delays caused by the cancelled flights whether on the way to Lukla or on return.

Here are a few ways to handle the flight cancellation or Lukla weather delays:

1. As soon as you find your flight is cancelled, take a long breath and stay calm.
2. Check on with your airlines company if the delay is temporary or can last a few days. Reach out to your company if you have your travel agency has booked the flight for you.
3. Stay standby near the airport if the delay is temporary to sudden shift in weather.
4. Consider alternative options if the delay sustains for a longer period of time. It is a good idea to take the route via Ramechhap airport.
5. If you can afford, consider the heli-rides to lead your way to Everest.

It is also possible to take a road transport to Jiri and then trek all the way to Namche Bazaar and continue your Everest journey.

Best Things to Do if the Lukla Flight Cancels

Waiting is inevitable once your Lukla flight gets cancelled. But it doesn’t have to be a boring task to wait on the flight delays caused by bad weather. Whether you are in Lukla for flying back to Kathmandu or starting your journey with a flight to Lukla, you can find enough activities to pass your leisurely time.

Activities to Do in Lukla

While in Lukla, these are the activities that you can do to make most of your waiting time.

Visit Local Monasteries

Lukla and its nearby villages are home to a few monasteries that you can visit and get a serene experience. Lukla monastery, also known as Lukla Kemgun gompa is a historic monastery that is believed to be built in 18th century.

Apart from enjoying the rich interior and worship ceremonies of the monastery, you can also visit a nearby Thangka painting school.

Do a Short Hike to Phakding or Namche Bazaar

If your flight delays looks to extend over a few days, you can explore the terrains of Phakding and Namche that you often bypass while on trek because of time constraints. This short hike is a good exploration for better exploring the natural beauty and cultural heritage.

Enjoy the Sherpa Hospitality

You can find a number of good local teahouses in the Everest region where you can experience the sherpa hospitality. These are good places to chat with trekkers and taste the authentic Sherpa dishes.

Activities to Do in Kathmandu

Similarly, if you want to make best of your time in Kathmandu while waiting for Lukla flight to resume, there are many cultural and historical heritages to explore.

Take a City Tour

Kathmandu city has way many historical heritages that you can explore before visiting to the Everest region. Start with a tour of the Kathmandu Durbar Square where you can witness the lifestyle of royalty, intricate art and traditional add-ons. Then on you can continue to the other palace squares in different districts of Kathmandu valley.

You can hire a local guide to help you better explain the historical and cultural essence of these palace square. The living goddess Kumari who is revered deeply is another major attraction of these palace squares.

Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Kathmandu valley only in houses the seven UNESCO world heritage sites, out of the 10 that you can find in Nepal. From the Hindu temple, Pashupatinath to centuries old monasteries like Swayambhu and Boudhanath, all hold a deep cultural significance. The all three palace square of the valley are also included in this list.

Indulge into Yoga and Meditation

What can be better way to stay out of the stress than a peaceful yoga session? Well, the city of Kathmandu has uncountable numbers of yoga and meditation centers where you can practice mental calm.

Go for Acclimatization Hikes

Another best way to spend the extra days in Kathmandu is to go on acclimatization hikes. There are several hills around the valley which are good options for helping you to acclimate to lower temperature.

Plan Well to Save Time

The gateway to Khumbu valley, the Lukla airport is sadly not available all the time. And with the possibility of weather going south anytime, flight delays are pretty common. It is always a good idea to take extra days in your hand while planning a trek to the Himalayas.

However, you do not need to worry about being bored in case you face this situation. There are a number of activities to do while waiting for your flight to resume.

Plan ahead and save time!