Flights to the Everest Region Suspended for Three Days

All flights to Lukla, the main gateway to Mount Everest, have been suspended for the past three days because of bad weather. Continuous rainfall and thick fog have covered the area, making it impossible for planes and even helicopters to operate.

According to Nawaraj Katuwal, the Air Traffic Controller at Lukla’s Tenzing-Hillary Airport, flights have been halted since Thursday due to nonstop rain and low visibility. Normally, around 60 flights operate daily during this season, but now everything is grounded.

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With flights stopped, hotels from Lukla to Namche Bazaar are full of tourists waiting to return. Tara Air’s Lukla in-charge Amrit Magar said around 1,500 tourists who bought airline tickets are stuck in Lukla. “Every hotel is full, and it’s hard to find rooms for new guests,” he said. Some hotels have had to let tourists stay in lobbies due to the shortage of space.

French tourist Julie Marie said, “We came back from Everest Base Camp three days ago, and now we’re just waiting for flights to resume.”

The situation in Namche Bazaar is similar. Lama Kaji Sherpa, chairperson of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, said around 1,200 tourists are stranded there as well. “There’s been continuous rain and snowfall in higher areas, and all hotels in Namche are at full occupancy,” he explained. Visitors are spending their days reading books and listening to music while waiting for better weather.

Some tourists are trying to return to Kathmandu by road via Salleri, but that route is also difficult due to landslides and muddy roads caused by heavy monsoon rains. Vehicles on the BP Highway are often stuck for hours, especially near Kavrepalanchok and Sindhuli.

According to meteorologist Saroj Pudasaini from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in Kathmandu, the monsoon is still active, and heavy rain and snowfall may continue for two to three more days before the weather gradually clears.