Airport of Nepal

Airport

Whether you are traveling to or from Nepal, or within the country, you are likely enter at least one of this amazing country’s airports. Most travelers will arrive in Nepal via the Tribhuvan International Airport located in Kathmandu. This is the only international airport in the country and handles a large number of flights from both international and local airlines. From here you will find a variety of transportation to take you to your accommodation.

Aside from the Tribhuvan International Airport, Nepal boasts a number of regional airports for quick and easy travel between destinations. These include Pokhara Airport, Nepalgunj Airport, Simara Airport, Bharatpur Airport, Dolpa Airport and Jumla Airport. Whilst you are whisked from one airport to the next, you can enjoy the spectacular landscapes for which Nepal is famous. So whether you want to explore the intriguing sights of the Kathmandu Valley or are planning to head further west for some fantastic trekking, air transport from Nepal’s airports is your quickest and simplest option.

1) Tribhuvan International Airport

Kathmandu is the largest city in Nepal and is situated along the Bagmati River. This vibrant ‘tri-city’ is made up of a population exceeding well over 1.5 million inhabitants. Just 5.56 kilometres away from Kathmandu, you will find the only international airport in Nepal.

The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) is situated between three ancient cities, namely: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. It is within these cities that you will experience the rich Nepalese culture and artistic influence which is reflected in their many beautiful and sacred temples. Tribhuvan International thus plays a very important role since it forms a central hub from which local businesses can expand into the surrounding international arenas. It also provides a business opportunity for both local and international airlines.

Unlike most international airports, it is still regarded as being relatively small. It covers an area of 10,240 meters square. However, this does make it practically impossible for one to lose their way in the airport and the structure is a visible landmark from anywhere inside Kathmandu valley. It was officially inaugurated in February 1990 by his Majesty King Birenda. Since then, 90% of all flights now take place from the new terminal, helping the airport to live up to the title “Gateway of Nepal”.

There are many scheduled air services operating here which have branches situated within a reasonable distance from most of the cities around the world. These cities include: Thailand, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Myanmar (Burma), Qatar and Germany, to name just a few. The national carrier is Nepal Airlines, which operates using Boeing 757s and 767s for all its international services. It conducts flights from Kathmandu to Bombay, Dhaka, Bangkok, Dubai, Frankfurt and London as well as many other places.

Regardless of whether you arrive in Nepal by land or by air, you will be required to provide information relating the length of your stay and your passport details. These must be filled on a disembarkation card before leaving the airport. Should you wish to travel to India, some form of identification will be necessary to enter - a visa is not an acceptable form of identification. Immigration is relatively simple and there are two counters available for the curious tourist. The first is for those who have valid visas ready for entry into Nepal on arrival; the second is for those who still require visas. A single entry visa for tourists will allow you 60 days within the country and will cost about $30 US dollars. However, should you wish to extend your stay, you will be obligated to visit the Central Immigration Office. All in all, Tribhuvan International Airport will be your gateway into the amazing world that belongs to the Nepalese people.

2) Pokhara Airport

Unlike Tribhuvan International Airport, Pokhara Airport is relatively small and acts as a regional airport for central Pokhara in Nepal. It is operated by the government department of ‘Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal’ and was established on July 4, 1958. It is from here that you can get regular connecting flights to such places as the city of Kathmanduand Jomsom. Warning: if you wish to travel to Manang you will have to establish when the exact seasonal connections are available so as not to be disappointed.

Pokhara Airport in Nepal is considered to be one of the busiest domestic airports in Nepal in terms of aircraft movement, with an increase of 64.5% since last year. Authorities also noted an increase in the movement of passengers where a surge of 26.7% was noted. As a result, Pokhara Airport is rated as the second busiest domestic airport after the Biratnagar Airport. In the future Pokhara could become the top domestic airport in the country should CAAN’s plans go through for a revised new airport.

There are three main airlines which are housed at Pokhara Airport. They are: Cosmic Air (which flies to Jomsom and Kathmandu), Nepal Airlines and Yeti Airlines (which both fly directly to Kathmandu).

Some interesting facts about Pokhara Airport: The shortest flight available within Nepal is about 43 miles away while the longest flight that can possibly be taken is about 91 miles. It is estimated that approximately 2,632 passengers fly out of Pokhara, Nepal, every week which then amounts to over 112 flights per week with an average of 44 passengers on board.

3) Nepalgunj Airport

The Nepalgunj Airport in Nepal is not one of the most popularairports in Nepal, but it definitely sees enough passenger and cargo traffic to sustain it. People often get direct flights to and from the airport, but may also choose to pass through as part of a connecting flight to another part of the country. The airport is located in Nepalgunj, which is probably the best access point for many of the surrounding areas. These areas include Rukumkot, Dolpa, Jomsom and Pokhara.

The airport is served by two main airlines – Cosmic Air and Yeti Airlines. Cosmic Air only really provides direct flights toKathmandu from Nepalgunj, but Yeti Airlines offers a wider variety of destinations including Dolpa, Kathmandu, Simikot and Rukumkot. The airport code for Nepalganj Airport is KEP and the airport sees roughly ten flights arrive and depart every week. The largest aircraft that takes off and lands at Nepalganj Airport is big enough to seat roughly 100 people, but the average flight has just under twenty seats available. Most of thecommercial flights take place on a DHT with a seating capacity of only nineteen. Yeti Airlines offers one flight to Kathmandu, Dolpa, Rukumkot and Simikot daily on a DHT aircraft. Despite the small aircraft used and the low number of flights conducted, this relatively small airport sees more than 1,590 passengers leave and arrive at Nepalganj every week.

Nepalgunj is a border town in western Nepal and it is often viewed as being the perfect starting point for treks to the Dopolo plateau and the Jumla region. This has given the Nepalgunj airport a somewhat vital role since the town would be rather difficult to reach without the services of an airport. Hence, even though the airport is small and sees very low amounts of air traffic, its role is a very important one. The traffic it conducts – especially with regards to tourists – helps to support the local economy to quite a large degree. Nepalgunj Airport offers four non-stop flights to different cities in Nepal. It also sees a lot of other traffic in the form of connecting flights to other cities and towns. Other lesser known destinations that are catered for at Nepalganj Airport include Bhairawa, Lucknow, Jumla, Surkhet and Meghauli.

4) Bharatpur Airport

If you are looking for easy access to the Chitwan District, you might want to consider using the Bharatpur Airport which is located in the city of Bharatpur. Bharatpur is the capital of the Chitwan District, and this makes theBharatpur Airport in Nepal one of the most important access points to this part of the country.

Despite its relatively small size, the Bharatpur Airport sees a large amount of traffic on a daily basis. The airport is situated in the center of the city and this makes traveling to your accommodation relatively easy. The city itself is quite a nice destination with a number of interesting attractions worth visiting. One of these is the Chitwan National Park. This beautiful national park is one of Nepal’s most popular government-protected parks. It is filled with hundreds of beautiful plants and animals, including some rare and endangered animal species. The Naryani River, the Rapti River and the Gish Hajar Lake are also very popular attractions in or around Bharatpur. The city is also home to the Devghat Temple, the Durga Temple and the Bageshwari Temple, amongst others. All three are very popular tourist attractions. Bharatpur is filled with great hotels and resorts that are popular with both local and international tourists. The city boasts quite a good infrastructure and has hospitals, colleges and a number of shops where you can while away your time looking for bargains and mementos.

Though the Bharatpur Airport is not as big as some other airports in Nepal, it is definitely growing at a steady rate. In fact, the Bharatpur Airport is considered to be one of the fastest growing domestic airports in the country in terms of both aircraft traffic and passenger traffic. The airport is situated at an elevation of roughly 600 ft and it has a runway length of 3 800 ft. The airport code is BHR and there are two main airlines which serve the Bharatpur airport. These are Cosmic Air and Yeti Airlines – both of which are headquartered in Kathmandu. Currently the airport offers one non-stop flight per week to Kathmandu and as many as 21 domestic flights on smaller aircraft to other parts of the country every week. So start booking your tickets to the Chitwan District through Bharatpur Airport now and look forward to a great travel experience.

5) Dolpa Airport

Perhaps one of the smaller airports in Nepal, Dolpa Airport is a neat little airport that offers travelers only the most basic of services. However, despite its diminutive size its importance to local communities and travelers should not be underestimated. The Dolpa Airport provides a much needed air service to Dolpa and the surrounding areas.

Dolpa is one of Nepal’s most remote and sparsely populated districts. It is situated within the Karnali zone and has its headquarters in Dunai. The terrain in Dolpa falls between 1,525 meters above sea level to 7,625 meters above sea level and so is characterized by steep valleys and a dry climate. Dolpa is Nepal’s largest district and it shares a portion of its borders with Tibet in China. A large section of the district falls under the authority of the Shey Phoksundo National Park who works hard at protecting the wildlife, plant life and historical monuments found in the region. The two most notable attractions here are the Shey Monastery, which dates back to the 12th century, and the Phoksundo Lake, which is the deepest lake in the country. The National Park’s name is a combination of both these attractions and the park is the only trans-Himalayan national park in the country. This makes the airport in Dolpa one of special significance since it provides some of the only year-round access to this important national park.

The Dolpa Airport usually makes use of the airport code “DOP” and is situated at an elevation of 8,200 ft. The runway is approximately 1,500 ft in length and this means that only small aircraft may take off and land here. The flight options in Dolpa are limited without only one airline – Yeti Airlines – operating from the airport. Yeti Airlines offers one flight to Nepalganj and back daily aboard a small aircraft with enough space for only nineteen passengers. Some travelers may wish to investigate the option of traveling into Dolpa by road from Rukumkot, Nepalganj, Jomsom, Pokhara, Jumla, Simikot and Surkhet. However, it is usually quite a bit easier to just fly directly to the Dolpa Airport. So if you want to visit this remote part of Nepal and spend time at one of the most spectacular national parks in the country, start booking your ticket for Dolpa Airport today.

6) Jumla Airport

If you are thinking of traveling to Jumla the next time you visit Nepal, you should definitely investigate the option of flying to Jumla Airport. Flying is a quick, safe and convenient form of alternative transport in Nepal. In fact, air transport is probably the only way to gain access to Jumla since the area is still not connected to the national road network. Flying also gives travelers the opportunity to enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Nepali landscape as they fly overhead.

The Jumla district in Nepal is part of the Karnali Zone. The city of Jumla is the main city in the Jumla district. The population of this relatively small city is just less than 90 000 and many of the people living here are supported by activities conducted by the Jumla Airport. The city of Jumla is situated on the banks of the Tila River which enables both the city and the rest of the district to grow large quantities of rice. In fact, Jumla is one of the biggest rice producers in the world. The entire Tila Valley and the nearby Sinja Khola Valley are brimming with paddy fields where the local ‘Kala Marci’ rice is grown in abundance. This rice is red in color and delivers much more taste than the more common white rice that is so popular in other countries. It is said that the Nepali language has its origins in the Sinja language of Jumla. Therefore a lot of people still speak the traditional Nepali dialects in this region.

The Jumla Airport in Nepal is situated at an elevation of approximately 8 500 ft above sea level. The runway is average in length, measuring about 1 631 ft in total. This enables it to cater adequately to the small DHT aircraft which are so commonly used for transport in Nepal. Airport officials generally make use of the airport code “JUM” when referring to this airport and there is only one airline currently operating from Jumla Airport – Yeti Airlines. This airline provides one flight aboard a 19-seater DHT to Surkhet and back each week. This makes access to Jumla difficult during peak seasons and traffic at the airport stays low. Nevertheless, the airport is fully functional and provides a much needed service to the area. So why not explore Jumla the next time you visit Nepal? You may discover that there is more to this remote part of the country than meets the eye.

7) Simara Airport in Terai

Because the standards of roads and road transportation are not generally all that good in the more remote parts of the country, a number of airports in Nepal have been built to provide a more reliable and quicker form of transportation. Unfortunately the expense involved in running and refueling aircraft remains a prohibiting factor for many Nepalese citizens who simply cannot afford the cost of an air ticket. Still, for those from out of the country, flying provides an attractive and not too expensive alternative form of transportation. This also leads to improved economies in more remote parts of the country since travelers who would not normally be able to gain access to smaller cities and towns can now do so more easily – spending their hard-earned cash here on accommodation, shopping and tourist attractions.

One such airport is the Simara Airport, which makes use of the airport code ‘SIF’. TheSimara Airport in Nepal is situated at an elevation of 450 ft and has a runway length of 3,740 ft. Like most other Nepali airports, the Simara Airport mainly supports a variety of smaller aircraft, which are less costly to run and maintain and which more than cater to the limited demand. This small airport is slowly becoming one of the fastest growing domestic airports in the entire Terai Region. The airport’s exciting growth has been reflected in the increasing number of passengers that have made use of the airport over the past four years – a number which has more than doubled over the course of this brief period. In addition to the increase in passenger traffic, the Simara Airport has also seen a seven-fold increase in cargo traffic during this four-year period. This certainly has exciting implications for locals, the airport and the airlines which operate from this small airfield.

Currently the airport is being served by Nepal’s two main airlines – Cosmic Air and Yeti Airlines. Both offer regular, direct flights to the nations capital city Kathmandu. A lot of people who want to travel to surrounding cities will often fly to Simara and then find some other form of transport to their final destination, or take a connecting flight to one of the small airfields at these remote locations. Thus, Simara also provides access to harder-to-reach places such as Rumjatar, Tumlingtar, Taplejung, Bhairawwa, Lamidanda, Biratnagar, Phaplu, Luka and Meghauli. So book your tickets now and make use of this great airport.