Thursday, Oct 09, 2025 19:15 [IST]
Last Update: Thursday, Oct 09, 2025 02:07 [IST]
GANGTOK, :A group of veteran mountaineers
from Sikkim, who embarked from Sikkim for the Everest Base Camp trek, safely
landed at Lukla Airport on Wednesday morning. The team, which arrived in Ramechhap two days ago, was unable to fly the previous
day due to adverse weather conditions. However, with clear skies today, they
successfully completed their flight at 8 am, informs a press release.
Lukla Airport, also known as
Tenzing-Hillary Airport, is located in Solukhumbu, Nepal. Renowned as one of
the world’s most dangerous yet thrilling airports, it was constructed in 1964
under the leadership of Sir Edmund Hillary. Situated at an elevation of 2,860
meters, the airport features a short 527-meter runway with an 11.7% gradient,
making landings and take-offs highly challenging.
Serving as the gateway to the
Everest region, Lukla is a key hub for trekkers and mountaineers. The 30-40
minute flight from Kathmandu to Lukla is often subject to delays due to
unpredictable weather. Since the runway was paved in 2001, safety has improved
significantly, making it a vital contributor to Nepal’s tourism-driven economy.
The mountaineers have now begun
a roughly five-hour trek from Lukla to Phakding, where they will rest for the
night before continuing their journey, the release adds.
