Tribhuvan International Airport is Nepal’s main airport catering for both domestic and international flights. It’s not a big airport by any means (only a single runway) but it offers reasonable services and facilities including self service check-in terminals, information desk, police help desk, a number of restaurants and cafes, foreign exchange counter and a medical center. There’s also free Wi-Fi available at both arrival and departure terminals as well as charging hubs at various locations in departure and arrival lounges. With only one runway, due to a lack of airport capacity and high volumes of traffic into and out of the airport, delays are common at Kathmandu.
If you’re heading to Mt Everest, as most international visitors to Nepal are, then this will be your starting point in Nepal with several daily flights from here to the infamous (most dangerous airport in the world) Lukla (Tenzing–Hillary) Airport (I’ll post about my Lukla Airport experience in a future post). Additionally, airlines including Yeti Airlines, Buddha Air and Simrik Airlines offer hour long sightseeing flights to Mt Everest. The airport is conveniently located only a short distance, about 5 km (3 miles) from the capital, Kathmandu.
I flew to Kathmandu with a Royal Nepal Airlines flight from Dubai. I was the only westerner on the flight. All other passengers were a lovely bunch of Nepalese returning home from long working stints in Dubai.
Caption: Arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal with Royal Nepal Airlines (Local Guide: @AdamGT )
After some 3 months in Nepal, I flew home with Thai Airlines and I have to say, this was a fantastic flight with great on board service.
Caption: Departing Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal with Thai Airlines (Local Guide: @AdamGT )
Update: Encouraged by the replies to my initial post, I’ve changed the title of this post from Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal to Nepal #1 - Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu as I will continue writing about this exciting travel through Nepal.
This story is continued in Nepal #2 - Life in Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal