Nepal #1 - Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu

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

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Hey @AdamGT

Such an informative post. Thanks for sharing. Do you live in Nepal ?

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Very nice post with photos and description @AdamGT in 2018 one of our airlines crashed in this airport and 50+ passengers were killed. An accident is an accident. Anyway, thanks for the nice post

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Thanks @AdamGT for sharing an informative post. I’m waiting for your next post about Lukla Airport!

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Very communicatory post sharing. @AdamGT Thanksgiving for your valuable post.

[ Stay Home, Keep Clean, Stay Healthy and Always Be Happy With Your Friends and Family ]

Best Regards

Omar :bangladesh:

Bangladesh

( Click Here & Read My Previous Post )

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HI @VinayKrishna

Thanks for your reply. No I don’t live in Nepal this was just a trip there and as I mentioned in the post, at the end of this journey I flew home with Thai Airlines.

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Thanks for your reply @MukulR . Yes that was a terrible accident during landing when the plane narrowly missed buildings including the domestic terminal and parked airplanes and ended up skidding off the runway and crashing through a fence on the edge of the airport and then burst into flames on a football field. The aircraft was completely destroyed and 51 of the 71 on board died.

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Hi @Saiyen

Thanks for your message. Yes Lukla Airport will be an interesting post indeed. I will share my personal experience with photographs at this, the most dangerous airport in the world.

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I went there 2012. It was a pretty clean airport and I love sight scenario from the inside. Yes you are right, they have wonderful facilities there. The WiFi was not available at that time on the airport. Good to know they are giving the facilities.

The immigration is very fast and I don’t have waited here too long. It was a pretty good experience Thanks for details sharing @AdamGT , it was really reading enjoyable