Colette's Grand Detour

My second attempt at the scenic Everest flight from Kathmandu was a success. And right on the day I was departing Nepal and heading to Bhutan. Every day 2 airlines, with the fantastic names of Yeti Airlines and Buddha Air offer flights from the domestic terminal of Kathmandu airport that fly along the Himalayan mountain range and give you an incredible view of some of the tallest mountains on earth including the big daddy of them all – Everest.

It’s an early start if you want to take one of the 8-ish flights that are available to book. Take off is scheduled for 6am although the exact time you set off will depend on which order they call the flights that morning. So you need to leave from your hotel at 4.45am to get through check in and security. At this time of the morning, there are 2 sets of people at the airport. The mountain flight folks like me, with just a small bag and their passport with them. And the serious trekkers catching early flights to Lukla or Pokhara to start their treks to Everest and Annapurna respectively. I know I was happy to be a flyer and not a hiker!

The flight lasts for about 45 minutes and everyone gets a window-seat. Its a regular sized plane, with a 2-2 arrangement that can hold about 72 people when full. Everyone on the left side of the plane gets to see the mountains first and then the plane turns back and everyone on the right side gets a turn. And you get a handy map given to you that points out what all the mountains you see along the range are called.

I would 100% recommend getting up early and taking this flight. It really gives you a great sense of just how huge the mountain range is and how enormous the mountains are. Everest is so iconic, with its pyramid-shaped peak, it is easy to spot and distinguish from the other mountains.

And as a bonus you get a great overhead view of Kathmandu and the urban sprawl that stretches across the basin. You are back in the hotel by breakfast time – easy peasy.