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Tenzing-Hillary Airport

Lukla, Nepal

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Destinations

ICAO

VNLK

Elevation

9380 ft

The gateway in a glance

The Essence of Tenzing-Hillary Airport

LUA

Location

Lukla · P1 · Nepal

Position

27.687°, 86.729° · 9380 ft elev.

Visa & Entry

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A closer look

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TravelerPulse profile

The world's most dangerous airport, gateway to Everest.

Opened

1964

Location

Lukla, Nepal

Tenzing-Hillary Airport, located in Lukla, Nepal, serves as the primary gateway for trekkers and climbers heading to the Everest region. Situated at an elevation of approximately 2,860 meters (9,383 feet) above sea level, it is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous airports in the world due to its short runway, mountainous terrain, and unpredictable weather conditions. The airport was named in honor of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first climbers to summit Mount Everest in 1953. It was originally constructed in the 1960s with funding provided by Hillary himself as part of aid efforts for the Sherpa community. The runway measures only about 527 meters (1,729 feet) in length and ends at a steep drop-off on one end and a mountain wall on the other. Flights operate exclusively in visual meteorological conditions, and services are frequently delayed or cancelled due to fog, wind, and cloud cover. Only small turboprop aircraft and helicopters can operate here.

Terminals

The airport has a single small terminal building handling all passenger arrivals and departures.

Getting to & from

There is no road connecting Lukla to major cities, so onward travel from the airport is exclusively by foot or helicopter.

Airlines here

Tara Air and Summit Air are among the primary carriers operating scheduled flights between Lukla and Kathmandu.

Notable facts

›The runway is only approximately 527 meters long with a gradient of about 12 degrees.
›The airport sits at 2,860 meters (9,383 feet) above sea level.
›It is frequently listed among the world's most dangerous airports by aviation experts.
›Named after Everest summiteers Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.
›Flights operate only in daylight under visual flight rules due to the lack of instrument approaches.

Wikipedia

This profile is provided for general information only. Details may be inaccurate or outdated — always verify with the airport's official website before acting on them.

Airlines serving this airport

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Passport, Visa & Immigration

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Encyclopaedia

Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also known as Lukla Airport, is a domestic airport and altiport in the town of Lukla, in Khumbu Pasanglhamu, Solukhumbu District, Koshi Province of Nepal. The airport has gained worldwide fame, not only for its unusual location, but also because it was rated the most dangerous airport in the world for more than 20 years by a program titled Most Extreme Airports, broadcast on the History Channel in 2010.

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