Lukla flights halted for three days; Hotels in Lukla and Namche overcrowded

KATHMANDU: Flight operations to the gateway of Mount Everest have remained completely halted for the past three days as continuous rainfall and thick fog have disrupted visibility at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla. The persistent bad weather has stopped both airplane and helicopter services, stranding hundreds of trekkers and mountaineers returning from or heading toward the Everest region.

According to Nawaraj Katuwal, Air Traffic Controller at Lukla under the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the region has been experiencing continuous drizzle and heavy cloud cover since Thursday. “Visibility remains extremely low. No flights have been possible since Thursday. Even helicopter flights, which are usually possible in marginal conditions, have not been able to operate,” he said. Under normal circumstances, Lukla handles more than 60 flights a day during peak trekking season.

Due to the flight disruption, hotels, guesthouses, and lodges from Lukla to Namche Bazaar have filled up to capacity. Trekkers returning from Everest Base Camp and nearby trekking routes have been forced to remain in Lukla. “Around 1,500 tourists with confirmed flight tickets are currently stuck in Lukla,” confirmed Amrit Magar, Lukla station manager of Tara Air. He said hotels have run out of rooms, and new guests are being accommodated in dining halls and lobbies.

Locals report that many tourists are spending nights sharing common spaces because no rooms are available. “Some tourists are sleeping on couches and benches inside hotel lobbies,” said local resident Toya Kumar Shrestha.

French trekker Julie Marie, who recently returned from Everest Base Camp, said she and her group have been waiting for a flight for three consecutive days. “We are ready to return to Kathmandu, but we cannot do anything except wait for the weather to clear,” she said.

Namche Bazaar Also Overcrowded

The situation is similar in Namche Bazaar, the key acclimatization stop for Everest-bound trekkers. Lamakazi Sherpa, Chairperson of Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, said nearly 1,200 tourists are currently stuck in Namche. “Continuous rainfall in lower areas and snowfall in upper regions have forced trekkers to return. Hotel occupancy has reached 100 percent. There is no space to accommodate new arrivals,” he said.

According to trekkers in Namche, the region has not seen sunlight for four days. Visitors are staying indoors, passing time reading books and listening to music.

Difficulties in Ground Transport

Some stranded tourists are attempting to return to Kathmandu via Salleri by road. However, the condition of the Solukhumbu–Kathmandu route has worsened due to heavy rainfall. Tourism entrepreneur Bal Darnal said multiple landslides and muddy sections have made travel slow and uncertain. Significant delays have been reported on sections of the BP Highway passing through Kavre and Sindhuli, where vehicles have been stuck for hours.

Weather May Take Days to Improve

Meteorologist Saroj Pudasaini at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said the monsoon system remains active, especially across Koshi Province and the high Himalayan regions. “Heavy rainfall and snowfall are likely to continue for another two to three days. Only after that do we expect gradual improvement in weather conditions,” he said.

With peak tourist season ongoing, prolonged grounding of flights in Nepal’s most iconic trekking region is expected to cause significant travel disruptions, hotel pressure, and logistical challenges for tourism operators dependent on seasonal flows.