Getting to Nepal

Air links to Nepal are surprisingly few and far between. It is one of the few countries which used to have better air links a few years ago than it does today. The lack of choice means that there are very few deals to be had and air travel to the country is expensive.

There is only one international airport in Nepal which is in the country’s capital city, Kathmandu, called Tribhuvan Airport. Security measure at this airport are famously lax, which doesn’t make flying from the airport a calming experience for international travelers.

Royal Nepal Airline Corporation (www.royalnepal-airlines.com) is a somewhat unreliable airline, but it does offer some international routes from Kathmandu. There are flights to Mumbai (Bombay), Dubai, Bangalore, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Delhi. However, there are no flights to European destinations. The airline has a worrying shortage of aircraft so expect delays if you choose to fly with them!

Air Nepal International is a relatively new airline offering flights to Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and Doha.
Air China, Air Sahara, Gulf Air, Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways and Thai Airways International also offer flights to Kathmandu at some times of year. British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Austrian Airways don’t fly direct to Kathmandu but do have offices in Kathmandu airport as they have popular routes to the region.