Manthali Airport

Manthali Airport, in Ramechhap district's headquarters town, is a domestic airport that has served as an alternate departure point for Lukla-bound flights during periods when Kathmandu's own flight schedule to the Everest region is disrupted.

Since 2019 the arrangement has become routine rather than occasional: through the busiest weeks of spring and autumn most Lukla flights leave from Manthali instead of Kathmandu, to keep traffic off a single congested runway. That means a road transfer of four to five hours, usually starting between one and three in the morning to reach the strip before the valley wind gets up. Anyone booking an Everest Base Camp trek in season should plan for that night.