Bad Weather Grounds Flights to Everest Gateway

Continuous rain and dense fog have grounded all flights at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, the gateway to Mount Everest, for the third consecutive day, leaving hundreds of trekkers and tourists stranded in Nepal’s Khumbu region.

According to Navaraj Katuwal, air traffic controller at Lukla’s Civil Aviation Office, poor visibility and steady rain since Thursday have made it impossible for both planes and helicopters to operate. The airport, which usually handles more than 60 flights a day, has seen no operations for three days.

Hotels and guesthouses in Lukla and Namche Bazaar are now at full capacity, with travelers unable to fly out after completing their treks. “All hotels are packed – some tourists are sleeping in lobbies,” said local resident Toyakumar Shrestha.

Airline officials estimate that over 1,500 passengers remain stranded in Lukla. Among them is Julie Marie from France, who said, “We returned from Everest Base Camp three days ago and have been waiting since – there’s no flight, no clear sky.”

Further up the trail, Namche Bazaar – the region’s main hub -has also seen heavy crowding.

“Around 1,200 tourists are stuck here,” said Lamakaji Sherpa, chair of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee.

“Continuous rain and snowfall in higher areas have pushed trekkers back down, and every hotel is full.”

Some tourists are attempting to return to Kathmandu by road via Salleri, but landslides and mud have made the journey perilous.

“The Solukhumbu–Kathmandu highway is blocked in several places,” said tourism operator Bal Darnal, adding that vehicles are stuck for hours along the BP Highway due to heavy rain and poor conditions.

Monsoon Still ActiveMeteorologist Saroj Pudasaini from Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said the monsoon remains active, predicting more rain and snowfall over the next two to three days, especially across the Koshi Province and Himalayan belt.

“The weather may start improving only later this week,” he said, offering little immediate relief for those waiting to leave the world’s most famous mountain corridor.