New Helipad in Kathmandu 

Kathmandu has added an exhilarating revolution to the country’s tourism by introducing a new helipad in Kathmandu. Excitingly, Boundless Adventure comes on top to provide the opportunity to experience the thrill of Kathmandu’s new helipad and explore Nepal’s numerous captivating areas. 

The new helipad of Kathmandu is in Suryabinayak Municipality Chitapur at Nalinchok, Bhaktapur. The exact location of the helipad is 21km from the tourist hub of Kathmandu, Thamel. With an area of 175,232 square feet, Nepal’s aviation department opened the helipad on 21 June 2024. 

Helipad Shifted at Bhaktapur with modern amenities

Kathmandu’s new heli airport is a shift from the helipad of the Tribhuvan International Airport. Because Tribhuvan International Airport is the only airport in Nepal with international flights, the airport is the busiest one, so Nepal’s aviation department has introduced the new Helipad at Bhaktapur. 

Kathmandu’s latest helipad is not just sifted from Tribhuvan International Airport but also an upgraded form with modern amenities. More than just a helipad, the new helipad of Kathmandu has become a convenient gateway for popular destinations in Nepal. 

Not far away from Kathmandu’s prominent hub, the new heliport is accessible from each area of Kathmandu. The new helipad in Nalinchok, Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, lies 15km from Tribhuvan International Airport and just 6km from Bhaktapur Durbar Square. The growth plans for a helipad are already in progress, with plans to connect the transport network to the more remote areas of Nepal. 

Boundless Adventure welcomes you with open hands to experience the thrill of Nepal’s stunning areas via the new helipad of Kathmandu. We suggest you experience the helicopter flight from the new helipad during the Autumn and Spring seasons to fully enjoy the thrill of the flight and experience the excellent visibility. 

Helicopter Service and Direction 

Visitors should start driving towards Amrit Marg for 3.3km to reach the new airfield from the Thamel area. Then, the road takes the Puspahal highway from Amrit Marg. Afterward, it follows the Arniko highway alongside the Manohara River and covers approximately 21km upon reaching the helipad of Word no.10, Nalinchok. The new helipad of Kathmandu lies 120 degrees east of Thamel. 

In the new helipad of Kathmandu, the helicopter operates daily from 7 a.m. The helicopter service allows individual travelers to explore Nepal’s stunning landscape. Some of the well-known area services that the new helipad of Kathmandu offers include: 

Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour

A helicopter tour to Everest Base Camp from a new helipad in Kathmandu is one of the most desired expeditions by tourists. The Base camp lies in the 28°0′26″N 86°51′34″E at an elevation of 5,364 m/ 17,598 ft in the Khumbu region. The Everest Base Camp is a popular trekking destination in Nepal where more than 40000 people trek each year. The base camp lies within the Sagarmatha National Park in the Solukhumbu district in province number one at Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality. Everest base Camp lies 90 degrees east of the new helipad of Kathmandu. 

As the helicopter takes off from the heliport, it offers a bird’ s-eye view of Kathmandu Valley. The flight flies over lush hills, terraced fields, and winding rivers. A 20-25-minute scenic flight takes visitors to Lukla, where the helicopter lands for fueling. 

As the helicopter reflies from the Lukla, travelers get a stunning bird’s gaze of the Khumbu region and Sagarmatha National Park. Flying through the Everest region and around the Mount Everest massif,  the helicopter gets to Kalapathar for landing. At Kalapathar, the flight lands for a while; visitors can deeply appreciate the area’s beauty at that time. 

The helicopter returns from Kalapathar to Kathmandu, departing through majestic mountains and valleys while providing aerial views from a different perspective. The flight is 3 hours long in a roundtrip. This incredible adventure tour offers a memorable blend of luxury, comfort, and remarkable natural beauty. 

Panorama of Mount  Everest (8848m), Mount Lhotse(8516m), Mt. Lhotse Sar(8383m), Mt. Nuptse(7861m),  Mt. Ama Dablam (6812m), and Mt. Khumbutse(6,665m) through different perspective is the highlight of the helicopter tour from the new helipad of Kathmandu. Likewise, spectacular views of the Khumbu Glacier and Icefall and the stunning landscape of the Everest region with traditional villages are eye-appealing during the heli tour to EBC. 

Langtang Helicopter Tour

Langtang helicopter tour is another preferred tour in Nepal’s Himalayas that the new helipad of Kathmandu offers. Langtang Valley, also called Lamtang Valley, lies in Rasuwa district at Bagmati province. The valley is within the boundaries of the Langtang National Park and lies north of Kathmandu. Likewise, the Langtang Valley lies 42 degrees Northeast of the new helipad of Kathmandu. 

The Langtang Valley helicopter tour is time-efficient and allows one to experience the beauty of the Langtang region from a vantage point. The helicopter tour is a two-and-a-half-hour round trip.  

The helicopter tour to Langtang takes off from Kathmandu’s new heliport and flies over the crowded city to the tranquil Langtang valley.  The helicopter flight from Kathmandu to Langtang takes 45-50 minutes, flying over the Shivapuri National Park’s lush landscapes and the surrounding villages’ terraced fields. With a smooth journey while appreciating the stunning scenery below, the helicopter lands at Kyanjin Gompa. 

Upon landing at Kyanjin Gompa, the crisp, fresh air, with prayer flags fluttering in the sky, makes the environment peaceful. Tourists have 40 minutes to explore the surrounding area and admire its beauty. After exploring Langtang, the helicopter boarded for the return journey to Kathmandu. The return flight offers a different perspective of Langtang’s beauty and some of the incredible sights of the mountains. 

The helicopter overflies through Mount Langtang (7234m), Ganesh Himal (7422m), Mt.Shishapangma (8027m), Mt.Dorje Lakpa (6999m), and Mount Manaslu (8163m) on the Langtang heli tour. Similarly, flying over the Langtang National Park is the highlight of the heli tour. 

Gosainkunda Helicopter Tour

Within the Langtang Valley National Park, Gosainkunda is another beautiful destination visitors can visit by helicopter. Travelers can take a direct flight from the new helipad of Kathmandu to Gosiankunda. At an elevation of 4,380 m/ 14,370 ft, Goainkunda is an alpine freshwater lake in the Rasuwa district of Nepal. The lake of Gosainkunda is 42 degrees northeast of the new heliport of Kathmandu. 

The helicopter tour to Gosainkunda begins with taking off from Kathmandu’s new heliport. From there, visitors see drastic changes in the landscape, from the cityscape to panoramic views of the Himalayas, including Langtang and Ganesh Himal of the Langtang region. The flight to Gosaikunda heli tour is one hour, promising a remarkable expedition. 

It takes 15 minutes to reach Gosainkunda from the helipad of Bhaktapur with a bird’s eye view. At Gosainkunda, travelers get a half-hour to explore the nearby areas of the Gosiankunda lake. After exploring Gosiankunda Lake, the helicopter flew back to Kathmandu’s helipad, offering a surreal view of the area for the last time. Visitors can extend their tour by including the round trip around Langtang and Kyang Glacier, but only at their request. 

The helicopter flies over Langtang National Park. From the comfort of the helicopter’s seat, sightseers can appreciate the views of the Manaslu Himalayan Range, Shisapangma, and Ganesh Himal. 

Muktinath Helicopter Tour

Muktinath is a sacred Vishnu temple located in the Mustang district of Nepal. The temple is highly significant to two prominent religions in Nepal: Hindu and Buddhist. At an elevation of 3800m, Muktinath temple lies at the bottom of the mountain pass of Thorong La. The temple is famous for its religious practices and a prominent spiritual hub for visitors worldwide. In such a sacred and spiritual area, the new helipad of Kathmandu operates a helicopter tour. 

The expedition to Muktinath helicopter tour commences at the new helipad in Kathmandu. Muktinath lies 281 degrees West of Kathmandu’s new helipad. Visitors can get a bird’ s-eye view of lush valleys, terraced fields, and snow-capped peaks from the helicopter’s window as the Helicopter takes off. 

The Muktinath helicopter tour is more remarkable than others due to its longer ground landing time. The total tour time is four hours on a round trip from Kathmandu to Muktinath. Kathmandu to Muktinath is one hour of scenic flight with a view of Nepal’s varied landscape, and travelers have two hours of ground landing at the helipad of Muktinath. 

A helicopter tour to Muktinath from Kathmandu’s helipad offers panoramic views of the Mount Manaslu, Mt.Dhaulagiri, Mt. Nilgiri, and Annapurna Himalayan ranges. The helicopter overflies to the most profound, longest gorge, Kali Gandki, providing exceptional scenery to appeal to visitors. 

The helipad lies 2km from the Muktinath temple, so to reach Muktinath from the helipad, travelers must walk, providing a unique combination of flight with a short hike. The hiking option lets travelers experience the beauty and culture of the region more deeply. However, a horse riding option is also available to reach Muktinath temple from the helipad of Muktinath for people with problems walking. 

Upper Mustang Helicopter Tour

Upper Mustang in the Gandaki province is a remote yet culturally rich region of Nepal. It lies in the Mustang district near the border with Tibet. Upper Mustang is unique from other Himalayan areas of Nepal due to its arid landscape, rain shadow location, and perseverance of Tibetan culture. To allow travelers from worldwide to explore the exceptional beauty of Upper Mustang, a new helipad in Kathmandu offers helicopter flights. 

Located 281 degrees West of Kathmandu’s new helipad, Upper Mustang’s helicopter tour completes a round trip within four hours. Reaching Upper Mustang by trekking and jeep involves a more extended day, but a helicopter takes just a couple of hours, making the tour popular and ideal for time-bound tourists. 

When travelers take off from the Kathmandu helipad, the Kathmandu Valley’s rural beauty will be before their eyes. The helicopter flies over rolling hills with terraced fields, and glimpses of the Himalayas will come into the visitors’ eyes, making a remarkable journey. As the aircraft enters the Upper Mustang, the view of the landscape changes, and the scenery becomes more stunning. 

One of the most fascinating sights during the flight is the Kaligandaki Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. Likewise, views of Mount Annapurna Ranges, Mount Dhaulagiri, Mt. Manaslu Range, and Tukuche Peaks are the highlight during the Upper Mustang helicopter tour from the new airstrip of Kathmandu. 

How to Reach New Helipad Location?

Manohara Khola Bridge 

To reach Kathmandu’s new helipad in Nalinchok of Bhaktapur, travelers must travel some distance from their areas in Kathmandu. Along the way to the helipad, the road passes alongside the numerous rivers. Among the various river bridges the route to Nalinchok connects, the Manohara River bridge is one of the notable ones.

The Manohara River is a tributary of the Bagmati River that flows from the ridge of Nagarkot. Along the way to Nalinchok, the Manohara River activates from the Jadibut. Due to human inhuman behavior, which begins with mixing sewage into the river and throwing all the garbage in the past, the river is not as attractive as it should be. However, the authorities are trying their best to manage the wastage of the river and have restricted sewage mixing into the river. 

The Manohara Khola bridge board showcases the start of the Bhaktapur district while driving from Kathmandu. The Khola Bridge serves as the key point for connecting Bhaktapur from Kathmandu. Moreover, the length of the river bridge is 80m.  

Traffic station 

Nalinchok, Bhaktapur, a new helipad, is 21km from the Thamel of Kathmandu; travelers must drive from Kathmandu to Bhaktaourt to begin their helicopter tour to different parts of Nepal. The road is a blacktop with a well-managed trail to Nalinchok. As the route passes through main roads, travelers will likely encounter numerous traffic stations. 

Due to the growing number of ground transportation, Kathmandu faces a wide traffic jam on each road within the city. The city has numerous traffic stations to manage traffic and provide a traffic-free and congestion-free highway. Among numerous traffic offices and stations, One of the notable traffic stations along the way to Nalinckok is the Koteshowr traffic station.

Koteshwor is among the areas of Kathmandu with high traffic. Travelers will not face traffic during the morning but massive traffic during the day and evening on the Koetwshor. Thus, traffic stations are vital in regulating and managing road traffic in the Koteshwor area. 

Conclusion 

With its modern facilities and improvements, Kathmandu’s new helipad enriches connectivity to Nepal’s domestic destinations. The helipad focuses on developing remote locations by offering helicopter flights to Nepal’s hidden gems. Establishing a new helipad also opens new opportunities for tourism, economic growth, and the betterment of Nepal’s aviation sector.

You can travel around the Nepal Himalayas and take a pilgrimage tour that includes Manaslu Conservation, Sagarmatha National Park, Phokosundo National Park, Annapurna Conservation, and Muktinath Temple.