Lukla (Nepali: लुक्लाNepali pronunciation:[ˈlukla]) is a small town in the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality of the Solukhumbu District in the Province No. 1 of northeastern Nepal. Situated at 2,860 metres (9,383 ft) above sea level, it is a popular place for visitors to the Himalayas near Mount Everest to arrive. Although Lukla means "place with many goats and sheep", few are found in the area nowadays.
Lukla village holds a small airport serving the region, and a variety of shops and lodges catering to tourists and trekkers, providing western-style meals and trail supplies. From Lukla, travelers need two days to reach the village of Namche Bazaar, an altitude-acclimatization stop for those continuing on.[1] The airport has a 527 (1,729 feet) meter single asphalt runway, making it the shortest commercial runway in the world. [2]
In August 2014, the Nepalese government announced plans to open the first tarmac road from Kathmandu to Lukla.[3]
Airport
Lukla is served by the Tenzing-Hillary Airport. Weather permitting, twin-engine Dornier 228s and de Havilland Canada Twin Otters make frequent daylight flights between Lukla and Kathmandu. Lukla Airport has a very short and steep airstrip, often compounded by hazardous weather, resulting in several fatal accidents. It has been called the most dangerous airport in the world.[5][4]
Climate
Climate data for Lukla (Chaurikharka), elevation 2,619 m (8,593 ft)
Source 2: Agricultural Extension in South Asia (precipitation 1976–2005)[7]
References
^Muza, SR; Fulco, CS; Cymerman, A (2004). "Altitude Acclimatization Guide". US Army Research Inst. Of Environmental Medicine Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division Technical Report (USARIEM–TN–04–05). Archived from the original on April 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-05.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)