Namaskar! A rare report on an elusive airline to the roof of the world: RA J KUL-KTM

[Pinkfloyd]

I found this TR most interesting and will hope to one day visit Nepal as well. Will have to check if Aussies need visas... would love to see Everest if I ever do go, though (and that sounds like it might be quite hard? Wonder if there are any helicopter rides to/from the Hyatt)... thanks SQflyergirl!

Thanks for the kind words, sumitsan, you're going to be my inspiration to finish the OSL report before a year's gone by since it happened...

Yup visa required for Aussies....

[sqdazz]

but you can get a Visa on Arrival I believe, if you don't mind a bit of a queue

[SQflyergirl]

Your TR brings back memories! I was there 11 years ago and your photos of KTM, both the city and the airport, show that there has been little change in the way they look since I was last there. Thanks for the great photos!

Thank you

It's great to see Nepal in a peaceful state. I remember a friend who went there during the height of the political unrest a few months ago. There was no chance to roam around the city as the people poured into the street for a mass demonstration, basically the whole day.

SQFG, that's one nice view from the airport hotel room.

And not bad value too at 60 something SGD

Thanks for the rest of the report. very nice indeed. cant wait to go!

I like those transit rooms!!! You can walk around naked in front of the pilots! lol

Thanks - but I think sleeping in my jammies in front of the pilots was plenty adventurous enough for me already

Thanks for the awesome TR. As usual, you and Kyo always have interesting reports!! Only downside here was I was hoping to see more mountain shots. Other than that, it was great!!

I was hoping to get more mountain shots too, but fear not - I quite enjoyed this trip to the point I've already made plans to go back in March and do the mountain flight

I found this TR most interesting and will hope to one day visit Nepal as well. Will have to check if Aussies need visas... would love to see Everest if I ever do go, though (and that sounds like it might be quite hard? Wonder if there are any helicopter rides to/from the Hyatt)... thanks SQflyergirl!

Thanks for the kind words, sumitsan, you're going to be my inspiration to finish the OSL report before a year's gone by since it happened...

Actually, it's not hard. They have mountain flights by Yeti air and Buddha air. 160 USD + 170NPR in airport tax. Was going to go, but they cancelled all flights that day due to the inclement weather

Yup visa required for Aussies....

but you can get a Visa on Arrival I believe, if you don't mind a bit of a queue

Yes, a visa is required for everyone except for i think SAARC country nationals, however you can indeed get a visa on arrival.

What i DO recommend however, is to get a visa beforehand. sqdazz is right about the queue. The queue isn't at the visa on arrival counter per se though - that's pretty quick, but once you get your visa, your arrival is not processed there , but rather you get sent to the back of the queue of the "have visa" line like normal. And it doesn't matter whether you fly J or not, because you get bussed so all your J speed benefits are negated.

[phaleesy]

INFO for Edmund Hilary wannabes who decide on turning around: Just yonder is a transfer counter, and it was manned when i was there.

Useless wannabes must have chickened out at the last minute.

Still - this is apparently one of the nicer places to stay in KTM

I'd skip the regency club (happy hour snacks were not particularly appetising, nor drink selection anywhere near as good as expected) Save the money on a nice meal at the buffet.

Did you do any research on the Crowne Plaza? It's in the centre it might be convenient if we have plans for some activities in town. I'd go with Hyatt with most nights but was just wondering about staying one night in town.

They do at least do coke in the regency club I hope!

What's at the buffet? I can see myself pigging out while I'm there. I don't think the mountain flights would be out that frequent in September since it's monsoon season. I'm hoping that Dec or April would be better weather.

I like those transit rooms!!! You can walk around naked in front of the pilots! lol

Yeah, and the pilots might crash into your bedroom!

What i DO recommend however, is to get a visa beforehand. sqdazz is right about the queue. The queue isn't at the visa on arrival counter per se though - that's pretty quick, but once you get your visa, your arrival is not processed there , but rather you get sent to the back of the queue of the "have visa" line like normal. And it doesn't matter whether you fly J or not, because you get bussed so all your J speed benefits are negated.

Stand near the door and be one of the first to hop off?

[SQflyergirl]

Useless wannabes must have chickened out at the last minute.

Did you do any research on the Crowne Plaza? It's in the centre it might be convenient if we have plans for some activities in town. I'd go with Hyatt with most nights but was just wondering about staying one night in town.

I did do some research on the CP Soaltee - but felt that for a first trip I'd rather be near the airport.

They do at least do coke in the regency club I hope!

They do, but ran out of DIET coke when i was there

What's at the buffet? I can see myself pigging out while I'm there.

The buffet on level 1 is mostly nepalese food, which in turn, is very northern indian in flavour. I quite enjoyed the selection. Cottage cheese seems to feature heavily in their cuisine.

Yeah, and the pilots might crash into your bedroom!

Hmm... now that isn't necessarily a bad thing

Stand near the door and be one of the first to hop off?

Won't work cause of the ridiculous bus system

[phaleesy]

I did do some research on the CP Soaltee - but felt that for a first trip I'd rather be near the airport.


They do, but ran out of DIET coke when i was there


The buffet on level 1 is mostly nepalese food, which in turn, is very northern indian in flavour. I quite enjoyed the selection. Cottage cheese seems to feature heavily in their cuisine.



Hmm... now that isn't necessarily a bad thing



Won't work cause of the ridiculous bus system

Would you consider staying at the CP for your next trip?

I'm not very discriminatory with regards to coke. I drink anything, including the generics.

I love northern Indian, this is good. I'm looking forward to pigging out. I guess i can afford to, since I'm not likely to go on one of those flights due to the bad weather now. Do you think it'd be one of those flights that we could be airsick? What sort of planes do they use for the mountain flights?

I'm not sure if they're called cottage cheese. Might be called paneer or something, according to my Asian friends.

Never said that it was a bad thing for pilots to crash into my bedroom! But I must insist that they are in their uniform with epaulettes.

Huh? Why can't I just stand near the door and hop out? What's wrong with the bus?

[SQflyergirl]

Would you consider staying at the CP for your next trip?

Yes, absolutely

Do you think it'd be one of those flights that we could be airsick? What sort of planes do they use for the mountain flights?

A mix of dornier 228's and twin otters and ATR42's - all high winged to give the best views.

I'm not sure if they're called cottage cheese. Might be called paneer or something, according to my Asian friends.

Sure looked like it

Huh? Why can't I just stand near the door and hop out? What's wrong with the bus?

Cause i doubt very much you'll be given the chance to have a choice spot in the bus.

[hsf]

Great report! Very different indeed.... thanks so much for sharing.

[SQ All The Way]

awesome trip report. I would have never thought of visiting nepal however after reading the TR and looking at the pics, I want to visit that place at the earliest opportunity.

thanks SQflyergirl!

[Nick C]

Unique TR SQFG! Enjoyed it!

[SQflyergirl]

Great report! Very different indeed.... thanks so much for sharing.

awesome trip report. I would have never thought of visiting nepal however after reading the TR and looking at the pics, I want to visit that place at the earliest opportunity.

thanks SQflyergirl!

Unique TR SQFG! Enjoyed it!

Thank you - seems this place has got a hold on me, hence I've booked a trip back next year for a bit longer duration this time. Hopefully the weather will be more permitting for a mountain flight this time!

[jhm]

Right after that - everyone, regardless of whether anything was seen in the x-rays, gets a thorough hand search of their hand luggage. no exceptions. (check 5)

They'll open every zip, button, pouch, container, pocket - everything and go through it with a fine tooth comb. This takes ages! When they're done, they stamp your boarding pass, and also the tags on my bags.

Having passed through KTM myself earlier this week, this is the point where (in my case and apparently not uncommon!) the security guard will invite you to make a voluntary donation to his charity of choice before he lets you (and your hand luggage) proceed! I was advised that a donation of 100 rupees (about EUR 1) to alleviate poverty would be appropriate.

[phaleesy]

Poor jhm pansy got cheated again!

When security (two nice ladies) pointed at my rupees (stuffed hurriedly into a clear see-through pocket of my rucksack, and asked how much there was.... I don't think we're meant to take rupees out of the country, I told them I love Nepal so much I was coming back again in December.

I accompanied this comment with my megawatt smile . They just laughed and closed my bag.

[SQflyergirl]

Having passed through KTM myself earlier this week, this is the point where (in my case and apparently not uncommon!) the security guard will invite you to make a voluntary donation to his charity of choice before he lets you (and your hand luggage) proceed! I was advised that a donation of 100 rupees (about EUR 1) to alleviate poverty would be appropriate.

And of course, you did your part to better the world didn't you?

Poor jhm pansy got cheated again!

When security (two nice ladies) pointed at my rupees (stuffed hurriedly into a clear see-through pocket of my rucksack, and asked how much there was.... I don't think we're meant to take rupees out of the country, I told them I love Nepal so much I was coming back again in December.

I accompanied this comment with my megawatt smile . They just laughed and closed my bag.

And of course, you didn't




Are you going back in december? You must love the place so much! But I thought visit nepal year was next year, not this year. I'm mulling a trip back to Kathmandu myself sometime in the new year to coincide with the event I think

[jhm]

Back in KTM right now! A warning for any others coming here anytime. I received this from my boss yesterday (so it's not a story from a friend of a friend etc):

One other thing; be very careful in Kathmandu. My nephew was severely beaten in Kathmandu in an "anti-foreigner riot" a short while ago. There was no provocation involved, apart from the obvious fact of being a foreigner, and he woke up in hospital having been knocked unconscious by someone hitting him with a paving slab after he had been knocked to the floor.

The Hyatt seems a very comfortable place to while away the hours until my flight leaves this evening!

And I see that the UK Foreign Office have this to say:

Major street demonstrations, disturbances and road blockades occur frequently in Kathmandu and elsewhere in the country, in particular in the Terai and Eastern region of Nepal, often at very short notice. In the past, such events have suddenly turned violent.