You've heard of Tenzing-Hillary/Lukla Airport (LUA) before. Everyone has. As the airport for Mount Everest, it's not only top of our list of World's Most Dangerous Airports, but it's one that's proved killer in the past. Landing here and taking off from here, if the weather allows for it, means braving an uneven runway and old, tiny airplanes. Needless to say, it scares the bejeezus out of us.
That said, day in and day out, Lukla Airport flies tourists and trekkers to the remote location. One such recent visitor (who survived her ordeal) is friend of Jaunted Farryn Weiner. Farryn, formerly of Jetsetter.com and presently at Michael Kors, just returned from a few weeks of going native around India and Nepal. She cobbled together her photos and video shot on the trip into the inspiring mini-film above, which kind of reminds us of a series of GIFs.
The first few seconds of the video feature her view from the plane on the way to Lukla Airport, but we've also got some words from her on the experience:]]>
Hoping to get away and do some good this holiday season? Habitat for Humanity has just the trip for you!
Habitat for Humanity is planning a trip to Chitwan, Nepal from December 9- 24, 2011 where volunteers will help build bamboo homes with the families who need them. There are no special skills required, but travelers must be flexible, willing to learn, and have a positive attitude. ]]>
Nepal may just position itself as this year's travel hot spot, and not just because of its crazy 157-day hike on the Great Himalaya Trail that starts in February. It is vying to be a vacation destination for gay couples.
The country gave it a go in 2009 and became the first South Asian nation to decriminalize homosexuality. Since then, Nepal has okayed same-sex marriage and is seeking to ensure gay rights in the new constitution.]]>
Here's your chance to hike the Great Himalaya Trail—and we're not talking like "hike the Appalachian Trail" à la South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. For the first time, a tour operator is bringing groups through the trail on an intensive 157-day hike.
Even experienced hikers will need some help on the Great Himalaya, the longest and highest alpine route in the world. The trail winds between the largest mountains and the most remote communities in the world, connecting Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan.]]>
Nepal, a country that's been wracked by years of political instability, is desperately in need of tourism money. GLBT travelers and couples, all things being equal, tend to have relatively high amounts of disposable income, or so Nepal thinks. Therefore, the Nepal tourism board is launching a massive campaign to highlight the country as a gay travel destination. In addition to a very public campaign, they're planning to host an international conference next winter specifically on the subject:
Nepal government has held a series of meetings with well-known international tour operators and non-profit organisations to promote Nepal as a potential destination for LGBTs... Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) officials hope that LGBT arrivals will give a boost to the number of visitors to the country as the government mulls new way to bring in a million foreign tourists in the Nepal Tourism Year 2011. "Some international companies want to work in tandem with the government and attract LGBTs.'
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One of the world's last old-school monarchies, the royal family of Nepal, is being eased out of their luxuries as the country gets keen on democracy. And as the royal family is on the way out, Parliament has asked them to kindly vacate their royal residence.
But their loss is inquisitive travelers' gain: the government is transforming Narayanhity Royal Palace in Kathmandu into a tourist attraction, throwing its gates open to the public today.
Much of the immense palace, some of which is as old as 200 years, has only been seen by a few non-Royal eyes before. The first phase of the palace's new existence as a museum opens 19 imposing royal bedrooms, salons and banquet halls, and also includes a memorial at the notorious site where 10 royal family members will killed in a shocking shooting eight years ago.
· Nepal ready with guided tour of royal palace [Thaindian News]
· Nepal travel coverage [Jaunted] [
Photo: wikimedia] ]]>
Don't say we didn't warn you: We did. On October 8, a plane crashed for the second time since 2005 at the tiny airport near Mt. Everest, killing 18.
The 19-seat Yeti Airlines plane had nearly completed its flight from Katmandu when it snagged its wheels on a security fence at Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, Nepal about 40 miles from Mount Everest Base Camp. Two Australians, two Nepalese and 12 tourists from Germany on a Hauser Exkursionen tour died. Only the pilot survived.]]>
