MOUNTAIN FLIGHT
Culturally rich and extraordinarily beautiful, the mountain kingdom of Nepal offers a wealth of spectacular sights. This journey focuses on the finest, exploring the ancient sites of the Kathmandu Valley, the mountains and valleys of the Himalaya and the jungles of Chitwan.

Only awe-stricken silence can come close to matching the experience of going on a mountain flight to encounter the tallest mountains of this earth. No wonder mountain fly-by have become a popular tourist attraction in Nepal. Four airlines offer regular forages into the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayan. Mountain flights appeal to all category of travellers. For those who are restricted by time or other considerations from going trekking, these flights offer a panoramic view of the Himalayan in just one hour. Even those visitors who like the rigors of trek still don't miss the opportunity to "conquer" the mountains in one fell swoop.

Travellers take off from Kathmandu in the early morning for an hour's worth of spectacular mountain scenery. As the aircraft lifts up and heads towards the east, passengers don't have to wait too long to find out what's in store for them. There they are-the mountains, as they always have been.

First to their far left visitors see Gosaikund (The top Hindu's holy lake), also called Shisha Pangma, standing at the majestic height of 8,013 m. Immediately to the right of Gosaithan, there appears Dorje Lakpa (6,966 m). with snow. To the right of Dorje Lakpa you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley. As the plane moves along, the mountains come closer and closer. Next on the vision is Choba- Bhamare, the smallest one of the lot at 5,933 m but singularly stubborn as it has never been climbed. Then appears the mountain that is not only prominent in sight but also in spirituality- Gauri Shanker. Lord Shiva and his consort Gauri are said to protect this mountain, at the proud height of 7,134 m. and the summit had a history of unsuccessful attempts till 1979. Gauri Shanker is sharp and very conspicuous during the mountain flight.

As passengers get closer to Everest, there's Nuptse. And there's another mountain called Everest (8,848m) known as Sagarmatha (Everest) by the Nepalese and Chomolungma by the Tibetans. The mountain flight takes an hour altogether.