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Mountains Of Travel Photos

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Kathmandu Photo Gallery - Kathmandu Mountain Flight

I have been to Kathmandu many times over the years. Here are my best photos.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 01-1 Kathmandu Airport Jerome Ryan Holding Dangles and Zig-Zag Outside Buddha Air Plane Flights along the Himalayan mountains from Langtang to Makalu leave just after sunrise if the weather is good. The flight passes along Langtang, Shishipangma, Gauri Shankar, Menlungtse, Cho Oyu, Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse and Makalu, and then flies back to Kathmandu. Even if you have trekked in these regions, these flights provide an expansive high view of the mountains. I used Buddha Air for my Kathmandu Mountain Flights in 1997, 2000, and 2004.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 01-1 Kathmandu Airport Jerome Ryan Holding Dangles and Zig-Zag Outside Buddha Air Plane

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 01-2 Kathmandu Airport Outside Yeti Airlines Plane In 2008 I used Yeti Airlines for my Kathmandu Mountain Flight.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 01-2 Kathmandu Airport Outside Yeti Airlines Plane

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 02-1 Ganesh Himal The first mountains you see on the Kathmandu Mountain Flight as you look to the west are the summits of Ganesh Himal, from Ganesh V on the left to Ganesh I on the right. Ganesh II is sticking out to the right of Ganesh V.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 02-1 Ganesh Himal

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 02-2 Langtang Lirung Langtang Lirung (7234m), the highest peak of the Langtang Himal, is the first mountain you pass on the Kathmandu mountain flight. It is a bulky mountain with a 10 km long west to east running ridge that culminates at its eastern end in the actual summit. From there the south face drops steeply for 2200 meters to the floor of a giant cirque from which the Lirung Glacier issues.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 02-2 Langtang Lirung

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 03-1 Shishapangma With Dorje Lakpa To Left The Kathmandu Mountain Flight approaches Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world. On the left is Dorje Lakpa (6696m). The pointy peak to the right of Shishapangma is Phola Gangchen (7716m).

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 03-1 Shishapangma With Dorje Lakpa To Left

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 03-2 Shishapangma Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world at 8012m, shines in the early morning sun from Kathmandu’s Mountain flight. The steep and treacherous southwest face is in shadow on the left. The north face is just visible in the sun on the right. On the far right the pointy rocky peak is Phola Gangchen (7716m), first climbed in 1981, and to its left is Shishapangma’s East face.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 03-2 Shishapangma

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 03-3 Shishapangma Close Up Here is a close-up of the summit area of Shishapangma, the 14th highest mountain in the world at 8012m, shining in the early morning sun from Kathmandu Mountain flight. The steep and treacherous southwest face is in shadow on the left. The north face is just visible in the sun on the right. The peak to the right of the sloping long sunny ridge in the middle right is Pungpa Ri (7445m), first climbed in 1982. On the far left below Pungpa Ri with its west face in shadow and the east face fully lit is Nyanang Ri (7071m), called the Rock Tooth.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 03-3 Shishapangma Close Up

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 04-1 Gauri Shankar Wide View The twin summits of sacred Gauri Shankar and the step south face are clearly visible on the Kathmandu mountain flight. The higher northern summit (7134m) of Gauri Shankar is called Shankar, a manifestation of Shiva, and the lower southern summit (7010m) is called Gauri, a manifestation of Shiva's consort. Gauri Shankar has only been climbed a few times because of its extremely difficult steep faces and long, corniced ridges.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 04-1 Gauri Shankar Wide View

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 04-2 Gauri Shankar, Menlungtse And Lobuche Kang 1997 On my first Kathmandu Mountain Flight in 1997, I had an excellent view of both Gauri Shankar and Menlungtse. The ridge closer than Menlungtse has Menlung La, Chekigo (6257m), and Kang Nachugo (6735m) on the far right. Beyond Menlungtse in Tibet is the Labuche Kang massif. On the left is Peak 6952m, in the centre the slim silhouette of Labuche Kang II (7072m), and on the right Labuche Kang I (7367m), highest point of the massif.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 04-2 Gauri Shankar, Menlungtse And Lobuche Kang 1997

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 05-1 Menlungtse The dramatic south face of Menlungtse (7181m) shines in the early morning sun on the Kathmandu mountain flight. Menlungtse has a long summit ridge from the lower west summit (7023m) on the left to the higher east summit (7181m) on the right. Menlungtse has only been climbed a few times because of its extremely difficult steep faces. The Menlung La pass from Nepal into Tibet is on the lower right.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 05-1 Menlungtse

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 05-2 Menlungtse 1997 My Kathmandu Mountain Flight in 1997 was later in the morning, so I had an even better view of Menlungtse.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 05-2 Menlungtse 1997

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-1 Cho Oyu With Tsoboje, Nangpai Gosum I, Takargo, And Gyachung Kang As the Kathmandu Mountain Flight continues flying over the Rolwaling Valley, the west and south faces of Cho Oyu (8210m), the sixth highest mountain in the world, comes into view. On the lower far left is Tsoboje (Chobutse, 6689m); the pointed peak to the left of Cho Oyu is Nangpai Gosum I (7351m, also called Cho Aui or Pasang Lhamu Chuli); the peak below Cho Oyu is Takargo (Dragker-Go, 6793m); and on the far right is Gyachung Kang (7952m).

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-1 Cho Oyu With Tsoboje, Nangpai Gosum I, Takargo, And Gyachung Kang

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-2 Cho Oyu West And South Faces Close Up Here is a close up of the west and south faces of Cho Oyu (8210m) from the Kathmandu Mountain Flight.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-2 Cho Oyu West And South Faces Close Up

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-4 Cho Oyu Above Numbur and Khatang With Nangpa La and Nangpai Gosum I Cho Oyu dominates the view from the Kathmandu Mountain Flight as the plane leaves the Rolwaling area. The closest mountain is Numbur (6959m) on the left connected by a ridge to Khatang (6853m) on the right. The Nangpa La pass between Tibet and Nepal is in the upper left, and the pointed peak to the left of Cho Oyu is Nangpai Gosum I (7351m, also called Cho Aui or Pasang Lhamu Chuli).

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-4 Cho Oyu Above Numbur and Khatang With Nangpa La and Nangpai Gosum I

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-6 Cho Oyu To Gyanchung Kang With Gokyo Valley And Ngozumpa Glacier 1997 A long ice ridge connects Nangpai Gosum I (7351m) to Cho Oyu (8201m) to the little known Gyachung Kang (7952m), the 15th highest mountain in the world. The Gokyo Valley snakes up to the Ngozumpa Glacier, the largest in Nepal.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 07-6 Cho Oyu To Gyanchung Kang With Gokyo Valley And Ngozumpa Glacier 1997

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 08-1 Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam 1997 The highlight of the Kathmandu Mountain Flight is when Everest comes into view, poking its head above the Nuptse Lhotse south face. The peak in the middle right is Ama Dablam, one of the most beautiful peaks in the world.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 08-1 Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, Ama Dablam 1997

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 08-2 Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse The summit of Mount Everest (8850m) pokes up above the Nuptse (7861m) to Lhotse (8516m) south face from the Kathmandu Mountain flight.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 08-2 Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 08-3 Everest And Lhotse Close Up Here is a close up of the summit of Mount Everest (8850m) and Lhotse from the Kathmandu mountain flight. From the Everest summit, the southeast ridge descends to the South Col and then rises again to the summit of Lhotse (8516m), the fourth highest mountain in the world. On the right are Lhotse Middle (8414m) and Lhotse Shar (8383m).

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 08-3 Everest And Lhotse Close Up

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 09-1 Makalu The sun backlights Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world, making it a bit hard to see Makalu as the Kathmandu Mountain Flight turns around to head back to Kathmandu.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 09-1 Makalu

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 09-2 Makalu 1997 The massive west face of Makalu (8462m) is seen from the Kathmandu Mountain Flight. The ridge in the centre of the photo is the exceedingly difficult, very steep Makalu West Pillar. Kangchungtse (7678m, also called Makalu II) is on the left.

Kathmandu Mountain Flight 09-2 Makalu 1997