Simikot Airport guide

Simikot Airport (ICAO VNST) is a domestic airfield serving Simikot, the district headquarters of Humla in Nepal's Karnali Province. Humla has little road access, so the airstrip is the main way in and out for residents, aid cargo and trekkers.

The airport sits at about 2,900 m above sea level. It has one asphalt runway, designated 10/28, of roughly 550 m. Flights run in daylight, from early morning to about midday, and weather often interrupts them. Services have halted for several days at a time during heavy rain.

All scheduled flights connect to Nepalgunj, about 208 km away and a flight of around an hour. Nepal Airlines, Tara Air, Summit Air and Sita Air serve the route, and Nepal Airlines and Summit Air also link Simikot with Surkhet. The airport is the Nepal-side gateway for pilgrims heading to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet, and pilgrim season brings the heaviest traffic. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal operates it.