NEPAL TRAVELLER
Taplejung airport is a small domestic airport which is located in Phungling serving the Taplejung District, Nepal. The airport is located in northeastern Nepal. The airport is also known as Suketar Airport.
It resides in one of the most beautiful areas in eastern Nepal with spectacular landscape, Himalayan peaks, and a wide range of flora and fauna. Alpine grassland, rocky outcrops, dense temperate and subtropical forests, and river valleys make up the region.
The airport also serves as the main tourist gateway for Kanchanjunga the third highest peak in the world and Pathibhara Devi temple. Established in 1976, the airport started operations in October of the same year.
Airlines and Destinations
The airport is served by some of the major airlines in Nepal. The national flag carrier operates its service through this airport. Private airlines operate scheduled flights to and from the airport. Besides this Tara Air and Summit Air also offer service through the airport. The airport is operated on a single runway which was blacktopped back in 2016. The IATA and ICAO codes for Taplejung airport are TPJ and VNTJ respectively.
Situated at an elevation of 7,936 feet above sea level the airport spreads in approx. 83178.58 m2 in total land area.
Taplejung by air is by far the easiest way to start the Kanchenjunga Trek.
The parking ramp can accommodate types of aircraft like D228, DHC6, L410, Y12. Beside the airport serves some major tourist areas like Olangchun-Gola Yangma, Ghunsa, Lungthung, Lelep which were previously the restricted areas of Taplejung district and are now opened for foreign trekkers.
Tea houses, trekking/camping are very popular in the Kanchanjunga region and the airport receives most of the travelers during its peak season.
Complied by Rina Kumari Mandal a content writer at Nepaltraveller.
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